Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital's Wellness Center project is pursuing a feasibility study to determine if $2 million might be raised with a capital campaign.

The Wellness Center would be sited at the former North Country Community Recreation Center in Colebrook. The NCCRC was in operation for nearly 15 years before closing down in 2021. After the rec center closed, UCVH became the center's fiscal sponsor and assumed all debt and responsibilities for its proposed restoration and expansion project. The NCCRC and UCVH are seeking to transform the building into a medically based wellness center.

According to grant writer Jenny Mitchell of North Country Healthcare, the Wellness Center project is pursuing an environmental assessment of the current facility as required by a $1 million grant recently received from the Northern Border Regional Commission. To raise the remaining project funds, senior leadership opted to conduct a feasibility study with Graham-Pelton to determine if a capital campaign could raise the remaining funds.

The study is in its preliminary stages, and Graham-Pelton is expected to present its findings in late May. Since initiating the study, UCVH received a $2.7 million Housing and Urban Development grant.

"With this additional funding, senior leadership will continue with the study until it is determined if and how the two funding sources will be combined to complete the project," Ms. Mitchell said. "UCVH will still need to raise money for the Wellness Center project, as both federal funding sources have an 80-percent maximum."

As part of the feasibility study, UCVH is asking local residents to participate in an on-line survey, which can be accessed by scanning the QR code in the advertisement in this week's paper. The survey will be available until Wednesday, May 8.

The survey also includes a link to a "Case for Support" PowerPoint presentation that goes over the history and details of the project. It cites challenges in the community, such as limited resources to engage in healthy activities, transportation barriers and health disparities.

New features of the Wellness Center include a recreational pool and therapy pool, fitness gym, indoor walking track, a multipurpose space and a range of programs, classes, workshops and rehabilitation services. Space will be available for community events and wellness classes such as CPR, grief, substance use disorder, diet and nutritional counseling and disease management.

The current facilities will be updated to provide an integrative approach to preventative medicine and health and wellness promotion. The currently Olympic-size pool in the existing building will be removed, and a new addition will house a recreational pool that offers year-round swimming lessons and a therapy pool for aquatic therapy patients.

The fitness space will utilize a monthly membership fee, and a sliding-scale fee option will be available for the indoor walking track and swim lessons. The center will rent space for a variety of rehabilitation services within the Wellness Center to generate additional revenue, and the center will retain its 501(C)(3) nonprofit status and be governed by its own operating board.

The total cost of the project is $5.7 million, and the center has received $3.7 million in grant funding, contingent upon raising an additional $2 million. The center is seeking to raise that amount with gifts and pledges from individuals, foundations and businesses in the community, and secure planned and estate gift commitments to seed an endowment in support of future needs.

UCVH president and CEO Greg Cook stated, "On behalf of UCVH leadership, we invite and encourage you to help us understand the importance of reopening the North Country Community Recreation Center in a new model, as a Wellness Center in conjunction with Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital."

Art students from Canaan Memorial High School, Colebrook Academy and Pittsburg High School will compete in the 17th Regional High School Art show on Thursday, May 9.

The show rotates its location each year among the three schools, and this year's event is in the cafeteria at the Colebrook school. The public is invited to come and view the work by students in grades 9-12, along with some refreshments. The show will be open from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

The National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians recently recognized Elsie Hall, an EMT with the Errol Rescue Squad, for achieving 40 consecutive years of national EMS certification, a distinction held by few EMS professionals.

Maintaining her status as a nationally registered EMT required that she complete a comprehensive recertification program every two years, and along with that she has taken continuing education courses regularly.

Mrs. Hall was registered as an EMT in 1983 and has been serving Errol and surrounding communities since that year. She represents the second generation of her family's EMS providers, which has grown to four generations. Elsie and her daughter Terri Ruel became EMTs in 1983, and along with Mike Kennard formed what is known today as Errol Rescue Squad, Inc.

With their cars equipped with first aid supplies and medical equipment, they provided emergency medical care to the community. In the 1990s the Pittsburg Ambulance Service sold its 1979 van style ambulance to Errol Rescue for $1, fulfilling Elsie's dream to become a transport service.

Elsie, Terri and Mike manned the ambulance and never charged for their services. In fact, most things were bought out of their own pockets. To this day Errol Rescue Squad remains a volunteer service.

Elsie's devotion to her community and to providing emergency rescue services are seemingly without bounds. Her colleagues say she is great at coming up with ideas for fundraisers, she is an advocate at town meetings, and gives of herself endlessly to ensure her community is cared for. Even as she was caring for her father when he was ill with cancer so he could remain at home, she and Terri took turns taking ambulance calls, so the community was not neglected in any way.

"Elsie has given more of herself to this community than anyone we know," reads a statement from the Errol Rescue Squad. "Elsie was one of the driving forces for Errol Rescue, buying a 1997 Wheel Coach Ambulance from the town of Errol. The future being so uncertain, Elsie just looked ahead and said, �Let's do this.' In 1998 Errol Rescue became a nonprofit private ambulance service, with Elsie pushing us all the way."

The National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians serves as the national EMS certification organization by providing a valid, uniform process to assess the knowledge and skills required for competent practice by EMS professionals throughout their careers, and by maintaining a registry of certification status.