Assisted living facility holds open house

Glen Schenavar provided tours to people at Timber Creek Village assisted living facility Saturday, showing prospective residents just what life would be like when the facility opens.

The 40,000-square foot village has 40 suites - two-bedroom, one-bedroom and efficient apartments with lots of common areas - as well as a dining room, coffee bars, laundry rooms and get-together rooms.

He beamed with excitement as he talked about how the facility is a perfect lifestyle for people who want or need some kind of community life but are nowhere near ready for a nursing home.

"Every room has access to the outside, and there are sidewalks all around the building," he said.

"There is a real need for this kind of facility in Havre," he said.

Schenavar and his wife, Evelyn, are partners in the facility with Brad Boyles, who built similar facilities around the country.

Saturday's open house included a ribbon-cutting ceremony put on by the Havre Area Chamber of Commerce.

The new facility will have 25 employees, including a full-time nurse.

There will be a variety of activities during the year. At Christmastime, there will be Christmas parties and efforts to raise money for needy children, he said.

The nurse will be available to administer blood-pressure checks and be available to help people with other health problems.

As Penny Dowell, regional manager for Timber Creek, took people on a tour, she explained that people can pick how much independence they want. Meals are available three times a day, but people can prepare meals in their apartments, she said. Laundry services are available.

Schenavar said the Havre community has been tremendous in helping the facility get underway.

He has been in Havre since construction work began in September, and say he has made lifelong friends.

"They say 'it's the people,' and it really is," he said of Havre.

"I can't stress enough how much I've enjoyed this," he said.

He said that before starting this project, he knew Havre only from U.S. Highway 2.

"I had no idea how beautiful the city is," he said.