Parkview Place in Unity is committed to providing a non-profit, retirement living community that promotes healthy, active senior living through empowerment, innovation and education, according to their website.
Some of the objectives at Parkview include providing an atmosphere of warmth and friendship to help eliminate isolation syndrome in senior citizens, as well as providing entertainment and activity that includes family involvement and participation.
Parkview Place staff provide scheduled activities and entertainment, indoors and out, for residents and visitors alike. Because community members volunteered countless hours to fundraise for capital ventures, improvements and projects such as the generator fund, Parkview encourages their community to join them in scheduled events and activities.
Parkview Place currently has 26 residents with another 28 singles and seven couples waiting to call a suite home.
At Halloween a costume dress up party was hosted with UPS ghosts and goblins coming for a costume parade. Residents, staff and visitors also enjoyed pumpkin bowling (Sylvia Maljon won this) and had all witches participate in a bat-the-balloon broomstick race – a photo finish between all four teams with no conclusive winner! The afternoon was finished with decorated, resident-made cupcakes and cake.
Also, this year, other events held included High Tea and Quilt Display (April), Pie Party (July) and Zucchini Races (September) again. Additionally hosted were an Oktoberfest party (October) and a
“sweet” trip to Pederson’s Apiary (August).
To cap off their fundraising year, Parkview holds their annual French Onion Soup fundraiser that raises money towards residents’ activities, entertainment and special event supplies, such as handivan rental for trips, purchasing ethnic foods for the Armchair Travel Club trips, purchases exercise equipment and more. The French Onion Soup Dinner and Bake Sale always sells out. Three sittings are offered and are limited by the number of seats and soup bowls! People that would like to join this event that day simply need to call in to reserve a seat at one of the sittings. The bake sale runs from 11 a.m. to sell out and features Marcel’s cinnamon buns and sour cream and dill bread loaves as well as donated cookies, buns, cakes, squares and pies.
As of the beginning of this December, the generator project was nearing an exciting conclusion with only $11,000 still needed to complete the funding. Large donations anywhere from $1,000 to $15,000 came from the Little Assembly Club, RMs of Grasslake, Senlac and Round Valley, the Town of Unity, Gilbert Agencies, Unity Credit Union, Moody’s Equipment, DeBelser and Knowles Memorials and several individual private donors.
The generator is being located in the back receiving lot at Parkview Place where it can be conveniently wired to the electrical room in the basement and be fueled by the natural gas that comes into the building under the back walkway. Ganter Plumbing and Heating have donated the time and materials required to complete this hook-up.
The community as a whole benefits from attending events at Parkview Place. Manager Paula Sittler tells us, “We have been able to showcase this town’s beautiful facility and break through some misinformed, preconceived notions about the care and services provided. This also provides an opportunity to give informal tours to townspeople that may have never set foot inside the building. When the time comes that we need to ask for financial support, I believe these same people can attest to the good things that are happening at Parkview Place and encourage others to donate too!”
Sittler continues, “The residents benefit because they absolutely love playing host during these events and really enjoy decorating and talking about it for days after. Those people that have said ‘I need to get over to visit so and so’ have a reason to finally come over and spend precious time with old friends. Our Armchair Travel Club has visited Hawaii, India, Japan, South Africa, Italy, Spain, Germany, Russia, Scotland, France, Australia, Sweden and soon the Philippines.”
Parkview Place currently employs five full-time and eight part time staff. This May a new employment position was added with the hiring of Louise Lewin as activities co-ordinator.
Parkview Place feels grateful to have a core group of six volunteers who help out during weekly activities, like bingo and Dusting off the Cobwebs, and on field trips and special events, such as the Spring Fashion Show and Community Garage Sale.
Another highlight of 2018 was the Wildeman/Schewbius wedding, being the second wedding held at this location. The bride-to-be contacted Parkview in the spring and they were thrilled to save the date. Residents loved to watch the setup and proceedings of the wedding, while also enjoying a busy day themselves, as it was the same day as their Pie Party. The block was hopping and everyone loved every minute of all the activity that was taking place that day. Parkview has since been approached about a summer of 2021 wedding.
What will 2019 bring? Parkview Place plans to have a ceremony once the standby generator is installed and a recognition event for all of donors. Other than that, they plan to roll with the tide here anxiously awaiting what the New Year will bring.
Sittler says, “This past year has been about expanding and trying new ideas, finding meaningful ways for the residents to spend their time and sharing the joy that each new day brings. We laugh, we laugh and we laugh some more... sometimes with each other and often times at each other... all in good fun. The energy at Parkview Place is light and bright and we will continue to find new ways to keep it so! The Vision Statement created by the original board of directors reads: ‘To provide an atmosphere of warmth and friendship in order to help eliminate isolation syndrome and malnutrition, thus promoting healthy longevity and anti-aging lifestyle.’ This is what we do, the board, the management, and the staff, all for the wellbeing of each resident of Parkview Place. I believe we do this very well with the satisfaction of our residents as our benchmark. We are always open to new ideas, best practices and forward-thinking discussions and welcome anyone in the community to provide feedback!”
