By Monica Medina

Mission Hills resident recounts deep roots at St. Paul’s

The story goes that years ago, when a St. Paul’s Cathedral congregant was on his deathbed, he urged his good friend, John A. McColl, to continue what he would be unable to complete. In other words, he wanted McColl to see to fruition a residential retirement community on property that he and several other church members had gifted to St. Paul, on the corner of Nutmeg and Fourth.

“Run with it, John!’” is what McColl’s son, Bill McColl, declares the dying man said. “Well, my father did that for decades. For 35 years he ran the board, was chairman, raised funds and volunteered, and my mother also got involved.”

Along the way, Bill McColl and several other family members gave their time and resources to St. Paul’s Senior Home & Services. You could say, helping to support an organization that has become the largest independent senior provider in San Diego, has truly been a family affair.

“As I grew up, St. Paul’s was always a part of my family,” recalls McColl, a Mission Hills resident, and vice president and financial advisor at Morgan Stanley. “I’m from a family of four boys. My parents both died in their early 70s, so when I’m here, I feel this is a way I can honor them. This is a way I feel connected. So many people here, who’ve been involved with the center for decades, knew my parents. For me it’s an extension of their work and I love to do it.”

McColl became involved some 15 years ago. Since then, he has served on two of its boards and, most recently he was the past chair of the operating board. His wife, Sandra, a pediatrician, volunteers as the executive director for the childcare program. As for their children, Tiffany, Alexandra and Billy, they, too, help out when they can.

“During the holidays, the board hosts a tea for the seniors,” McColl explains. “We take the orders, we serve the food, and my kids help. For an event like that, I feel bad leaving the kids at home, especially during the holidays, so I give them a nice lesson, they spend quality time with their dad, and we serve some nice seniors.”

McColl has also been instrumental in bringing in employees from Morgan Stanley to volunteer at St. Paul’s.

“I work at the downtown office, and they encourage us to volunteer,” he says. “So, we’ll bring some employees here to serve ice cream at the ice cream socials, one of the most popular events of the summer. We also wrap presents at Christmastime.”

St. Paul’s Senior Home & Services offers a gamut of services to approximately 1,200 seniors. There’s independent living at St. Paul’s Manor, assisted living and memory care at St. Paul’s Villa, as well as an intergenerational day program — the first of its kind in California — where seniors and young children can interact.

The organization also provides a skilled nursing facility, and participates in PACE (Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly), a government program designed to help seniors meet their health care needs without needing to go into a nursing home or other care facility.

“When we started, we were just thinking senior retirement, but one of the things that I’m amazed at is we’re in six different businesses,” he says. “Everything from independent living and PACE, to the intergenerational program. Each of these programs has a whole litany of regulations that you must adhere to, and it’s really amazing to me how the team here is able to do just that. There’ve been a lot of other facilities in town trying to do what we do here, but sooner or later they sell out. As the largest independent provider of senior services, we are headquartered here and make all our decisions locally.”

Trying to stay one step ahead of the growing needs of seniors in San Diego — as the baby boomer population continues to age — is utmost on the minds of the 350 staff members of St. Paul’s. According to Corporate Marketing Director Amanda Gois, the need to expand is pressing, as San Diego’s senior population will be 30 percent larger than it is today in 10 years.

“Our vision is to keep our eye on the pulse of senior needs in San Diego,” she says. We’re always looking ahead, and we’re in the process of building St. Paul’s Plaza, a new community in Chula Vista, scheduled to open in June. It is designed for the senior of today who wants to be in a community where their families feel welcome and can come and visit, cook a meal together in one of three common kitchens or watch a sports game at the community pub.”

McColl is excited about the new complex, which will be equipped with barbecue facilities, a gym, pet-friendly amenities and a children’s playground, although funding is still needed before the facility can be constructed. But raising funds is what he does best and seeing St. Paul’s succeed gives McColl great satisfaction. He points to the national recognition St. Paul’s has received as a testament to the work they do, and a signal that they’re heading in the right direction.

“For the fourth year in a row, we got a five-star rating for our skilled nursing facility from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services,” he notes. “St. Paul’s has done a great job and is a great asset for the community. The five-star rating confirms this.”

Plans are underway for St. Paul’s annual LUV (Love Uniting Volunteers) gala, an event founded by Sharon McColl, Bill McColl’s mother. Planned for July, the theme is, “Caribbean Nights.” McColl smiles as he shares the “Save the Date” postcard, which lists the gala co-chairs. These include McColl, his brother, John, and his cousins, Carrie McColl O’Brien and Bonnie McColl Platt. It’s also worth noting that the LUV gala will honor Dr. William and Barbara McColl, and they just happen to be McColl’s uncle and aunt.

Luckily for St. Paul’s, it seems like the man on his deathbed made the right choice in turning over the reins to John McColl.

—Contact Monica Medina at [email protected] or follow @monicastangled on Twitter.