Donations sought for group home
A Geneva group home will be named Bethany House after the late Bethany Heidorn, an announcement that brought tears to the eyes of family members Saturday.
"You took me by surprise," said Byron Heidorn, obviously moved. His daughter Bethany died in 1986 at age 8 after living in a group home.
Heidorn, his wife, Carol, and son David were present when the announcement was made by William Barclay, vice chair of the seven-member Geneva 708 Mental Health Board.
Members of the board and staff members of Association for Individual Development had gathered at the house at 1980 South St. to launch a capital campaign to raise $264,000 to make the house compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act.
The Heidorns sold the five-bedroom house to the mental health board for $399,900, reportedly below market value.
Purchase of the home was completed Dec. 21 and was a long time coming. The Geneva mental health board had set aside 10 percent of local tax dollars over the past 19 years in order to open the first home in Geneva for residents with physical and mental disabilities. The home will be staffed by AID, an agency that serves people with disabilities. AID has offices in Aurora, Elgin, Yorkville and Batavia.
"We're very grateful to the mental health board and to the residents of Geneva," AID president Lynn O'Shea said. "I know the house looks like it's ready for residents to move in, but we need to raise $264,000 to make it ADA compliant."
O'Shea said the two-story house needs to be renovated to comply with fire codes. Also, regulations call for egress from the second story. An office will be built in the lower level for staff.
AID has applied for two grants: a community block grant from Kane County, and a community grant from riverboat funds for a total of $150,000. If the grants are awarded, AID still needs an additional $114,000.
"I think we'll have the money in six months," O'Shea said. "It's a generous community."
O'Shea said the home will accommodate five Geneva residents currently on a waiting list. Renovations will begin in the spring. AID hopes Bethany House will open no later than October.
Barclay, who also is a member of the Geneva city council, said local residents have been very supportive of plans for the home.
Heidorn said that he and his wife had purchased the home in order to put it back on the market, but also had considered moving in. He added they were ultimately pleased to sell the house and be a part of developing Bethany House, the first group home of its kind for Geneva.
"There were challenges, but we bent over backwards to make the deal work," Heidorn said. "We know about group homes."
AID is also accepting donations of furniture.
For information or to make a donation, call AID at (847) 931-6200.