Ravenwood celebrates the season of giving and receiving

(Pictured are L to R: Ravenwood Maintenance Coordinator Shane Blackledge and John Schenk with Global Health Ministries load beds to be donated overseas.)

In the early part of December, Ravenwood Specialty Care was able to update more than half of their residents’ beds to the latest technology. As a result, their good fortune is also benefiting the elderly and frail thousands of miles away.

“We remodeled our E-wing,” explains Administrator Lori Bellinger. “As a part of this restructuring, Ravenwood Specialty Care was able to invest in 103 new beds for current residents.”

“We recently purchased about 75 beds not long ago, but now, with this recent acquisition, everyone has a new bed,” said Bellinger. “The residents are pretty excited about it.”

But what is as equally exciting for the staff and residents at Ravenwood Specialty Care is an arrangement that was made by Dylan Deich of Direct Supply with assistance of Ravenwood Maintenance Coordinator Shane Blackledge.  “Our older beds are being donated to the non-profit Global Health Ministries which provides access to health care for people in need in Africa, Asia, and Central America,” Blackledge said.

Bellinger and Blackledge explain that the outgoing beds will be heading to nursing facilities in South Sudan. “Around December 21, 20 crank beds (non-electric) are going to South Sudan. They will arrive just in time for Christmas. These are in very high demand because (areas of the country) don’t have access to electricity,” Blackledge says. The remaining electric beds will be going to hospitals in Liberia and Tanzanian.

“We are donating a total of 91 beds total to this ministry,” Bellinger said.

“Due to the current pandemic, it is very difficult to get beds to healthcare facilities right now,” Blackledge said. “We are so proud to be able to partner with Direct Supply to make this happen and to know we are making a difference in the lives of others so far away.”