Greenspring Celebrates 20 Years of Excellence in Retirement Living

Greenspring is proud to celebrate 20 years of serving seniors this month with a series of anniversary events on its Springfield, Va., campus.

Greenspring first opened its doors to pioneer residents on November 17, 1998, bringing a revolutionary kind of retirement living to Northern Virginia. Today, it is the largest continuing care retirement community in the Commonwealth of Virginia, serving more than 2,000 residents.

"A lot has changed in 20 years, but our mission remains the same," said Chandra Kumar, Greenspring's Executive Director. "Sharing our gifts to create a community that celebrates life is not only our mission statement, but truly a way of life here at Greenspring—for staff and residents alike. This commitment to celebrating life at every turn and each individual's unique gifts is what makes this community such a special place to live and work."

Greenspring's picturesque campus features five restaurants, a fitness center, all-season pool and spa, an on-site medical center and pharmacy, bank, library, salon, computer lab, creative arts studio, woodshop, music room and more. The community even has its own television studio and polling precinct.

Frank Richardson was among the first residents to move into Greenspring 20 years ago. "When I look back over the past two decades here at Greenspring, it is the people and traditions that we have created together as a community that stand out most."

Many of these traditions, including The Villager, Greenspring's award-winning, resident-produced community newspaper, GSV-TV Channel 6, the community's own closed-circuit television station, partnerships with local non-profits such as ECHO (Ecumenical Community Helping Others), and resident-led English as a second language programs for staff are all still going strong.

"It has meant a lot to me, and many other residents, to have such opportunities to pursue meaningful, fulfilling work within our community during our retirement years," Richardson continued. "It's a great way to get to know people. I've been lucky to meet some of the most fascinating people here at Greenspring who I otherwise might never know, and I'm grateful for that."

Mary Turner, Housekeeping Team Leader, has been part of the Greenspring staff since day one. "This anniversary means a lot to me. I have seen a lot of changes over the years, but one thing remains the same: Greenspring is family to me. I love the residents so much; this my home away from home."

To commemorate the milestone anniversary, Greenspring hosted a series of anniversary celebrations throughout the month of November, including musical performances, photo and art exhibitions, trivia, community service activities, and even a History Forum on the building of the community, presented by resident Larry Ayers.

Last week, pioneer residents and 20-year employees were recognized with an anniversary cake cutting and champagne toast before the festivities culminated on Saturday evening with a "Night on the Town," where residents and guests enjoyed an elegant evening of dining, dancing and live entertainment throughout the community.

Although much has changed over the past two decades, Greenspring continues to innovate to meet the evolving needs and tastes of today's seniors, and to offer its residents the very best in facilities and service. In 2019, the community anticipates the opening of Dogwood Commons, a new state-of-the-art continuing care building, among other modernization initiatives.

"When I look back, what really stands out are the people and the relationships built here at Greenspring. That's what this community is all about," said Kumar. "We are so proud of this community that we've built together over the past twenty years—here's to many more!"

About Greenspring: Greenspring, one of 19 continuing care retirement communities managed by Erickson Living^®, is situated on a scenic 58-acre campus in Springfield, Virginia. The community is located in Fairfax County and is home to nearly 2,000 residents who are supported by a team of more than 1,000 employees. Additional information about Greenspring can be found at GreenspringCommunity.com.

Photo by Robert Smith Photography