Wisconsin—On Sun., Apr. 24, 2005, the new Country Life Education and Wellness Center was dedicated during a short ceremony led by Charles Byrd, district pastor.

It was fitting for this event to coincide with the Lake Union ASI (Adventist-Laymen’s Services and Industries) Spring Fellowship weekend since the project was made possible by a grant from the ASI national organization. Among those gathered for the occasion were officers and members of the Lake Union ASI chapter; Don Corkum, Wisconsin Conference president; and officers from the ASI national organization.

The Country Life ministry began decades ago by its founders, Ron and Sylvia Crary. A small number of restaurants followed the first in Madison, Wis., operating in various areas of the United States and Europe. The mission has always been the same—using the health message as an entering wedge to spread the gospel.

Now, the ministry comes full circle with this newest facility amidst two lodges and four staff homes on 250 acres of rural property just north of Portage, Wis. The Country Life Education and Wellness Center offers a comfortable café-style atmosphere that will easily accommodate the seminars planned. “Our goal is to address both physical and spiritual health. We will offer cooking classes, marriage enrichment, health education, and other seminars,” says Tim Crary. All the Country Life signs on the property were hand-made by Tim, whose skill seems to be part of the family legacy. His father Ron, age 70, still works actively as a contractor building homes, which produce revenue to support Country Life’s growing needs.

The Crarys' long-term goal is for the Country Life Education and Wellness Center to become the home base for other Country Life franchise restaurants throughout nearby communities. "Country Life Central” would function as a food production center, supplying menu items to its satellite restaurants, which would in turn be feeders for the seminars offered at the main facility. On staff with Ron, Tim, and their wives Sylvia and Stephanie, are Michael and Sharlene Olivier. A board certified pediatrician, Michael's passion for health evangelism was encouraged while at Wildwood Sanitarium in Wildwood, Ga.

Bob Simenson, from Rice Lake, and Radek Mikulasek, from the Czech Republic, will soon join the team to focus on development and will provide support to the food production arm of the ministry. Byrd comments, “The Crarys are so dedicated to promoting the gospel and sacrificing everything they have to that purpose. They are a great asset to the church and community." The Crarys anticipate great blessings to come as they continue to partner with God in the Country Life ministry.

Debbie Young, ASI president