A $1 million fundraising campaign kicks off Thursday to thwart the controversial sale of Miracle Hills Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

Supporters calling themselves a "Special Committee to Save Miracle Hill" are hosting the campaign kickoff that's open to the public at noon at the Old West Enrichment Center, 2344 Lake Bradford Road.

A coterie of supporters, including current and previous leaders and members of the Primitive Baptist leadership and community members, say the money must be raised in 30 days in order to give the longtime facility a chance of remaining under the church's control.

The 120-bed facility is located at 1329 Abraham St. It's governed by the Florida State Primitive Baptist Church Convention, a coalition of churches and pastors around the state governed by a Board of Directors.

Last month, the Tallahassee Democrat reported alarm among members of the Primitive Baptist Church delegation who were caught off guard by an internal announcement to potentially sell the property.

To the chagrin of many, Miracle Hill reportedly received a $12 million offer to purchase the 15,000 square-foot facility that has been a healthcare haven for aging Black men and women dating back to the Jim Crow era.

More: Miracle Hill Nursing, Rehab Center facing financial turmoil amid potential sale

"So they're trying to sell Miracle Hill, and we're trying to keep it from happening," said the Rev. Ernest Ferrell, pastor of the St. Mary Primitive Baptist Church in Tallahassee. "We don't want to sell Miracle Hill, and we're trying to raise enough up-front capital to pay off some of the existence loans."

Ferrell, a past former president of the National Primitive Baptist Convention, said more than 100 employees may be unemployed and roughly 70 patients displaced.

In a statement to the Democrat, National Convention President Willie J. Williams indicated the convention’s three priorities: keep Miracle Hill operational; make sure that those who work for Miracle Hill keep their jobs and get paid; and repay outstanding loans.

If Miracle Hill is sold, Williams said, it will continue to operate under new ownership. However, it's unclear if the church would have any role in the facility.

The problem, Proctor and others have said, is the lack of transparency and information regarding the potential buyer and what the future holds for the facility.

Concern spread throughout Tallahassee and the state as the facility's financial perils surfaced.

Leon County Commissioner Bill Proctor met with Roland Gaines, chairman of the facility's Board of Directors, and Williams.

A day following the meeting, he penned a July 28 letter saying he was "deeply concerned" by news of an impending sale and how the sale's impact on its patients and the community.

He called for transparency about the sale and requested an "explanation of the unrecoverable financial situation facing Miracle Hill under the existing operational structure," along with other efforts to keep the facility financially sound.

In addition, he acknowledged "exhaustive financial and management restructuring options you have undertaken amid these challenging times."

"Despite the understandable concerns expressed in our community, we owe a debt of gratitude to the Florida State Primitive Baptist Convention," Proctor said. "Not only for your stewardship of this community lifeline over the past 53 years, but for placing Miracle Hill in a position not to fold, but to be sold – and what matters is that Miracle Hill remains open, viable and sustainable for years to come."

About the Special Committee: 

List of who's on the Special Committee to Save Miracle Hill

• Elder James Chester of West Palm Beach

• Elder Lee Harris of Jacksonville

• Elder Terry L. Price, Sr. of Tallahassee

• Elder Chris A. Burney of Tallahassee

• Elder Michael Israel of St. Augustine

• Elder Ernest Williams, Kaplan, Louisiana. 

• Elder Dr. Ernest Ferrell (Past Convention President) of Tallahassee

• Elder Dr. Edward Hayes, Convention Secretary Emeritus, Pensacola

• Rev. R. B. Holmes Jr., pastor of Bethel Missionary Baptist Church

• Cherry Alexander

• Dilcy Hogan

• Jerrlyne A. Jackson

Contact TaMaryn Waters at tlwaters@tallahassee.com or follow @TaMarynWaters on Twitter. 

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Ambitious fundraising campaign kicks off to prevent Miracle Hill sale