Covenant News

Bethany Covenant Village Observes 75th Anniversary

MINNEAPOLIS, MN (September 15, 2004) - Bethany Covenant Village hosted a 75th anniversary open house and a special program on Sunday following the theme "Celebrating 75 Years of Caring."

More than 300 people were in attendance, including many former administrators and staff members as well as the chair of the Minneapolis City Council, Paul Ostrow. Northwest Conference Supt. Jim Fretheim was among the guest speakers as was Linnea Peterson Grandine, who was hired as Bethany's first nurse in 1933); resident Ruth Drotts; Kathie Witta, Covenant Retirement Communities' (CRC) regional director; and Muswamba Muvundamina, assistant director of nursing. Rick Fisk, CRC president, gave the keynote address for the service of worship/dedication, said Paula Sparling, administrator of Bethany Covenant Village and one of Sunday's speakers.

Sparling and 11 others served on the event planning committee, including Gary Gardeen, campus administrator for CRC of Minnesota, June and Dave Abrahamson, Josh Anderson, Rosalie Grosch, Anne Osterberg, Frances Decker, Bonnie Kreatz, Heather Schmidt, Betty Johnson and Bruce Peterson.

Previously known as Bethany Covenant Home, Bethany Covenant Village began through the generosity of Christian businessman Aaron Carlson, who donated his large home to the Northwest Mission Friends (which is now the Northwest Conference) in 1929. Carlson owned Aaron Carlson Millwork and wanted a place where his workers and others could live as they grew older. Within a year of opening, 18 women resided in the three-story mansion.

In 1932, adjacent land was acquired to house more people and Peterson Grandine was hired as the facility's first nurse not long after. In 1960 a new two-story building was erected around the original home for approximately $375,000. It provided 80 licensed beds. The old mansion was razed after the residents moved to the new building. In 1974 Bethany was incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation. In 1976 a four-story building was erected with 14 studio and two one-bedroom residential retirement apartments. At the same time the 1960 building was upgraded to provide more skilled care.

Organizational responsibility for Bethany was transferred from the Northwest Conference to the Board of Benevolence of the Evangelical Covenant Church in 1980. And in 2002, the Minnesota campuses administered by Covenant Retirement Communities were consolidated into Covenant Retirement Communities of Minnesota.

Bethany Covenant Village can accommodate 66 residents and another 16 via connected apartments. It has been completing many projects on campus, including redecoration of one building (estimated cost $378,000) and the paving of a parking lot.

For more information about Bethany Covenant Village, call Sparling at 612-781-2691.

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