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About Us

Nestled along a fence line of timeless oak trees in beautiful Statesboro, Georgia, The Lodge at Bethany offers the only certified Assisted Living Community in Statesboro since 2016. Constructed on the former 63-acre Neville family farm, the 44,000 square-foot Assisted Living Community offers a range of services and amenities in a residential atmosphere, focusing on meeting our Residents’ needs and well-being while offering innovative, research-based programming that empowers Residents to live better, together. Traditional Assisted Living is offered in 36 Units of living space and the Memory Care Center is certified under Georgia Law and offers 12 Units of living space for our Residents. 

In 2019 and in 2023, a total of twenty-three (23) Independent Living Cottages were added to the Senior Community as well as a 4,000 square foot Center of activity known as The Bethany Community Commons, a building located in the midst of The Cottages specifically designed with the vision of bringing additional Resident engagement to all of our Residents and the Community at large.

With almost 100 years of healthcare service to seniors, Bethany has Redefined Senior Living as the only not-for-profit, faith-based Community in Statesboro.  The Community is owned and operated by the Primitive Baptist denomination. Regardless of denomination or affiliation, everyone is welcome to Engage in our Faithful and Joyous Community of Care.  

History

The 1923 mission that began as Faith Cottage, where seven homeless widows were served, continues with The Lodge at Bethany, opened in January of 2016, and The Cottages at Bethany, opened in 2019 and 2023.

Mission

Board of Trustees

For more information on our Board of Trustees, click the photo of each member to learn more about them.

Carolyn H. Phillips
Steven Rigdon
Rose Mary Gee
Jeff Jones
Terry Manuel
Sherri Dollar
R. Lindsay Walker
Wade McElveen
William M. Trapnell
Kenneth A. Waters

Executive Staff

Regina Bell, RN Executive Director

rbell@bethanyway.org

Jerri Mathis Staff Accountant & Director of Engagement

jmathis@bethanyway.org

Renee' Cressell Human Resources Coordinator

rcressell@bethanyway.org

Kenya Scott, LPN LPN Clinical Services

kscott@bethanyway.org

Casey Gray, LPN LPN Clinical Services

cgray@bethanyway.org

Kim Brown Activities Coordinator

kim.brown@bethanyway.org

Tracie Shephard Chef

tshephard@bethanyway.org

Jacqueline Natson Staff Scheduling Coordinator

jnatson@bethanyway.org

Kemberly Grier Education Coordinator

kgrier@bethanyway.org

Bruce Pollard Maintenance & Operations Coordinator

bpollard@bethanyway.org

Valerie Barber Environmental Services Coordinator

vbarber@bethanyway.org

Haley B. McNure Cottages Coordinator

hmcnure@bethanyway.org

Mark Findley Operations Supervisor

mfindley@bethanyway.org

Board of Trustees Emeritus

Lattie Price

1991-Present

Mrs. Price is the widow of Burt Price, a former Trustee of Bethany (1972-1996) as well. She served on the Board following Mr. Price’s death due to Alzheimer’s in 1996 and remained an active member of the Board until she was extended Emeritus status in 2010. She has always maintained her commitment to the principles and Mission of Bethany throughout her support when Mr. Price led the Board and followed that with nothing less when she became a member herself. A long-standing member of the Primitive Baptist denomination, she remained active in all denominational activities including the annual Bible Conference at Epworth By The Sea, the annual Music Workshop, and Associational meetings throughout. She and the Price Family established the Burt Price Scholarship & Education Program at Bethany to assist in obtaining and retaining qualified and educated Staff members in Skilled Nursing and Assisted Living care, and the Scholarship continues to provide the same for the Staff of The Lodge at Bethany.

Marcile Bird

1994-Present

Mrs. Bird served as a member of the active Board of Trustees from 1994 until she was extended Emeritus status in 2013. She was a faithful member of the Board as well as a committed member of the Metter Primitive Baptist Church and her Community of Metter, Georgia. Having served for many years as the Extension Officer in Candler County, Georgia, Mrs. Marcile was also affectionately known as the lady of Biscuits, having established her own Marcile’s Biscuit business and seeing them placed in such national chains as Publix. She and her husband, Dr. George Bird, owned the Bird Drug Company in Metter and were always instrumental in serving the healthcare needs of others.

William R. (Bobby) Smith

2018-Present

Mr. Smith served on the Board of Trustees of Bethany for sixty-two (62) and as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for over four decades, until 2012. During this time, he saw Bethany grow from the humble beginning of Faith Cottage Bethany Home for Ladies, the addition of Bethany Home for Men in 1951, and the addition of Bethany Assisted Living in Vidalia in 1999. Mr. Smith served faithfully, with a vision to carry forth the Mission of the organization that was founded in 1923. He followed the footsteps of those founding individuals that made up the Board originally and had a dream that would be fulfilled in 2016 when Bethany opened the doors to The Lodge at Bethany in Statesboro, Georgia, his home town and county. Mr. Smith continues to serve Bethany in his role as Trustee Emeritus most vividly in the commitment to pray for the continued Mission of Bethany.

Janelle R. Hughes

2021-Present

Mrs. Hughes began her service on the Board of Trustees in January of 2014 served as the Secretary and Treasurer for the Board until her resignation in December of 2020. She graduated from Georgia Southern University with a BS in Education degree followed by a Master’s Degree in Education and an Education Specialist Degree. Mrs. Hughes is a retired Georgia educator. She taught school in Bryan and Bulloch counties for twenty (20) plus years and served as a math consultant and Director of the Georgia Department of Education Technology Training Center with First District Regional Education Agency until her retirement in 1998. For twelve years following her retirement she and her husband, Don owned and operated Green Acres Lawn Care and Landscaping, Inc. Currently Mrs. Hughes is actively involved as a volunteer at Ogeechee Area Hospice and The Lodge at Bethany. She is a member of the Statesboro Primitive Baptist Church where she served on the finance committee and assisted in teaching an adult Bible Study class.

R.L. "Rufus" Akins

2023-Present

Mr. Akins was elected to the Board of Trustees in June of 2017. Mr. Akins has a Bachelor of Science Degree with a Major in Math from Georgia Teachers College, a Master’s in Education with a Major in Administration from Georgia Southern College and an Education Specialists Degree in Educational Leadership also from Georgia Southern College. His professional career spans forty years in the field of education, where he was active holding professional memberships in a number of Professional Associations, including First District Association of Elementary School Principals (President 1984-1985), Georgia Association of Elementary School Principals, Southeastern Council of Elementary School Principals, Georgia Association of Educational Leaders (Board of Directors 1983-1986), National Association of Elementary School Principals (State Representative 1986-1992), and the Professional Association of Georgia Educators, and has since retiring from the Georgia School System also held Professional Memberships in the Tattnall, Bulloch, and Georgia Retired Educators Association (Governing Board 2007-2011),and the Bulloch Retired Educators Scholarship Foundation. He has been a Member of the Brooklet Primitive Baptist Church since 1955 and has served in a number of capacities in the church and Primitive Baptist Denomination, including most recently serving as the Chairman of the Southern States Bible Conference of the Denomination. Mr. Akins brings expertise and experience to the Board and compassion for serving others.

Edwin Akins

1994-Present

Mr. Akins was elected to the Board of Trustees in June of 2017. Mr. Akins has a Bachelor of Science Degree with a Major in Math from Georgia Teachers College, a Master’s in Education with a Major in Administration from Georgia Southern College and an Education Specialists Degree in Educational Leadership also from Georgia Southern College. His professional career spans forty years in the field of education, where he was active holding professional memberships in a number of Professional Associations, including First District Association of Elementary School Principals (President 1984-1985), Georgia Association of Elementary School Principals, Southeastern Council of Elementary School Principals, Georgia Association of Educational Leaders (Board of Directors 1983-1986), National Association of Elementary School Principals (State Representative 1986-1992), and the Professional Association of Georgia Educators, and has since retiring from the Georgia School System also held Professional Memberships in the Tattnall, Bulloch, and Georgia Retired Educators Association (Governing Board 2007-2011),and the Bulloch Retired Educators Scholarship Foundation. He has been a Member of the Brooklet Primitive Baptist Church since 1955 and has served in a number of capacities in the church and Primitive Baptist Denomination, including most recently serving as the Chairman of the Southern States Bible Conference of the Denomination. Mr. Akins brings expertise and experience to the Board and compassion for serving others.

Professional Memberships

Accreditation & Certifications

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