Last week, Creative Compassion, Inc., celebrated the completion of a dream with the opening of Azalea Gardens, a senior independent living apartment complex at 266 Taylor St.

Azalea Gardens, a senior independent living apartment complex at 266 Taylor St.

Charlie Watkins, acting executive director for the organization, welcomed the many community members, community leaders and state and national representatives on hand for the occasion, saying, "Today, we celebrate and dedicate a dream that was completed through the hard work and creative efforts of many different people and many different local, state and national organizations."

Azalea Gardens will provide self-sufficient, monitored apartment living for the low-income, elderly population of Cumberland County. Applicants must be more than 62 years of age, and rent is based on income with maximum income guidelines. The complex currently has 15 units. Construction will begin soon on a second building that will add 12 units.

Nancy Dickenson, Joyce Baker and J.R. Davis look through one of the apartment units at Azalea Gardens, an assisted living facility operated by the Crossville Housing Authority and Creative Compassion, Inc.

The project began with a partnership of Creative Compassion and the Crossville Housing Authority. Funding was secured through grants from the United Stated Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Tennessee Housing Development Agency and from funding from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinatti and First National Bank of Tennessee.

Crossville Housing Authority Executive Director Don Alexander thanked his board for allowing the CHA to be involved in the project. He said, "The bigger project here is to make assisted living available to low- and moderate-income seniors."

Each of the apartments are 540 square feet and includes a bedroom with a handicap-accessible bathroom, a living room area and kitchen area. Rooms are also equipped with a sprinkler system, smoke alarm and handicapped 911 call buttons.

"Creative Compassion and our partners hope that our future tenants will not look at these units as apartments, but as their home. A home where they can live a full and happy life," Watkins said.

The complex includes a reception area, full kitchen, activity area and office.

"Creative Compassion knew we wanted to build more than an apartment," Watkins said. "We wanted to build a home and a community for our tenants."

Keifel Henry speaking briefly to a crowd

Creative Compassion has partnered with the Tennessee Housing Development Agency and community agencies, including the Crossville Housing Authority, the Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency, the Cumberland County Health Department and Good Samaritans to provide a variety of community sevices, including having a nurse or counselor available on a regular basis, transporation, meals and special acitivities.

Keifel Henry spoke briefly to the crowd, noting the complex was built on land that had been her family's when she was growing up.

"I'm so glad something like this was built on property that was my home so many years ago," Henry said.