Madison Avenue—our neighborhood
Fern Lodge is in a lovely, quiet, semi-rural setting, on a narrow, dead end lane in suburban Castro Valley. The patients we serve regularly take walks up the road, and others who live and drive on the road have to slow down and pull over to make way for us. Our staff and visitors account for much of the lane’s traffic every day of the year. At times we have had patients who wandered alone on the road, and others who could be heard by the neighbors who took walks past our facility.
We know the importance of being a good neighbor. We humbly realize that what many of our neighbors may know of Christian Science is from what they see and hear as they walk and drive by our facility all through the years. Fern Lodge extends our loving Christian affection and care to include everyone we live and work beside.
That’s why we were deeply touched when a neighbor couple, who has lived for 16 years just up the road from us, recently called to tell us they were planning to sell their home and wanted us to have a chance to purchase it before they put in on the public market for the highest bidder. We thanked them profusely and told them that we definitely were interested. A short time later, Fern Lodge received a substantial grant so we could buy this property. The sale has been completed, and we will be able to occupy the home soon.
Finding housing for the Christian Scientists who relocate from around the world to work and to learn Christian Science nursing at Fern Lodge has been increasingly difficult due to a lack of affordable housing in the Bay Area. They frequently do not have cars, and public transportation is not adequate to serve the needs of the Fern Lodge staff. The home we are purchasing will provide housing within easy walking distance of the facility for six or more of our staff members. What a blessing to us all!