Ready to move: St. Luke's Home needs volunteers to move furniture

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The St. Luke’s Home staff is preparing to move about half the residents to newly constructed areas of the building. The big day is Saturday when staff, family members and volunteers move the residents over.

St. Luke’s is an 84-bed nursing home, located at 242 10th St. W. in Dickinson.

Groundbreaking for the $12 million home was four years ago. Phase 1 of the move was completed two years ago. The Phase 2 move is about to get under way.

“Saturday, all the residents will be in the new space,” Administrator Dennis Goebel said.

The project has been delayed for a number of reasons, one being the contractors have been so busy, he said.

“We’ve been running an institutional model and a home-like model, and trying to occupy both systems at the same time,” he said. “Once we’re all in one model, the system will improve the flow of patient care.”

Environmental director Brad Wanner said the staff could use extra help, starting today.

“We have a bunch of furniture that’s stored in garages that has to go in — we have offices that have to be moved,” he said.

Wanner said the move is an exciting time at St. Luke’s.

“We’re so excited for the residents — they’re champing at the bit to get over to the new space,” Wanner said.

He said volunteers are needed to unpack the new furniture and to move some of the residents’ personal belongings this week.

“It’s going to be a big job,” he said. “We’ve been geared up for it for many months,” he said.

Volunteers willing to help move furniture may call activities director Joyce Decker at 701-456-8251 to arrange for times.

“Everyone is hands-on-deck,” Decker said.

About 20 residents from Unit 3 are making the move, along with another 20 residents who’ve been doubling up from the first phase, she said. They’ll be moving into private or semi-private rooms.

“So many are taking sneak peeks at where their room will be,” she said.

Sandy Moos, whose dad, Tony Reisenauer, lives at St. Luke’s, said the move is bittersweet for their family.

Her husband, Guy Moos’ grandfather Albert Helgeson, helped raise funds for the first St. Luke’s Home back in the 1950s.

“My dad really likes his home here at St. Luke’s,” she said. “He’s excited to move to his new one, but it’s bittersweet for all of us. We’re going to miss the old part and are sad to see it torn down.

She said the new unit is beautiful.

“Dad calls his room ‘home’ — that’s a comfort to us,” she said. “And the certified nursing assistants are awesome — that’s what makes it so much fun to be here. We hope we get to keep them too.”

Moos said she her sister are looking forward to the move on Saturday and expect to help out.

Phase 3 will consist of tearing down the old building to make room for a parking lot and circular drive to the front of the entrance.

Tags: st. luke's home, lifestyle, dickinson