“At the time, it was done by hand,” Raleigh recalls. “The editor literally cut and taped each typewritten story onto a piece of paper and then created a master for the copier machine to print it out. So, we knew we’d have to change that.”

“We saw such pride and energy here at Spring Lake Village and that really wasn’t being reflected in the newsletter,” Patricia said. Raleigh added, “This community is blessed with a lot of smart people, who want to know what’s going on. We thought it was a great opportunity to bring us together as a community.

With this idea as their north star, the Wilsons set about reimagining the newsletter to be forward-looking, rather than backward. “We prefer to get people involved in what’s happening and to inspire participation,” Patricia said. “This has turned out to be the method of the newsletter and also why people gravitate to it, Now it’s more about what they can do.”

And it’s come to be something residents depend on.

A Perfect Match for Publishing

Raleigh and Patricia bring unique skills and perspectives to the task. It was Raleigh’s idea to create a consistent structure for the newsletter, so people would know where to find what they’re looking for—the same way you know where to look for the weather in your local paper, for example.

Patricia’s advertising background taught her that when people are smiling, they’re more likely to buy your product. Or in this case, to get involved. “We keep that in mind when we’re writing,” she said. Patricia also understands the value of photos while Raleigh’s deft hand can transform what anyone writes into a crisp, engaging piece.

“One of the joys of being an editor is taking something that someone else wrote and helping them express it better—in essence, coming up with a piece that makes them think, ‘That’s exactly what I wanted to say,’” Raleigh said.

Plus, they both love being involved in the community—and publishing the newsletter is both a motivator and a reward. People expect to see them at events and like getting involved in the process. “Residents feel it provides a glue, pulling everything together. They really look forward to it. We even get a lot of thank you notes,” Patricia said.

Putting it Together

So, how do they actually go about creating the newsletter each month? Well, it takes a village. The Wilsons start with a list of ideas, from upcoming events to administrative happenings and new resident profiles. They also receive submissions from both staff and residents each month, including some regular features, such as the new books section that the community’s librarian compiles. “There’s a lot of back and forth involved,” Patricia explained. “We have to pay attention to what’s going on and sometimes dig in to find out more details.”

Once they have all of the content together, it’s time to put it into layout. Rather than using a set format, the Wilsons let the content dictate the design. They use a frame-based program called Open Office to lay out the content, allowing for last-minute changes, then put the PDF on a thumb drive and head to the business office to print out 390 copies—enough to put one in each resident’s mailbox. In addition, they have about 350 residents and family members who’ve signed up to receive the newsletter via email.

The Wilsons also exchange issues with half a dozen other communities, some of which they guided in launching their own newsletters. When asked for advice, “We always tell people it takes a commitment to consistency,” Patricia said. “The graveyard of newsletters is littered with Volume 1, Issue 1. People may not glom onto it immediately, but stick with it and you’ll get there.”

With 12 years of newsletters published, you can bet the Wilsons have come across some interesting stories. Raleigh loved keeping tabs on the campus remodel that took place over about 18 months. “We reported on different aspects of the project every month, sharing photos and details with residents,” he said. “We’re a senior living community, so not everyone is able to walk from point A to point B to see for themselves. So, they really enjoyed seeing it in the newsletter.”

Patricia loves any story that brings the community together. She’s proud of the high-caliber events and guests they host and enjoys getting a window into what’s going on. She also loves knowing that what she does matters to her neighbors. It’s this strong sense of purpose that makes the Spring Lake Village newsletter so special and makes residents smile when they find it in their mailbox.

“People really look forward to the newsletter,” Patricia said. “Every month there’s something new and intriguing. Almost every story fascinates me—and I figure if it fascinates me, it’s going to be interesting to somebody else, too.”

The post Wilsons Keep Spring Lake Village Informed — and Involved appeared first on Front Porch.

She especially enjoyed the beautiful scenery and her view of the courtyard, as well as the proximity to Stan, who lived nearby in Santa Rosa.

Stan is grateful to the staff of Spring Lake Village and the Front Porch organization for the support his mother received while she was a member of the community.

“I appreciated the friendliness and continuity of the team members at Spring Lake Village, a sign of a very well-run organization,” Stan said. “The people who cared for my mother were committed, caring and engaged. I also loved that it was a nonprofit organization that clearly prioritized the needs of the community.”

Dixie lived at Spring Lake Village for eight years, moving into Assisted Living shortly before her death in 2022.

During her time at Spring Lake Village, she always shared the community news with Stan, including copies of the Front Porch Communities Foundation newsletter, Community Matters.

“I enjoyed reading about what was happening in the larger organization, and when I read about the Circle of Friends resident assistance fund, I just thought it was a really great idea and a wonderful cause,” Stan said. “I thought about my own mother and how much stress she would have been under, without me as her back stop, with having to pay bills and worry about running out of resources.

When she passed away, making a gift to the Circle of Friends was a way to honor my mother, but also a way to pay back some of our good fortune by helping others who might not have the support my mother did.”

The post Son Honors Mother by Supporting Circle of Friends appeared first on Front Porch.

Joining the Frontlines of Labor Organizing
Raised along the San Francisco Peninsula, Susan’s life took an unexpected direction. At 23, she joined her husband to work with what was then the California Migrant Ministry in the Central Valley. Within a month of her starting, the organization was actively collaborating with Cesar Chavez, the charismatic labor leader and civil rights activist. His non-violent methods of community organizing ultimately transformed the Migrant Ministry while his own movement grew into a large, history-making labor union.

In 1965, Susan found herself on the frontlines of the Delano grape strike to fight against the exploitation of farmworkers. She remembers a tense conversation where her organization was accused of being Communist., “I was blessed with the right thing to say: ‘I don’t know much about Communism, but I think there’s a lot in Christianity about taking care of the poor,’” she said. “I finessed my way out of that really well.”

Susan and César: A Dynamic Relationship
In 1970, Susan got to know Chavez well as his secretary. “I was hired for a couple weeks, and stayed almost three years!” Susan recalled. She remembers Chávez as charismatic and perseverant; she appreciated the “vicarious power” that came with being around someone so influential.

She and Chávez had their ups and downs. “César’s mom and I were the same astrological sign, Cancer; he and my dad were Aries. We were acting out our childhood dynamics in the office,” she laughed. When Chávez found out she was writing a memoir that he appeared in, he joked, “You better be careful. Maybe I’ll write one about you!”

Susan’s second memoir, “Step by Step” tells of how she used what she had learned, after nine years with the farm workers movement. Susan had the opportunity to attend a conference on non-violence in New Delhi alongside well-known social justice leaders, including Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh. After a day full of talks, she sat down with a group of participants to discuss what really needed to change. She wanted to lead a march on the American embassy in New Delhi to protest the Vietnam War. Despite her husband’s opposition to the idea, she went through with it—and gained the confidence to end an unhappy marriage.

She ultimately left the organization after disagreeing with him on organizing strategy.

One thing Susan would like readers to take away from her experiences is that ordinary people can do extraordinary things. Despite his fame and accomplishments, Chávez was an ordinary person, with ordinary foibles like everyone has: He was human.

“At 85, I still find it so hard to accept being human, but we’ve got to do it,” Susan said. “The only way we’re going to bridge the current political gap is to see each other as valued human beings with different ideas and then to find common ground.”

Staying Engaged
Recently, Susan has been working on another memoir, based on old letters to her parents and her journals, about her adventures living in Mexico. She loves writing and would spend multiple hours a day doing it if she had the time!

At Spring Lake Village, Susan is involved with the Outreach Committee and the Conservation Committee, helps edit the literary journal, and participates in a variety of ways to welcome new residents. She finds Spring Lake Village to be a “loving and responsible community.”

While she’s no longer on the frontlines of social movements, Susan brings that same ethos to her everyday life — and encourages others to do the same. “I hope that more people will take local responsibility seriously, in terms of where they order their food and where they buy,” she said. “It’s important to support local businesses and non-profits. It’s about recognizing the faces of people working for you, whether they’re farmworkers or employees where we live. It’s also about taking our citizenship privilege seriously enough to vote.”

With a sense of what really matters, Susan embodies the values of Spring Lake Village.

The post Spring Lake Village Resident Susan Drake Recounts A Life Committed to Social Justice appeared first on Front Porch.

Joining the Frontlines of Labor Organizing

Raised along the San Francisco Peninsula, Susan’s life took an unexpected direction. At 23, she joined her husband to work with what was then the California Migrant Ministry in the Central Valley. Within a month of her starting, the organization was actively collaborating with Cesar Chavez, the charismatic labor leader and civil rights activist. His non-violent methods of community organizing ultimately transformed the Migrant Ministry while his own movement grew into a large, history-making labor union.

In 1965, Susan found herself on the frontlines of the Delano grape strike to fight against the exploitation of farmworkers. She remembers a tense conversation where her organization was accused of being Communist., “I was blessed with the right thing to say: ‘I don’t know much about Communism, but I think there’s a lot in Christianity about taking care of the poor,’” she said. “I finessed my way out of that really well.”

Susan and César: A Dynamic Relationship

In 1970, Susan got to know Chavez well as his secretary. “I was hired for a couple weeks, and stayed almost three years!” Susan recalled. She remembers Chávez as charismatic and perseverant; she appreciated the “vicarious power” that came with being around someone so influential.

She and Chávez had their ups and downs. “César’s mom and I were the same astrological sign, Cancer; he and my dad were Aries. We were acting out our childhood dynamics in the office,” she laughed. When Chávez found out she was writing a memoir that he appeared in, he joked, “You better be careful. Maybe I’ll write one about you!”

Susan’s second memoir, “Step by Step” tells of how she used what she had learned, after nine years with the farm workers movement. Susan had the opportunity to attend a conference on non-violence in New Delhi alongside well-known social justice leaders, including Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh. After a day full of talks, she sat down with a group of participants to discuss what really needed to change. She wanted to lead a march on the American embassy in New Delhi to protest the Vietnam War. Despite her husband’s opposition to the idea, she went through with it—and gained the confidence to end an unhappy marriage.

She ultimately left the organization after disagreeing with him on organizing strategy.  

One thing Susan would like readers to take away from her experiences is that ordinary people can do extraordinary things. Despite his fame and accomplishments, Chávez was an ordinary person, with ordinary foibles like everyone has: He was human.

“At 85, I still find it so hard to accept being human, but we’ve got to do it,” Susan said. “The only way we’re going to bridge the current political gap is to see each other as valued human beings with different ideas and then to find common ground.”

Staying Engaged

Recently, Susan has been working on another memoir, based on old letters to her parents and her journals, about her adventures living in Mexico. She loves writing and would spend multiple hours a day doing it if she had the time!

At Spring Lake Village, Susan is involved with the Outreach Committee and the Conservation Committee, helps edit the literary journal, and participates in a variety of ways to welcome new residents. She finds Spring Lake Village to be a “loving and responsible community.”

While she’s no longer on the frontlines of social movements, Susan brings that same ethos to her everyday life — and encourages others to do the same. “I hope that more people will take local responsibility seriously, in terms of where they order their food and where they buy,” she said. “It’s important to support local businesses and non-profits. It’s about recognizing the faces of people working for you, whether they’re farmworkers or employees where we live. It’s also about taking our citizenship privilege seriously enough to vote.”

With a sense of what really matters, Susan embodies the values of Spring Lake Village.

The post Spring Lake Village Resident Susan Drake Recounts A Life Committed to Social Justice appeared first on Front Porch.

Through Front Porch Communities Foundation’s Circle of Friends funds, neighbors extend their care and assistance to one another when they need it most. Since the very first Front Porch communities opened their doors, residents and their family members have shown their support for the Circle of Friends through annual contributions and gifts made through wills or estate plans.

Front Porch communities support and celebrate the Circle of Friends in various ways. Recently, residents at five Front Porch communities came together for a special dinner aimed at raising awareness and support for the Circle of Friends. The Foundation collaborated with Morrison Community Living, the executive chefs from Spring Lake Village (Santa Rosa), St. Paul’s Towers (Oakland), Webster House (Palo Alto), San Francisco Towers and Walnut Village (Anaheim), as well as a committee of residents, to create a unique menu for the occasion. Residents gathered together, fostering new friendships, cherishing old ones and learning more about the Circle of Friends.

Other communities also place significant emphasis on resident assistance funds. Many Front Porch communities in Southern California educate residents during Philanthropy Week and engage in specific outreach efforts to raise funds for assisting those in need. The philanthropy committees are firmly engaged in the mission to ensure that residents who have outlived their resources receive the support they require.

The Circle of Friends resident assistance funds embody the compassionate spirit of a community that looks out for one another. The funds provide a safety net for residents facing financial difficulties and offer a sense of security and peace of mind. By fostering a strong sense of camaraderie and support, Front Porch communities continue to empower their residents to live fulfilling lives, knowing that they are part of a compassionate Circle of Friends.

The post Circle of Friends Provides a Safety Net for Residents in Need appeared first on Front Porch.

In her retirement years, Delia moved to Spring Lake Village after her husband died and became an integral part of the community even while living there only part time. She regularly visited a good friend from college in Arizona and found the dry weather agreed with her health. Delia purchased a home in the Southwest and split her time between Arizona and California for about 15 years.

“I guess you could say I was not your typical resident, but even though I didn’t live at Spring Lake Village full time, I still felt connected to the community and wanted to support my neighbors and the team members there,” Delia said.

“Especially during the Sonoma fires and the pandemic, it was important to me to give to the Circle of Friends resident assistance fund and the HEART Fund (then known as the Employee Emergency Fund). I knew I was safe and had what I needed, but there were many who struggled.”

In addition to making gifts to the Front Porch Communities Foundation to support her community at Spring Lake Village, Delia also took a strong interest in the programs of the Community Services division of Front Porch, especially the social connection and housing programs. “The more I learned about the work that was being done through these programs, I felt proud of being a part of this organization and cared about the people who needed that support,” Delia said. “Giving to causes you care about is just the right thing to do.

This story was originally shared in the Spring 2023 edition of Community Matters.

The post Caring about Community: ‘It’s the Right Thing to Do’ appeared first on Front Porch.

Senior Director for Resident Experience Rebecca Johnson created the program to support residents’ connection to the community and to one another. “We feel a sense of place but don’t necessarily articulate it,” says Johnson. This program allows residents to gather over time “to capture in your words why you feel as you do.”

Each Front Porch community has its own unique geography, Johnson explains. “When we hear the word geography we think, ‘mountains, landscapes,’ which is certainly part of it,” she says. “But geography is also everything that humans build. When we wrote the program, we were intentional about discussing both the physical and social aspects of geography.”

Sense of Place provides a safe environment for people who may not normally speak up in the community to address concerns. “Sense of Place is outside of the committee or council structure,” says Johnson. “Sometimes residents are looking for a new way to share their voice, a less formal way beyond the surveys and the committees that are already in place.”

“I marvel at people who have the ability to come forward and speak their thoughts,” said one resident participant at Friends House in Santa Rosa. “It doesn’t come as naturally to me, but after listening to others, I feel I can talk like that. I feel comfortable here. I feel I’m in the right place.”

Jeannie Pressey, executive director of Spring Lake Village in Santa Rosa says that Sense of Place is “an additional opportunity to gain insight from the residents on what’s working well and what they would like to see improved.”

Unlike a resident survey that provides a quantitative snapshot of the community at a moment in time, Sense of Place collects qualitative information that “puts the how, why, and what together in one place,” explains Mary McMullin, chief advancement officer for Front Porch. “A survey will tell us you think your community is great. Sense of Place allows us to understand why you think it’s great. It helps us identify rather than guess about the true community that’s here.”

Because residents were speaking directly with someone in person or on Zoom “instead of simply filling out the boxes on a survey, I feel that they were more comfortable in sharing their viewpoints,” Pressey notes. “And their views were clearly communicated as opposed to checking a box that says ‘are you satisfied? 1, 2, 3.’ You get some context on what people are trying to say.”

The program was open to any residents who wanted to participate, and a range of residents chose to join. “Having new and long-term residents in the same setting was critical,” Johnson says. She notes that newer residents who may have only experienced their community in the wake of the COVID pandemic with its lockdown protocols have a very different perspective than long-term residents who can recall and explain a community’s traditions. Meeting together gave residents a broader perspective on what community feels like based on their individual experiences.

Johnson compiled insights gathered during each session into reports for each participating community’s executive director, incorporating resident feedback, key questions, and recommendations for follow-up programs. Mark Nitsche, who became the executive director of San Francisco Towers during the Sense of Place pilot program, read the reports as a way to became familiar with the community. They allowed him to “really listen to what people are saying,” he recalls.

“People believe the ED is the last word, but it’s collaborative,” Nitsche says. Sense of Place allowed residents “to be a voice for the community and how you want to see community going forward. The program builds a sense of awareness, a sense of hope, and a sense of belonging.”

After testing the program as a pilot project at three Front Porch communities in 2022, Sense of Place is preparing to launch in more communities this year and may later be developed for use beyond the Front Porch system. Johnson is also gathering a working group to develop a new program called ATLAS, designed specifically for the new resident experience.

“Sense of Place is an influencer in decision making,” Johnson says. “It’s a platform for prioritizing the things that mean the most to residents, and one of those priorities is how residents, especially new residents, develop a sense of belonging and attachment in community. ATLAS is our natural next step.

“I’ve learned so much from the resident participants by leading this program. Each community is unique, with its own sense of place. This program has helped me to understand at a deep level what’s important for residents in their particular community. I can’t wait to discover more as we move forward with Sense of Place.”

The post At Front Porch Communities, Residents Discover their ‘Sense of Place’ appeared first on Front Porch.

Whether you have chronic pain, fatigue, balance problems, vision loss, stroke, or anything else that may limit your mobility, physical therapists and other medical professionals recommend walkers to help you to stay independent, active, safe and engaged at Spring Lake Village or anywhere, for as long as possible.

However, it is crucial to make sure that you are using your walker safely to prevent falls and injuries; here are a few tips to help:

• Make sure the walker handles are adjusted to your correct height; level with your hips is typically a good height, making sure that your elbows have a slight bend. Another way to evaluate whether your walker is at the correct height is to stand up as straight as you can and place the walker right in front of you. Is the top of the walker at the height of your wrist? If not, it needs to be adjusted.

• Make sure that your walker does not get too far away from you, as this increases the risk of falling. When you are walking, keep your elbows close to your body and try to walk so that you are stepping forward to be in line with the walker legs that are closest to you. Be sure that the walker is not so close that you cannot take a normal step forward, but not so far away that you are reaching. When reaching for something, get as close as you can with the walker before reaching.

• All four legs or wheels should be touching the ground before moving.

• Be aware of your surroundings. In your home, make sure that pathways always remain clear of clutter. Always look forward, not down, to scan for potential hazards as you are walking. Do not use the walker to pull yourself up to stand. Push up from where you are sitting. Once you’ve pushed yourself up as high as you can, then reach for the walker to stand fully upright.

• If you have a four-wheeled walker, make sure the brakes are in good working order, and always lock the brakes before sitting down on the seat of your walker. When possible, push the walker up against a wall before sitting down. Do not move around while sitting on the walker. Keep the brakes locked until you are ready to resume walking.

Having a fear of falling is a good reason to institute the use of an assistive device. Fear of falling can lead to a self-imposed restriction in activities, which leads to a decreased quality of life, loss of independence, and increased dependency. The decrease in activity also begins a cycle in which being less active results in joint stiffness, muscle weakness, and reduced physical conditioning — which, in turn, increases the likelihood of falls.

Using a walker is a great way to ensure that you are able to keep participating in whatever you enjoy. Make sure that you are safe and mindful when using a walker to help prevent falls.

At Spring Lake Village, our entire staff is dedicated to helping our residents live their best lives. Our residents have access to our therapy team, and the fitness center and its experts.

By Aaron Calderon, OTD, OTR/L

Rehabilitation Director

Spring Lake Village

The post Spring Lake Village Takes Walker Safety Seriously appeared first on Front Porch.

As we age, we may experience changes to our mobility. There are many reasons for these changes, including changes in gait (how we walk), balance, and physical strength. All of these can increase the number and severity of falls and make it harder for older adults to go out and visit with friends and family and continue doing their activities independently. Older adults who lose their mobility are less likely to remain living at home; have higher rates of disease, disability, hospitalization, and death; and have poorer quality of life. Studies have shown that regular exercise improves physical performance; the question remains: “Where do I start?”

The wellness team at Spring Lake Village is here to help. The health of our residents is of the upmost importance to us and we are happy to play a role in their mobility. The team has identified five skills associated with longer independent living: lower body strength, upper body strength, flexibility, balance and agility.

One way that the wellness team helps to track changes in physical performance is through annual fitness and balance evaluations we offer free of charge to all residents. The assessment of these five skills associated with longer independent living assists the wellness team in many ways.

Assessment facilitates the early identification of older adults who are beginning to experience significant changes in multiple body systems and helps us develop an appropriate exercise plan that targets the identified impairments. When these assessments are administered on a yearly basis, the information obtained can be used to help set appropriate short- and long-term goals and motivate residents to meet each of these goals.

Here is an explanation of the five assessments:

• The Sit to Stand Test measures lower body strength that is needed for numerous tasks — climbing stairs; walking; and getting out of a chair, tub or car. Increased ability in performing this test item indicates a reduced chance for falling.

• The Arm Curl Test assesses upper body strength that is needed for performing household and other activities involving lifting and carrying things, such as groceries, suitcases, and grandchildren or pets. Both upper- and lower-body muscular strength can be a powerful predictor of the onset of disability in later years. Research also shows that, through increased exercise, it is possible for people of any age to regain some portion of lost strength and muscle mass and, as a result, experience improved functional mobility.

• The Flexibility Test examines range of motion in the joints of the upper and lower body. Flexibility is needed for good mobility, including bending, stooping, lifting, reaching, walking and stair climbing. Lower-body flexibility, especially in the hip joint and hamstrings, helps prevent low back pain, injury and gait abnormalities, as well as reducing the risk of falls. In the upper body (shoulder area), flexibility is needed for a number of specific functional tasks, such as combing hair, zipping a back zipper, putting on or removing over-the-head garments, and reaching for a seat belt. Decreases in upper body flexibility can result in pain and postural imbalances and can cause significant disability. Even though both upper and lower body flexibility decline with age, improvements can be made through exercise and are important aspects of functional fitness for older adults.

• The Balance Tests that are done during the annual wellness and fitness evaluation are designed to measure subtle changes in both static and dynamic balance activities performed in different sensory environments. These tests can be used to identify older adults who may be experiencing increased fall risk and the possible underlying impairments. Despite the many age-related changes occurring in the multiple systems that contribute to good balance and mobility, growing evidence suggests that we can reverse or at least slow the rate of decline occurring in some or all of these areas of balance.

• Agility (the ability to move the body and change direction quickly) is important for a number of common mobility tasks that require quick maneuvering — such as getting on and off a bus in a timely manner; getting across the street before the light turns red; moving out of the way to avoid an accident; getting up quickly to answer a phone call or the door, or go to the bathroom. Agility is also crucial for many recreational games such as pickleball, bocce, and tennis. Studies indicate that performance on an agility test is related to walking speed, and can be a predictor of falls, and identify older adults at risk for loss of functional mobility.

I strongly believe that daily physical activity is ultimately the single most important elixir for staving off the negative impacts of aging. At Spring Lake Village, our entire staff is dedicated to helping our residents live their best lives.

The post Spring Lake Village Offers Residents Fitness Skills for Living Well appeared first on Front Porch.

In honor of Spring Lake Village resident Bob’s recent milestone birthday this past year, friends and neighbors made gifts to the Spring Lake Village Classical Music Fund, a program very dear to Bob’s heart. The Spring Lake Village Concert Series produces nearly two dozen concerts each year, driven primarily by Bob’s organization and planning since he moved to Spring Lake Village 10 years ago. It meant a lot to him to be able to channel the energy and good wishes surrounding his milestone birthday to further a program that touches so many lives. “Music is something everyone can enjoy,” Bob said. “During the pandemic, being able to see and hear concerts without being able to leave my apartment was a life saver. To be able to help provide those concerts via video to my fellow residents means so much because for me, music is life.”

“I am a strong believer in these types of gifts,” said Villa Gardens resident Edith, who has made memorial gifts to the Front Porch Communities Foundation on behalf of several former residents and friends. “We need to keep the spirit of those individuals alive.”

Like any gift to the Front Porch Communities Foundation, memorial or tribute gifts can be designated to support a particular fund or community.

Edith has lived at Villa Gardens for more than 12 years and was part of the community philanthropy committee for nearly a decade, inspiring countless residents to give generously to the Foundation to enhance programs and services they care about deeply.

“I remind people that you don’t have to wait for someone to pass away before making a gift in their name,” Edith said. “Tribute gifts, for example, can be made in honor of a staff member who you admire or you have a special relationship with. Or it can be as simple as honoring someone on his or her birthday. It’s also a way to give back to an organization that you and the honoree care about.”

Edith has a long history of supporting the National Multiple Sclerosis Society as both a donor and volunteer. It was through that experience that she discovered the great value of philanthropic giving and the good it can do. When she moved to Villa Gardens she sought out Villa’s philanthropy committee and after conversations with donors, decided to lend her support as well.

“I support the Front Porch Communities Foundation 100%,” Edith said. “Memorial and tribute gifts not only keep the name and spirit of the person recognized, but also keep the good work of the Foundation visible as well.”

The post Tribute Gifts Help Donors Honor Loved Ones appeared first on Front Porch.