WVHCA CEO Patrick Kelly, Cortland Acres Director of Development Dan Bucher, Cortland Acres Administrator Beth Clevenger, WVHCA Board President Todd Jones
Thomas, WV – Cortland Acres received the 2018 Best Practice award during the annual West Virginia Health Care Association (WVHCA) Convention and Trade Show in Charleston for their “Bringing the Outside In” campaign.
As the state’s largest long-term care trade association, the WVHCA represents 130 member nursing facilities, assisted living communities, and residential retirement centers throughout West Virginia. The Best Practice award recognizes a member facility’s unique program that has achieved significant positive results and a desired outcome for other facilities to mimic.
“Cortland Acres is a leader in improving the quality of daily life for their residents,” states WVHCA CEO Patrick Kelly. “They consistently demonstrate innovative design and practices in enhancing the lives of their residents.”
Initiated by the Cortland Foundation in 2016, the “Bringing the Outside In” campaign sought to brighten up the walls in the new short-term rehab wing, Blackwater, which was faced with large amounts of bland wall space. The solution was obvious – partner with the Tucker County Photography club to bring images from around the region to residents unable to get out and about to enjoy the beauty first hand while also adding color to the facility.
That first year, over 120 images were submitted and judged by a professional photographer. The final selection included 14 images to be printed on 40-inch-by-60-inch canvases. Cortland staged a public unveiling of the winning entries, inviting the photographers and the local community to the event. As word spread about the prints, more and more people stopped in to simply view and be inspired by photographs.
With the success of the first year contest, a second was added the following year. This time, The Cortland Foundation conducted an auction of the existing prints along with an unveiling of the new canvas prints. The second round of winning prints replaced the first on the walls around Cortland Acres.
Now in its third year, the Cortland Acres photography contest is a creative tactic to brighten residents’ lives while also bringing recognition to the facility, and generating funds for the Foundation. Unveiling of the exhibition will occur in September, the exact date and time to be announced in August. Questions may be directed to David Miller atfrostline.wv@gmail.com.
“We’re truly blessed to live where we do,” explains Cortland Acres Director of Development Dan Bucher, “and for the folks who capture these images to share with all of us.”
Cortland Acres is a non-profit corporation offering state-of-the-art nursing care and skilled rehabilitation on a spacious 35-acre campus is the heart of scenic Tucker County, West Virginia. The Cortland campus includes a 94-bed long-term care facility, inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation and therapy options, as well as a variety of independent living opportunities. For more information call 304-463-4181 or visitwww.cortlandacres.org.