Milan Puskar Health Right Executive Director Laura Jones said she’s learned a valuable lesson over the last year or so about predicting dates.
It’s come the hard way.
She explained as much early Thursday morning, when Health Right invited its “Champions of Healthcare” for a VIP preview of the nonprofit’s new facility, located at 10 Scott Avenue.
The small crowd was standing in what will soon be Health Right’s licensed behavioral health center, on the main floor of its future home.
“We’re so excited to have you with us today to get the first look at what’s going on here,” Jones said. “We are close, very close, to being in this building … but I’m not giving anyone a date because every time I do, it jinxes it. Let’s just say that after the first of the year, we will be in here and functioning, hopefully, at 100%.”
As alluded to, Health Right’s pending move from its current Spruce Street home to the new Scott Avenue address has been a years-long process beset by unexpected costs, delays and setbacks that, Jones explained, were beyond the control of Health Right leadership or contractor March-Westin.
She thanked members of Health Right’s board of directors for believing in the project and seeing it through, and Health Right’s leadership team and staff for making it happen.
“One of the things I want you to know is all of the employees have been involved in both giving input and working at the clinic. They have been running the clinic full-tilt boogie. There’s been no slowdown,” Jones said. “So, it’s been a challenge to keep everything going and all those wheels turning and also trying to get all of this together.”
Thanks were also offered to the funding partners that brought together the estimated $2.3 million needed to purchase, expand and outfit the new building. Those partners include the city of Morgantown, the Hazel Ruby McQuain Charitable Trust, the Milan Puskar Foundation and the Monongalia County Commission.
Tours of the facility were provided following the remarks.
“We welcome you. This is the new and improved Milan Puskar Health Right clinic,” Jones said. “It has been both a labor of love and great patience.”
