​On June 3rd Robert, Chuck, and Rick Munson officially signed a deed gifting 70 acres of Geary County land which will be designated to build the Aging Well at the Spring Valley Campus.  The donated land, located at the northwest corner of the intersection of Hwy 77 and Hwy 18 and running parallel to Spring Valley Road, will offer plenty of space to develop a campus focused on senior living services.  This land has been in the Munson family since 1989, when Carl and Emilie Munson, the Munson’s Great Grandparents purchased the land.  Over the years this family land served the Munson family well.  In addition to being involved with production agriculture, quarries were opened on some of the Munson Land to furnish land for many buildings in Junction City. The First Presbyterian Church built in 1920 used stone from the quarry.
 
Phase 1 of the plan for Aging Well, Inc., includes building three small homes providing skilled nursing services and an additional home providing assisted living services.  Phase 2 will include independent housing options, a clubhouse, and other opportunities to incorporate other supportive services.  The culture of the campus will be centered around purpose, empowerment, and providing honorable care.
 
Duane Blythe, Aging Well Board Co-Chair, commented, “The donation of the land from the Munson Family is a key component towards the success of the Aging Well project.  The Board of Directors have been working hard for several years to fill the need and provide more options to seniors living in our community.   The location of where the Aging Well campus would be built has always been a challenge and we are incredibly grateful for the Munson family’s tremendous land donation in such an ideal location.”
 
Funding for this $13.5 million campus will come from a USDA loan, foundation and grant support, and support from local donors as well. Because Aging Well is a private not-for-profit entity, this project will not be funded by taxes or public funds.  With this land gift, donations and pledges we have been able to raise a total $1,567,000, nearly half of the $3.5 million fundraising goal.
 
For information about the Aging Well project or becoming a supporter, contact any board member or go to www.agingwellseniorliving.com. 

​Effort is under way on the Aging Well project, which will be located at the northwest corner of U.S. 77 and K-18 Highways in Geary County. This week Geary County and Junction City commissioners will receive updates on this effort.

Aging Well Co-Chair LaDonna Junghans said this is a quality of life project for senior living in Geary County. "It's a group of people that organized themselves about 10 years ago and formed a nonprofit organization. " She explained that they want to give the community more options for senior living. 

There will be three homes where bedrooms are on the exterior and the interior a huge living room, dining room and kitchen for family-style living. There would also be an assisted living facility that would house 14 elders. This would be phase one with more assisted living, long-term living and hopefully independent living in duplexes and apartments.

Jona Freel, Marketing and Development Consultant for Grace Team Services, are working with the Aging Well Board and in the future will transition into a management role once the campus begins. They are working on services and cares for seniors in 11 cities in Kansas. "Right now we are in the process of raising funds for the project. Our goal is $3.5 million and we are just over one million now." They are working toward an opportunity for tax credits.  If you would like to make a donation contact board members or members of an advocate group listed at the Aging Well web site, agingwellseniorliving.com. Donations can be sent to 819 North Washington in Junction City or to LaDonna Junghans at 785-238-3117.

Theresa Bramlage, R2 B4 Bramlage Family Foundation, said they know that there is a need for the project, especially with the aging population, and is something the Foundation decided to get involved with. "We get involved in projects that bring economic value to this community and that's why we've stepped and we've pledged dollars to the project.

Bramlage feels the facility will be community engaging with trails outside the perimeter of the homes. "It's just going to be an incredible 70-plus acre facility."

Junghans said that there will be a team of three or four individuals caring for the people in each home.
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There will be Aging Well presentations at the Geary County Commission meeting about 11:30 a.m. Monday and at the City Commission meeting Tuesday night.