My Journey with Landis Homes

Paul M. Martin

March 2009

I was vaguely aware of Landis Homes from its beginnings. However, my first real insight into what was going on here at 1001 East Oregon Road, began after Ira Buckwalter, one of the founding fathers, asked me to serve on the board sometime during 1989. At that time the founding organization, Eastern Mennonite Missions, EMM, had just spun off Landis Homes and launched it as a non- profit 509c organization. Landis Homes was initially started by EMM as a place for retired missionaries and church workers and it was at this time that there was increasing interest in broadening its vision to serve a broader spectrum of persons in the Christian community.

Shortly after I joined, the board they began forming a long range plan that included providing more independent living facilities for the expanding waiting list of a thousand or more persons. The board decided that a project manager needed to be hired to guide the design and construction. I became that person in 1991 and for the next 7 years until my retirement in 1998 additional cottages, Harvest View, The Heritage and numerous other facility upgrades came into being, plus a municipal water main was built to replace several contaminated wells.

It is interesting to note that Landis Homes finds itself at a somewhat similar point in time with an extending waiting list; and has again begun serious planning to provide its unique service to more of these persons. I commend the current management team for their detailed study indicating now is the appropriate time to move ahead and for their forward thinking in handling our wetlands and designing hybrid units to conserve valuable land. Also how they have provided a level of service from health care and food service to maintenance and Landis at Home services that is without peer.

As a resident for the last 2 1/2 years I am impressed with the richness that the varied resident base adds to the quality of life Betty and I experience here from our apartment in Harvest View. May the Lord bless us all as we continue our journey together here at Landis Homes; remembering with hope where our journey will end.

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