January 2026

President's Message

By Richard Myers
Posted: 05/30/2025

As we near the end of a remarkable and challenging year, I invite you to pause with me—to reflect on how far we’ve come and to imagine where we can go together.

This fiscal year 24-25 has been filled with change, growth, and resilience. We began with 203 members. Today, we are a community of 254 strong. That means more neighbors, more connections, and more opportunities to live the spirit of our Village—together.

We welcomed over 60 new members this year, each bringing fresh energy, stories, and talents. Unfortunately, health and family matters continue to cause some attrition in our membership. The richness of our community lies in these relationships, old and new. And while not every detail of our progress can be captured here, a few moments stand out.

In the face of the Eaton Fire—a crisis that could have shaken us—we stood strong. Thanks to the efforts of our staff, volunteers, and members, we came together with compassion and speed. We not only responded—we grew. We surpassed our revenue expectations for the year, in part due to the unity and generosity that defined our response.

We’ve also grown internally. We’ve added to our staff and are preparing to move into a larger office space in the coming fiscal year. These are not just logistical changes—they are steps toward building the future our community deserves.

Behind the scenes, your Board has been working to strengthen its leadership. A spring retreat allowed us to step back, evaluate, and reimagine how we serve you best. At our June meeting, we will vote on new board members and begin acting on key ideas from that retreat to keep the Village moving forward.

Here’s what we know: this Village is strong because of you. Every program we run, every connection we create, every success we celebrate—it all comes from the contributions of members like you, over the past 12 years since our founding in 2012 and into the future.

We also know that the world around us is shifting. National trends in aging, healthcare, and community living are changing rapidly—and not always in ways that support us. We will need to face these changes together—with clarity, courage, and creativity.

So I offer you a challenge: What can you contribute to make this Village stronger?
Participation matters. Simply showing up at an event creates connection and belonging for someone else. And if you have the energy to do more—volunteer, lead, listen, organize—you shape the very environment we live in.

No matter your capacity, you are part of what makes this community thrive.

There’s a saying: It takes a village. That’s true—but more than that, we are the village. Every success we’ve had has come from the shared effort of members just like you. And every step forward will, too.

Let’s carry that spirit into the year ahead—with purpose, generosity, and a deep belief in one another.

With appreciation and hope - Dick Myers, President