Eastern Illini Electric Cooperative and USDA Rural Development Present Check to Area Nursing Home


Photo: Representatives from Rural Development, Eastern Illini Electric Cooperative, Country Health, Inc.,  and Congressman Tim Johnson's office present a check to a rural nursing home, near Gifford, Illinois.

USDA Rural Development and Eastern Illini Electric Cooperative personnel were in rural Gifford on Wednesday, August 13 to present a Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant program (REDLG) check for $1,040,000 to Country Health, Inc., to assist in expanding and renovating the not-for-profit, 89-bed nursing home.

Eastern Illini Electric Cooperative is using the $300,000 grant and $740,000 zero percent interest loan from Rural Development to help the nursing home expand and modernize its facility. In addition to REDLG funding, the cooperative is providing $60,000 of its own funds to support the project. The total price tag for the project is $7.5 million. The project is expected to create 10 new jobs and save 82 existing jobs.

Present for the announcement were Rural Development Specialist Molly Hammond; EIEC’s Marketing and Communications Coordinator Mike Wilson and Manager of Business Development Gary Van Gorden; Country Health’s Administrator Carol Ruthenberg and Board President Carol Osterbur; Rural Development Illinois Director Doug Wilson and Kevin Johnson from Congressman Tim Johnson’s office.