The Blue Sky Lodge opened in January of 1973 and has served the community for the past 50 years.
To celebrate the milestone, the lodge held a get together with residents, Greens Acres Foundation representatives, along with special guests including Jason Nixon, Minister of Seniors, Community, and Social Services, Mayor Blaine Hyggen, and Lethbridge-East MLA, Nathan Neudorf.
“What an impact a facility like this would have for over five decades in the community to be able to make sure that the seniors, seniors like yourselves, who built our communities can continue to live and contribute to our communities long term,” says Nixon.
Along with a celebration with residents, a tree was planted for the anniversary, with help from Nixon, Coslovi, Carlson, Hyggen and a Blue Sky Lodge resident, Maurice Ronspies.
Coslovi says that Blue Sky Lodge is one of the oldest buildings with the Green Acres Foundation, and that some past residents now have children in the lodge.
“The most important thing are the people that live here, that’s what makes this so special, because we have really, really, special residents that we have the honour of providing housing and services to,” says Coslovi. “If it was a bad experience for their loved ones, they wouldn’t come here, I take that as a pat on our backs that they think that the place was great for their loved ones and now their coming back.”
After the tree planting, a BBQ and live music took place followed with cake.