Officials tour new Tawes nursing home

Some of the furniture and window treatments were in place and the last of the construction debris was nearly gone as two dozen invited guests arrived at the new Alice B. Tawes Nursing & Rehabilitation Center for a behind-the-scenes tour.

Officials in town for Crisfield’s annual Crab and Clam Bake assembled on the second floor of the four-story building on the McCready Foundation campus to hear a short history of the project by McCready CEO Charles Pinkerman.

Planning began several years ago, he said, when it became apparent that the original, 40-year-old nursing home was too small, too crowded and too antiquated by modern standards. Ground for the new facility was broken in 2008.

Financing for the $12.5 million project was a combination of USDA loans, Maryland state bond bill funds, Somerset County grants and McCready Foundation money. A successful $1 million community capital campaign topped off the financing.

A highlight of the morning was the introduction of State Sen. J. Lowell Stoltzfus. He had been instrumental, with the late Del. D. Page Elmore, in securing $750,000 in state funds for the new building. Sen. Stoltzfus ended his brief remarks by presenting a bouquet to Del. Carolyn Elmore, sworn in to finish her husband’s term the day before.

Guests then toured the nursing home and an as-yet unfinished assisted living center located on the fourth floor. Among them were state, county and city officials whose support made the project possible, plus McCready board members and representatives from the Crisfield American Legion. The Legion’s $25,000 pledge put the community fund drive over the top last January.