An intergenerational choir opened ABHOW’s 2010 Annual Meeting Feb. 19 in Redlands, Calif., with an inspiring performance that captured the conference theme, “A Community of Communities.”

Residents of Plymouth Village took the stage with staff, board members and students from nearby Highland Grove Elementary School. Their song received a standing ovation – and set the tone for the three-day meeting.

Through educational sessions, special speakers and tours, the ABHOW family marked the deep connections across its 32 campuses while specifically celebrating the relationship between its three Redlands communities and the city.

“We’re asking the question, ‘Is ABHOW better because we’re in Redlands, and is Redlands better because it has three ABHOW communities?’” said Kay Kallander, senior vice president for strategic planning and organizer of the event.

The answer is clearly yes. Meeting in the auditorium of Redlands’ largest private employer, ESRI – a company whose founder’s mother was a resident at Plymouth Village – attendees heard guest speakers from the University of Redlands and the city council highlight ABHOW’s strong ties with the wider community.

It was the perfect stage for ABHOW to give its first social accountability award to Plymouth Village. Former ABHOW Vice President Steven Garner presented the award, named in his honor for his visionary effort to link the mission of ABHOW communities to the towns and cities they serve. Garner recognized Plymouth Village’s “outstanding program of charitable care and community service,” valued at nearly $400,000 in the 2009 fiscal year.

Plymouth Village Executive Director Keith Kasin received the award on behalf of his community. “It is an amazing honor for Plymouth Village to be selected as the first recipient of the Steven M. Garner Social Accountability Award,” he said. “To me it is in keeping with Plymouth Village’s tradition of being an active participant in the larger community of Redlands and continually seeking ways to give back to a community that has been so supportive of us over the years.”

Kasin also won the Executive Director of the Year award. Melody Daugherty of Casa de Redwood in Redwood City, Calif., received the Administrator of the Year honor. (See stories, pages 3 and 4.)

ABHOW honored the social vision of David Kelly, an advocate for affordable housing in South Lake
Tahoe, Calif., a member of the Tahoe Senior Plaza board, and namesake of ABHOW’s newest affordable housing community, Kelly Ridge. He received the
Corporate Governance Award.

ABHOW saluted the long service of board member Art Christman Jr., a resident of Valle Verde in Santa Barbara, by naming him an honorary corporate member. Christman received the 2002 Corporate Governance Award and the 2004 Trustee of the Year Award from ABHOW’s state professional association, Aging Services of California.

President and CEO Dave Ferguson presented the Presidential Citation to Yannick Himber, formerly the dining services director at San Joaquin Gardens, for his exemplary leadership in creating new dining programs for the Fresno, Calif., community. Himber is now area general manager for ABHOW partner Sodexo.

Plymouth Village is a community of the American Baptist Homes of the West (ABHOW). ABHOW is a trusted nonprofit provider of quality retirement housing and health care services (www.abhow.com). As an expression of its Judeo-Christian mission, ABHOW seeks to enhance the well-being and security of seniors through the provision of housing, health care, and supportive services. For more information on Plymouth Village please visit our website at www.plymouthvillage.org.


This article appeared in the March 2010 issue of ABHOW Words.