Fullness of life can take many forms: a peaceful walk in the great outdoors, a pontoon boat ride on a beautiful lake or playing golf on a putting green.
Thanks to generous donors and years of hard work, Elim Shores‘ residents can now enjoy these fantastic new amenities.
Cassia vice president of philanthropy Matthew Crawford says these new amenities enhance fullness of life at Elim Shores.
“Whether you’re golfing, walking on the path or enjoying a ride on the pontoon or golf cart, resident physical and mental health will be enhanced,” Matt says.
“So many Minnesotans spend their lives enjoying the great outdoors. Thanks to our generous supporters, our residents at Elim Shores are now able to continue enjoying their passion for outdoor activities into their later years. It is so fun to see.”
From Vision to Reality
It all began with a vision from Chris Orr to fulfil Cassia’s mission of fostering fullness of life in a unique way. Chris, who served as the director of housing at Elim Shores from June 2016 to October 2022, recalls his first day at Elim Shores:
“On my very first day walking down by the water and seeing the old decrepit path stop at the bottom of the hill – I thought ‘Boy, this would be great to better utilize these wonderful seven acres with a walking path for the residents. And then have a dock and pontoon to be able to get out end enjoy the water and take residents fishing and on sunset boat rides.’”
One roadblock caused the plans for the walking path to change. Because of the proximity to Lake Mitchell, they needed a water-permeable surface. The innovative solution was creating a gravel path that remains today, held in place by a grid system to help prevent slipping.
The walking path project became a collaborative effort involving Hennepin County, the DNR, Mitchell Lake Association and the Watershed District. By 2020, the team completed the walking path and then started the dock and pontoon campaign.
Enhancing Outdoor Enjoyment
In the summer of 2024, Elim Shores’ residents saw Chris’s vision come to life. On Mondays and Wednesdays, if the weather cooperates, you can find them enjoying time on Lake Mitchell.
Additionally, the dream expanded to include Lilly Pad Landing, a putting green, par-3 hole and a golf cart. By June 2024, the organization had raised enough funds for the golf cart and putting green, leaving just $3,000 needed for the par-3 hole.
Donors have generously donated more than $100,000 for these projects to date. The last piece, the par-3 hole, is just a matter of time before completion.
Elim Shores housing director Jason Nelson believes these new features will greatly improve residents’ quality of life.
“Being able to live in a community where these are available is a great benefit to our residents. The opportunity to take a ride on the pontoon on a nice sunny day is invaluable, and being able to take a ride on the golf cart to get there just adds to the fun, while providing the necessary mobility some of our residents would need, being unable to take advantage of otherwise,” he says. “This all adds to the smiles and the building of friendships within our resident population.”
A Community United
The success of these projects at Elim Shores showcases the remarkable generosity of our donors. Their contributions have transformed a vision into reality. Along the way, they have enriched the lives of our residents and brought them closer to the joys of the great outdoors.
Elim Shores stays united by a shared commitment to enhancing fullness of life for all. This collective effort fosters a stronger sense of togetherness among everyone involved.