Community retirement living at Ardenwoods comes with social fun for all! Whether on or off campus residents embrace opportunities to come together socially, try new things, or simply enjoy peaceful moments within the community. Located just 15 minutes from destination hot spot, Asheville, NC, Ardenwoods resort-style senior living never runs out of interesting and engaging activities for its residents. The lush woodlands and sweeping mountain views on the 48-acre Ardenwoods campus is the perfect backdrop to enjoy the plethora of in-house and local activities created by the Community Life Service Director, Kari Schrader, and the 6 person Resident Activities Committee. 
Old Stuff Leads to Social Fun & New Connections
Seeing as March was National Old Stuff month, residents and employees alike came together in the spirit of show and tell to participate in Ardenwoods’ First Annual OldStuffFest. It was a campus wide meet and greet in the multipurpose room that felt like a nostalgic walk down memory lane. Booths were set up for the 12 residents that registered to exhibit their collections of, what else, old stuff! Items were creatively displayed in the booths and the 45 or so residents that attended strolled from booth to booth, learning fascinating facts and stories about their neighbors. Residents live side by side but often don’t know little things about each other that have great importance or are shared interests.
“One resident, Mrs. Compton, has worked to complete large-scale counted cross-stitch pieces that are beautiful works of art, which she exhibited at OldStuffFest,” said Kari. Another resident showed her international wood carving collection curated from her extensive world travel, while one gentleman documented his travel with the intricate scrapbooks his wife created that showcased the many cruises they enjoyed together. A display of memorabilia from one resident’s 30 years of professional dog show experience was enjoyed by attendees, as were mementos shared by another resident highlighting her 30 years owning and operating a dance academy. The numerous photos of her with well-known celebrities generated quite a lot of curious questions. One couple brought a beloved old tackle box filled with family jewelry and special keepsakes from the farm where she grew up. An employee even got in in on the social fun by sharing an antique punch bowl and tankard from the early 1900’s.
Kari noted that, “Amazing conversations were started about how residents began their collections and reasons why they still hold them dear. It gave residents a wonderful opportunity to share with others what is usually kept in the privacy of their own homes.” Of OldStuffFest, Joanne Nisbet said, “I liked the memories it brought back.” That seemed to be the consensus for most, the enjoyment of remembrance.
Let Us Celebrate the Occasion with Wine and Sweet Words. –Plautus
Ask any Ardenwoods resident about the most popular activity at the community and most likely you’ll hear about the social fun they enjoy at the Friday afternoon wine and cheese bar. On Fridays at 4pm in the Grille you will find residents enjoying this happy hour, as well as the company of their fellow neighbors. To jazz things up, the last Friday of every month the community’s grand piano is brought in and a pianist is hired, transforming the Grille into a piano bar. While every Friday feels festive, the final Friday of the month is even more so, as the event always becomes one big sing-along. Stop by any Friday and expect to be greeted by an incredibly social group that will welcome you with fellowship and wine. This long-standing community favorite is produced entirely by resident volunteers and appreciated by so many.
“A few other activities of note would be the summer outdoor movies shown on the patio, the off campus restaurant visits that happen twice every month, and a monthly Health Talk seminar that covers an array of fascinating and educational information,” added Kari.
The community at Ardenwoods is a close-knit group offering a small town feel, however the activities calendar might give the impression that the community is more than twice its size. Thanks to a resident run Activities Committee that not only comes up with new and creative things to do, it also markets events ensuring that they are all well attended. This combination makes for a vibrant social atmosphere at Ardenwoods, a fine, resort-style senior living community. To learn more about the activities happening this month, call (828) 684-7330 for details.
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