Our Stories
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Finding Joy in the Midst of Mourning
In November 2011, Katie Mable, a Garden Spot Village team member, wrote a children’s book. The manuscript was inspired by her husband Skip, who was a graphic artist. Each Christmas Skip created what he called an ArtisTree, a holiday gift for his clients that reflected his family’s life for that year. While trying to design the 2011 ArtisTree, he was in the midst of mourning the loss of his father and mother. Skip and... Read More
Exploring Opportunities to Serve
“The possibilities are unlimited for volunteering at Garden Spot Village. Volunteering provides an opportunity for me to stay active and engaged,” says Bob Collins, a Garden Spot Village resident since November 2016. Bob says he got his first volunteer metalworking job the summer after 2nd grade. He and his family lived in downtown Reading and one of his neighbors had a broken chain on her bike. Inspired by his older brother’s expertise in metalworking, Bob fixed the... Read More
A Heart to Bless Others
“Each day, the prayer for Dan and me is, ‘Who can we bless today?’” says Gladys Kolb, who moved to Garden Spot Village in April 2018 with her husband Dan from Spring City, Pennsylvania. Gladys truly lives her prayer, reaching out to people around her and ministering one-on-one through Caring Connections and A Quiet Presence. Through her gift of hospitality she serves quietly, making people feel comfortable, welcome and important, wherever they are. After her first husband... Read More
Good Works
“After a day of volunteering with Good Works you are tired, but you feel like you made a difference,” says Cliff Anderson, a Garden Spot Village resident since March 2017. Cliff has a long history with Good Works, a Chester County-based home repair ministry he volunteered with weekly from 2007 until 2016. He was inspired to volunteer after attending a retirement preparation seminar at work. During the seminar the speaker said, “It&rsquo... Read More
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