FALL 2005
Tom Smith
Director of Institutional Advancement
s the buildings ascend from the soil that once was a farm in this quaint little town known for its rodeo and cobblestone curbs, the believers grow restless in anticipation as they begin their trek towards their new Village. The believers are one hundred twenty strong. Although they are a very diverse group, they all will contribute to the creation of a very exclusive, one of a kind network that will change the landscape of this farmland forever.
There are many who muse over the magnitude of this project and what goes into making it a reality. There is one hundred fifty five thousand square feet of new construction that will house a new kitchen, dining hall, community center, nursing facilities, apartments, forty seven cottages . . . and the list goes on. I too was drawn to these intriguing statistics that fill our advertisements and promotional booklets.
Then I began to meet some of these believers and watched as the passionate words poured out of them from a very deep place in their souls. They all spoke of the new lifestyle they will soon embark on, and how each one of them wants to get his or her arms around everything that Friends Village has to offer.
I then contemplated the scope of incorporating an additional one hundred twenty believers into the rich soil of characters that already live at Friends Village. To think, these believers are the folks who went through the Great Depression. They are the believers who fought in the wars that afford us our freedoms. These are the same believers that have molded this world, know what our next moves should be, and know which ones they would like to take back. They have earned the right to be called believers because they believe in faith; they believe in life.
Two years ago, the first of many believers made a life altering choice to become part of a community that believes the greatest possible degree of independence is the center of the universe when promoting health and wellness. Now two years later, we have a Village of believers ready to cut the mold for generations to follow.
I consider myself blessed to be part of this amazing opportunity to experience a glimpse of what many people will never see in their lifetime—the amalgamation of a community, a Village if you will, of some of the most fascinating people this world has ever seen.
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Monday, August 15, 2005 at 07:28 PM
