From left: Rick Green, president of the Old Home Day Corporation; Dr. Robert Dohner of the Lakewood Family Health Center and medical director of CHC;  Brenda Kane, medical secretary

HONESDALE - A group of private citizens in northern Wayne County made a bold generous move this week. Instead of putting the financially-strapped Lake Como Community Hall on the market, they gave it to Wayne Memorial Hospital for essentially nothing but a promise to serve the community they loved.

Thanks to the Old Home Day Corporation, the Lake Como Community Hall will now be a thriving medical center.  Wayne Memorial Community Health Centers, a separate entity from WMH but a clinical affiliate, will lease the building. Robert Dohner, DO, board-certified family practice physician and his staff at the Lakewood Family Health Center, part of (CHC), will move in next spring.

 “We heard that Dr. Dohner needed more space to provide much needed medical care to this rural community, so it seemed like the right decision to give the building to Wayne Memorial Hospital,” said Rick Green, president of Old Home Day.   “That way, everyone in the community could benefit from our gift.”

The building, though not community-owned, was used for community events such as Friday night roller skating and Valentine’s Day dances. It was occasionally rented for wedding receptions. American Legion Post 209 meets in the basement and the Northern Wayne Food pantry operates out of part of the building once a month.

Wayne Memorial Hospital officials say both the food pantry and the Legion Post can continue to use the hall as they have done. Last fall, the Hospital donated $1500 to the Old Home Day Corporation to help keep the roller skating program going through one more season.  

The hall will mean a sizeable increase in space for Dr. Dohner and his staff. “Our current space is very tight and this new building will allow us to have more exam and treatment rooms, a bigger waiting room and a larger office area. We really need the extra space to better serve the community, particularly during the summer months, when the population of the area increases dramatically.”

Wayne Memorial anticipates putting the final floor plan on display for the community in local facilities, such as the township building in Lakewood. A grand opening will follow.