PRESS RELEASE

CRYSTAL COAST HOSPICE HOUSE, INC.

May 19, 2011

CARTERET COUNTY NC

Crystal Coast Hospice House has purchased 11 acres in Newport, NC, from Fort Benjamin LLC as the site for the future hospice home.  The property is located between Hwy 70 and Chatham Street at the intersection with McQueen Avenue, south of the new Fort Benjamin Park. 

John Harris of Harris Law Firm, Pat Joyce of Fort Benjamin LLC and Sarah Strange, President of Crystal Coast Hospice House.

"Our purchase concludes an extensive land search throughout the county by our Building Chair Tommy Glasgow and his committee," said Sarah Strange, President of CCHH.  Strange emphasized that in addition to having acceptable zoning, water and sewer, the property needed to be centrally located and conveniently accessible to all areas of Carteret County as well as the extended service areas of Jacksonville, Havelock, New Bern, Maysville, Trenton and Pamlico County.  "The site for the Crystal Coast Hospice House is ideally situated so that people from our region will have the opportunity to use the care we will be able to provide," added Randy Ramsey, CCHH's Capital Campaign Co-chair.  "I am humbled by the outpouring of generosity from our community and all the volunteers and organizations who are committed to this effort and helped us acquire this outstanding site."

Fort Benjamin LLC is owned locally by Pat Joyce, Danny McQueen, Ted Garner, and Joe Logan.  Joyce stated that in order to meet the budget requirements of both CCHH and The Big Rock Tournament's donation made earlier this year, Fort Benjamin's partners donated $200,000 of the $400,000 purchase price of the land.  John Harris of Harris Law Firm in Morehead City, who represented CCHH in the purchase, also contributed his legal services to complete the transaction.  Town of Newport officials provided the needed assistance in evaluating water and sewer availability.   According to Strange, "CCHH is extremely grateful to the Fort Benjamin partners, the Big Rock Tournament, John Harris and the Town of Newport for contributing so much to make this purchase happen.  Their combined generosity demonstrates a wonderful commitment to providing a hospice home to our community."

"This is a momentous event for our Crystal Coast Hospice House - acquiring a beautiful, tranquil setting for our home, with plenty of expansion area to provide the wonderful 'Standard of Care' to the residents of our community for generations to come.  This day would not be possible without the tremendous generosity of the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament Board of Directors and the sellers - Pat Joyce, Ted Garner, Danny McQueen and Joe Logan - who have all donated really powerful gifts to provide an ideal site,"  said Dale Britt, CCHH's Co-chair of the Capital Campaign.

Survey plat of tracts 3 and 3A

 The site includes a six acre Land Conservation Easement that provides a permanent wooded buffer to offer privacy for the future Hospice Home.  "We are hopeful the Conservation Easement can incorporate nature trails connecting the hospice home to the new Park to benefit families and visitors of our hospice patients,"  Strange noted. 

Crystal Coast Hospice House will apply for a Certificate of Need from the State in August with the goal to start construction in the first quarter of 2012.  The determination of needed beds was already approved by the State last fall.  CCHH is currently moving ahead with the design of the building.  Strange commented, "This purchase is another huge step toward opening the doors of our community's first Hospice House.  It also shows what can be accomplished through the wonderful and generous commitment and support of the Crystal Coast community."