Russell Medical breaks ground on transformational project

Ben and Luanne Russell gave Russell Medical a $25 million gift to make the center and the Sterling Gate Senior Living Community come to life. 

Russell Medical held a groundbreaking Tuesday to celebrate and honor the Russells just as the hospital is getting ready to celebrate 100 years of service to the community.

“What a glorious day to experience and witness the next step of the future of our hospital here at Russell Medical,” Russell Medical CEO Jim Peace said. “We are honored to be here thanks to the Russells.”

In the last 10 years, Russell Medical has had many reasons to celebrate — being named a Top 100 hospital, a partnership with UAB for the cancer center which led to Russell Medical becoming a member of the UAB Health System and the creation of Total Healthcare and rural health clinics. 

But to Peace, Tuesday was different.

“Today is more special,” Peace said. “The significance of today is the generosity of Mr. Ben and Mrs. Luanne and the gift they have given us in this legacy gift to ensure that not only our community and hospital but future generations will reap the benefits of what their gift will be doing after today.”

The $25 million gift will create 26,000 square feet of space to house a geriatric clinic headed by an endowed fellowed chair for geriatrics, the 32-bed Ben and Luanne Assisted Living Lodge and the Hendrix Cottages, 26 independent living homes all on the Russell Medical campus.

Russell Medical vice president of medical staff Dr. Bob Edwards said the most special gift was the endowed chair for geriatrics to serve the medical needs of those 65 and older.

“Geriatric fellowship is really something that has come about in the last 20 years and moved its way to the forefront of primary care because of the population of America,” Edwards said. “There is uniqueness in that and this gift provides the ability to recruit a fellowship trained person. This is an added and welcomed addition to our medical staff.”

Russell Medical has put the names of family members of the Russells on the buildings and it will extend to the streets in the complex too. There will be Hendrix Way, McConnell Lane, McConnell Way and Radney Row.

Ralph Froshin has seen the Russells giving over the years and the donation to Russell Medical is just another of the Russell charitable gifts.

“They have done a similar thing with Children’s Hospital,” said Froshin who serves on the board at Children’s and at Russell Medical. “They have been very generous.”

Froshin said Alexander City is lucky to have medical care of this magnitude and quality here.

“The man on the street thinks every community has a hospital like this,” Froshin said. “This is so unique and so above most rural hospitals. We are just so fortunate to have it and probably take it for granted more than we should.”

Peace said it is Russell Medical’s board and Russell, who has been on the board since 1998, who have helped make the medical institution what it is today.

“He is a visionary,” Peace said. “He looks at things from a big picture perspective and asks questions that make you think.”