The name of a Hamilton-area seniors’ apartment building will become synonymous with excellence in aging and rehabilitation, thanks to a generous gift from the sale of the building.

The $255,000 gift will establish the Rambynas Bursary in Healthy Aging, for graduate students in the Schools of Nursing and Rehabilitation Science “who demonstrate active participation in advancing the health of aging adults in the community.”

Given the Faculty of Health Sciences’ sterling reputation, it was an obvious choice to invest in students’ health-care journeys specifically related to aging populations, says Audre Sakalas, a member of the Rambynas board of directors. The bursary is named for a seniors’ apartment complex, which was originally built for the local Lithuanian community and named after a Lithuanian landmark.

Sandra Carroll, vice-dean, Health Sciences and Executive Director, School of Nursing, called the Hamilton and District Senior Citizens’ Home RAMBYNAS Inc. gift “tremendously impactful” for the school’s students.

“This bursary is a crucial investment in our graduate students, who go on to become leaders in many areas of nursing, including healthy aging. It’s a tremendous way of honouring the RAMBYNAS legacy.”

Dina Brooks, vice-dean, Health Sciences and Executive Director of the School of Rehabilitation Science, adds, “We’re elated to receive this gift from the board of Hamilton and District Senior Citizens’ Home RAMBYNAS Inc. It is a great privilege to be responsible for ensuring that the home’s name lives on in Hamilton for years to come.”

This enduring presence in the community is exactly what the board set out to achieve with the sale of the property.

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