Photo by Clay Schuldt Wendy Lang, fund development director for Oak Hills Living Center, updates the Senior Day audience on the facilities plans to expand and increase the Brown County community’s senior housing capacity.

Senior Day at the Brown County Fair ended Thursday with an update on the Oak Hills Living Center’s expansion efforts from fund development director Wendy Lang.

Lang said for Oak Hills the year started with a sense of positive anticipation because COVID restrictions were being relaxed, greater staffing and a possible expansion was underway, but said longterm care facilities like Oak Hills still face crisis.

COVID outbreaks are still a recurring problem, staffers are being paid better but are tired from being overworked, and the Oak Hills expansion project has been paused, she reported.

Lang said the bids for the expansion project came in higher than anticipated due to inflation. The plan was to use bond financing to fund the project, bu that is no longer feasible, forcing Oak Hills to find alternative funding.

There is federal funding available for programs that failed to received bond financing, she said.

Lang gave assurance that Oak Hills was committed to fighting the good fight.

“Oak Hills is a survivor,” she said.

At this time, Oak Hills needs to raise $3.3 million and has managed $1.58 million. She said the best way to support Oak Hills is through pledges.