Salem Home officially opened its newest dining room expansion Thursday, cutting the ribbon on the $325,000 expansion.

Fundraising began in November 2017 and the Salem Foundation is nearing 100 percent funding.

"We really have to hand it to Winkler Building Supplies, [the project] basically came in right on budget and we did not anticipate being as close to being paid up as we are," Salem Foundation Chair Arlen Hildebrand says.

Residents started using the dining room August 10, and staff say the difference was felt immediately

"The residents are much more relaxed when they go for their meals," Salem CEO Sherry Janzen says. "People are much calmer in the entire unit because now there's space."

The 1,100 sq. ft. addition on the Winkler facility's east side will provide space for 24 care home residents.

Extra space means more room for people in both the old and new dining rooms; in the past, over 50 residents shared one dining room.

"When you really see the impact... it's amazing," Janzen says, adding it's also made work easier on staff serving residents.

Salem Home opened its last dining room expansion, the Maple North 1,100 sq. ft space, in 2015.