The Wesley Foundation expresses its sincerest thanks to Bill and Susan Dake and Stewart’s Shops for their generous $500,000 leadership gift to the Campaign for Springs. Stewart’s Shops is a convenience store chain that operates 350 stores throughout northeastern New York and southwestern Vermont and is noted for its philanthropic support of causes throughout its service area.
Bill and Susan Dake at Wesley’s 50th Anniversary Celebration in 2022. Bill was a founding board member of The Wesley Community, helping to locate, finance and construct the innovative campus. Photo credit: Saratogaphotographer.com
The Dake Family and Stewart’s Shops have been supporters of The Wesley Community since its inception. Bill Dake was a founding board member of the Troy Conference Geriatric Foundation (Wesley’s formal name at its start) where he helped to lead the effort to locate, finance and build the pioneering project combining health care and housing for the aging on one campus. Bill was recently featured as a keynote speaker at Wesley’s 50th Anniversary Celebration in the fall of 2022 and included in an anniversary video and book highlighting his leadership role in Wesley’s history. In addition, The Dake Family and Stewart’s Shops are members of The Wesley Society and Oak Tree Society, recognizing their philanthropic efforts at Wesley over many years.
Bill Dake, Wesley CEO Brian Nealon, and Gary Dake pose for a photo at an event honoring their donation of a piano at Woodlawn Commons on the Wesley Campus.
Their investment in the Campaign for Springs renovation project will create a warm and welcoming long-term care home for regional residents who need it – both today, and in the future. The project will include modernization of floors 2, 3 and 4 of the Springs Building at Wesley Health Care Center, originally constructed in the early 1970s. The 5th floor was already completed during an earlier project as a pilot for the full renovation. This $30 million dollar project will also include renovations to the Resident Life Enrichment room on the ground floor of Wesley Health Care Center, which serves as a social and spiritual hub for Residents.
Bill Dake (2nd from left) participates in the groundbreaking for Embury Apartments on The Wesley Community campus in 1972 along with Ralph Barron, Jr. (far left), Earle Cooper (with shovel) and other board members and officials.
Thanks to the generosity of donors like Stewart’s Shops and the Dake Family, the Campaign for Springs has raised $4.3 million dollars toward its $5 million dollar goal, well on its way toward success as it enters the final phase of fundraising.