Our Stories
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Restoring History
Larry Welsch, a Garden Spot Village resident since May 2012, has been buying and selling old cars since he was a teenager. It was a hobby that quickly became a side business, even as he worked full-time. “I was always interested in old cars; I never wanted a new car,” Larry says. “Buying and selling old cars became a no-brainer when I bought my first car and then sold it for a profit.... Read More
SUSTAIN: Building a Better Life for Everyone
Individuals at Garden Spot Village have been working behind the scenes for years to improve our environment. Ed and Darlene Smith, Garden Spot Village residents since August 2014, established convenient drop off locations for waste Styrofoam around campus and faithfully transport it to Dart Container in Leola every few weeks. “We worked in plastics for years and we know Styrofoam can be recycled. There are only six locations in the United States... Read More
Model Train Room
“Our goal is to entertain the community,” Harry Black says. “We like to see people visit, interact with the trains and leave happy.” When Harry and Mary Alice Black were preparing to move to Garden Spot Village in 2003, Harry realized that the train layout he had started in his retirement needed a new home as well. He connected with Colleen Musselman, director of life enrichment, to see if Garden Spot Village would want a train layout... Read More
Pajamas for Patients
“Serving at the CURE Hospital in Kijabe, Kenya, was one of the most awesome experiences of my life. It was life-changing. I learned so much from the Kenyan people.They fully live as a community. They don’t think about the sacrifice, they just do what needs to be done,” says Janie Martin, clinical care coordinator at Garden Spot Village. Janie participated in the Travel with Purpose Trip to Kenya in September 2018. One of the many ways... Read More
Lifecycles
As part of a leadership course with their church in 2017, Al and Stacy Vega were challenged to research a ministry they wanted to start. Al discovered LIFECYCLES, a local organization that wraps mentoring, spiritual development, and life skills development in the adventure of a Christ-centered bicycle touring experience for urban teens.The mission of the organization appealed to him and he invited his son, AJ, to join him as he went along on a ride in Marietta to learn more.... Read More