By Mark Abromaitis
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

In late June, Erickson Retirement Communities officially celebrated the Grand Opening of Wind Crest, its 17th open community nationwide and the very first Erickson community in Colorado.

“I’ve been attending these grand openings for over twenty years now,” founder and CEO John Erickson says. “Most importantly, it is still really gratifying to see the positive impact we have on the thousands of people who live and work at our communities.”

He says the spirit behind the communities hasn’t changed. “I opened my first community with someone like my mother in mind. I wanted an engaging, family-like atmosphere that was affordable. And no matter where we go, those things will remain the same.”

Retirement communities developed and managed by Erickson are known for their planned growth, accessibility to the middle-income market, and their wide variety of recreational, educational, social, spiritual, and volunteer opportunities for their community members.

One special guest
At the Grand Opening ceremony, as more than 600 guests made their way to the community’s clubhouse to enjoy an array of specially prepared appetizers, entrées, and desserts, Clarence Burton stayed behind to chat. Burton, who assisted with the ribbon cutting, was Wind Crest’s first official resident.

Burton fought back the emotion as he described how he felt while driving to Wind Crest from his east Denver home where he lived for 56 years. “I said to myself, ‘I’m going home.’ It was just a wonderful, wonderful feeling,” he says.

Consistency is key
For everyone moving in, including Burton, the opening of a new community brings with it the excitement and the anticipation of a lifestyle rich in services and amenities. Everything seems to happen so smoothly and effortlessly, most people probably don’t give a second thought as to what it takes to make that happen.