On Tuesday, a large crowd that included residents, legislators and those that supported the efforts to make sure the Casey’s Pond senior living community will remain a part of the Steamboat Springs landscape gathered for a ribbon cutting.

“This is so celebratory,” said Stephanie Einfeld, chief executive officer of Northwest Colorado Health. “It’s all about just taking in the gratitude of the community that saved this place. I absolutely did not see this coming a couple months ago, but that’s why I say it is serendipitous, and now that I’m here that many more days later, it absolutely feels right, and everything fell into place.”

The event attracted state legislators representing Routt County — Rep. Meghan Lukens and Sen. Dylan Roberts were in the crowd along with representatives from the city and the county. The short ceremony paid tribute the those that rushed in when it seemed that the Casey’s Pond senior living community would close after it was announced that it had gone into receivership at the end of June.

The Yampa Valley Community Foundation said more than 400 private individuals made donations ranging from $10 to several million along with and another $2.5 million from the city and $100,000 from Routt County, helped the group make a deal with the bond holders to purchase the property and keep the doors open at Casey’s Pond.

On Tuesday, Enfield and Yampa Valley Community Foundation head Tim Wohlgenant led the celebration with a few words and a photo opportunity of the two community leaders cutting a ribbon with an oversized pair of scissors.

“When we first started talking, I was doubtful we could pull it off, so this is just a really nice culmination of incredible community outpouring of support,” Wohlgenant said. “We’ve raised significant dollars, more than $2 million, to help Northwest Colorado as they stabilize Casey’s Pond, and get it to where we’re profitable again … We’ve got an oversight committee in place that includes Northwest Colorado Health, some my board and community members who are real experts, so I feel really good with where we are at.”