Men's Group Gathers Weekly to Host Speakers and Discuss Topics of Interest

Long before John Roach and his wife Joann Reynolds made the move to Avery Point, an Erickson Senior Living community in Short Pump, Va., in October 2022, he already had an idea for a new group at the community.

"The concept of starting a men's group had been buzzing around in my head for a few months," John recalls. "Granted, there are many other clubs that men are engaged in, but a lot of guys don't tend to be outgoing. I wanted to give them a reason to get together, shoot the breeze, and even listen to topics that they are interested in."

With help from the Resident Services team, John got the group up and running within a year of the couple settling into their apartment home. 

Since the first meeting in May 2023, the men's club has grown from 20 members to 120--about 50% of men living at Avery Point!

Making an impact

Currently, the group meets every Monday morning at 10 a.m. at The Point, a fine-dining restaurant on campus. Between 50 and 60 men show up each week.

"What started out as a men's conversation group became so popular that we had to move out of the room we were meeting in," says John, now the group's president.

"We thought it would be nice to get together and have some 'guy talk,'" adds Jim Calleran, the group's vice president. "But then the group continued to evolve."

Seeing an opportunity to make a real impact, John and Jim decided to invite speakers that could address various topics from football and baseball to health and well-being. 

In fact, 80% of the past year's meetings have featured speakers.

"I've been in the area for 36 years, so I know a fair amount about Richmond. But there are a lot of residents who have come from other places to be closer to family or their kids," Jim explains. "So, we thought it would be good to have presenters from different organizations around the Richmond area as well as local resources to make them feel even more at home living here at Avery Point." 

Sports galore

The group welcomed Richmond native Bobby Ross, a former head coach of the Detroit Lions and the San Diego Chargers, as well as a former football coach of Georgia Tech, The Citadel, the United States Military Academy, and The University of Maryland, College Park. 

He talked about his impressive career, including taking the Chargers to Super Bowl XXIX. "He even brought helmets from different teams he had coached," says Jim. "His talk was really popular!"

Ron Pomfrey, a sports historian and collector, visited campus to share baseball memorabilia--all with a Richmond focus--with the group.

"He brought in jerseys and uniforms from players here in Richmond who had gone on to major leagues. His stuff was from decades ago, and it was really interesting," explains Jim.

Chris Mooney, head men's basketball coach at the University of Richmond, and John Moreau, 

ACC basketball official, made appearances, as well. 

Insightful speakers

Retired Colonel Scott Lingamfelter led a group discussion on the Israeli and Hamas War and presented a program on China and U.S. Relation issues. 

Ephraim Seidman talked about the two months he spent in Israel helping the blind and what it's like to raise puppies being trained to help those with visual impairments. 

Eric Barlow of OrthoVirginia spoke about how seniors can avoid injuries and pain management, Dr. Eric P. Cote of Virginia Urology talked about prostate health; and Karen Davis of AARP presented on the Pillars of the Brain and ways to keep your brain active.

"There are issues that men have to deal with that women don't--particularly physically," notes Bob Boteler, the group's treasurer, who appreciates the open, caring environment that the group has fostered. "There are opportunities for encouragement that comes from listening to other men talk about what they are experiencing." 

Forming friendships

While speakers are always a hit, the group's weekly meetings also enable members to make friends and enjoy each other's company.

"I like the camaraderie that comes from this group," says Bob. "I've made quite a few friends here. They're all from different backgrounds and have worked in such a variety of professions. It's one way we get such fascinating and interesting topics for discussions and holding programs."

"It's a chance to get to know fellow residents better," says Jim. "Lots of friendships definitely develop."

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