Senior Nation - A Portal for a New Generation

For many years I directed a network of counseling services in the Baltimore and Washington D.C. corridors. They were good years for me. I was personally fond of my staff who were generously caring and committed people. They represented a variety of health care professionals and clergy of most all denominations.

Typically, if someone lives in a community for over 25 years, they become respected elders for their neighbors. And that is certainly the case for the early pioneers who moved into Heron Point at Chestertown in 1991.

When these original residents signed their contracts for the new retirement community, Heron Point was still in many ways just a concept. While nowadays these retirement communities are quite the norm, three decades ago they were still viewed as somewhat of an experiment in living for a new generation of seniors looking for an alternative to what many of their parents had experienced.

Nonetheless, for many of the first arrivals, the experiment itself was the fun part. By becoming the first wave of several to follow, these pioneers were tasked to create an entirely new culture for the now three hundred residents of Heron Point.

Last week, the Spy caught up with four of the original pioneers, Betty Griffin, Frances Reynolds, Rev. Jules Scheidel, and Sally Reidinger to reminisce about their decision to come to Chestertown, and their important role in creating a new culture for Heron Point.