Local students from Franks Elementary School joined their Grand Pal mentors for crafts, cookies and hot cocoa during a special Valentine’s social at The Village at Gleannloch Farms. The program is part of an ongoing role these mentors play in the lives of the students, including weekly visits to the classroom for some after school time.
“Our residents who serve as Grand Pal mentors enjoy offering their experience and unconditional acceptance to these wonderful children,” said Kathy Johanns, executive director of The Village at Gleannloch Farms. “When the kiddos arrived at our community and saw their Grand Pals, they began laughing and just ran right up to their Grand Pal.”
A number of residents from The Village at Gleannloch Farms have been volunteering their time as a Grand Pal for several years. However, the Grand Pals program is always looking for more volunteers and school officials say they have many more children who want a Grand Pal relationship. In the meantime, those senior residents at The Village at Gleannloch Farms have found a special joy in feeling—and being—so needed by a young person.
Sponsored and owned by Lutheran Social Services of the South, Inc., The Village at Gleannloch Farms is a not-for-profit community offering 123 independent living apartments and cottages for active adults aged 62 and above. In addition, the community offers a continuum of health care including 30 assisted living apartments, 18 memory support residences, and 35 private skilled nursing suites.
Traditionally, some older master-planned developments have offered housing options such as patio homes or assisted living facilities to extend their multi-generational appeal. However, the latest trend is to take the concept a step further and include a community that offers a full continuum of care – an option that, until now, was non-existent in Houston.
Located at Champion Forest Drive and Northpointe Boulevard, the community is situated on 25 acres and is designed to resemble the property’s original architecture. Architect of the project, three architecture of Dallas, incorporated native Gleannloch Farms stone and wood overhangs, balconies, trellises and fences to promote a “countryside residence” exterior. The community’s interior, designed by Faulkner Design Group of Dallas, features arts-and-crafts period influences using wood paneling, stained glass and wood-beamed ceilings.
The community adds to the already extensive variety of residential housing options available in Gleannloch Farms. Other Gleannloch Farms amenities include a lakeside aquatic and athletic complex, equestrian center, championship golf course, hiking and biking trails, and highly acclaimed schools.
In addition to a full range of health care options, The Village at Gleannloch Farms offers a variety of resort-style amenities including landscaped courtyards, multiple dining venues, and common areas totaling over 148,000 square-feet. The common area spaces include a 100-seat chapel, library and business center, creative arts studio, full-service beauty salon and barbershop, heated outdoor saltwater pool and fitness center.
For information about The Village at Gleannloch Farms please visit the community web site at www.villageatgleannlochfarms.com, or call (877) 312-2140.
