, Marietta Times
MARIETTA - As a child, Richard Barth always passed the Woman's Home on Third Street in Marietta on his way to church.
He often wondered what the story behind it was, and once asked his mother about it. "It's a home where elderly ladies can find refuge and comfort in their later years," he recalled her saying.
Barth, who lives at Harmar Place Rehabilitation and Extended Care in Marietta, is now contributing to the home with hopes of improving the quality of life of those living there.
His donation of $50,000, which he officially handed over to members of the home's board of trustees Wednesday, will be used to renovate the bathrooms there.
Barth decided to make the donation after learning through Kim Shomo, who is his former neighbor and current board member, that the bathrooms need renovated.
"This project was called to my attention over a luncheon one day," Barth said. "I got to thinking, I've got a charitable gift trust I've never tapped in to and thought why don't I get in to it."
The administrator of the Woman's Home, Debbie Stengel, described it as an "assisted rest home/retirement home" for women only. It opened in 1885 at 812 Third St. and remains in that same location today.
It is a nonprofit organization.
"We are Washington County's best kept secret," Stengel said. "We're the step between they can't be home alone but they're not ready for the nursing home; they need to be able to ambulate with a walker or cane or propel themselves with a wheelchair."
Though his mother, Alma, never stayed at the Woman's Home, the money Richard Barth donated will be placed in the Alma L. Barth Fund in memory of her.
Shomo said board members will solicit donations from the community with hopes of raising an additional $200,000 to be placed in the fund so the kitchen at the Woman's Home can be renovated.
As for the bathrooms at the home, Stengel said they are in desperate need of repair. There are four full bathrooms and one half bathroom that will be renovated. Stengel said work will begin right away.
"They'll all be handicapped accessible (and) it'll allow us to brighten them up and make them new," she said.
Stengel said in the last 20 years, the bathrooms have been painted but not much work has been done on them aside from that.
One reason Barth was inspired to donate money for renovating the bathrooms is because the bathroom he uses at Harmar Place Rehabilitation and Extended Care is handicapped accessible and he realizes how important that is.
"He became aware of the what kind of bathrooms the elderly could have," Shomo said.
"My main purpose is to live long enough to see this thing through to completion," Barth said.
Stengel said there is enough room in the home for 13 women to live there at one time, but there are only six living there.
Board member Beth Lepore said more women might be drawn to the facility once the bathrooms are renovated.
"We're incredibly excited because we feel we have a really nice facility but we definitely need to update our bathrooms," she said.
Stengel said the facility is governed by the board of trustees, which has 20 members, and it follows regulations set forth by the Ohio Department of Health.
In addition to Stengel and a licensed practical nurse, there are 12 people on staff at the home.
The residents pay $2,200 a month to live there and funds to support the home also come from an endowment fund, but board members said they also rely heavily on and greatly appreciate all donations.
He often wondered what the story behind it was, and once asked his mother about it. "It's a home where elderly ladies can find refuge and comfort in their later years," he recalled her saying.
Barth, who lives at Harmar Place Rehabilitation and Extended Care in Marietta, is now contributing to the home with hopes of improving the quality of life of those living there.
His donation of $50,000, which he officially handed over to members of the home's board of trustees Wednesday, will be used to renovate the bathrooms there.
Barth decided to make the donation after learning through Kim Shomo, who is his former neighbor and current board member, that the bathrooms need renovated.
"This project was called to my attention over a luncheon one day," Barth said. "I got to thinking, I've got a charitable gift trust I've never tapped in to and thought why don't I get in to it."
The administrator of the Woman's Home, Debbie Stengel, described it as an "assisted rest home/retirement home" for women only. It opened in 1885 at 812 Third St. and remains in that same location today.
It is a nonprofit organization.
"We are Washington County's best kept secret," Stengel said. "We're the step between they can't be home alone but they're not ready for the nursing home; they need to be able to ambulate with a walker or cane or propel themselves with a wheelchair."
Though his mother, Alma, never stayed at the Woman's Home, the money Richard Barth donated will be placed in the Alma L. Barth Fund in memory of her.
Shomo said board members will solicit donations from the community with hopes of raising an additional $200,000 to be placed in the fund so the kitchen at the Woman's Home can be renovated.
As for the bathrooms at the home, Stengel said they are in desperate need of repair. There are four full bathrooms and one half bathroom that will be renovated. Stengel said work will begin right away.
"They'll all be handicapped accessible (and) it'll allow us to brighten them up and make them new," she said.
Stengel said in the last 20 years, the bathrooms have been painted but not much work has been done on them aside from that.
One reason Barth was inspired to donate money for renovating the bathrooms is because the bathroom he uses at Harmar Place Rehabilitation and Extended Care is handicapped accessible and he realizes how important that is.
"He became aware of the what kind of bathrooms the elderly could have," Shomo said.
"My main purpose is to live long enough to see this thing through to completion," Barth said.
Stengel said there is enough room in the home for 13 women to live there at one time, but there are only six living there.
Board member Beth Lepore said more women might be drawn to the facility once the bathrooms are renovated.
"We're incredibly excited because we feel we have a really nice facility but we definitely need to update our bathrooms," she said.
Stengel said the facility is governed by the board of trustees, which has 20 members, and it follows regulations set forth by the Ohio Department of Health.
In addition to Stengel and a licensed practical nurse, there are 12 people on staff at the home.
The residents pay $2,200 a month to live there and funds to support the home also come from an endowment fund, but board members said they also rely heavily on and greatly appreciate all donations.
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