Blog archive
March 2025
About Senior Solutions
03/28/2025
Building a Bridge With Journey House, A Home Base for Former Foster Youth
03/28/2025
Come for the Knitting, Stay for the Conversation... and the Cookies
03/28/2025
Creating Safe and Smart Spaces with Home Technology
03/28/2025
Finding Joy in My Role on The Pasadena Village Board
03/28/2025
I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up!
03/28/2025
Managing Anxiety
03/28/2025
Message from Our President: Keeping Pasadena Village Strong Together
03/28/2025
My Favorite Easter Gift
03/28/2025
The Hidden History of Black Women in WWII
03/28/2025
Urinary Tract Infection – Watch Out!
03/28/2025
Volunteer Coordinator and Blade-Runner
03/28/2025
Continuing Commitment to Combating Racism
03/26/2025
Status - March 20, 2025
03/20/2025
Goodbye and Keep Cold by Robert Frost
03/13/2025
What The Living Do by Marie Howe
03/13/2025
Racism is Not Genetic
03/11/2025
Bill Gould, The First
03/07/2025
THIS IS A CHAPTER, NOT MY WHOLE STORY
03/07/2025
Dramatic Flair: Villagers Share their Digital Art
03/03/2025
Empowering Senior LGBTQ+ Caregivers
03/03/2025
A Life Never Anticipated
03/02/2025
Eaton Fire Changes Life
03/02/2025
February 2025
Commemorating Black History Month 2025
02/28/2025
Transportation at the Pasadena Village
02/28/2025
A Look at Proposition 19
02/27/2025
Behind the Scenes: Understanding the Pasadena Village Board and Its Role
02/27/2025
Beyond and Within the Village: The Power of One
02/27/2025
Celebrating Black Voices
02/27/2025
Creatively Supporting Our Village Community
02/27/2025
Decluttering: More Than The Name Implies
02/27/2025
Hidden Gems of Forest Lawn Museum
02/27/2025
LA River Walk
02/27/2025
Message from the President
02/27/2025
Phoenix Rising
02/27/2025
1619 Conversations with West African Art
02/25/2025
The Party Line
02/24/2025
Bluebird by Charles Bukowski
02/17/2025
Dreams by Langston Hughes
02/17/2025
Haiku - Four by Fritzie
02/17/2025
Haikus - Nine by Virginia
02/17/2025
Wind and Fire
02/17/2025
Partnerships Amplify Relief Efforts
02/07/2025
Another Community Giving Back
02/05/2025
Diary of Disaster Response
02/05/2025
Eaton Fire: A Community United in Loss and Recovery
02/05/2025
Healing Powers of Creative Energy
02/05/2025
Living the Mission
02/05/2025
Message from the President: Honoring Black History Month
02/05/2025
Surviving and Thriving: Elder Health Considerations After the Fires
02/05/2025
Treasure Hunting in The Ashes
02/05/2025
Villager's Stories
02/05/2025
A Beginning of Healing
02/03/2025
Hectic Evacuation From Eaton Canyon Fire
02/02/2025
Hurricanes and Fires are Different Monsters
02/02/2025
January 2025
At Dawn by Ed Mervine
01/31/2025
Thank you for Relief Efforts
01/31/2025
Needs as of January 25, 2025
01/24/2025
Eaton Fire Information
01/23/2025
Escape to San Diego
01/19/2025
Finding Courage Amid Tragedy
01/19/2025
Responses of Pasadena Village February 22, 2025
01/18/2025
A Tale of Three Fires
01/14/2025
As Our Organization Grows, Villagers Recall Personal Highlights
By Sue AddelsonPosted: 06/17/2024
Whether you are one of the original founders or just became an official member a few months ago, Pasadena Villagers take pleasure in hearing that our numbers are increasing almost every day. On a personal level, everyone can recall some special times, some new connections that, looking back, make each one glad they joined. Here are a few from this year:
Since joining Pasadena Village earlier this year, Ann Smith and her husband Gary quickly met five fellow Villagers, all of whom live within a couple of blocks of their house. “By this time, we weren’t surprised at how quickly we shared the most hilarious stories of life in Pasadena while growing old. We always are grateful at the level of mutual vulnerability and trust that grows without much effort, based on so many shared hopes and fears. Thank God for the Pasadena Village.”
Over the past year, Dave Folz slowed down his involvement in committees and events. He says he volunteered enough over the past 11 years and now he’s ready to relax and have fun. For him, Thursday ping-pong always delivers on fun. “There is something very irresponsible and childlike in our games. It's very satisfying to play again, and enjoy all the screaming associated with a good shot, and the momentary disappointment of losing a game. All the fun I remember as a kid, but without the arguments. We’ve all grown up. And I've made a lot of new friends that I look forward to seeing each week.”
The real connection came for Suzi Hoge when she joined the Urban Walking group. At first she was nervous about the three miles. “I tried it once, and I made it. I felt accomplished,” she says. Now, she seldom misses a Friday walk. “Over time you get to chat with many members who are also in many different other groups you can learn about. An added bonus is walking through different neighborhoods in our larger community — Altadena, Eagle Rock, Pasadena, South Pasadena, Sierra Madre; learning history, landmarks, architecture, and plants in addition to learning about my fellow walkers.”
At first, Peter Lamendola couldn’t choose just one highlight. He mentioned ping- pong, the Men’s Brunch and the hiking group, and especially, the annual activities the Village staff organizes, like the Volunteer Recognition Lunch at Farnsworth Park and the Older Americans Fair at Victory Park. But when push came to shove, he agreed that Ready or Not, a three-day workshop about planning for the inevitable, was his number-one highlight. “It’s not fun but much needed, and something I’ve worried about,” he says.
Terry Chamorro is absolutely WOWed by the Cultural Explorations Group. She finds the reading material or movies they read and watch in advance of the next meeting interesting. But, it’s the discussions at the small dinner in one Villager’s home that really stand out, “I’ve never been around a group of such bright people. The discussions are wonderfully deep,” she says.
For John Jackson, it’s all about the Urban Walks. " I can't think of a better way to start my Fridays. I go for the camaraderie and can’t imagine what I would do without the stimulating conversations.” John is leading the Kern River trip, which may just top Urban Walks’ next year as a highlight, even if not so “urban.”
After 13 years in the Village, the Village Engagement Team, formerly Membership Committee, continues to hold Rosie Hooper’s attention. She wants every new member to find the Village as much fun and as meaningful as it has been for her. Her message to new members? “Don’t let anything hold you back from jumping into all the things that come to your mind; to determine where you will ‘settle in’ and find an area of the Village to help out. There is much in which to get involved, as well as much to enjoy.”