Blue Valley Lutheran Homes Milestones 

  

  

Blue Valley Lutheran Homes is a non-profit social ministry organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  BVLH was founded nearly 60 years ago to serve the needs of the elderly, and physically and mentally challenged, with dignity and respect through Christian love and compassion.  That mission remains the same today.  A look at the past clearly shows God's enduring faithfulness to Blue Valley's ministry.  May we, in turn, continue to be faithful through our service to each other. 

  

1948:  Lutheran Brotherhoods of the South-Central Nebraska area joined together with the American Lutheran Church congregations to sponsor the organization of Blue Valley Lutheran Homes Society, Inc.  A constitution was adopted and a nine member Board of Directors was elected.  Members included:  Rev O.F. Reeg, Mr. Dale Bruning, Rev. Obermeyer, Mr. Bill Peithmann, Mr. Martin Hoops, Mr. Albert Heitmann, Mr. Edward Kirchhoff, Mr. Carl Meyer, and Mr. Edward Mueller.  The former McFarland Hospital was purchased for $17,500 

  

1950:  Luther Hall, former Hebron College Administration Building purchased.  Repairs and remodeling were necessary before it could be used as a nursing home. 

  

1953:  Disaster in the form of a tornado hit Hebron and Blue Valley Lutheran Home on May 9.  Volunteer workers came from far and wide to help convert the second floor to temporary quarters.  On June 1, BVLH was reopened to residents, but tentative plans for remodeling Luther Hall became imperative.   Don Hollis, architect from Overland Park, KS, presented a $150,000 plan to convert Lutheran Hall into a functional nursing home. 

  

1955:  Remodeling work on Luther Hall completed. 

  

1968:  BVLH Board of Directors voted favorably to build a new 80 bed nursing home.  Architectural firm of Burrill and McNett hired to design the facility. 

  

1970: Contractor bids were opened for the cost of building the new nursing home.  The lowest bid came in at over $718,000.  After plans were reconsidered, a new bid of $675,000 was agreed on. 

  

1971:  Building project completed and residents moved into their new nursing home.  The former Luther Hall building became Blue Valley Care Home, a facility for the mentally challenged. 

  

1973:  Nursing Home expanded by adding a 20 bed wing to the new building. 

  

1974:  BVLH celebrated 25^th anniversary. 

  

1977:  State of Nebraska required that the Care Home offer work programs to qualified residents. The Mitchell Building, located in downtown Hebron, was rented and used as a workshop.  Work programs were offered until 1982. 

  

1980:  A task force was formed to study the need for a new Care Home facility, and find a location on which to build.  Members of this task force included:  Rodney Hellbusch, Patsy Werner, Merlin Heitmann, Ed Kujath, Ed Cording, Junior Lentfer, Ed Pohlmann, and Otto Paul. 

  

1984:  BVLH Board of Directors voted to hire Clark Enersen Partners of Lincoln to draw up plans for new Care Home facility. 

  

1988:  A solarium was built on the south side of the Nursing Home. 

  

1990:  Contractor bids for building a new Care Home were opened, with Bruce Construction coming in with the lowest bid at $2,001,540. Three parcels of land located on the southeast corner of 3^rd and Willard Street were purchased as the building site for the new Care Home facility. 

  

1991:  Care Home construction of new facility completed. 

  

1994:  Lower level of the Northwest wing of the Nursing Home was remodeled for a child care center. 

  

1996:  Nursing Home lobby redecoration project completed. 

  

1997:  Nursing Home chapel and quiet room redecoration projects completed.  Covered patio added on to the south side of Care Home.  BVLH Board of Directors voted to build assisted living apartments.  The firm of Richard Willis and Associates of Grand Island hired to plan the facility.  A construction contract was negotiated with Greeley Gas & Electric of Greeley for the amount of $994,000. 

   

1998:  Nursing Home business office remodeling and expansion project completed.  Construction of Blue Valley Riverside Apartments completed with 16 apartments.  Butterfly Garden landscaping project was completed at the Nursing Home.  BVLH celebrates 50^th anniversary. 

  

2001:  Wagner Wing of the Nursing Home converted to 9 assisted living apartments and is named NorthView Apartments. 

  

2004:  Fellow serving arm Tabitha Health Care Services assumed day-to-day management responsibilities under the direction of the BVLH board of directors. 

  

2005:  Heating and cooling system upgrade at Nursing Home completed. 

  

2006:  The Gardens at Blue Valley opens in the remodeled south wing of the Care Home.  The Gardens is the newest addition to the continuum of care offered by BVLH.  The 14 bed unit is Medicaid certified and staffed by professionals trained in providing direct care to persons with dementia. 

  

2007:  The Marquart Gardens project redesigns the circle drive of Nursing Home.  Memorial dollars from the Marvin Marquart estate and the BVLH Foundation make this new stream and waterfall, rock garden, and bridge a reality.