Hospital pledges support for new COVE facility

LUDINGTON — COVE’s new facility received a major boost today with a $140,000 four-year pledge from Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital.

A nonprofit organization, Communities Overcoming Violent Encounters (COVE), is currently pursuing a $2.4 million capital campaign to build a new facility just east of downtown Ludington on Ludington Ave. (U.S. 10). It will replace both a- 113 year-old house that serves as the current shelter and a 36 year-old modular office building located more than a mile from the shelter.

The hospital’s donation will underwrite COVE’s planned Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Suite. The specialized medical facility will allow victims of sexual assault to receive an appropriate and private examination by a medical professional right in the facility.

“COVE provides an essential service to the community and we fully support their efforts to protect and shelter women and families in crisis or threatening situations,” SHLH President Mark Vipperman said. “Our board of directors strongly endorsed the donation. The directors made the decision to fund the entire cost of the suite, rather than opting for a partial donation. Funding a critical medical component of the new facility seemed to us the most appropriate way for our hospital and staff to help COVE achieve their goal.”
COVE’s service area of Mason, Oceana and Lake counties is closely aligned with the hospital’s primary service area, which also includes southern Manistee County. The donation also provides Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital a naming opportunity for the SANE Suite, which will reflect the hospital’s new name, adopted after joining the Spectrum Health system.

“We are overwhelmingly pleased with such strong support of our mission,” said Marie Waite, COVE executive director. “This is a wonderful collaboration.”The new energy efficient, cost-effective facility is designed as a secure environment that enhances confidentiality for COVE’s clients. It will feature six separate living units for privacy, common areas for companionship, and COVE offices for immediate access to staff for guidance and support.

The mission of Communities Overcoming Violent Encounters (COVE) is to provide shelter, protection and advocacy to victims of domestic and sexual violence and/or homelessness and to educate the community about the root causes of violence. COVE is the only organization providing such services in Lake, Mason and Oceana Counties.
For more information on the Capital Campaign for COVE, call: 231-233-2987 or, e-mail inquiries to: covecapitalcampaign@gmail.com