Blog archive
April 2024
Tulsa reparations, Religion and Politics
04/09/2024
March 2024
Trumps War with Black Women
03/31/2024
Addressing The Needs of Older Adults Through Pasadena Village
03/25/2024
Coming Soon: More Resources for Older Americans, Online and in Person
03/25/2024
Community Building Locally and Nationally
03/25/2024
Preparing for the Future with Ready or Not
03/25/2024
Volunteering is at The Heart of the Village
03/25/2024
Women's Liberation: Then and Now
03/25/2024
Writing Memoirs Together
03/25/2024
Current Views on Current Events
03/20/2024
Unchained
03/18/2024
Rumr of Humor issue # 2409
03/10/2024
Blacks Portrayed by European Artists
03/03/2024
Rumor of Humor #2408
03/03/2024
February 2024
Caring for Ourselves and Each Other
02/27/2024
Doug Colliflower Honored
02/27/2024
Great Decisions Connects Us to the Worldwide Community
02/27/2024
Letter from the President
02/27/2024
Pasadena Village's Impact
02/27/2024
The Power of Touch
02/27/2024
Villages as a New Approach to Aging
02/27/2024
Addressing Gang Violence in Pasadena-Altadena
02/21/2024
Rumor of Humor Issue 2407
02/19/2024
Thank You For Caring.
02/12/2024
Rumor of Humor 2405
02/11/2024
Curve Balls
02/10/2024
Sylvan Lane
02/10/2024
Rumor of Humor 2404
02/09/2024
Larry Duplechan, Blacks in Film
02/03/2024
January 2024
Pasadena Village Joins Community Partners in Vaccination Campaign
01/29/2024
Rumor of Humor #2403
01/28/2024
Pasadena Village Joins Two Healthy Aging Resource Projects
01/25/2024
Decluttering: Do It Now
01/24/2024
Village Volunteers Contribute to the Huntington Magic
01/24/2024
Villagers Creating Community
01/24/2024
Villagers Reflect on Black History Month
01/24/2024
Walk With Ease, 2024
01/24/2024
Wide Ranging Discussion on Current Issues
01/22/2024
Wide Ranging Discussion on Current Issues
01/22/2024
Rumor of Humor # 2402
01/21/2024
Rumor of Humor # 2401
01/15/2024
Re- Entry Programs, a Personal Experience
01/08/2024
GROWING OUR MEMBERSHIP
By Blog MasterPosted: 08/03/2021
Despite the challenges of the pandemic, 14 new members joined Pasadena Village over the past 12 months! The action plan for the Membership Committee changed dramatically due to COVID-19 Restrictions. All of the community outreach programs came to a halt. Our monthly “Meet Me at The Village” events at our office were discontinued. Neighborhood groups, social events, and educational programs that once welcomed guests were all moved to Zoom. Still, lively discussions continued and, as a result of individual outreach, combined with the very human unquenchable desire for companionship, we welcomed these 14 wonderful new members:
Fran Allen
Betsy Blue
Tom Cox
Joyce Daly
Catherine Fuller
Karen Gross
Judith Harris
Vicki Hodges
Mary Fauvre Holmes
Bob Holmes
Valerie Jones
Mary Krach
Dorsey Lawson
Sandy McConnell
Our new members come from varied backgrounds. Some are retired administrators, finance managers, occupational therapists, or business owners. Several are retired educators. Some are still working. Some have recently moved to the area, and some are long-time local residents. Some are recently widowed. Some are caring for spouses or close friends. New members expressed a desire for meaningful social connections, intellectual experiences, and a sense of purpose. They want to help others and find companions.
Their warm welcome started with the Village staff and the Membership Committee, even before they chose to join. Upon joining our community, welcoming calls and emails are made, and the tech team helps them navigate the Zoom world. Neighborhood groups are critical opportunities for building community and making connections, along with our monthly birthday celebrations (on Zoom, of course) that feature getting to know you games. Member volunteers even safely delivered food to a new member who had broken her arm. Our new members are getting involved in Affinity Groups, attending Educational, Cultural, and Social programs, and joining Committees. They have become part of Pasadena Village and we are all benefitting from their life experiences, interests, and willingness to participate.
At the recent Board retreat, new President Pat Dawe shared his vision of membership in the Pasadena Village as a “definition of our culture.” It involves a network of communications, programs, development, and volunteer services that connect membership recruitment to welcoming, nurturing, and supporting members who themselves provide leadership, volunteer services, and financial support. Members join at any point in their life-long journey to be a part of a vibrant, caring community.
Executive Director Katie Brandon likes to say, “Our members are our greatest assets.” And that is so true. They form the vibrant heart of the Village by helping and receiving and creating and delivering. And each new member brings with her a lifetime of skills and experience that we, the Village, need. They know how to organize. They know how to facilitate. They know how to get things done. They have ideas of things they want to do – and that usually means that other people also want to do those things.
With the ebb and flow of pandemic restrictions, Pasadena Village is preparing to expand our membership and deepen our outreach to the aging community in the months to come. Already “Meet Me at the Village” has resumed as an in-person event. An “Outreach Team” has been created to ensure that Pasadena Village is ably represented as community events are scheduled. The Board of Directors and our Committees are committed to increasing our visibility and trying new approaches to reaching new members. We know the value that Pasadena Village offers to our 136 members, and we want to offer that sense of community and warm sense of welcome to even more older adults in the greater Pasadena area.