The Terraces at Bethany was a long time in the making.
Those at Wednesday’s grand-opening event remembered that journey, from the brainstorming sessions to the various challenges including a worldwide pandemic.
The mission had always been clear – “To honor and enrich the aging experience in a secure, vibrant, Christ-centered community.”
Executive Director Cindy Scheublein echoed just that during the event featuring a ribbon-cutting ceremony by the Ripon Chamber of Commerce.
“We are celebrating an idea that started on paper in 2015 to a physical building in 2025,” she said.
The Terraces at Bethany is a three-story building with 82 apartments that are licensed as a Residential Care Facility for the elderly which, Scheublein noted, allows residents to age in place.
The three-story building consists of 104,000 square feet altogether including 24,800 amenity space on the first floor – notably, full-service formal dining program & bistro café, private dining room, outdoor dining, library, wellness center, exercise studio, fitness center, arts & crafts room, media room, and multi-purpose room – with 65 residents occupying 55 apartments on the upper floors, with six planning to move in during the next few weeks.
Several workshops during the planning stages early on included former board member Lenneke Bulk sharing her vision for the new section of Bethany Home – a multi-story building with every resident room with a balcony, an eye-catching entrance, high ceilings, big dining room with a rustic feeling.
As for the name? Another former board member, Deb Van Groningen suggested The Terraces at Bethany.
The grand opening program also included a prayer of dedication from Chaplain Glen Shirk; remarks by the likes of new Ripon Mayor Gary Barton, board president Jeff Miller, former board member Henry Meester, GSI President David Knight, and Project Manager Paul Aigner; and various recognitions and the final prayer delivered by Chaplain Joel Richards.
“We did it,” said Scheublein in celebrating the team-effort it took to make the Terraces at Bethany possible. “It was not one single person – it was faith.”
