and you did good." that is right. i think we did good. some of the individuals who deserve credit have already been mentioned, the deputies in the attorney's office, mayor willie brown, who encouraged how we were to use the dollars mr. parker and his team of the visionary architects, larry funk who is sitting over there. he is a hero. [applause] larrym, from the beginning you had a dream of what the new laguna honda should look like, and you stuck with the passion and dedication to make that dream a reality. the city hall family, the laguna

honda staff, the department of health, the commission, the department of public works, the art commission, john thomas from the department of public works. i could go on forever. but the individuals who all made this the possibility are on the laguna honda honor roll. but i truly believe that the greatest degree of thanks and goes to the people of san francisco, who from the start, from our early beginning of history, have said yes. we want a laguna honda. other communities across this country and even in the world do not have a public hospital devoted to rehabilitation and skilled nursing care. we do. and when we talk about putting that bond issue, that great big bond issue -- there were people who said i do not think we can

do it. but i always knew we could. and the secret weapon was always the families of those for whom at laguna honda has cared for for so long over the years with the great quality of care that we have. and the voters did vote overwhelmingly to rebuild laguna honda. so for those naysayers in other parts of the country who say, "maybe san francisco once knew how to do it," i say we still do. we have still got the passion, the dedication, the vision, and the team work to get the job done. and we have done it today. [applause] and it is my great pleasure now to actually call a man from

speaker policies office. -- speaker pelosi's office. i got calls from her and from congresswoman feinstein. they have asked me to say that they are here in spirit, even though they have to stay in washington, poor things. [laughter] this is on behalf of speaker policy. thank you, louise. speaker policy was heartbroken when she learned she would not be able to be in town for the celebration, but she did ask me to bring a few words from her. she asked me to say we did it. congratulations. thank you, louise. louise had been talking to the speaker for how many years before she was speaker? it is an exciting day.

she asked me to share a few words with you. dear friends, this is indeed a historic day. the commemorate the opening of the new laguna honda hospital and rehabilitation center, which is the most modern, green, and technologically sophisticated hospital of its kind in the united states. thank you to dianne feinstein, who made it a priority, and to the city attorney who championed and continues to champion this project. many thanks are owed two majors -- to mayors jordan, brown, and newsom, and thank you to mr. elsbernd. we should all acknowledge the leadership of the late john neely and the chief nursing officer who moved the hospital into the 20th century.

thank you to the staff of laguna honda hospital who are creating a new care model of community and patient involvement. the hospital has long been recognized as a center of excellence. the new facility further advances recommendation. the design brings a small-town feel insecure community which can integrate the patients and residents into the broader civic life of semblances go. the hospital has an impressive collection of art that will not only contribute to the healing environment but also provide a new destination for art lovers. the historic passage of comprehensive health care reform by college represents -- by congress strengthens medicare and ensure sustainability for years to come. it improves benefits for seniors and makes prescription drugs more affordable, and it recognizes the needs of those

with disabilities by making significant investments in long- term care services. this is a great day not only for the patients and residents of for all san francisco. thank you for this opportunity to extend my deepest gratitude to the hard-working people who have made this new hospital and rehabilitation center possible. please accept my best wishes for a memorable celebration. sincerely, nancy pelosi, speaker of the house. [applause] >> i want to acknowledge the assemblywoman who could not attend. her good wishes are extended. i also want to say as part of thinking about louise's role -- sell resilience reject sal sorelli mention sharing the

campaign with louise and i. you really did it with us. labour has always been our friend in the department of public health. we do great things together. that was an amazing victory. thank you for that. the saddest day that i have ever had was the day john died. it was very hard for me. i had never lost anybody who was actively working for me at the time. at one time i had to face the tremendous personal sadness that i felt that losing a friend of mine and i also had to recognize that like any leader of an organization and had to help the organization to get over its in the sense of processing its own feelings, staying true to its job while we were all in

morning. laguna honda is a vibrant 24- hour seven day a week operation. you could not stop life to mourn for john. we also had to keep laguna honda running. but at the same time so many of us were bereft of having lost to john. and having to deal with that was extremely challenging. i have a picture of john next to my desk. i will always remember him and his commitment. part of what i had to figure out on that day immediately was what was in charge of laguna right now. that is how things are. it was a sudden death. we were not at all prepared. but even at that moment, someone had to be in charge of laguna honda. you cannot have a hospital running without a license administrator in charge.

i chose someone i have tremendous faith and, and also somebody that john had tremendous faith in. and i know that it was always intended. john had intended that succession. but it was not obviously going to be in the way it happened. it was going to be in a number of years. she would have had a chance to mentor into that role. people would have gotten used to her. when he felt we were taking care of he would have moved on. that was his way. instead, she was suddenly catapulted into this job in a much more difficult circumstance than anyone imagined, at a time when everybody was morning. the building was not yet finished. there were a number of challenges. but she rose to all of them. and what she has in common with john is that she wakes up and

sees what is in the best interest of the residence. that is what we do this for. it is on that that every decision should be changed. she keeps that foremost in her mind. she has done a fantastic job. i am sure that in that laguna honda corner of heaven, and john is looking down very proudly at her. [applause] >> good afternoon, everyone. thank you for spending your saturday afternoon at laguna honda. at the new laguna honda. san francisco has much to be proud of. laguna honda has been providing compassionate care for san francisco hit safety net for

over 150 years. we will continue this tradition for the next 150 years to come. second, the new laguna honda, as the most modern rehab and skilled nursing facility in the first certified leed hospital in california, we will deliver on being a model for other facilities around the country and the world in long-term care and rehabilitation care. and most importantly, laguna honda is a community for healing and wellness. you will see this for yourselves as you speak to our staff. thank you, mayor knew some, -- may newsom, mayor brown, jackie speare, the former president of the health commission when prop.

8 past, the health commission, turner construction, derek miller, the arts commission, the staff of laguna honda, our labor partners, and the entire san francisco community for your support in ensuring laguna honda has a bright future. [applause] i will end with a "from a resident of laguna honda. thank you to the citizens of san francisco for backing this wonderful dream you had, and thank you to the many residents who actively supported the dream. thank you. [applause] >> appropriately, the person who

will have the final word on today's ceremony is our president of our resident counsel, elizabeth cutler. we are so proud you are here and we are looking forward to your comments. >> i have to unfold my papers. please be patient with me. all of the patients know what i mean. thank you. i want to say is an honor to share this platform with so many accomplished people. i feel thrilled to be among you and to speak to this assembly today. more than that, it is a joy to represent the residents.

i am thrilled that you have allowed me to be a voice for some of their feelings and concerns. and i want to tell you a bit about us as residents. we came from all different walks of life in the city. we have had jobs having to do with construction and bus driving, and we have had white collar jobs, and we have been independent artists and writers. the full spectrum have come to laguna honda. and in our day we were great participants in all of the city life. difficult circumstances, sometimes crushingly difficult, have brought many of us here at last to laguna honda. not at last for some of us.

despite all differences, we need the healing that laguna honda is famous for. some people who come will be rehabilitated and will leave sunday. others will need 24-hour care for the rest of their lives, and so they will look forward to spending time in the spending -- in this building for years to come. it is exciting to have a new building. it is even more exciting to receive a new model of care, care that is resident centered, care that honors each person as an individual instead of a body in a bed. care that involves talking to us, and more important, listening to us, hearing our voices. so many have worked so hard, has you have been told -- as you have been told, to bring the state to pass.

and now we have a dazzling new setting to present to you. when you leave today, you will be going home. but laguna honda residents will not be leaving. this is our home. and it is very important to us. we are already here. but please come back and visit us frequently. this wonderful new laguna honda would not exist without you. i just want to add a personal note. my younger sister, emily, was a resident here for many more years than i have been. she was greatly loved. we lost her recently. i would like to dedicate this speech to her and remembered her, as many of the residents do, with great fondness and affection. thank you all. [applause]

>> i would like to invite you all nowi that good enough? this is a participatory ribbon cutting. it requires nothing more complicated than this. i will ask you to count down, not up. upon conclusion, we will applaud the great works of turner construction, the dedicated men and women who are still toiling inside to get this project completed, which begs the question when will the residents be moving in that? there is an easy answer -- soon.

[laughter] [crowd chants a countdown] [applause] go ahead in an orderly manner.

♪ whatever we deny or embrace ♪ for worse or for better ♪ we belong ♪ we belong, we belong, we belong together ♪ underneath everything we are, underneath everything we do, we are all people-- connected, interdependent, united-- and when we reach out a hand to one, we can influence the condition of all. that's what it means to live united. ♪ we belong >> about four years ago,

[inaudible] look at how beautiful this was. there is our relationship to the planet. these regions are the wealthiest, the most powerful. that really has impacted the planet. it is almost impossible now to go anywhere and had it really be completely dark. there are very few locations that you can find. that means our relationship to the sky, there is a way where we dominate the sky. we cannot see anything really. we are blinding ourselves in a way.

>> you can look at the images, they are beautiful. when i started four years ago, there was a conversation about environmental issues that was very different. this is not being talked about in the way it is now. . this has just been like an amazing growth. i anticipate the project to be something that opens a dialogue to public interest in these ideas. so the work is really made to be seen in this environment. it's been show in museum, in

gallery, but never in a public setting. and it's kind of ideal for both myself and the works to have this real dialogue with the public not only in san francisco but people coming from all over the world. >> since the dawn of electricity, that light is something that people feel connected to and inspired by. personally, there is space to keep that alive, just finding balance. the key is to find some balance.