Couple finds a warm welcome and

peace of mind at White Horse Village

As John and Dianne Hirt made their way down the tree-lined drive toward the Clubhouse during their first visit to White Horse Village, they were struck by the way everyone waved as they passed. 

“It was like, ‘What the heck’s going on?’” John jokes. 

They’d heard about White Horse Village’s reputation as a welcoming community, which was part of what drew them to consider moving here, and now they were seeing it in action. 

When it came time to move into a senior living community, John and Dianne wanted to find one near their three children and seven grandchildren, and they got it in White Horse Village. 

Their children actually tried to talk them out of moving into a continuing care retirement community, saying there were other options available, John recalls. But he thinks if you asked them now, they’d have a different opinion after seeing John and Dianne’s experience here. 

“It just takes the burden off their shoulders to know every night that we're being well taken care of,” Dianne says. 

“We really have a community here and that's a big deal with us,” John says. “We like to be friendly and outgoing and work with people. This place does it all.” 

Save the dates!

Garden Day

is on the way

Stop and smell the roses—or the lilies, lavender, and lilac—brightening the graceful garden beds that dot the White Horse Village campus. The showcase of residents’ living artwork will be held Saturday, June 3rd, with a rain date of Sunday, June 4th.

The garden tour begins at 10:30 a.m., followed by a complimentary lunch at noon. Please RSVP by May 24th at 610-645-2054 or [email protected]. 

Photo by resident Barbara Hahn

A beach party to

fight Alzheimer's

Join us Wednesday, June 21st for a dance party with a beach theme and a DJ as we raise money for the fight against Alzheimer’s. (The rain date is June 23rd.)  

Raffle sales will begin at: 9:30 a.m. and run to noon, when the winner will be announced. The Alzheimer's Walk begins at 11 a.m. 

Please let us know if you’re coming by contacting Terri McCabe at 610-675-2054 or [email protected]. 

To register or donate for the walk, visit our team page!

Get tips on downsizing from the pros 

Right Size Relocation will offer helpful information for those planning or thinking about a move. The event is Sept. 12, at 10 a.m., on campus. We’ll send more information later on how to RSVP.  

Recent news around campus

Alzheimer's Walk efforts get recognition

The excellent work done by all our Alzheimer’s Walk volunteers has not gone unnoticed. We are thrilled to announce the Alzheimer's Association Delaware Valley Chapter presented White Horse Village with the 2022 Top Continuing Care Retirement Community Award for raising $30,267 in 2022.

A big thank you to our Walk to End Alzheimer’s co-chairs—Bonnie Scott, Duane Thurman, Susan Abtouche, and Kelli Foley—and all the residents, team members, family members, and special guests who volunteered, walked, or donated to help us exceed our fundraising goal for a cause near and dear to many of us!

Don’t forget: The Alzheimer’s Walk is coming up on June 21st. Join us as we try to raise $23,000 in 2023. 

Pictured are (l to r) Duane Thurman, resident; Kelli Foley, mission enhancement coordinator; Bonnie Scott, resident; Kristina Fransel, Alzheimer’s Association, DE-NJ-PA region director and Delaware Valley executive director; and Susan Abtouche, vice president of mission enhancement.

Recycling project will save 45,000 pounds of siding from the landfill 

Whether it’s taking small personal steps like recycling cans and bottles, or brainstorming larger community projects to care for the environment, many residents here want to do what they can to be responsible stewards of our resources. 

“Recycling at White Horse Village is an important element to our sustainability initiative,” says resident Dale Steffens, co-chair of the Sustainability committee. She notes that during COVID, residents collected plastic grocery bags that were made into outdoor benches for the campus grounds. 

Another exciting project is underway. “Currently, we are in the midst of a refresh project replacing windows and siding and adding stone to the base and chimneys throughout our Gardens and Villa neighborhoods. Rather than send the old siding to the landfill, it is being recycled for other uses in the future,” Dale explains. “These are only two of many sustainable initiatives underway here.” 

As contractors pull off the scrap siding, they are collecting it along with scraps from the installation, and hauling it away to be crushed, baled, and then repurposed. Altogether, we expect to save about 140,000 square feet of siding from the landfill.  

President and CEO Len Weiser says this project is a great fit for our environmentally focused community. “We’re thrilled to participate in this pilot project. We’re committed to using resources wisely and recognize that building for sustainability requires partnerships with like-minded organizations.”

Behind-the-scenes volunteers

get the spotlight

We’re so grateful for all our resident volunteers! We want to make sure they get the thanks they deserve for all they do for the community, from giving input on dining and landscaping, to organizing entertainment and resource groups, and much more. So far in the first quarter of this year, volunteers have put in almost 4,600 recorded hours, including nearly 2,000 in March alone! 

The Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon on April 20th, hosted by the Mission Enhancement team, was one small way to express gratitude for all this service. We enjoyed a performance by concert singer Keith Spencer, who has also appeared in Philadelphia-area theater and a national Broadway tour. In his return to White Horse Village, Spencer sang tunes from "Porgy and Bess," "Phantom of the Opera," and other Broadway favorites, to a standing ovation.

A celebratory brunch followed the entertainment. 

'Tea with Tonya' helps residents with

answers to any questions they have

For Senior Director of Resident Life Tonya Costley-Stilts, helping new residents get the information they need is her cup of tea—quite literally. 

Tonya recently started a new outreach effort where once a month, she invites community newcomers to join her and another member of the leadership team for tea and conversation in the Tavern. 

She discovered that some residents, after moving in, still felt a little intimidated and had questions about how things work on campus, like the dining process or other parts of daily life. The teatime is one of several ways she’s working to address that. 

“I’ve been getting really good feedback about the tea,” she says. “People are really enjoying that.” 

Around campus

Here’s a peek at just some of what residents have been up to in the past few months. 

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Students from Rose Hill Elementary School shared their culinary and visual art skills, making pizzas and bringing artwork to hang in the Clubhouse gallery. 

Father-son duo Richard Amoroso Sr. and Richard Amoroso Jr., musicians with Philadelphia Orchestra experience, brought a fabulous strings concert on April 14 as part of the Spotlight Series. 

Photos by resident Nancy Hopko

Music, colorful fashion, a raffle and a delicious meal were all part of the annual Spring Luncheon festivities. 

Photos by residents Duane Thurman, Jane James, and Nancy Hopko

We got a head start on spring blooms at the Philadelphia Flower Show in March. 

Talented resident sculptors displayed their work in the Clubhouse and mingled at a wine and cheese event. 

Volunteers stuffed Easter eggs to bring joy to area youngsters at the annual Edgmont Township egg hunt. 

Irish spirit and green garb were in plentiful supply at the St. Patty’s Crawl in the Clubhouse. 

Photos by resident Duane Thurman

Residents watched the Coen brothers’ early 2000s hit “O Brother, Where Art Thou,” followed by analysis from expert Paul Wright of the Bryn Mawr Film Institute, then a Mississippi-themed meal. 

Did you know that White Horse Village has an official Facebook page? Keep up on all our communities events, information, and most importantly, the pictures!

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