Seniors looking for a community, not just a place to live, fall in love with Wyndemere. Situated on 22 lush acres in Wheaton, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago, Wyndemere is a carefully planned neighborhood of convenience, companionship and celebration. “Wyndemere is so much more than a senior living community, it’s a place to enjoy more freedom, fewer worries and live an engaged lifestyle with a bounty of options in a peaceful, residential setting,” said Kelly Berger-Valadez, Community Life Services Director.
Picnic with the Pops
Chicagoland residents are proud of their fair city and the endless opportunities it has to offer. One such opportunity that garners hometown pride is the Ravinia Festival. Ravinia is North America’s oldest music festival, nestled on a gently wooded 36-acre park that provides an enchanting setting to experience music. The open-air pavilion is open for the three month summer season and home to world-class music spanning all genres; however, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is the centerpiece of Ravinia. Speaking of centerpieces, Ravinia is also famous for the elaborate and elegant picnics concert goers set up, replete with silver candelabras and stunning floral arrangements that contribute to the ambiance and tradition at the festival.
Three years ago, a group of Wyndemere guests wanted to plan an outing to see the Chicago Symphony Orchestra play at Ravinia. Because the venue is large and spread out it can be difficult to manage, so Kelly decided to bring Ravinia to the community, and Mini Ravini was born. Musicians perform on the patio overlooking the large, circular pond, while residents enjoy the music from tables around the perimeter or on their home balconies. The tradition of Mini Ravini wouldn’t be complete without a fancy picnic, so residents were able to pre-order a picnic basket in honor of the event.
Due to popular demand, Mini Ravini is now a two-part concert series every summer. Residents responded so well to the festive event that attendance reached about 150! The residents that live in the townhouses on the far end of the pond also showed up in style with their own tables and lawn chairs, enjoying the event from afar. And easy it is to enjoy due to fantastic weather that seems to grace the event each year.
Jumping on the Broadway Bandwagon
Another arts-loving group of residents suggested a trip downtown to see Broadway’s pop culture phenomenon, Hamilton, at The Private Bank Theatre. With 16 Tony nominations and 11 wins, Hamilton has become Broadway’s most coveted show. It’s the incredible story of Alexander Hamilton’s unlikely rise to becoming one of America’s Founding Fathers, despite his humble beginnings, and often, in spite of himself.
Community Life Services Director, Kelly, thought it was a fantastic suggestion and even took it a step further by arranging some Hamilton education before the show to help residents get geared up for the big event. Hamilton’s America was streamed from local PBS affiliate, WTTW, and three lectures, Hamilton, The Promise of America, The Women of Hamilton, and Hamilton’s Duellist Culture were presented on campus. “A bus has been chartered for the 34 residents that will experience the show in September, and while not everyone that attended the pre-Hamilton fanfare will go to the show, those residents were able to have a parallel experience with their neighbors by partaking in the lectures and PBS screening,” said Kelly.
Programming at Wyndemere is driven by resident ideas and fully supported by community staff. It is an important component of the community, and the activity calendar reflects this commitment. Whether residents enjoy the arts, physical fitness, volunteerism or wine tasting, Wyndemere makes space for every activity and interest. To experience an activity or learn more about what is offered, call 1 (866) 579-2405.