Kendal at Granville Tenth Anniversary Reflections

June 2015 marks the tenth anniversary of the opening of Kendal at Granville.  Residents and staff have been preparing for months to observe this occasion with a celebration indicative of the significance of this date.

A variety of activities are on the agenda.  As a prelude on June first members of the Gallery Committee   installed a Photo History Exhibit  entitled “From Conception to Reality” in our Art Gallery.

The schedule for the official Kickoff of Anniversary Week Activities set for Monday, June 15 follows:        
          4:30  Group Resident Photo Shoot
          5:00  Official Opening of Photo History Exhibit
                   Ice Cream Social (Always a big favorite here)
          7:15  Premiere of Kendal at Granville Video
                   Introduction of “Mound and Tower”, a   Kendal Anthem
                   Distribution of Anniversary Edition of "Tower Tales"

            
The schedule for Wednesday, June 17 includes:
         8:00 Continental Breakfast
         9:00 Founder’s Reflections
       10:30 Guided Hike to The  Pond
       11:30 Community Luncheon
         1:30  Tree Planting and Dedication
         4:00 Anniversary Program with Speakers,
                 Trivia Prizes and Service Awards
                 Appetizers and Cocktails
          9:00 Release of Luminaria

 

The fact that an anniversary is by definition an observance of a past event of significance inevitably leads to reflections on the past.  

As I look back over my ten years here I recall how when those of us who were early arrivals found ourselves with what seemed to be a sea of mud. The recently sown grass had not yet taken hold and there had been a lot rain.  We discovered in short order that the ground was very hard since the top soil had been removed during the construction phase and the heavy equipment had compacted the soil until it seemed to be as hard as concrete. We tackled the task of transforming our grounds with hard work, mulch, more hard work, (sometimes resorting to pick axes) and finally flowers.

The dinner hour was a great time to take a break from unpacking and spend timer getting to know each other – where we came from, what we did before coming to KAG, details about our families, etc.  We shared stories about progress or problems with unpacking.  I remember one couple couldn’t find their toaster for several weeks.  Finally when they got to the last box which was left to last because it was labeled “pictures” they found the missing toaster.  (Wonder what genius of a mover packed it there!) I wasn’t so lucky.  I discovered that the movers had managed to lose a drawer from one of my small stands.  Fortunately I can still use it with the opening for the missing drawer facing the wall.  (Ever so often I wonder what the movers did with that drawer.   Of what use is an orphan drawer to anyone?)  Many of us discovered that we had more downsizing to do when everything was unpacked and arranged.  So we organized a garage sale to dispose of our excess and improve the treasury  of our Residents’ Association.

As we settled in we grew to appreciate some of the distinct advantages of life at Kendal. Some of the great conveniences and joys we uncovered here are 1. grass mowing done by summer temporary help, 2. a maintenance crew on hand to change light bulbs, handle plumbing emergencies, shovel snow,  and all that sort of thing, 3. a housekeeping staff who appeared every two weeks to relieve us of the household chores that have to be done over and over as a part of life, 4.  a dining staff who made meal planning, food shopping and preparation and KP a thing of the past for the most part, and 5. drivers to take us to medical appointments.  Best of all the people who provided us with all of these services were and still are a group of understanding caring people who manage to always make us feel that they wouldn’t want to do anything else but be there.

 

 

Together these five groups have seen us through several very trying times with ingenuity and hard work.  Two electric power outages that lasted for days not just hours and one water line break.  You would have thought they rehearsed what to do in advance.  Actually, as I look back, I realize they had prepared by learning to work together for the good of  all us here at Kendal.  It seems to be the Kendal Way.  It certainly is true here at Kendal at Granville.

One of the things I have come to truly appreciate is the diversity of residents.  Many come from Granville.  They help orient newcomers to the area. We have a goodly number of retired college faculty members representing diverse fields of study. e.g. anatomy, athletics, chemistry,computer science, history,  literature. philosophy. Other persons here have retired from careers in accounting, administration, architecture, banking, business, ministry, nursing, and  teaching – to name just a few of the occupations in our pasts.

Reading the biographies of our residents or better yet talking with them about their lives in person reveals fascinating information often unexpected.  I remember well Mary H. who

ho came from a small farm community in southern Michigan.  As I got to know Mary better I discovered that this apparently quiet unassuming woman was active in civic affairs back in Michigan and served on the Board of Education.  I was amazed to learn that during WWII she served as a WAVE and helped decipher Japanese code while stationed in the state of Washington.

Having taken a look back to ten years ago when I arrived here at Kendal and looking at Kendal as I experience it in my daily life now I can see how Kendal has grown with grace to fulfill its vision of transforming the lives of seniors.  I have come to appreciate what it means to live in a community where my joys are multiplied and my sorrows divided because I am able to share  them with friends and neighbors. Looking ahead I am thankful I chose Kendal at Granville for my “forever home.”