(From Mennonite Home Communities of Ohio)
The Board of Mennonite Home Communities of Ohio (MHCO) is pleased to announce the sale of the Hilty Home building in Pandora, Ohio to the Village of Pandora. The sale was completed on June 4th and includes the 60,000-square-foot former Hilty Memorial Home building and two adjacent parcels of land donated to the Village by MHCO.
Following the November 1, 2022 announcement that the Hilty Memorial Home would close efforts were made to find buyers for the long-term care facility. In addition, efforts were made to find a new owner-operator or location for the Hilty Preschool & Childcare program. Unfortunately, MHCO did not receive offers for either operation, and no suitable location was found to relocate the childcare.
The Pandora Village Council stepped forward in early 2024 and submitted a purchase proposal to HUD, the loan holder for the empty facility. Meanwhile, all parties went to work to finalize the business details.
The Putnam County Community Improvement Corporation joined the Village in its efforts to find a workable solution for the building and childcare. Jenna Buckland and Molly Schroeder offered to purchase the childcare operation. Hilty Faithful Foundation Preschool and Childcare, LLC was established and remains in the Hilty Building under the continued direction of Amanda Dettrow. Expansion of the childcare space and program is in progress.
Owners will continue to find additional business operations to utilize the remaining areas of the building, providing opportunities for new and expanding businesses to have accessible space in the local community.
Hilty Memorial Home opened in 1979, after retired teacher, Margaret Hilty, left her entire estate to the Missionary Church East Central Conference District to establish a nursing home “like the Mennonites did in Bluffton”. The Hilty Memorial Home was acquired by Mennonite Home Communities of Ohio in 2012 when the Missionary Church decided to divest of the long-term care facility.
MHCO Board Chair, Elizabeth Kelly, offered her reflections, “We have been committed to honoring Margaret Hilty’s generous legacy and her intention to serve the people of Pandora and Putnam County. Sometimes we must bring closure to something so that new life has an opportunity to emerge. Already, new and good things are happening. Our Board remains deeply grateful to the many people who made this transaction possible and wish the Village and new tenants well in their future endeavors.”
MHCO continues to serve the elders of the region at the Mennonite Memorial Home, Willow Ridge and Maple Crest locations in Bluffton through Long-Term Care, Short-Term Rehab, Assisted Living and Independent Living service offerings.