Chester's Wheat County Estate gets $20,000 grant

Press release

Wheat Country Estate, an assisted living facility in Liberty County, has received $20,000 from CoBank on behalf of Mary Fritz, a member of the cooperative bank’s board of directors.

Wheat Country Estate residents receive help with everyday living, from taking proper medications to bathing to getting dressed. Regular themed parties, exercise classes and other events keep the residents active.

CoBank’s donation will be used to purchase a large utility shed where the facility can store indoor and outdoor furniture, a golf cart and other often-used items. Currently, these items are kept off-site in a building that is small and overcrowded.

“We are very grateful for this very generous donation from Mary Fritz and CoBank,” said Jenni Chelmo, nurse manager at Wheat Country Estate. “The current shed we use for storage is small, which makes it impossible to organize, and it is no longer able to house all of our storage needs.”  

“Wheat Country Estate staff has provided superior care and attention to residents for years and it is CoBank’s and my pleasure to assist the facility in any way we can to help meet its needs,” said Fritz. “The health and happiness of our family members is important to all of us in our community.”

Fritz is the owner and operator of Quarter Circle JF Ranch, Inc., a dryland grain and cow/calf operation in Chester, and a director for the Farm Credit Council.

The contribution is part of CoBank’s corporate giving program which, in 2014, provided more than $7.7 million in aid to charitable organizations throughout the country.  

CoBank is a $107 billion cooperative bank serving vital industries across rural America. The bank provides loans, leases, export financing and other financial services to agribusinesses and rural power, water and communications providers in all 50 states.