On September 8 at 11:00 a.m., Ambassador Bass together with Minister of Health Andria Urushadze will reopen the Martkopi Special Needs Residence. The U.S. Government made renovations at the home worth $600,000; the residence will house up to 80 adults. Rear Admiral Andy Brown from the U.S. European Command will represent the U.S. military that donated $500,000 to the project; the U.S. Agency for International Development donated $100,000 for furniture and appliances. Director of State Care Agency Tamar Makharashvili will also participate in the ceremonies.
The project began in 2009 when Lt. Col. Dan Thoele asked U.S. Embassy employee Nick Purtseladze, about community projects the U.S. Marines might support. Mr. Purtseladze recommended that the Marines work at Martkopi Orphanage, where he had done volunteer work -- the orphanage was near the village in which Mr. Purtseladze had lived as a boy. The Colonel found 30 Marine volunteers to start the work and also received support from the Ministry of Internal Affairs that also found 30 volunteers to help improve the residence. Seeing how much good work was being done by the joint Georgian-U.S. volunteer effort, U.S. Major Jason Baker applied to the U.S. European Command for a $500,000 grant to support the work that USAID supplemented. Along the way, the volunteers attracted supporters from Georgians and Americans in the U.S. Embassy community.
The home's director, Ms. Lela Kiknadze, explained that the home was designed to encourage independent living for the adults who will live there. Apart from a common dining hall, each of the three floors has a kitchenette and laundry facilities that the residents can use. A computer room with internet access and medical facilities are also provided to the residents. Long term plans include providing employment opportunities to the Martkopi residents.
Martkopi is historically important as being the location of a famous battle in 1625 during which Georgian General Giorgi Saakadze defeated invading Persian forces that numbered 30,000 soldiers, twice the number of the Georgian defenders.
