The New Year means something different to everyone. Whether it is concentrating on your health, getting in shape, or quitting bad habits, we are all trying to improve ourselves. For residents at The Village at Gleannloch Farms, this means strengthening their minds through education. The senior living community kicked off the New Year by focusing on educational opportunities for residents and the public. Some of the most interesting classes were taught by The Village at Gleannloch Farms residents to fellow residents, including a geology class with 76-year-old instructor Don Graves.
“I believe that the purpose of the individual is to be happy, and we are happier when our minds are occupied,” said Graves. “If the mind is occupied, your physical condition does not matter as much. You are still thinking, and therefore still living. Just because you are not on someone’s payroll does not mean that you have to vegetate on a couch.”
Graves just wrapped up teaching the geology series entitled “Geology: The Good, the
Bad, and the Ugly.” The idea for this class started at a Lunch and Learn discussion where residents met to discuss educational topics. When others found out Graves had a rock collection, they wanted to know more information, and the idea to host a class was formed. He focused on gemstones (the good), fossils (the bad), and petroleum rocks (the ugly). The purpose of these three classes was for Graves to show people that we can find beauty and interest in everything, even rocks.
“I’m not an actual geologist; just a former chemist who loves sharing my passion for science and showing my rock collection,” said Graves. “I hope the residents walk away from my classes entertained. No one is going to attend these classes and leave with a college degree in geology, but they will walk away with more than they entered knowing. As long as I have increased their knowledge, that is all that matters.”
The Village at Gleannloch Farms also hosted the Lenten series, one of the nation’s leading award-winning lecture and cultural arts series sponsored by Calvin College. All of the classes during the three week period combined had around 400 people in attendance who watched the webcasts at The Village at Gleannloch Farms. The Lenten Series focused on a wide variety of topics ranging from Christian perspectives on improving immigration policy, to why business matters to God. These lectures included speakers such as three-time Emmy award-winner Cokie Roberts, and Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Sheryl WuDunn, to name a few. These lectures were open to residents and members of the community for free.
“We were excited to be able to stream these lectures live and offer such an educational experience to our residents and members of the community,” said Kathy Johanns, executive director for The Village at Gleannloch Farms. “Keeping the mind engaged and adding new information is important at any age, and we enjoy offering these experiences to our residents.”
The Village at Gleannloch Farms hosts and plans many educational outings throughout the year The residents enjoy the opportunity to keep their minds active and involved in whatever topics interest them.
