Womancare receives donated land Dover-Foxcroft hospital’s gift provides place to build new facility

DOVER-FOXCROFT – Womancare received a Christmas gift this month that will keep giving and giving.

Mayo Regional Hospital donated a plot of land on Mechanic Street where Womancare, an organization that provides support and advocacy to people affected by domestic abuse, plans to build a new home.

“The location next to the hospital will provide access and anonymity to families in crisis seeking services,” Cynthia Freeman-Cyr, Womancare’s resource development coordinator, said Thursday. “The really important part is to create a safe and confidential space.” She said the hospital also has offered Womancare the use of its conference rooms when needed.

Womancare currently rents a home on Winter Street at a monthly cost of $650. Officials have found that the building’s inadequate space adversely affects confidentiality, the children’s program, productivity and volunteer training and participation. The new building will offer interview space, a childrens room, a public conference room, and administrative spaces separate from the confidential interview space.

“Mayo Regional Hospital is excited about the prospect of having this essential community resource on our campus,” Ralph Gabarro, Mayo Regional Hospital’s chief executive officer, said this week. “The services provided by Womancare are integral to the well-being of the region and offer expertise to vulnerable individuals at a time of critical need. Mayo looks forward to partnering with Womancare to help improve the health status of the region.”

Before construction on the proposed 3,000-square-foot building can begin, the former Dover Lumber Co. building and demolition material on the site must be removed. Cyr said Womancare had received an anonymous $8,000 donation and a $2,000 donation from the Dover-Foxcroft Congregational Church that will be used to fund the cleanup.

The new building campaign called “A New Day” actually began in 2002 with the acquisition of a $310,000 USDA loan. An architect was hired to design a building and a feasibility study was conducted. Those federal funds have to be used by the end of summer or Womancare will lose the loan, according to Cyr. Therefore, groundbreaking is set for August 2007.

To help repay the loan, Womancare employees and steering committee members have anted up about $50,000. The Capital Campaign Committee, led by Sue Mackey Andrews and Linda Howard, hope to secure the remainder from community leaders, businesses, industries and community members.

In addition to its support and advocacy program, Womancare offers a 24-hour crisis help line, support groups, emergency shelter and educational programs for children pre-kindergarten through grade 12. As of the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30, the organization served 377 individual clients.