Grow Deeper
Willow Valley Communities’ 40 Years of Growth With Every Leap Forward, Our Roots
Welcome to Willow, the lifestyle magazine of Willow Valley Communities. I am especially enthused to share this issue with you during this very special time: our 40th anniversary, which we are celebrating this year.
Since our first community, Manor, opened its doors in 1984, Willow Valley Communities has led the way in senior living with tremendous changes that have literally changed the industry. And to borrow a line from our vision statement, the innovations we have introduced have also changed the way aging is viewed around the world.
The Willow Valley Communities story began with John and Florence Thomas, who, along with their son, Marlin, owned and operated a 30-unit motel and 100-seat family restaurant just south of Lancaster. The family’s legendary spirit of hospitality drew many vacationers to Willow Valley year after year, from states both near and far away. These same guests were moved to ask the family if they would consider building a senior living community so that visitors, who loved the area, could retire there. The rest, of course, is history. As Willow Valley Communities grew and grew, our Team Members have never lost that spirit of dedicated hospitality and service to our Residents.
During his over 33-year career at Willow Valley Communities as CEO, John G. Swanson is credited with our expansion to multiple campuses and award-winning innovations like our 80,000-square-foot Cultural Center, 30,000-square-foot Clubhouse, cutting-edge culinary venues, Willow Gables’ two-story townhomes, and, now, Mosaic by Willow Valley Communities, our next generation of exquisite residences rising 20 stories above the heart of Lancaster City.
But, over these 40 years of innovative growth and breakthroughs—creating exceptional 55+ lifestyles—we’ve never lost sight of our roots.
Thank you for welcoming this issue of Willow into your home. I hope you enjoy learning more about Willow Valley Communities and our steadfast commitment to innovative senior living and exceptional experiences that has been our tradition for 40 years.
Sincerely,
Jill E. Gilbert Chair, Willow Valley Communities Board of Directors
CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE | 3
A conversation with Willow Valley Communities' founder, Marlin H. Thomas, and former CEO, John G. Swanson.
40 YEARS AT WILLOW VALLEY COMMUNITIES | 8
Meet some of the people living and working here who make us the very special place that we are.
“MOSAIC IS A DREAM COME TRUE!” | 14
Lizanne Ledbetter McClenon, a current Willow Valley Communities Resident, shares why she's moving to Mosaic.
PENNSYLVANIA’S GOVERNOR COMES TO LANCASTER | 15
Gov. Josh Shapiro visits Southern Market for a taste of Lancaster—and Mosaic by Willow Valley Communities.
WILLOW VALLEY COMMUNITIES CONTINUES TO RECEIVE HONORS | 17
We are grateful for our latest awards and rankings in senior living excellence.
INTEGRITYFORWARD HEARING SOLUTIONS | 18
Willow Valley Communities’ new on-campus audiology practice has a unique patient-centered approach.
BREAKING GROUND | 20
The Marlin and Doris Thomas Memory Center marks another innovative milestone at Willow Valley Communities.
IMAGINE YOUR NEXT—AND BEST—CHAPTER | 22
Mosaic Residents can experience their extraordinary future lifestyle now thanks to a few creative and technological solutions.
CELEBRATING 40 YEARS A CONVERSATION WITH MARLIN H. THOMAS & JOHN G. SWANSON
“The past has been good, the present is great, but the best is yet to come.” —Dr. Torrey Johnson, Willow Valley Communities’ first Board President
Throughout 2024, Willow Valley Communities has been celebrating our 40th anniversary, but a highlight was the special celebration for Residents and Team Members that included a live, in-depth interview with Willow Valley Communities’ founder, Marlin H. Thomas, and former CEO and current Willow Valley Development Corp. CEO, John G. Swanson. During the interview, we looked back on the history that defines us today and also gazed into what the future has to offer.
Nearly 500 Residents and Team Members filled our Cultural Center Theater, and hundreds more met in the North and Manor Auditoriums. Still, hundreds more chose to hold watch parties in their own residences as the interview was live-streamed.
Stacy Musser, Vice President of Resident Life, started the program by introducing the host—the gentleman who hired her 39 years ago—Chief Human Resources Officer Scott Summy.
With over 47 years of service, Scott is the Team Member with the longest tenure at Willow Valley, so it was most appropriate that he led the discussion with Marlin and John about Willow Valley Communities’ past, our present, and our future.
Scott started the interview by asking Marlin about the origin of Willow Valley Communities, with its roots in hospitality tied to the original Willow Valley Inn and Restaurant that was owned and operated by the Thomas family. How did the inn and the restaurant come to be, and how did that lead to the idea of creating Willow Valley Communities?
Willow Valley’s Beginnings: Marlin Thomas
Marlin began working as a youngster in the 1940s in his family’s poultry business at Southern and Central Markets in Lancaster. He said his parents, John and Florence, were “servant leaders with a strong work ethic who gave back to the community.” They instilled in him the life core values of honesty, integrity, and trust. “I’ve been very blessed,” he said.
One of the most poignant moments of the interview was when Marlin told the story of his father returning from the bank and then realizing the teller had accidentally given him an extra $100. John Thomas immediately returned to the bank to find the distraught teller behind her window trying to rectify her mistake. Much to her relief, he returned the money.
The next day, the grateful bank president arrived at the home of Marlin's family to personally thank his father for his honesty. Marlin became emotional as he ended his story with a twist: “It was that same banker who approved the loan for us to start Willow Valley. My father used to say that it was that $100 that made the difference between having Willow Valley or not.”
Although the Thomases’ chicken business grew from selling just 10 chickens a week in 1942 to 4,000 a week by 1960, Marlin was always looking for something else to do. “I always wanted a little inn,” he said.
By the mid-1960s, that “little inn” that Marlin created developed into the Willow Valley Inn, a 30-unit motor inn and 100-seat family restaurant. People loved to visit and started to say that they not only loved to visit Lancaster, they wanted to retire to Lancaster.
Again, with that same spirit of wanting to do things bigger and better, Marlin began the research for developing a retirement community. His unique vision was that the community would be based on a hospitality model, not a medical model like other communities. Willow Valley Communities opened its doors to our first Residents in 1984.
As an example of the hospitality focus, at the time, it was typical for residents at retirement communities to select their meals for the next one or two weeks. Marlin’s now well-known line, “I don’t even know what I want for dinner tomorrow,” was the start of the restaurant menu dining model at Willow Valley Communities. This shift in the philosophy of what senior living life and experiences could be was the first of many innovations that helped propel Willow Valley Communities to what it is today: the nation’s leading destination community, home to more than 2,600 Residents originating from over 40 states across the country. Residents move here often without any prior ties to Lancaster or Willow Valley Communities, served by our 1,600 dedicated Team Members.
Marlin continued by discussing another innovation, the unique, financially wise Lifecare Type A contract that says if a Resident ever needs an enhanced level of care, their monthly service fee will not increase because of that need. “This is the best level of care and best security of care for our Residents,” Marlin said. “We make that promise.” Willow Valley Communities was and still is the only exclusively Lifecare Type A community in Lancaster County.
Willow Valley Communities’ Present & Future:
John G. Swanson
John joined Willow Valley Communities as CFO in 1991. His accounting background had taken him around the country working with Type A senior living communities conducting actuarial studies. John said that from the moment he first walked into Willow Valley Communities, he knew he was in a very special place.
“From my first look at the grand entry of the lobby, I quickly understood that this community was different. It was way ahead of anything I had ever seen in the nation,” he described.
During his career from CFO to CEO at Willow Valley, John is significantly credited with the organization’s expansion to multiple campuses—now encompassing 210 acres, with 2,000+ active-adult and independent living residences, 500+ service-enriched residences, and much more to come. His innovative developments include the concept of multistory senior living residences, gourmet kitchens in senior living residences, and award-winning amenities such as the Cultural Center, The Clubhouse, and the Plaza at Manor culinary venue. John’s reputation as an innovator
is evidenced by the idea of intergenerational spaces at senior living communities. Under his leadership, Willow Valley Communities achieved and maintained industryleader positioning and a Fitch “A” rating. John is also a 2024 recipient of the “Setting the Standard” Award from McKnight’s Senior Living.
Today, as CEO of Willow Valley Development Corporation, John continues to oversee development projects on Willow Valley Communities’ suburban campuses, as well as Mosaic, our next generation of residences in Lancaster City.
Well-known in the senior living industry for his “ageless thinking,” during the interview, John was asked by Scott about the source of his inspiration.
“Primarily from outside the industry,” John answered. “My approach mirrors the pioneering that Marlin did at the beginning of Willow Valley Communities, and that is to not be content to simply benchmark what’s already happening within the industry. I like to look outside the industry for best practices to see how people are living, what they enjoy, and what excites them. The goal is always to get a new benchmark. To be the best of the best.”
John looks at many different industries for best practices because, he said, Willow Valley is so varied in our operations. “We are a food service company, a hospitality company, and a healthcare company. The goal is always to set a new benchmark in the industry and think outside the box. And after I identify best practices, I ask, ‘Is this adaptable?’”
“In other words, can you Willow Valley-ize them?” Scott said, smiling.
John explained further on reinvention at Willow Valley. “Our legacy is innovation,” he said. “It’s an opportunity we don’t want to miss to benefit current Residents, as well as future generations of Residents. This is also necessary for continued growth.
“It is our great challenge and our great opportunity to envision development and operations with a ‘blue sky’ perspective and create new paradigms—beautiful places and experiences that not only defy convention, but surprise and delight the Residents who proudly call Willow Valley Communities home.”
John then quoted Steve Jobs: “‘Sometimes people don’t know what they want until you give it to them.’ There is some truth to that,” said John. “We do our homework. We do the research. When we feel solid, we stay the course.”
The Marlin and Doris Thomas Memory Center
Scott also asked Marlin and John about the Marlin and Doris Thomas Memory Center, which broke ground this year. The first phase of the 140-Resident Memory Center will accommodate 80 Residents, whom Willow Valley Communities hopes to welcome as soon as late 2025 or early 2026.
“John said to me in 2016, 'We can do better, and we will. This is personal,’” Marlin explained, referring to memory care. Both his and John's fathers suffered from neurodegenerative disease. “This is something we can do to give back, not just to our current Residents, but to future generations of Residents. The state-of-the-art knowledge and research is the best thing we can do.”
State-of-the-art knowledge and research is the best thing we can do.
Marlin Thomas, Founder, Willow Valley Communities
Scott also asked John about Mosaic, Willow Valley Communities’ urban campus coming to Lancaster City, its vision, and its benefits and value to us.
“The question always is ‘What’s next?’” answered John. “Where does the organization go from here to expand our reach and our market? Active adult communities in an urban environment is the fastest-growing segment in our industry, and Mosaic gives us the opportunity to continue to be a leader in the industry.”
“Lancaster has everything people want—a vibrant, walkable downtown with culture, entertainment, and dining. Suburban living is not for everyone,” John added. “The Mosaic project is solid."
As the interview came to a close, Scott shared a quote from John and asked him to comment.
“One of the biggest things we’ve learned over the years is to stand in the courage of our convictions as an organization. If you’re being innovative and taking risks, there will always be critics—with some current Residents likely among them. It’s important that you do your research and plan well for all the components of what you are trying to create, and then you have to trust your gut and forge ahead. The people who live in our communities deserve our organizational bravery, whether or not they fully agree with a specific direction or not.”
John replied, “The organization must stay true to the brand. Stay the course. What made us successful in the past? Remember what made Willow Valley what it is today, and stay true to those things. Forward-thinking and providing leadership to the industry.”
At the end of the interview, John gave a heartfelt thank–you to Marlin. “Thank you to Marlin, my mentor. You taught me more than I ever learned anywhere in my career.”
Marlin answered, “I want to give deep appreciation to John, Scott, Stacy, and all our Team Members and also to our Residents.” He then told the story of an email he received earlier. It was from a relative of a Resident, thanking him sincerely for the loving, compassionate care his family member had received while at Willow Valley Communities.
“That,” Marlin said simply after reading the email, “is the bottom line.”
Lancaster has everything people want. A vibrant, walkable downtown with culture, entertainment, and dining. Suburban living is not for everyone.
John G. Swanson, CEO, Willow Valley Development Corp.
40 YEARS OF LIVING & WORKING AT WILLOW VALLEY COMMUNITIES
Willow Valley Communities has a 40-year tradition of excellence as a 55+ community that attracts Residents from across the nation. We are known as a “destination community,” which means Residents often move here without any prior connection to us, or to Lancaster. They learn about us, visit us, and their decision is made. This is as true today as it was 40 years ago.
But what draws them here? What is the Willow Valley Communities difference? Of course, it’s the beautiful residences on our stunning campuses, our award-winning amenities, and our stellar lifestyle opportunities. And of course, it’s our unique Life Lived Forward culture that says
the far side of 55 can be the most rewarding time of life of all. But often, the Willow Valley Communities difference is simply this:
The people.
The Residents and Team Members of Willow Valley Communities make it the very special place that it is. That’s the Willow Valley Communities difference.
Come meet a few of the people who have spent some time working and living at Willow Valley Communities over our 40-year history. You’ll find that they have helped make us what we are today.
Carolyn and Dale Mellinger enjoy the new Manor lobby.
Marlyn Kinnamon | “Thankful, Grateful, and Blessed”
Marlyn Kinnamon has lived at Willow Valley Communities for 29 years. She and her husband, Frank, moved here in 1995 from Dover, Delaware, after they both retired. They explored different communities, but after visiting friends at Willow Valley, the choice was easy.
At the time, Marlyn was 59, and Frank was 62. She remembers friends questioning their decision to move to an “old folks home,” thinking they would be bored. But she explained that Willow Valley Communities was different—in fact, there wasn’t enough time to do all the things she wanted to do. Marlyn’s days were “busy running around with the girls,” going out to lunch, and attending fitness classes, especially deep water aerobics. Frank was also busy, golfing regularly at a local course, and the couple hosted many, many parties for friends.
The weekend before their move-in day, Marlyn recalls, she and Frank visited their apartment in what was then the brand-new community of North. She met Marlin Thomas, founder of Willow Valley Communities, who was there checking over last-minute details. He personally assured
the Kinnamons that all would be perfect for their move-in.
“A lot can be done in just a day,” he assured them. And it was. Their new apartment was just as they’d imagined, and since then, Marlyn has enjoyed two complete renovations. Willow Valley Communities Residents receive an apartment renovation every 10 years.
Asked about the most striking changes she has seen over her 29 years of living here, Marlyn mentions the 11 new buildings that have been constructed in that time: Willow Gables, the Garden Apartments, the Cultural Center, Spring Run, Meadow Ridge, Providence Park, The Clubhouse, Vistas, Chautauqua Hall, the new Glen, and SouthPointe Village.
Sadly, Marlyn lost her beloved husband Frank in 2013. Now she spends her time getting together with friends for meals, and especially enjoys Local Table, the gourmet restaurant at The Clubhouse. She still works out regularly at the Cultural Center’s Fitness Center and has monthly appointments at The Day Spa for facials, massages, and manicures. Marlyn also walks two to three miles every day. She starts her morning by checking current events in the newspaper or on her iPhone, iPad, or computer. She also enjoys her Alexa.
“This is a nice life,” she says. “My time is my own.”
Marlyn has always felt safe and secure at Willow Valley Communities, and as she reflects on the past 29 years, she cannot give enough credit to Marlin Thomas, and John G. Swanson, CEO of Willow Valley Development Corp., for their innovation.
“Every day I’m thankful, grateful, and I’m blessed,” Marlyn says. “I cherish all the memories I have. I’ve enjoyed every minute here.”
I cherish
all the memories I have.
I’ve
enjoyed every minute here.
Marlyn Kinnamon, 29-Year Resident
Carolyn Mellinger | “My Life Is a Potpourri”
Carolyn and Dale Mellinger have lived at Willow Valley Communities since June 2013, but Carolyn’s history with us goes back far longer than that. Before she became a Resident, she was a waitress at the Willow Valley Restaurant, and later she became Willow Valley Communities’ first Activities Director, today known as a Resident Life Coordinator, in 1984.
“Doris Thomas, Marlin’s wife, actually interviewed me and hired me as a waitress,” she recalls. “When I heard about the opening for Activities Director at the new Willow Valley Communities, I applied. I was told I got the job because of my ‘potpourri’ of life experiences.”
It turns out that in those early days, Carolyn needed every one of those experiences. Her “office” was a converted apartment in Manor that she shared with the security and maintenance departments and the campus administrator. Everyone worked on card tables.
Carolyn helped with everything. In addition to the wide variety of activities she coordinated for the new Residents, including group trips and cruises throughout the United States and Europe, she also managed their move-in schedules and orientations. She even drove our first shuttle bus and delivered welcome baskets—and the mail.
“There was no one else,” she explains. “In fact, there was no mail room!” She remembers using an old dish drainer to sort the mail when a Resident approached her and asked if she needed help. “And that’s when the first Resident volunteer was born!” she chuckles.
Carolyn marvels at the huge variety of opportunities offered to Residents now. Holding up the latest copy of Renaissance, Willow Valley Communities’ magazine of events, classes, performances, and club meetings, she says, “There are at least 20 things in here I would like to do, and I bet my neighbor can choose 20 different things they would like to do. When I was Activities Director, there used to be five pages of choices. Now there are 100 pages!”
Carolyn worked for Willow Valley Communities for 25 years before she and Dale became Residents in 2013. “We always knew we were going to move here,” she explains. “We knew everything about this community inside and out. And we always had faith in the Thomases.”
Carolyn adds, “In fact, I couldn’t afford not to move here! With Lifecare, I know what my expenses are going to
It was a tremendous gift in my life to work here and now to live here. No question about it.
Carolyn Mellinger, Resident
be every month for the rest of my life—no matter what happens.”
Carolyn is referring to Willow Valley Communities’ Type A Lifecare contract, which promises a Resident that if an enhanced level of care is ever needed in the future, their monthly service fee will not increase because of that need.
“It’s the best gift of peace of mind for the kids,” she adds. The Mellingers have seen family members’ assets dwindle because of end-of-life fees for service care.
As Carolyn reflects on her career at Willow Valley Communities, and her life now as a Resident, she is grateful. “It was a tremendous gift in my life to work here and now to live here. No question about it.”
Scott Summy | “I Just Never Quit”
Scott Summy is probably our most tenured Team Member. In fact, he started at Willow Valley Communities before it was even Willow Valley Communities!
In June 1977, Scott was 16 and employed by Willow Valley Associates at the original family restaurant. Though he enjoyed his job—including sometimes even working alongside Marlin Thomas at the grill—Scott’s intention was to stay for just a few months and then go to culinary school to become a chef. Fast-forward to 2024, and Scott is Willow Valley Communities’ Chief Human Resources Officer.
“I just never quit,” he says, shrugging.
Over the next few years, Marlin offered Scott various positions, including managing Willow Valley Associates’ deli and bakery department at the IGA supermarket and also managing their Willow Tree restaurant next door in the early 1980s.
Scott remembers when the idea of starting a retirement community was first introduced. “Tourists were visiting the Willow Valley Inn for vacations,” he explains. “People would come to the hotel and then comment how Lancaster County would be a beautiful place to retire. That’s how Willow Valley Communities came to be based on a hospitality model, not a healthcare model.”
Marlin offered Scott the opportunity to start and manage the culinary department at the future Willow Valley Communities. “I was fortunate that I got to work with Marlin and the architects and contractors designing the first kitchen,” he recalls. He also remembers being at the Willow Valley Communities groundbreaking ceremony in 1984, setting up the food for the event.
The hospitality model played an important role in developing Willow Valley Communities’ culinary program. Scott describes that at other communities, residents would have to choose their meals for the entire week ahead of time.
“I remember Marlin saying, ‘I don’t even know what I want for dinner tomorrow,’” he laughs. It was then decided that Willow Valley Communities would have restaurant, or menu-style, dining. “We were one of the first to use a resortstyle hospitality model in a senior living community.”
After Scott opened the culinary program at Manor, he opened one at the “new” community, Lakes Manor.
But 13 years later, he was again offered another opportunity. This time, former management company CEO John Swanson offered him a position in administration. Scott became Executive Director for all of Willow Valley Communities, then later, Director of New Business Development. During this time, he was instrumental in starting SmartLife, Connections at Home, and Willow Valley Communities’ audiology department (now IntegrityForward Hearing Solutions). Scott also credits John’s vision for those innovations.
Looking back on his career at Willow Valley Communities, Scott says that every time he was approached with a new opportunity, he felt it was beyond his comfort zone. “But it always worked out. I always trusted Marlin and John and admired them from the beginning and throughout my career at Willow Valley.”
Remembering those days, Scott continues, “That integrity and trust for which Willow Valley has been known for 40 years, how things are always handled ethically, I always saw that demonstrated by Marlin. I treasure the times I worked so closely with him.”
Now, as Chief Human Resources Officer, the most rewarding part of Scott’s job is seeing people grow professionally. “That’s the great thing about Willow Valley,” he says. “It provides a lot of opportunity for Team Members to grow into new positions. I’ve been fortunate to work with, and sometimes give, those opportunities. It’s fun to see that. That’s where Willow Valley is so very unique.”
I believe the housekeepers enhance well-being.
Ethel Osborne, Housekeeping Coordinator
Ethel Osborne | “It’s More Than a Job”
Ethel Osborne is Willow Valley Communities’ Housekeeping Coordinator for the Manor building, where she is responsible for supervising and coordinating a sevenhousekeeper team for Residents who have hired extra housecleaning. Her team is also responsible for the cleaning of Manor’s public areas.
Ethel began working at Willow Valley Communities in April 1993. She was busy raising her family, looking for a flexible job close to home, and started as a part-time housekeeper. After only a year, her supervisor retired and encouraged her to apply for the supervisory position.
“I was scared and nervous,” Ethel recalls. “I would not have thought about applying for it, but she really encouraged me. And it turned out to be a very good challenge.”
Ethel loves her job. She chuckles as she admits to being “just a little picky with housecleaning details,” but she becomes serious as she explains that she loves to serve.
“To provide for our Residents is more than a job,” she says. “I have been blessed by Residents and fellow Team Members. Willow Valley has been like a big family to me. It’s a home away from home. I feel so appreciated by our Residents, and I enjoy the camaraderie our team has. We are a family. Willow Valley Communities shows me every day how it is more than just a job.”
Ethel also adheres strongly to Willow Valley Communities’ MORE values:
y Making a Difference
y Owning Excellence
y Respecting Relationships
y Enhancing Well-Being
“I believe the housekeepers enhance well-being,” she says. Through the years, Ethel has taken part in every educational opportunity available to Willow Valley Communities Team Members. Whether it’s been professional seminars, classes, or programs, Ethel has been there.
“I have had the opportunity to grow and have faith in myself,” she says. “I never had a supervisory position before. I want to say thank you to Willow Valley Communities. I accomplished more than I ever expected.”
Laura Walker | “I Got to See It All Built”
Laura Walker is Willow Valley Communities’ longest tenured Sales Counselor. She started in her position in 1992, when she was hired to sell the new North community, then under construction. Laura had just graduated college and was familiar with Willow Valley, as she had worked in Lakes dining for a year when she was 16.
Smiling, she recalls that as a self-described people person, she decided to try the Sales Counselor position “for about two years.”
But, Laura stayed. “After I had been a Sales Counselor for a couple years, I really knew Willow Valley and was more comfortable. Plus, there was always something new to talk about,” she says.
At that time, sales leads came from direct mail, advertising, and Resident referrals. Prospective Residents were invited to Informational Luncheon events and shown a video featuring Resident testimonials. Laura says it all involved building relationships with prospective Residents—“just like we do it today.”
When Laura started as a Sales Counselor, Willow Valley Communities consisted of only the Manor and Lakes communities.
“And fields,” she adds.
Though she had only those two communities to show prospective Residents, she always had our Lifecare contract to talk about. Willow Valley Communities was, and still is, the only exclusively Type A Lifecare community in Lancaster County.
“The cool thing is I got to be a part of selling a lot of new construction projects. I got to see it all being built. Plus,” she continues, “I meet new people every day.”
The prospective Residents she meets with have changed over the years. “When I started, it was the World War II generation, and now it’s Baby Boomers,” she says. And, of course, Willow Valley Communities has changed too. “There used to be just a few choices for finishes in residences, but now we have a full design center with many choices.”
Laura also recalls that when she first started, she would have to explain to prospects that all dining was formal. “A coat and tie for the gentlemen and a dress or slacks for the ladies were the only options for dining,” she explains.
Many were not too excited with this, and numerous men told her, “I stopped wearing a coat and tie when I retired!” She remembers how enthused Residents were in 1994 when Willow Valley Communities’ first casual dining option was introduced at North.
When asked if she has any favorite Residents she’s worked with over the years, Laura laughs—she does! Her parents moved here in 2020, and her mother-in-law arrived in 2022.
One of the most gratifying experiences Laura has at Willow Valley Communities is when a new Resident tells her how happy they are. “I have had seriously accomplished people—people who have done amazing things in their lives and careers—come and seek me out to tell me this is the best decision they have made.”
Looking back on her career, Laura pauses to reflect. “You know, the reason why I’ve been here so long is because people like to live here so much!”
Then she adds with a smile, “I mean, is there a better way to age?”
You know, the reason why I’ve been here so long is because people like to live here so much!
Laura Walker, Sales Counselor
LIZANNE LEDBETTER M c CLENON “MOSAIC IS A DREAM COME TRUE!”
For 40 years, Willow Valley Communities has been home to the fabulous lives of our Residents, and for 40 years, we’ve been inspired by them all—their talents, their passions, their goals, and their dreams.
Willow Valley Communities has always been delighted to share these inspiring stories with the rest of the world. We recently welcomed Lancaster County Magazine as they interviewed and photographed future Mosaic Residents for the publication’s September/October cover story. The issue focuses on senior lifestyles and highlights Mosaic, our 20-story high-rise soon to be built in the heart of Lancaster City, as a most exciting urban lifestyle choice.
Meeting in the Mosaic model apartment in Willow Valley Communities’ Welcome Center, Lancaster County Magazine Editor Suzanne (Sue) Long spoke with one of these future Mosaic Residents, Lizanne Ledbetter McClenon, a Willow Valley Resident who currently lives at our suburban campus. She shared why she chose Willow Valley Communities, why Mosaic, and why she’s enthused to move to Lancaster City.
Lizanne and her late husband, Chuck, spent most of their lives in Austin, Texas, but after visiting friends at Willow Valley Communities, “we were absolutely sold,” she said. “The amenities are world-class. And the kids were thrilled by our decision.”
However, after the unexpected sudden death of her husband, while the couple was traveling in France, Lizanne had to regroup. She said she learned that current Residents of Willow Valley Communities were eligible to make a move to Mosaic, and “that opportunity was just the second move I was ready for as a new widow.”
“I love living in high places,” she added, and decided to move into the city of Lancaster, four miles from the campus where she currently resides. “It was as if I had come full circle. Back home in Texas, Mosaic did catch my attention—I always had the dream to live in a downtown high-rise, so I was ready to sign on. But then our beautiful apartment in Spring Run became available, and we made the move before the Mosaic opportunity was available.”
Lizanne said the anticipation for the magazine’s photo shoot built on the excitement she had experienced just a few weeks earlier when she reserved a 15th-floor residence at Mosaic.
“I want to live life to the fullest and try new activities and go on new adventures. Live downtown in a vibrant, walkable city where arts, dining, and music happen daily. By living at Mosaic, I know I can contribute to the unique and diverse community that is Lancaster. This is my dream come true!”
PENNSYLVANIA’S GOVERNOR GETS A TASTE OF LANCASTER AT SOUTHERN MARKET
In May, we were honored to welcome Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro to Southern Market, Lancaster’s globally inspired food hall developed and operated by Willow Valley Communities.
Designed by renowned Lancaster architect C. Emlen Urban, Southern Market was built as a farmers market in 1888. It was reimagined by Willow Valley Communities in 2021 as a world-class food hall, an open space where 13 chef vendors serve their own special menus of foods from around the world at individual stations. In an innovative twist, Southern Market also acts as a business incubator for those with a culinary craft. Each chef gets support, training, and experience that may help them to open their own restaurant
or catering business in the future. If that happens, another up-and-coming chef can take their place.
During his visit, Shapiro was escorted by Willow Valley Communities’ leaders, who introduced him to several chefs, including Ron Buitrago of Mekatos Eatery and Matt Shultz of Pizzeria 211. As the governor sampled a slice of pizza, he learned how Southern Market has given Shultz and his team the opportunity to change their lives by offering a platform to start their own businesses. Shultz told him the market was helping to “make my dreams come true.”
Shapiro, along with Lancaster Mayor Danene Sorace, also viewed a scale model of Mosaic by Willow Valley
PA Gov. Josh Shapiro greets the chef vendors at Mekatos Eatery at Southern Market.
Communities, the innovative, distinctive 20-story high-rise for active 55+ adults to be constructed across the street from Southern Market. Located at Queen and Vine Streets in Lancaster City, both Mosaic and Southern Market are part of a four-corner revitalization of the pivotal intersection that local officials have called transformational.
During his visit, the governor learned that Mosaic is Willow Valley Communities’ next generation of residences, not on the existing suburban campus, but instead in Lancaster City. Featuring exclusively independent living, and with the assurance of Willow Valley Communities’ Lifecare, Mosaic
Southern Market has become not only a favorite for locals, but also a destination for tourists.
will include 146 apartments and a host of premier amenities in an exciting urban environment.
Southern Market was just one stop that Pennsylvania’s First Family made on a weeklong RV tour promoting tourism across the state. It was included on the tour as a new, exciting Lancaster City gathering space and culinary venue that’s become not only a favorite for locals, but also a destination for tourists.
Willow Valley Communities’ Chief Marketing Officer, Brian T. Rutter, discusses Mosaic with Gov. Shapiro as Craig Thompson, Willow Valley Communities’ President and Chief Operating Officer, looks on.
Gov. Shapiro samples a slice from Pizzeria 211 at Southern Market.
Gov. Shapiro met several chef vendors at Southern Market.
WILLOW VALLEY COMMUNITIES CONTINUES TO RECEIVE HONORS IN SENIOR LIVING
For 40 years, Willow Valley Communities has upheld a strong tradition of excellence in helping seniors create extraordinary lifestyles. In that time, we’ve been honored to be recognized for this continuously, in a wide variety of areas, by respected regional and national organizations.
In 2024, Willow Valley Communities once again received the title of Best Senior Living Community from Susquehanna Style magazine. Willow Valley Communities has achieved this distinction for more than 10 consecutive years, which the publication celebrated at its annual “Best Of” gala in August.
We were also recognized by the annual Readers’ Choice Awards in LNP (Lancaster’s local newspaper), in which Willow Valley Communities was again voted The Favorite in four categories:
y 55+ Community
y Personal Care/Assisted Living Facility
y Retirement Community
y Apartment Community
And, Willow Valley Communities’ IntegrityForward Hearing Solutions was voted The Favorite Hearing Specialist.
In addition, Lancaster County Magazine readers voted Willow Valley Communities Best Senior Living Community as well.
These recognitions add to the list of accolades we received earlier in 2024, including two from Newsweek magazine: Willow Valley Communities was voted No. 3 Continuing Care Retirement Community in the nation, and The Glen at Willow Valley was voted the No. 1 Nursing Home in Pennsylvania for the fifth consecutive year.
We are grateful for these rankings and awards, as they are strong validation that Willow Valley Communities continues to exceed expectations, as we have for 40 years, in senior lifestyle experiences.
I ntegr I ty F orward H ear I ng
NEW ON-CAMPUS AUDIOLOGY PRACTICE
For 40 years, Willow Valley Communities has been at the forefront of innovative 55+ lifestyles, promoting a philosophy of wellness, well-being, and a Life Lived Forward. In that spirit of innovation, we are delighted to introduce IntegrityForward Hearing Solutions, a new on-campus audiology practice.
Led by two highly educated and highly trained audiologists, Heather L. Eck, Au.D., Doctor of Audiology, and Kerry Herrmann, Au.D., Doctor of Audiology, the practice serves Willow Valley Communities Residents, SmartLife Members, and the general public. Appointments can be conveniently made through their two offices located on our campus.
Audiology Services Since 2011
Dr. Eck was instrumental in the development of the audiology department at Willow Valley Communities in 2011, and she is delighted with the increased services her team can now provide as IntegrityForward Hearing Solutions. She hopes the more comprehensive audiology resources prompt people to consider switching from their current provider or establishing a relationship if a new need has arisen for their services.
A Unique & Personalized Approach
IntegrityForward Hearing Solutions has the most up-to-date, state-of-the-art audiology services and equipment, but there is a distinction from many other audiology practices. Dr. Eck and Dr. Herrmann take quite a different approach from typical hearing aid establishments—they operate under a healthcare consultant model, not a retail or sales model.
“We are not just trying to sell you a new device,” explains Dr. Eck. “We want to address all of your hearing needs. This might include a new device, or it could be an accessory or an adjustment for your device. But when I do recommend a new device,” she adds, “it’s in the patient’s best interest, not mine. It’s a very different way of doing things in audiology.”
Tailored Advice with a Focus on Education
IntegrityForward Hearing Solutions’ comprehensive, patientcentered approach includes a strong emphasis on education. The team routinely offers seminars covering a wide variety of audiology topics, including hearing aid options and ear health.
“This is a big part of what we do,” says Dr. Herrmann. “I believe this focus on educating the patient is so important. It truly aids individuals in understanding their audiology options so they can make the best decisions moving forward.”
IntegrityForward Hearing Solutions is the latest on the long list of innovative breakthroughs Willow Valley Communities has introduced to 55+ lifestyles. Assisting Residents to achieve improved audiology positively impacts their overall communication, enhances their social engagement, and adds to their Life Lived Forward.
We are not just trying to sell you a new device. We want to address all of your hearing needs.
Heather L. Eck, Au.D., IntegrityForward Hearing Solutions
Heather L. Eck, Au.D., Doctor of Audiology, and Kerry Herrmann, Au.D., Doctor of Audiology
BREAKING GROUND: THE MARLIN AND DORIS THOMAS MEMORY CENTER
Celebrating 40 years as a national leader in the senior living industry, Willow Valley Communities was honored to take another monumental step recently with the ceremonial groundbreaking of the Marlin and Doris Thomas Memory Center.
The new center, named in honor of Willow Valley Communities’ founder and his wife, will support and care for those impacted by neurodegenerative diseases by focusing on specialized programming, research, prevention, assessment, treatment, and education. With its unique village-style living environment, it will be among the first of its kind in the United States.
“This center has the opportunity to bring transformational change for Willow Valley Communities and around the world for many, many generations,” Marlin Thomas said, speaking at the celebratory groundbreaking event. The issue
of memory care is personal for him, as well as for Willow Valley Development Corp. CEO John G. Swanson. Both had fathers with dementia.
The Memory Center marks a shift from an institutional model of care to a person-centered model. It was designed by the Danish firm NORD Architects and inspired in part by The Hogeweyk, a facility in the Netherlands that became a prototype for what some are calling “dementia villages.”
When the Memory Center opens, Residents will be able to move freely on the seven-acre campus, designed with familiar elements from their previous daily lives to create a sense of community, freedom, and normal life engagement. These will include a grocery store, bakery, ice cream shop, sit-down restaurant, dance and fitness studio, meditation room, salon and spa, performance stage, greenhouse, and expansive outdoor courtyard.
L-R: Marlin Thomas, Willow Valley Communities’ founder; his wife, Doris Thomas; John G. Swanson, CEO, Willow Valley Development Corp.; Jill E. Gilbert, Chair, Willow Valley Communities Board of Directors; Becky Bumsted, President, Willow Valley Communities Charitable Foundation, and Gables Resident; Lois Morgan, North Resident and Dementia Advocate; Vesta Phiel, Gables Resident and Dementia Advocate; Dwight Jasmann, Member, Willow Valley Communities Charitable Foundation Board of Directors, and Manor Resident; and Lauren Renehan, Executive Director, Willow Valley Communities Charitable Foundation
Residents will live in 14 households, each with 10 private bedrooms and the amenities of a typical home, centered around a commons building. The first phase of the 140-Resident Memory Center will accommodate 80 Residents, whom Willow Valley Communities hopes to welcome as soon as late 2025 or early 2026. Also included with the initial opening will be the establishment of an adult day center, where 20 participants can engage in small group activities, enjoy a meal and social connections, and take advantage of the programming offered throughout the Memory Center village.
John Swanson was delighted to be at the forefront of this important endeavor and participate in the groundbreaking ceremony, commenting, “The Marlin and Doris Thomas Memory Center at Willow Valley Communities will lay the foundation for a much healthier aging population and bring forth research that will help find a cure for neurodegenerative diseases.”
He added, “For 40 years, Willow Valley Communities has been a national leader in the senior living industry. We are honored to be taking this monumental step.”
Clinical Partner Announced
At the Memory Center groundbreaking, Willow Valley Communities also announced a clinical partnership with Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, which will staff an assessment center at the center. On-site neuropsychologists, neurologists, and geriatricians will be available to perform evaluations for Residents, SmartLife Members, and the greater Lancaster community. The assessment center will also offer prevention, early intervention, and treatment, and will help conduct research and clinical studies.
Marlin Thomas offers remarks during the groundbreaking ceremony of the Marlin and Doris Thomas Memory Center.
Clinical partners join the celebration.
L-R: Dr. Jesse Main, PsyD; Dr. Connie Metzler, MSW, RN, DCP; Brad Stevens, Executive Director, PMLGH Orthopedic and Neuroscience Service Lines; and Tammy Ober, Chief Growth Officer, PMLGH
HOW FUTURE RESIDENTS EXPERIENCE THEIR NEXT—AND BEST—CHAPTER BEFORE IT’S HERE
For 40 years, Willow Valley Communities has been a premier 55+ destination for people from across the United States. Many Residents have moved here, from states away, having no connection to the Lancaster area. How? Once they come for a visit, the decision to move to Willow Valley Communities—and to Lancaster, consistently ranked a top place to retire in the nation— often comes easily.
Prospective Residents experience what their next chapter of life could look like when they tour Willow Valley Communities’ stunning 210-acre campus, learn about our many innovations, and see how Willow Valley Communities has led the way for four decades with amenities not typically found in senior living. Our beautifully appointed residences,
80,000-square-foot Cultural Center, 30,000-square-foot Clubhouse, and dozens of distinctive culinary venues are just a few examples of what future Residents say sets us apart from other communities.
Facing an Interesting Challenge
Coming to the heart of award-winning, vibrant Lancaster City is Mosaic, Willow Valley Communities’ next generation of residences. This extraordinary 20-story high-rise for active 55+ adults will offer 146 exquisite single-level residences and a rich array of premier amenities.
But since Mosaic is not yet constructed, how does Willow Valley Communities share with future Residents from across the country, as well as locally, what it will be like to live
there? How can people imagine their future lifestyle and what Willow Valley Communities says will be their next, and best, chapter?
Through personal, focused conversations and events, Willow Valley Communities brings to life the Mosaic experience and unique Lancaster City lifestyle for future Residents.
Starting a Conversation
Prospective Mosaic Residents can easily start their journey by simply reaching out to Willow Valley Communities. We can start with a conversation, and from there we can determine next steps together. Prospective Residents may receive additional information or arrange a personal appointment at Willow Valley Communities’ Welcome Center in Lancaster.
At the Welcome Center, guests experience even more about life at Mosaic by exploring high-tech tools showcasing the future high-rise. Visitors can tour a Mosaic model
apartment—beautifully appointed and complete with simulated high-rise views of Lancaster City. They also learn about Mosaic’s history, residence availability, and special pre-construction pricing.
A virtual display at the Welcome Center shows striking views from the building and how its premier amenities—such as the Pearl spa, Inkwell indoor and outdoor bar and lounge, pool, ballroom, dog park, restaurants, and more—will be situated. Individual apartment locations and views can also be explored. A scale model of the high-rise allows visitors to see exactly how Mosaic will be located on the corner of Queen and Vine Streets in Lancaster City.
Another unique display at Willow Valley Communities’ Welcome Center allows guests to go deeper, to examine each floor of Mosaic, and each floor plan, individually. Then,
Another unique display at Willow Valley Communities’ Welcome Center allows guests to go deeper, to examine each floor of Mosaic, and each floor plan, individually.
they are invited to take a copy of the floor plans they are interested in for further consideration.
Visitors also receive an explanation of Willow Valley Communities’ Type A Lifecare contract. Lifecare entitles Mosaic Residents to short- or long-term personal care, skilled nursing care, or memory support, if needed later in life, with no increase in their monthly fee because of the need for care.
Lancaster City Tours
To help prospective Residents get a feel for life in Mosaic’s neighborhood, Willow Valley Communities conducts engaging tours of Lancaster City. Visitors meet at Southern Market, the globally inspired food hall across the street from the Mosaic site, then travel by guided shuttle throughout the city, stopping to explore shops and restaurants. Local merchants enjoy meeting visitors interested in moving to Lancaster City, offering samples and sharing information about their businesses.
As you can see, there are many ways for you to experience your next—and best—chapter at Mosaic. If you’d like to explore more about the Mosaic lifestyle, contact us at MosaicLancaster.com to start a conversation!
Extraordinary
Residences, Unparalleled 55+ Living. In the heart of Lancaster, PA.
Mosaic shares your taste for extraordinary 55+ small city living — from architecture to service to globally inspired cuisine, in Lancaster, PA, consistently ranked among the top places in America to retire. Mosaicʼs 146 residences are the inspired work of renowned architects and interior designers. And your new home base for a life of curiosity and discovery.
See the available residences at: mosaiclancaster.com/residences
The Willow Valley Way
For 40 years, Willow Valley Communities has been dedicated to helping people pursue exceptional lives. Our mission is simple: to inspire each person to embrace the possibilities of a Life Lived Forward. We are committed to innovative programming, operational excellence, and prudent financial practices.
Our communities provide the peace of mind of Lifecare, which includes short- and long-term care, should you need
it later, with no change to your monthly service fee due to the increased level of care.
And we are grateful to have been affirmed for our efforts. In addition to the many awards and recognitions we receive every year from various organizations, we consistently receive an “A” rating from Fitch Ratings, affirming our proven financial stability. Our most important recognition, though, comes from the people who live here.