Open Mic

In a time when many people are trying to make a difference in the world, here’s a story about something positive that truly has an impact.    Senior volunteers (including Dick Frey, a former Houston Oilers football player) from The Village at Gleannloch Farms are mentors to kids at Frank Elementary School.  The Grand Pals program brightens the lives of everyone involved. 

On Wednesdays, the Grand Pals travel to the school to meet one-on-one with their assigned students.  They need your help to get the community involved!  Organizers are looking for additional volunteers so the program can touch even more lives. 

“It’s a shame that more people don’t know about it or don’t take the time to be involved,” said retired school teacher and now resident at The Village at Gleannloch Farms, Peggy Runnels.  Peggy enjoys reviewing school assignments, playing games, and talking about life with her student. “I have a heart for kids.  I want to let them know that schooling is vitally important, not just this year, but also in the future.”

She and the other volunteers treat the kids just like grandchildren. They listen, offer morale support and encouragement.  Peggy wants to “let the students know they are important and they can do their best.”  She and the other volunteers find this extremely rewarding and they notice “remarkable” progress in the kids’ lives.  The students enjoy the interaction as well.

“The kids look forward to it.  It’s the highlight of the week,” said Joy Quandahl, counselor at Frank Elementary.  Some students improve test scores and change their attitudes once they have Grand Pals.  “They become more appropriate and are motivated to achieve,” said Quandahl.  “The kids know they can do it but, they need the extra human connection” that helps build their self-esteem. 

Sponsored and owned by Lutheran Social Services of the South, Inc., The Village at Gleannloch Farms is a not-for-profit community offering 123 independent living apartments and cottages for active adults aged 62 and above. In addition, the community offers a continuum of care including 30 assisted living apartments, 18 memory support residences, and 35 private skilled nursing suites.

Located at Champion Forest Drive and Northpointe Boulevard, the community is situated on 25 acres and is designed to resemble the property’s original architecture. Architect of the project, three architecture of Dallas, incorporated native Gleannloch Farms stone and wood overhangs, balconies, trellises and fences to promote a “countryside residence” exterior. The community’s interior, designed by Faulkner Design Group of Dallas, features arts-and-crafts period influences using wood paneling, stained glass and wood-beamed ceilings.

The community adds to the already extensive variety of residential housing options available in Gleannloch Farms. Other Gleannloch Farms amenities include a lakeside aquatic and athletic complex, equestrian center, championship golf course, hiking and biking trails, and highly acclaimed schools.

In addition to a full range of health care options, The Village at Gleannloch Farms offers a variety of resort-style amenities including landscaped courtyards, multiple dining venues, and common areas totaling over 148,000 square-feet. The common area spaces include a 100-seat chapel, library and business center, creative arts studio, full-service beauty salon and barbershop, heated outdoor saltwater pool and fitness center.

For information about The Village at Gleannloch Farms please visit the community web site at www.villageatgleannlochfarms.com, or call (877) 312-2140.