Leaders and supporters of Pennybyrn gather June 27 to cut the ribbon and officially open the Lillian Congdon Transitional Rehab Center. (Photo provided by Business High Point)HIGH POINT — With the snip of a red ribbon and smiles all around, the Sisters of the Poor Servants of the Mother of God, the staff of Pennybyrn and dozens of donors gathered June 27 to celebrate the completion of the latest in-patient/out-patient care facility to open at Pennybyrn over the past 75 years.
The new state-of-the-art rehabilitation center is named the Lillian Congdon Transitional Rehab Center, in memory of donor Earl Congdon’s late mother. Earl and Kitty Congdon, longtime supporters of Pennybyrn, provided a $3.5 million matching challenge gift to help meet the initial $7 million campaign goal for the $35 million project.
Lillian Congdon, a wife and mother of two, was a trailblazer for women in business, founding the Old Dominion Freight Line in Richmond, Va., in the 1930s when women were not at the helm of corporations.
Her grandson, David Congdon, was present to speak on behalf of the Congdon family at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, touting the 5-foot tall matriarch’s business acumen. “Had she not made some really important decisions along those 45 years in the trucking business, we just wouldn’t be here,” he said. “Had she not been brave, gutsy, empowering and trusting of her sons, they may not have achieved all of their respective success.”
The Lillian Congdon Transitional Rehab Center has 24 patient suites featuring the comfortable, home-like model for which Pennybyrn is well known. It will offer innovative accommodations for in-patient rehabilitative care, a service Pennybyrn has provided for many years.
The rehabilitation center will take a multi-disciplinary approach to physical, occupational and speech therapy to help patients recover more quickly while also helping to prevent complications or relapses in healing.
Rehab center staff will work strategically with medical partners such as High Point Medical Center, Cone Health, Novant and Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.
The length of stay for patients is estimated to be less than three weeks, and out-patient rehab will also be available.
The transitional rehabilitation program at Pennybyrn will be able to serve patients from throughout North Carolina, as well as other states.
Residents will receive expert care from a team of physicians, nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech language pathologists.
They will also enjoy the Hallie and Tom Gibbs Therapy Garden and other spiritual services.
“In this magnificent sanctuary that we have created, we will be able to utilize that program, our program, to the fullest to promote healing of the mind, body and spirit,” said Vonda Hollingsworth, vice president of Pennybyrn.
“We want every patient to leave us with no intention of slowing down, but rather prepare to keep living their life to the fullest,” she added.
Sister Lucy Hennessy, SMG, mission leader, told those gathered, “Seventy-five years ago five SMG Sisters arrived in the Triad and brought that faith and vision of making life better for others with them. Today we continue their tradition and are pleased to offer the community a wonderful transitional rehab center for patients to experience healing and to return home.”
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter. Photos by SueAnn Howell
Learn more
At www.pennybyrnliving.org: Find out more about the Lillian Congdon Traditional Rehab Center and all of the services offered at Pennybyrn
