At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, residents of Landis Homes would line a roadway into the Lititz campus on Friday afternoons, cheering on the retirement communityâs workers with signs and noisemakers as they left or arrived for work.
When the campus resident council suggested a more permanent show of appreciation, Landis Homes residents donated over $10,000 toward a Garden of Gratitude, a new park on two-thirds of an acre featuring walkways, greenery and a gazebo offering views of surrounding farmland.
Not every retirement community has such a tangible symbol of gratitude, but many share the sentiment.
âThe pandemic has brought out an appreciation of how good we had it before and has been a reminder of how important community and family are,â says Jonathan Hollinger, CEO of Pleasant View Communities.