AVHC's rooftop solar array makes a significant contribution to the Center's energy needs.

UKIAH -- There's at least one place on the planet where healthcare is improving: Anderson Valley, California. On Sunday, July 20th, Anderson Valley celebrated the fruition of a carefully nurtured community dream as the expanded Anderson Valley Health Center (AVHC) opened the doors to its new "green" facility and the new home for the Anderson Valley Ambulance Service located at 13500 Airport Road in Boonville.

Now undergoing certification as a green building under the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system, the 5,400 sq. ft expansion integrates passive solar heating, on-site renewable energy, natural daylight, healthy interior materials and redwood from sustainably managed forests. The photovoltaic array adorning the roof provides 75% of the building's energy needs.

While the new building serves as a genuine example of environmental responsibility, its real story tells us about the generosity of the Anderson Valley community. After a Tides Foundation $250,000 matching grant kicked off the capital campaign, the community of Anderson Valley community raised $1.25 million in eight months. A tour of the beautiful new building demonstrates the generosity of the community: Donations also include artwork, furnishings and the locally raised and milled redwood wainscoting. It is is an energy-wise investment that will service the community well in years to come.

A commitment to community health has been a hallmark of Anderson Valley since the founding of the Ambulance Service over 50 years ago, and the beginnings of the Health Center 35 years ago. AVHC is, and continues to be, an outgrowth of a grassroots vision for locally based health care.

Originally providing health service just two days a week and housed in a former loggers' tavern, AVHC soon outgrew its humble facility as more and more local residents came into the center seeking care. In 1982, AVHC started fundraising for a new facility. It took less than two years for the community to realize their vision of a more permanent "healthcare home" and, December 1983, the Center moved into the original 2,700 sq. ft. Airport Road facility. When AVHC wanted to begin providing dental services in 2002, it became clear that the building was too small. That realization was the beginning of the expansion effort.

Usually, a trip to the doctor would not be considered an extraordinary experience, but a patient coming into AVHC is offered beauty as well as health care. In over 98% of the occupied spaces, views of pastoral Anderson Valley enhance the patient experience. On temperate days, the windows open to welcome fresh air. Natural daylight penetrates deep into the interior, brightening the experience.

The new construction also increases the Center's capacity to provide services by expanding to four medical examination rooms, a larger dental facility and five-day-a-week dental services, a behavioral health suite, a conference room, new offices, and a larger reception area.

Anderson Valley Ambulance Service (AVAS) is a nonprofit service agency staffed by trained Emergency Medical Technicians. As part of the expansion of the health center, AVAS gets new headquarters that includes a large ambulance bay, showers, storage and a manager's office.

Verdier Architects of Boonville designed the stunning expansion. Their plan integrated the original building beautifully, added an ambulance building and upgraded the entire project to meet the Center's overall environmental vision. Nonella Construction, Inc. of Santa Rosa did an extraordinary job. They partnered with the health center board and staff and the architects throughout the building process and completed the building ahead of schedule.

AVHC's Executive Director Judith Dolan commented, "I am just amazed that we broke ground at the end July 2007 and less than year later, we are welcoming people into our new building. The new facility creates a single point of entry for health care in the valley, provides greater access to care and enhances the Health Center's ability to continue offer excellent and affordable health care to our community. We are grateful to AVHC's patients and staff for their understanding and support as we continued providing services amid the dust and noise of construction. This is a project of building for the future of health care services in Anderson Valley. The entire experience has been extraordinary."