Photo By Tommy Stafford : ©2010 www.nelsoncountylife.com : The developers, architect, and staff of Afton Family Medicine pose for an official shot at their ground breaking of the new clinic this past Tuesday afternoon (August 31, 2010) in Afton, Virginia. Click any photo to enlarge.

Afton
Nelson County, Virginia
Decades ago a small country clinic was established in Afton at the intersection of Bland Wade Road and Route 151. Paging now retired, Dr. Bob Raynor. About 50 years later a brand new clinic is being built a few miles north of the current location. The original clinic was started by Dr. Bob and was acquired years later by Martha Jefferson Hospital.

Robin Meyer (left) the architect for the project, along with Dr. Stephen Schmitz, Dr. Charles Cole, (physicians at Afton Family Medicine) and Jim Gates, the general contractor of the project, walk the grounds of the area where the new clinic will be constructed at the intersection of Tanbark Drive and Route 151.

“It’s very exciting and it speaks to how we are looking forward to next 50 years of service. That building was 50 years old. It will be a better flow for everybody. Patients and staff. It will be better situated for the future as we grow,” said Dr. Stephen Schmitz, who joined Afton Family Medicine about 5 years ago as Dr. Bob Raynor was preparing to retire. Dr. Schmitz is a second generation doctor in his family. His father, Dr Stephen Schmitz, (Senior) has been a urologist in Charlottesville for decades.

Dr. Charles Cole, (left) and Dr. Stephen Schmitz hold up a drawing of what the new clinic will look like once completed.

“We’re hoping to finish the project in the late summer of 2011, maybe sooner depending on the weather. We’re staring the project in the fall and we have a lot of brick to lay, so we’ve got a lot to do when we don’t have good weather,” says Jim Gates the general contractor for the job. Jim and Tommy Harvey of Afton developed the project and eventually landed the committment from MJH to locate the clinic at their location.

Most of the staff from the current Afton Family Medicine Clinic poses on the lot of what will be their new location in 2011.

The main inspiration was the location. We’re in a gorgeous spot and it’s not really a city type area, so let’s take what’s around us. I tried to do something that had a feeling of the mountains and the rural-ness of this area but was still high tech in its building and facilities,” said Robin Meyer who is the architect for the new clinic.

Both Dr.’s Schmitz and Cole are also medical columnists in our NCL “Ask the Doctor” series published monthly in the printed and online editions.

Congrats!

Photo MJH : Some of the 300 daily workers watch as the final steel beam is lifted into place Wednesday morning at what will be the new Martha Jefferson Hospital opening in 2012.

Charlottesville,
Albemarle County, Virginia

MJH Hospital officials, community members and the Mortenson Construction team gathered for a topping off ceremony at the replacement hospital construction site at Peter Jefferson Place Wednesday morning. The final steel beam was hoisted into place following a brief presentation.

The final steel beam represents part of 5,000,000 pounds of steel necessary to build the new faciility.

Both the American flag and a Christmas tree were attached to the final beam as it was hoisted into place during the topping off ceremony for the replacement Martha Jefferson Hospital. The Christmas tree symbolizes a major milestone has been reached in the construction process, and also signifies a safe work environment, as the risk of injury decreases once all the steel is set in place. In addition, the Christmas tree tradition is seen by some as a good luck charm for the future occupants of the building.

Incorporating a Christmas tree into topping off ceremonies has become an important custom for the steel-construction industry across the country. Although the exact origin is unknown, many believe the tradition has its roots in Scandinavian culture

Mortenson Construction teams are recognized Wednesday morning at the site.

Two separate ceremonies were held during the day. The Mortenson team was recognized for their work, and donors who have helped make the replacement hospital project possible were recognized on site later in the day.

Planning for the replacement hospital began in 2003 and construction started in the summer of 2008. The 500,000 square-foot facility costs $275 million and will be located on an 84-acre campus. Construction is set to be completed in 2012.

Fun facts about the new hospital under construction:
300 workers on site per day
5,000,000 pounds of steel
43,000 tons of concrete (approximately)
4.3 miles of site utilities
7 miles of curb & gutter
10,000 Lineal feet of sidewalks

Martha Jefferson also operates Afton Family Medicine, staffed by Dr. Steve Schmitz and Dr. Charles Cole who write Nelson County Life’s monthly medical column. A new Afton Family Medicine Clinic is also on the drawing board here in Nelson County with construction to start in the coming months.

Photos By Yvette Stafford : Dr. Bob Raynor says so long at a Thursday night reception in his honor for a half century as a Nelson doctor.

As we first told you here a few weeks ago, “Dr. Bob” Raynor is officially calling it quits after a half century as a Nelson County doctor at Afton Family Medicine (A division of Martha Jefferson Hospital) Thursday night a reception was held in his Afton office honoring 50 years of service as he enters retirement. Though Dr. Bob is retiring from his office practice, he will still practice some medicine. “I’ll continue to see my patients in the nursing home, but I am hanging up my routine office care,” he says.

Dr. Steve Schmitz holding son Timmy, has been taking over the practice for the past few years. He and Dr. Charles Cole will continue operating Afton Family Medicine.

Nelson Board of Supervisor, Tommy Harvey, presents Dr. Bob with a proclamation for his service.

Dr. Charles Cole, right, chats with Shirley Raynor, Dr. Bob's wife.

A beautiful cake was made to honor Dr. Bob's service to Nelson.

Congrats on 50 great years Dr. Bob. See you at your favorite fishing spot!

Dr. Robert (Bob) Raynor will retire in a few weeks after a half century as a Nelson doctor.

The first time I met Dr. Bob Raynor a few years back, he said “Call me Bob.” There was nothing pretentious about this man, just a kind warm smile. And once I found out he swims laps in his pond on the farm, in his 70’s, I was even more impressed!

But it’s the countless babies he’s delivered, the colds and coughs he’s treated, and the countless times had had to deliver not so good news, that’s help define his career. Camille was one of those times in 1969. “There were very few injuries. People were either totally OK or they were dead,” he said in a recent interview celebrating his 50th year as a Nelson doctor. He also still serves as the county medical examiner today.

Dr. Raynor stops for a picture with state troopers and workers just after Hurricane Camille.

In just a few days Dr. Raynor will retire, sort of. “I’ll continue to see my patients in the nursing home, but I am hanging up my routine office care,” he told me when we recently had dinner with he and his lovely wife Shirley. The practice he founded will be in good hands. Our Dr. Steve Schmitz and Dr. Charles Cole (NCL medical columnists) will continue Afton Family Medicine.

Retirement Celebration For
Robert C. Raynor, M.D.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
5:00p.m. – 7:30p.m
Martha Jefferson Afton Family Medicine
7849 Rockfish Valley Highway Afton, Va.

In October everyone will get their chance to wish Dr. Bob the best at a retirement reception in his honor. The detail are below. We wish you the best Dr. Bob!