Patricia Donnelly

Pat Donnelly, the Thanksgiving Home's administrator, said she spoke to residents about the fire and they were very disappointed that they won't soon be moving back home.

"It's been wonderful that we've been able to stay at the Otesaga, but of course everyone was eager to be home again," she said.

Donnelly said residents will likely continue to live at the Otesaga until the retirement home is rebuilt.

The Thanksgiving Home is a nonprofit entity overseen by a board of directors that was scheduled to meet Wednesday.Jane Forbes Clark, board president, was on her way to the meeting, Donnelly said Wednesday morning.
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"I think we'll rebuild it here," said Donnelly, while standing in front of the building's remains.

The home has only 13 residents now, because the staff was waiting to occupy the new quarters before accepting more people.Capacity at the new facility would have been 24 residents, she said.

Resident Jose Gil, a retired Cooperstown firefighter, said he was sad to see his home burn down."But it's a good thing no one was living there when this happened," he said.

When the new facility is finished, it is expected to house 24 residents, Thanksgiving Home Administrator Pat Donnelly said after the blaze.

"That was very hard on us," said Patricia Donnelly, the Clara Welch Thanksgiving Home's administrator.
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The home's board of directors, led by President Jane Forbes Clark, decided to build another large and beautiful building on the site, and one has arisen, Donnelly said.

According to Patricia Donnelly, the Thanksgiving Home's administrator, the facility has modern resident units, private bathrooms, wide corridors, a beauty parlor, a library, an exercise therapy room and an activity and game room.

The new Thanksgiving Home is designed to accommodate 26 residents, Donnelly said.In a prepared statement, she said resident are sure to like their new surroundings."We have responded to their needs by providing an environment which best addresses their lifestyle," she stated.

When renovation of the original Thanksgiving Home began in 2002, the contractor was Andrew R. Mancini Associates of Endicott.Mancini also began constructing the new building after the fire but was later replaced by Welliver McGuire Inc. of Montour Falls.Several area subcontractors helped with the project, according to Donnelly.

Patricia Donnelly, administrator at the Clara Welch Thanksgiving Home in Cooperstown, said, "We,ve had a few calls, but unfortunately we have no vacancies."

Donnelly said there is a waiting list of people who want to move into the Thanksgiving Home.

"It,s sad that we,re down to one home in Cooperstown, because I really don,t want to turn people away," she said.

Taber McNaughton of the Hampshire House Adult Home in Oneonta said relatives of Woodside Hall residents have been calling.

"We,ve had calls, and we have maybe five or six vacancies, but not 20," he said.