Skip to header Skip to main content Skip to footer
Helpful Village logo
Add me to your mailing list
Youtube channel Facebook page
Header image for Pasadena Village showing nearby mountains and the logo of the Pasadena Village

Blog archive

August 2024

1619 Wide Ranging Interests
08/19/2024

1619 Wide Ranging Interests
08/19/2024

First Anniversary
08/19/2024

Alexandra Leaving by Leonard Cohen
08/16/2024

Muse des Beaux Arts by W. H. Auden
08/16/2024

The God Abandons Antony by Constantinos P. Cavafy
08/16/2024

Ch – Ch – Ch –Changes
08/15/2024

Cultural Activities Team offers an ‘embarrassment of riches’
08/15/2024

Engaging in Pasadena Village
08/15/2024

Future Housing Options
08/15/2024

Message from the President
08/15/2024

There Are Authors Among Us
08/15/2024

Villagers Welcome New Members at the Tournament Park Picnic
08/15/2024

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night by Dylan Thomas
08/14/2024

A narrow Fellow in the Grass by Emily Dickinson
08/13/2024

Haikus
08/13/2024

One Art by Elizabeth Bishop
08/13/2024

Poem 20 by Pablo Neruda
08/13/2024

Still I Rise by Maya Angelou
08/13/2024

Trees by Joyce Kilmer
08/13/2024

July 2024

June 2024

May 2024

Emergency Preparedness: Are You Ready?
05/28/2024

Farewell from the 2023/24 Social Work Interns
05/28/2024

Gina on the Horizon
05/28/2024

Mark Your Calendars for the Healthy Aging Research California Virtual Summit
05/28/2024

Meet Our New Development Associate
05/28/2024

Putting the Strategic Plan into Practice
05/28/2024

Washington Park: Pasadena’s Rediscovered Gem
05/28/2024

Introducing Civil Rights Discussions
05/22/2024

Rumor of Humor #2416
05/14/2024

Rumor of Humor #2417
05/14/2024

Rumor of Humor #2417
05/14/2024

Rumor of Humor #2418
05/14/2024

Springtime Visitors
05/07/2024

Freezing for a Good Cause – Credit, That Is
05/02/2024

No Discussion Meeting on May 3rd
05/02/2024

An Apparently Normal Person Author Presentation and Book-signing
05/01/2024

Flintridge Center: Pasadena Village’s Neighbor That Changes Lives
05/01/2024

Pasadena Celebrates Older Americans Month 2024
05/01/2024

The 2024 Pasadena Village Volunteer Appreciation Lunch
05/01/2024

Woman of the Year: Katy Townsend
05/01/2024

April 2024

March 2024

February 2024

January 2024

From the Outgoing President

By Susan Kujawa
Posted: 06/17/2024
Tags: sue kujawa, board president

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.

Blogs Topics Posts about this Topic