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by Melanie Jongsma, Director of Communications
Richard Mulder was hired in 1958 to serve as the Executive Director of the ministry then known as Rest Haven Christian Services. He was instrumental in growing it from a single nursing home that opened in 1960, to a multi-site, multi-service ministry meeting seniors' retirement and healthcare needs. He is shown here at a reception in his honor.
There were many things I enjoyed about our golden-anniversary Torchlight Celebration (held at Chicago’s Field Museum on November 5, 2010). The venue was beautiful, the food was delicious, the presentations were heartfelt. The guests I spoke with at the end of the evening all confirmed that they had enjoyed themselves immensely. Some even indicated they had learned new things about this 50-year-old ministry — so that’s an indication of success.
But for me the highlight of the evening happened before most of our guests even arrived. At a special Founders Reception before dinner, I met Richard Mulder.
I was eager to meet him because I’ve heard so much about him that I feel like I know him! He’s the original Executive Director of this ministry, hired in 1958 and serving into the 1990s. I’ve gotten to know him throughout this anniversary year because I’ve spent so much time in the archive room, reading old newsletters and watching old videos. We had plenty to talk about when I introduced myself during the reception, but of course the room was full of people who wanted to extend greetings, so our pleasant conversation was cut short.
I think the video below will give you a good sense of the kind of man Rich Mulder is. It’s one of my favorite videos, shot about 10 years ago during our 40th anniversary. In it, Mr. Mulder shares his thoughts on setting up shop in a chicken coop, getting a building permit without giving a bribe, and planning his first party for 1,000 people:
I love the part about 30 seconds into the video above when Mr. Mulder talks about those “six little words in the book of Isaiah: ‘Before you call, I will answer'” (Isaiah 65:24). And I was delighted when he made that same reference at the Founders Reception! You’ll see that about four minutes into the video below, which shows a few highlights from the award presentation:
The Torchlight Celebration we enjoyed last week sort of marks the end of this year-long review of our past 50 years. I’ve enjoyed learning the old stories and watching the timeline of growth, so I’m a little sad to return the black-and-white photos to their albums and close the door on the archive room.
At the same time, I’m excited to step into 2011 and begin the next 50 years of ministry! With a rich legacy of Godly servant-leaders to inspire me, and five decades of God’s faithfulness to reassure me, I look forward to fulfilling my part in his story of Providence. As Board President Steven Vryhof said at Torchlight:
What will be accomplished in the next 50 years is up to God and his people. The community of Providence sees a great need to increase our ministry in the days ahead. Government budgets are tight, healthcare becomes more costly every year. Who knows what avenues of service we may go down in the future? Thankfully, we don’t need to see every aspect of our future calling. Like those who have gone before us, we just need to be diligent and faithful to the call we receive each day. The future is in God’s hands.
Amen!
Richard Mulder (left), the original Executive Director of this ministry, received a Servant Leadership award at our 50th anniversary Torchlight celebration. The award was presented by Board President Steven Vryhof (center) and Richard Schutt, current CEO.
by Melanie Jongsma, Director of Communications
Village Woods, the Providence Life Services community in Crete, Illinois, is celebrating their 30th anniversary this year. At an Open House on a rainy Saturday in September, people mingled and shared stories about what makes a “community.” The photos, captions, and video below will give you a glimpse of not only the 30th anniversary celebration, but also the history and people whom God brings together to form a Christian community.
The Village Woods building was originally a Holiday Inn. In the late 1970s, the Balmoral Woods Country Club took ownership of it, and it was known briefly as the Balmoral Inn or the Balmoral Woods Inn (although most people continued to refer to it as the Holiday Inn).
In 1980, Don Mortell (center) of the Balmoral Woods Country Club, signed the building over to Rest Haven, and we began transforming it into a Christian community for seniors.
Carol Novak actually worked at the building while it was still the Balmoral Inn. At the time Rest Haven bought it, banquets and retreats were a primary part of the ministry, and Cindy stayed on to manage that. Today, 32 years later, she's still on the Dining Services team, ministering directly to residents. "It's nice to have a job where you can help people," she says. "And it's nice to work with a good team of people, people who want to make a difference."
Art Ruiter (far left) was Administrator at Village Woods for 18 years, retiring in 2005. He took advantage of the Open House to spend time with family and friends. In the photo above, he greets Rich and Linda Schutt (far right), and Linda's father, Bob Vanderbilt (second from left).
Marilyn Clarke has lived at Village Woods for 24 years, longer than anyone else. She is 94 years old and still enjoys a good party. Click on the photo to learn more about Marilyn from the blog we posted last year: "Short and Sweet."
At the other end of the spectrum is Maggie Diehl, who moved in just three months ago and is already appreciating the sense of genuine community she experiences. "It's really a nice place," she says. "The people are just wonderful."
Elton Schoon shared some fond memories of his time as a member of the Chicago Bulls' Swingin' Seniors dance team. Click the photo to view one of the YouTube videos about the Village Woods team.
Guests were treated to a grand display of appetizers and special dishes prepared by Chef Kevin Risner and his team. Click the photo to view the blog we posted about Chef Kevin earlier this year.
Harpist Jennifer Ruggieri, of Roosevelt University, set an elegant mood with her classical rendition of recognizable melodies.
In the East Dining Room, Jeffery Deutch entertained the crowd with piano music and humor.
CEO Richard Schutt attended the event and shared his memories of various events that helped transform a rural hotel into a genuine community. Click the video below to hear some of the stories he shared.
To view more photos of the Open House, visit the Village Woods Facebook page! If you were at the Open House, or if you have other memories of Village Woods, will you share a comment below or write on the Village Woods Facebook wall? We’d love to hear from you!
by Melanie Jongsma, Director of Communications
Cami Barreto leads a water aerobics class for Crete (Illinois) residents at the Village Woods pool.
Water aerobics offer a full-body workout that is low-impact enough for people who suffer from joint problems, arthritis, or muscle loss. At Village Woods, our retirement community in Crete, Illinois, Fitness Specialist Cami Barreto leads classes every weekday at 10:30am. Up to 20 seniors laugh together while stretching, twisting, and splashing in the pool.
The class is not limited to Village Woods residents. Part of Providence Life Services’ philosophy of ministry is for each of our communities to be a blessing in the greater community. (See “Fine Dining” for another example of this philosophy in action at Village Woods.) Because the Crete, Illinois, Park District does not have a pool, we have opened up the Village Woods pool to anyone who buys a pool pass (good from Memorial Day through Labor Day each summer).
View the video below to see how fun senior fitness can be!
by Melanie Jongsma, Director of Communications
When Rev. Senator James Meeks visited Holland Home on July 9, he asked if he could come back with his choir on July 25. (Rev. Meeks is founder and senior pastor of Salem Baptist Church of Chicago.) The residents responded enthusiastically, and this past Sunday they were treated to an hour-long concert of praise songs and hymns. The video below is a sampling of one of the classics they performed at the request of one of the residents:
Deana Wilson is Community Manager at Holland Home, our retirement community in South Holland, Illinois. She appreciates that “Rev. Meeks considers his political position and duties an extension of his ministry, particularly to those in need. He understands that faith is demonstrated by acts of compassion, care, and concern, and he has spent his life putting his faith into action and spurring others to do the same.”
Rev. Meeks’ friendliness and his choir’s enthusiasm were a blessing to both staff and residents, and there is already talk of a return visit during the upcoming Christmas season!
by Melanie Jongsma, Director of Communications
As part of our ongoing celebration of our 50th year of ministry, Providence Life Services has been hosting a series of “History Meetings” with key members of the Providence family. At a May 27 meeting with Providence Ambassadors (agroup of volunteers who represent Providence in their home churches), one of the honored guests was George Cooper. George was one of the original elders at Second Christian Reformed Church of Engelwood who heard the plea of members who needed Christian options for family members who needed nursing care.
George shared his memories of those early beginnings, as recorded in the video below. The letter he refers to in the video is shown at left. If you click on the small image here, a larger, more readable version of the letter will open up.
by Melanie Jongsma, Director of Communications
Last week, approximately 160 women gathered at the Patrick Haley Mansion in Joliet, Illinois, to celebrate their connection to Providence Life Services. The “Women’s Connection” is an annual, invitation-only event, each year at a different elegant location.
Because we’re celebrating our 50th year of ministry this year, the theme for this event was “Connecting. Reflecting.” The women were invited to wear or bring an heirloom, so they could exchange memories with the people at their tables. It was beautiful to see the sharing and hear the stories!
The luncheon, the fellowship, the heirlooms — all led up to a special presentation: “Glimpses of Providence,” described in the program this way:
Through the eyes of four women, we’ll see God’s hand in the story of Providence Life Services (formerly known as Rest Haven).
- Grace — a woman in her 30s in the suburbs of Chicago during the late 1950s
- Cheryl — a teen-aged girl working at Providence in the 1960s
- Marian — a woman in her 60s working at Providence in the late 1990s
- Hope — a woman in her 60s living in present-day Elmhurst
These four characters spoke about their experiences with Providence, and they helped us see that we, all, are characters in God’s larger story, we all have a role to play. The performances were beautifully done, and the audience was completely engaged in the drama.
If you’d like to see some glimpses of Women’s Connection 2010 (though not of the performance piece), click on the video below. As you watch the women connecting and reflecting, you may be reminded of heirlooms that are particularly meaningful to you. Feel free to share those memories in the comments below!
UPDATE: You can also view the photo gallery we posted on our website!
by Melanie Jongsma, Director of Communications
In anticipation of Mothers Day, we spent some time last week interviewing three sets of mothers and daughters — the daughters all work for Providence Life Services, and the mothers are all clients or residents of our communities. All three of these mother-daughter pairs are successfully navigating through the changes in their relationships that aging requires. Watch the video below to see what they’ve learned through their experiences:
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by Melanie Jongsma, Director of Communications
Marian Kickert has worked for Providence Life Services for more than 30 years. As part of our year-long 50th anniversary celebration, she shares some thoughts in the video below about what Providence means to her:
Glimpses of Providence 