As Dr. Jami Green stood on the grassy patch of land along Sissonville Drive and thought about its future - as the new permanent home of the community's only health center - her voice began to shake.
"A lot of us have been looking forward to this for a long time," Green said. "I'd like, first, to thank our patients. Thank you for your loyalty. Thank you for sticking with us. Thank you for taking care of us during our troubles; we really appreciate that."
On Friday, Cabin Creek Health Systems broke ground on its new Sissonville Health Center - a building that, when it's finished near the end of February next year, will become the first permanent home the Sissonville Health Center will have had in more than two years.
That's because, 15 months ago, the old Sissonville Health Center was destroyed by fire. Since then, the health care providers from the center have moved around - first to Aldersgate United Methodist Church, and then to the old Bonham Elementary School, where the clinic currently operates.
But Bonham isn't without its own problems, and a recent flood that left more than a foot of muddy water in the building highlighted the need for a new building for the clinic.
"The health center persevered because Sissonville is a community that perseveres," said Jill Fields, a physician's assistant who has worked in Sissonville for 22 years. "I am so looking forward to the work we are going to be able to do."
The new 10,600-square-foot building will continue to offer primary care and mental health services, and will expand its offerings to include dental and pharmacy services, according to Dr. Nafiseh Woodard, one of the physicians for Sissonville Health Center.
"Our goal is to offer services such as group medical visits, so that the people of this community have the opportunity to lead healthier lives," Woodard said. "In the past 13 and a half years, we've experienced many challenges, including floods, nearby explosions, and fire...we truly appreciate the community's support during these difficult times.
"In fact, during the fire, with crews still on the scene, members from Aldersgate offered their assistance by opening their doors to us and patients for three months. Due to their generous help, we only lost one and a half days of patient care."
Because of its expansion, the health center also will likely add anywhere from 10 to 15 new positions, said Craig Robinson, executive director of Cabin Creek Health Systems. The new facility will add three to four new staff members for its dental services, three to four for its pharmacy, one or two new positions to augment its behavioral health services, and a new provider and support staff for primary care, Robinson said.
"It's an important piece of economic development and community development, certainly," he said. "There are a lot of Sissonville folks interested in developing their community, and who take pride in it."
The new center is projected to cost a little over $2.9 million; roughly $2 million of that funding comes from a USDA Rural Community Development loan, and the rest from grants made available through the Affordable Care Act, Robinson said.
The new health center location, only a few hundred yards from Sissonville High School, will be able to serve even more patients than it has in years past - the center averages roughly 15,000 visits per year, Robinson said.
"I think this is proof that good things come to those who wait," Fields said.
Reach Lydia Nuzum at lydia.nuzum@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-5189 or follow @lydianuzum on Twitter.