By Danielle Rexrode
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

When it comes to change, John and Dorothy Callahan are experts. Avid coin collectors, the Callahans enjoy researching and cataloging rare and ancient coins.

But now they’re also enjoying a different kind of change—a change of lifestyle at their new home at Oak Crest in Parkville.

Somebody else’s problem
“I think it’s foolish to try and maintain a large house later in life,” says Dorothy. “Our house in Harford County sat on a couple of acres. The house was aging and it felt like we were always spending a lot of money on upkeep. There was always a driveway that needed paving, a roof that needed repair, water heaters going up . . . here everything is taken care of,” she says.

“There’s a lot less responsibility here than when we lived in our house,” says John. “I had to maintain the lawns, paint the sheds, shovel the snow. I’m just as active now as I was in my house, but now I get to do the things that I want,” he says.

Loose change?
Dorothy, a registered nurse and John, an inhalant toxicologist, started a coin collecting club at Oak Crest.

“Lots of people have coins that were handed down to them or that maybe they picked up at an estate sale,” says John. “But they may not know the true value or history of the coins. We try to research the history of the coins in order to discover their true value. We also help each other organize coin books for showing your collection,” he says.

Outside of coin collecting, John would like to organize an amateur musical group. “I play the organ, ukulele, and trained at Peabody on violin. I know there’s got to be some hidden talent here at Oak Crest who would enjoy playing together,” he says.

Dorothy enjoys creating computer graphics and helps create flyers for community events. She is also a pen pal volunteer who exchanges letters with students at Shady Spring Elementary School.