Cedar Crest	UPDATED: Friday, May 16, 2008
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Life in a small town

Posted on Friday, May 16, 2008

Neighborhood vibe makes community the perfect home

By Joel Keller
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

Rose Quine has lived in her share of small towns. Mention the mayor of one of the towns she lived in, and she can tell you stories about the mayor, the mayor’s brother, and the mayor’s nephew. If given time, she’d probably tell you about the mayor’s dog too.

Now Quine lives at Cedar Crest, in Pompton Plains, and still stays abreast of everything going on in her community. As the current president of the Resident Advisory Council, which serves as a liaison between residents and staff , she knows the scoop on community decisions and events. And she knows just about every resident too.

Welcome home
A small-town feel permeates every corner of the retirement community, from the neighborhoods that are created in the residence buildings to the public gathering spots in each of the three clubhouses. The welcoming vibe comes from the combination of a varied and energetic resident population and a staff that is committed to live the culture that was put in place by John Erickson, the founder of Cedar Crest’s parent company, Erickson Retirement Communities.

“It’s from that first friendly greeting you get when you come to the community,” says Cathy Guttman, the executive director of Cedar Crest. “You have this feeling you’re coming home.”

In her role as Cedar Crest’s “mayor,” Guttman, who has been in the position since February, makes sure she’s not only aware of everything that’s going on in the community but is engaged with the people who live there as well. “You need to be out there mingling and caring,” she says. “It’s not just waving as you go by. It’s making sure you have a substantial personal relationship with people.”

Involved, inspired, engaged
John Erickson’s goal in creating his retirement communities was, in his words, to provide “a place where people could enjoy unmatched opportunities for fun; a maintenance-free community that would provide them with the luxury of being involved, inspired, and engaged.”

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Walk through the common areas in each of the three Cedar Crest clubhouses— gathering places including restaurants and various other services—and you’ll see people greeting each other and chatting. You’ll see classes taking place in some rooms, meetings in others. This spirit of participation encourages new residents to volunteer for committees and start groups. In fact, volunteerism is one of the big reasons why Cedar Crest has such a community feel.

“For everything you find here, someone volunteers,” says Quine. “Everything is resident driven here.”

Quine’s RAC associate Joe Dunn agrees, with a caveat. “Resident driven and staff supported,” he adds. When he and his wife moved to Cedar Crest almost four years ago, he was pleasantly surprised by all the activities. “I didn’t anticipate all of the special events they run here. Especially the happy hours (in each clubhouse), which are very well attended.” And anyone can start a club or activity if it isn’t offered.

Because each clubhouse offers different services, according to Guttman, residents aren’t limited to the one that’s closest to their apartment homes. This allows for more mixing, meeting, and mingling. As friendships form, people start to look out for one another.

But that sense of camaraderie can also be expressed just through simple neighborly gestures, like when Dunn’s neighbors helped him move a large jade plant in his apartment. “There’s that kind of feeling here,” he says. “There are people here who, if I need something, I don’t hesitate to call them.”

Coming together
“When we have a festival, the whole town topples to one side,” says Guttman, referring to how the entire Cedar Crest population shows up to special events. “You can almost feel the whole rock shifting.”

And even though Cedar Crest has a resident newsletter, a staff newsletter, and its own television station, Guttman knows there’s no better way to get the word out than via the town grapevine. “It’s that old, Leave It To Beaver kind of neighborhood,” she jokes, equating herself to Mrs. Cleaver. “Only I don’t have the pearls and the dress.”