VALDOSTA — The LaHood family has owned and operated the Fellowship Home for 40 years this month.

In 1977, George, Jr. and Gonza LaHood had the idea to build a place where elderly members of the community could live and have their daily needs met in a non-nursing home environment, according to a press release.

The Home was built on the 400-plus acre family property in Brooks County five miles west of Valdosta.

The entire LaHood family has been involved in the business since its inception.

Gonza and Lynn LaHood were registered nurses, George Jr. and Elaine LaHood handled the finances, Buddy LaHood went to nursing school to receive his RN license and became the director of nursing, Charles LaHood handled the operations and served as an administrator and Pam LaHood managed the dietary department, according to the family.

Buddy’s four children, Sally, John, Becky and Matt, have all been involved in the business in various capacities, but John is now the chief executive officer and president of Fellowship Home. Matt and Buddy are still heavily involved in the day-to-day operations of the business.

John’s eldest son, George LaHood V, manages a Fellowship Home in Cuthbert.

“Family businesses enjoy unique strengths,” John LaHood said. “Working with family creates certain challenges. We found out how to focus on the strengths, and we are serving families as a family, so it works for us to serve the families in this community.”

Through the years, Fellowship Home has transformed and grown.

“In the past couple of years, we have expanded in south and middle Georgia,” John LaHood said. “So, we have a total of five locations and more than 200 employees. It’s our 40-year tradition that helps us just stay in touch with what seniors and their families want or need.

“There is no immediate need to expand. I feel like our customers will tell us when it’s time to grow. But we are always looking for opportunities to serve more people.”

The five locations are Fellowship Home of Nashville in Nashville, Fellowship Home at Brookside in Valdosta, Fellowship Home at Cordelia Manor in Cordele, Fellowship Home at Meriwether in Milledgeville and Fellowship Home at Cotton Hill in Cuthbert.

The first major expansion at the original home since the turn of the century was in 2009 with the addition of the Willow Wood assisted-living area, according to information provided by Fellowship Home. The next major expansion was in 2013, with the expansion of the Elms Memory Care Living area.

At the Brookside location, there are several amenities and services available to residents. These include English-style gardens, three meals a day served restaurant style, beauty and barber shops, fitness and wellness centers, a library and computer room, housekeeping, transportation, a worship center, direct care staff, medication management, a nurse-call system, memory care, physical therapy/home health, scheduling, appointment keeping and personal care as needed and outdoor activities.

The outdoor activities take advantage of the more than 400 acres of land the home sits on. To do this, the LaHood family uses a ranger truck to give rides around the property for residents. The activities are intended to keep residents active and engaged while living at the home.

“There are several fish ponds that are a common destination, where residents can stop and wet a hook,” John LaHood said. “You know, a lot of our residents group up or raised their family on a farm where fishing or livestock was a way of life. This is something they relate to. Something they wouldn’t get just anywhere.”

While the other sites are modeled after the Valdosta location, it is hard to imitate, John LaHood said.

“It’s really impossible to repeat what we have here,” he said. “What we have here is 40 years of tradition and history. Our other locations have similarities. … We are trying to replicate the parts that we can repeat in other places.”

Fellowship Home at Brookside is located at 470 Fellowship Home Lane. For more information, call (229) 244-9200.

Jason Smith is a reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times. He can be contacted at 229-244-3400 ext.1257.