The Zimmerli Pavilion, the new 12-bed skilled nursing rehabilitation wing of St. Andrews Village that opened in May, was dedicated in ceremonies on Friday, June 24.

The wing was dedicated to Dr. Mary Jo Zimmerli, longtime chaplain at St. Andrews Hospital and the Boothbay Region YMCA. She was also pastor of the United Methodist Churches in East Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor and Southport. Zimmerli died in 2014.

Veteran Nurse Debbie Longfellow said on Thursday, June 21 that Zimmerli cared deeply for patients at St. Andrews Village.

The new facility, begun last fall, opened in May and now is three-quarters occupied.

“The community is pretty pleased,’’ said Longfellow.

“We are thrilled to have it open,” said Executive Director of St. Andrews Village Loriman Looke.

One of the features that Looke finds of great benefit is that every room is private.

“It is awfully nice to have a private room when you are recovering from surgery,” he said.

Stays in the Zimmerli facility are not limited to the elderly.

“We have younger to older folks,” he said.

Although most of the patients are from the Boothbay peninsula, they can be referred from any of the regional hospitals following a three-day hospital stay after surgery or illness.

St. Andrews Village is a member of LincolnHealth. 

The Zimmerli Pavilion has a common sitting room, kitchen and dining area.. It has a fully staffed occupational therapy and exercise room.

“It is a great honor to have our mom’s name on a building and program that will carry on the work that was so important to her,” said Zimmerli’s daughter Laurie Zimmerli at the dedication on Friday.

“She was always interested in their lives and was always willing to affirm what they were doing,” said Linda Redman of Zimmerli’s connection to the people she came in contact with.

A tour of the facility followed the ribbon-cutting.