Morning Pointe at Happy Valley’s Grand Opening Holiday Event on Tuesday brought home the Christmas spirit in all the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of celebration.
A crowd of around 300 people, including residents, associates, community leaders and supporters gathered at the campus, located at 2989 Happy Valley Road in Rossville, Walker County, Georgia.
The event kicked off with a bang – courtesy of the Ridgeland High School marching band, who performed on the lawn with instruments and twirlers. The formal dedication ceremony followed, including music by the Ridgeland High School choir and the presentation of colors by the school’s JROTC.
Speakers included local dignitaries Shannon Whitfield, chair of the Walker County Board of Commissioners; Teddy Harris, Rossville mayor; Jennifer Martin, president of the Walker County Chamber of Commerce; Karen Hughes, principal of Ridgeland High School; Rachelle Haddock, a family member; and Pam Turley, executive director at Morning Pointe at Happy Valley.
“The Walker/Catoosa Countians appreciate the partnership [with Morning Pointe] that’s already being formed with us, your love for our community and the involvement that you are showing,’” said Martin. “You truly do want to be a part of who we are. Everything that you have thought of, you have considered our residents who have lived here from birth. I appreciate the detail that you have put into what you have created.”
Greg A. Vital, co-founder and president of Morning Pointe Senior Living, also led out in a special presentation to Ridgeland High School, donating $10,000 for upgrading the school’s lobby. This is part of the school’s rebranding campaign as it transforms into a larger community hub. Vital presented a check to Karen Hughes.
“This is a special token of our appreciation and our investment in this community,” said Vital. “This is for generations to come, just as the commitment of education is for generations to come.”
“We are getting a facelift,” Hughes said. “This gift means everything. It is certainly a game-changer. Thank you.”
After a formal ribbon-cutting, guests transitioned inside the building for a spread of holiday food prepared by the Morning Pointe at Happy Valley culinary team, photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus and tours of the community.
Residents have been moving in since Nov. 24, and Morning Pointe at Happy Valley is continuing to take reservations.
The campus offers 58 assisted living apartments and 24 memory care apartments specially designed for residents with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of memory loss. The senior community is part of an overall community redevelopment of the historic 300-acre Happy Valley Farms. It is the 38th Morning Pointe Senior Living community and the company’s second campus in Georgia (with the other in Calhoun).
The Happy Valley farm and estate were established in 1935 by John L. Hutcheson, Jr., and were the site of an award-winning Jersey cattle and dairy farm, and later a world-class American Saddlebred horse-breeding facility. Vital purchased the farm from the Happy Valley Estate in 2020 for preservation and development. Morning Pointe at Happy Valley is located across the road from the barn.
“When I first visited parts of this farm, I knew that there was a vision for something special here,” said Vital during the program. “We have accomplished that in many ways, and this is an opportunity for North Georgia and Walker County to be part of that because Morning Pointe couldn’t be here unless there was a need. We are creating a new story today.”
Clinical services include 24/7 nursing care and personal care services, medication assistance and reminders, periodic check-ins, personal grooming assistance, assistance with transferring to a bed or chair, escorting to meals and events, incontinence management and more. On-site physical, occupational and speech therapy services are also offered through The Weston Group.
Amenities include an on-site beauty shop, a library with a fireplace, three courtyards and screened-in porches.
The Lantern memory care wing provides an array of Alzheimer’s and dementia care services, including innovative therapies such as Teepa Snow’s Positive Approach® to Care, Best Friends™ Approach and Morning Pointe’s own Meaningful Day™ – a purposeful memory care program providing structure to help residents feel safe and secure.
The campus also features Morning Pointe’s Farm to Table program with local, farm-fresh and seasonal ingredients.
To arrange a tour or select a move-in date, call Kristen Weitz, community relations director, at 706-916-2777.
Founded in 1997 by healthcare entrepreneurs Vital and Franklin Farrow, Morning Pointe Senior Living operates assisted living and Alzheimer’s memory care communities in five southeastern states. In the greater Chattanooga area, Morning Pointe operates assisted living and memory care communities in Chattanooga, Collegedale, East Hamilton, Hixson and Athens, Tennessee.
Visit morningpointe.com/locations/georgia/morning-pointe-at-happy-valley/ for more information.
The philanthropic arm of Morning Pointe Senior Living is the Morning Pointe Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to provide clinical scholarships and caregiver support.
