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Retirees host open house at Mountain Crest
BY MARGO OXENDINE • CONTRIBUTING WRITER
 | | A reception at the Mountain Crest retirement village community center Sunday afternoon drew about 100 visitors. Enjoying conversation at the buffet are, from left, Alma Stevenson, Mary Susan Blankenship and Percy "Buzz" Nowlin. Stevenson and Blankenship serve on the committee that planned for and constructed the retirement village. (Recorder photo by Margo Oxendine) |
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WARM SPRINGS - There was an open house Sunday at the Mountain Crest Retirement Home, behind Bath County High School.
What was most apparent is this: the name should be changed.
Mountain Crest Retirement Village would be more apt. The words "retirement home" conjure a scenario of old folks, sitting around in rocking chairs, the best parts of their lives long gone.
That is surely not the case at Mountain Crest. The place is vibrant, busy, attractive. Sure, some residents are sitting in rocking chairs; but they're on their front porches, or back patios. They're greeting visitors, chatting with neighbors, enjoying cool breezes and stunning mountain views. They're tending pots of colorful flowers, grilling steaks and burgers, adding yet another touch of personal décor. They're strolling the sidewalks, passing the time, enjoying their wellearned retirement. If, indeed, they've bothered to stop working.
 | | Neat, attractive homes and wide sidewalks are just two wonderful things about the Mountain Crest retirement village. Most of the 28 one- and twobedroom units are already rented. (Recorder photo by Margo Oxendine) |
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At least 100 people stopped by Sunday afternoon for tasty treats, cold lemonade, happy conversation, and even a little politicking. The whole place was a busy bustle of fun and fellowship.
The village was impressive at every turn. Despite being behind the high school, the place is quiet and serene. There are 28 units, and it's no wonder they're going fast. While the majority of apartments are one-bedroom, some were built with two bedrooms, to provide accommodations for a couple, or a live-in caregiver. Just a few units are unoccupied; those who have and will manage to get in are truly fortunate.
Sam Donaldson was one of the first residents. Sunday, he issued an impromptu invitation to a visitor who asked to see his place. Keep in mind, Sam didn't know when he left his apartment for the party that a nosy reporter would be snooping around later that afternoon. Yet, the spacious onebedroom unit was neat as the proverbial pin, filled with Sam's collections and the memorabilia of a lively life.
The amount of space was remarkable. A roomy kitchen with lots of cabinets and shiny appliances, including a dishwasher; a large utility room with washer and dryer and lots of shelves; a bathroom so big one could hold a dance. The closets are wide, the carpet is cushy, and there is plenty of space for storage. Through the foyer and out the back door is the concrete patio, with table, chairs, a woodsy view, and yet another storage room.
And, on a day where the temperatures broke 90 degrees, it was cool and comfortable inside, thanks to a heating and air-conditioning unit operated by the touch of a finger.
"One of the best things about living here is that there are no worries," Sam noted. Someone mows the lawns, someone sweeps the sidewalks, someone will plow and shovel the snow this winter. Mountain Crest contracts for lawn and shrubbery care, and snow removal. And there's a maintenance man on duty for half of each day to take care of any in-apartment needs residents may have.
Sunday's gathering took place in the village's community center, which provides ample space for parties and meetings, a kitchen, a parlor and an as-yet unfinished office for the maintenance person and rental agent. In addition, a clinic is planned, where a nurse will visit for periodic health checks.
Eloise Taylor, another resident who got in early, says living at Mountain Crest is a "dream come true." In fact, there's only one thing the place needs, she confided: A cafeteria and little convenience store, or commissary. Other residents sitting on adjacent porches echoed that idea.
Perhaps that could happen, in time. The committee responsible for creating Mountain Crest and getting it built and occupied includes Virginia Nowlin, Mary Susan Blankenship, Bertha Hise, Mary Ann Bogan, Alma Stevenson and Richard Byrd. And they're not done yet. There's plenty of room for expansion.
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