by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
About a month ago, Dr. Richard Skinner was doing what he usually does this time of year: he was enjoying the mountains.
Then, he got a phone call from Laurie Price, executive director of Hope Haven Children’s Clinic and Family Center. Seems Price wanted to know if Skinner could come to town for a few days. She had a little surprise for him.
Tuesday morning, that surprise was unveiled when Price and the Hope Haven board of directors officially opened the Richard Skinner Jr. Facility for Health and Learning. The new facility was named after Skinner as a way of thanking him for several decades of service.
“It was a total surprise. I was in the mountains all summer,” said Skinner, who has been involved in Hope Haven since 1951. “I got a message from Laurie and I was just flabbergasted. That made it essential to come home and it was well worth it.”
Hope Haven was established in 1926 on the Trout River as a facility for children with physical and emotional disabilities. Through the efforts of Wade Hampton, the clinic moved to its current location on Beach Boulevard.
“When I first came to Hope Have in 1951, there were two wards, one for the girls and one for the boys and both were filled with polio patients,” said Skinner, who was joined by a few dozen longtime friends, family and associates from the medical community. “Now, it’s in one building and we have the expansion.
“They have a diversity of programs like no other institute in this community provides and that makes it unique.”
The new $5 million building was planned, designed and constructed 100 percent through private donations and the evidence is everywhere. There are plaques all over declaring various rooms and areas a result of a local foundation and its desire to participate financially. One foundation in particular led the way.
“The Lucy Gooding Foundation stepped forward with the lead gift,” said Dan Edelman, chair of the capital campaign. He also said the project finished under budget and is almost paid for. “I am also happy to point out — and this is unusual in this type of campaign — that at this time we have raised all the money to pay for this facility short of $200,000. We expected when we moved in to be short about $1 million. Our expectations are within the next few months to raise the additional money.”
The new building consists of a half-court basketball gym, two speech therapy rooms, an occupational and physical therapy evaluation center treatment room, two after-school enrichment classrooms, a math lab, a reading lab and much more.
Price said naming the facility after Skinner was “only appropriate” given his time contributions over the past 58 years.
Price explained that Hope Haven serves children with learning challenges, emotional issues and development delays. The outpatient facility sees patients and their families during the day and after school.
“We serve close to 6,000 families and their children,” said Price.
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