Dedication and groundbreaking ceremonies will be held today at 1 p.m. for the Beimdiek Student Recreation Center and Willcoxon Student Health Center.

The construction process has been underway for more than a month as contractors removed sidewalk, trees, a section of wall and prepared for foundation work. Now project donors will turn over ceremonial shovels of dirt to cement their commitment to the project.

“I’m pretty excited about it,” said Dr. Bruce Speck, University president. “I think it’s going to be a good thing for students. I think it’s going to be a wonderful opportunity for us because as we think about growing and attracting students one of the things the students look forward to and compare the schools with is the facilities we have for health.”

Donations for the recreation and health center project began in 2003 with a donation from Dr. Robert Willcoxon towards a student health center. Many of the initial drawings and concept research for the recreation center were paid for by a donation from the Jean, Mildred and Jack Lemon Charitable Trust in a 2004 donation.

The building will take its name from George Beimdiek, the primary donor to the project.

“He was a visionary and could see that this would help Missouri Southern grow in future,” said Curt Betebenner, Missouri Southern Foundation director.

Beimdiek made his contribution during 2006 and was able to see the concept drawings before passing away in the fall of 2007.

“I told him thank you very much and how much we appreciated it and George looked at me and said, ‘I certainly hope it does some good.’ And that’s how he felt about it,” Betebenner said. “He wanted to put something out here that would serve the University and help us grow and attract more students. He just had the best interest of Missouri Southern at heart.”

Dr. Terri Agee, senior vice president, credits part of the project’s success to the support it has found in the local community.

“Because of the generous support from the donors we were allowed to include full-scale amenities here,” Agee said. “It’s a very comprehensive health and wellness center.”

Other donations came from Dr. W. Russell Smith, personal friend of Beimdiek and local physician. Smith’s donation will help purchase exercise equipment for the building.

Freeman Health Systems contributed towards the walking track and basketball courts and AT&T signed on to support the bookstore in its new location.

From previous experience Speck thinks the new facility may increase the amount of time students spend on campus.

“I’ve heard that some people say, well, with commuter students there may not be as much use, but I think that may not be the case,” Speck said. “Certainly we’ll just have to see how it works out, but there are going to be students who take time to use that while they’re on campus.”

But there will be a wait before students can begin enjoying the new facility. During the construction phase Billingsly Student Center will be closed and offices and activities once located there will be moved to other campus locations for the duration of construction.

A high priority has been placed on re-opening the Lions’ Den sometime in the fall, but the remainder of the building will be closed. Anticipated completion for the building is fall 2009.

With the project since it’s beginning, Agee says as the project moves from planning to its construction phase her role in the multi-million dollar construction project is just beginning.

She expects to have “regular, daily, multiple inspections” for the construction site to keep the project on time. So far, she says, things are moving smoothly and the administration is pleased with contractor’s progress.

“There’s a lot of work to do on my part,” Agee said. “I will feel completion when I can walk into that facility and see it before my eyes.”