January 2025

From the Outgoing President

By Susan Kujawa
Posted: 06/17/2024

The theme for this year's Annual Meeting highlighted two of our core values. Reflection: Providing opportunities to contemplate and share thoughts about life. And Legacy: Striving to share our values to build a better world. 

As I look back on the 12 years since the founding of Pasadena Village, I am struck by the way these two values were embedded in our organizational culture from the very beginning. 

Thanks to the creative genius of Patrick Dunavan, one of our founders, we have a video that documents the early days of Pasadena Village. In the opening scene, Clarke Oler says that “as I turned 80 I realized I was approaching the fourth quarter of my life. I knew I had to plan ahead in order to be the very best that I can be.” That was Clarke, ever optimistic, hopeful and focused on the future.

Gail Anderson can also be seen in the video. Gail was one of our very earliest members. She learned about Pasadena Village at a presentation at the Jackie Robinson Center. A longtime resident of Pasadena, Gail was well-acquainted with the programs and services available to older adults in the city. At the time she joined, Pasadena Village was still getting itself organized. But she joined, taking a chance on this new organization. Her reason: “Because I wanted to get out of my comfort zone and not be afraid to meet new people.” To Gail, getting older did not mean retreating or putting up barriers.  She was brave enough to open up to new relationships and new experiences. She continues as a Villager with a wide circle of new friends who, in turn, count her as a friend of their own.

At the end of the video, Jim Goodell, who with Mike Babcock were the prime advocates of the Village idea in Pasadena, described what it was like to perform a simple service for a Villager. Jim was called on to change a light bulb for a member. After doing so, the member thanked him with a big hug. Jim, recalling the experience with tears in his eyes, said, “I’ll tell you, that will make your day!”

We are ending the 2023–24 year with more than 200 members. As we grow, let us recall those values embodied by Gail, Clarke and Jim — get out of your comfort zone, be the best you can be, and do something for someone that will make your day.