Chippewa Place in Brecksville is celebrating a triumphant return to activities and a livelier spring and summer
By Patricia Nugent
March is traditionally associated with the color green, from St. Patrick’s Day to the arrival of spring.
At Chippewa Place in Brecksville, celebrating the return to green is an everyday endeavor.
“We’re still following Covid protocols, but it just feels like a rebirth around here,” says Alison Schillero, Director of the independent retirement community. “As more restrictions are lifted, and as the vaccine is administered, our residents are enjoying more of each other and look forward to a more active season ahead.”
A Bevy of Happenings
According to Activities Coordinator Paula Ligas, residents here enjoy birthday parties and happy hours with live music, bingo with themed prizes, Easter crafts, movie nights, shopping trips, exercise classes like seated yoga and Chippewa’s stretching and group physical therapy.
“We cater to people’s spiritual side, too, with Stations of the Cross during Lent, and a new Bible study group on Sundays,” she says. “Next month we’re offering a presentation called ‘Behind the White House’ in which a woman will relate fascinating stories of things that have happened there.”
Meet The Greenhouse Gentleman David Keltner
David Keltner first found out about Chippewa Place back in the 1990s, when his mother was a resident.
As an avid horticulturist, he has volunteered here, helping restore and revive the on-site greenhouse, adding plantings from his own greenhouse and pruning, clipping and cultivating the plants. It was a labor of love.
When his second wife passed away last December, he wasn’t looking forward to living alone again, as his first wife had also passed away.
“Then one day in January, Alison asked me to move in,” he recalls. “The beautiful apartment two doors down from my mother’s old one had become available, and it seemed like the timing was perfect.”
Taking Alison’s advice, he moved in this month.
Since David is also a world traveler, he looks forward to being able to take long trips to London in the future, without having to worry about closing up his former home.
“I’m looking forward to walking out my door and being on the Brecksville town square with access to shopping and other amenities within walking distance—including the National Park,” he says. “And should I get the sudden desire to travel, I can simply lock the door and walk away. That thought makes me smile.”
He explains that although the facility and location are wonderful, “it’s really the people who live and work here that endear you to Chippewa Place. They simply couldn’t be lovelier.”
Dining Together for Supper
While most people have used their time during the pandemic to slow down a little, Alison and her diligent staff thought of other ways to keep the seniors residing at Chippewa safe. “Chippewa fortunately has not experienced a lockdown during this difficult time, however implemented Room Service Only meals since last April,” says Alison.
“With almost all of our residents vaccinated, One of the most longed for daily routines, dinner in the dining room, can hopefully resume again soon,” Dietary Supervisor Sue Gaukin says. Sue is the previous owner of the local hometown favorite the ‘Corned Beef Cafe.’ Supper being served in the dining room together again, socially distanced of course, but actually interacting and conversing with one another throughout the day is much anticipated.”
Chippewa Place is located at 7005 Stadium Drive in Brecksville, near the intersection of Royalton Road and Brecksville Road, behind the Brecksville Square Gazebo. There are 100 one- and two-bedroom apartments. Continental breakfast, dinner and housekeeping are included in the monthly rent. Call 440-526-6060 or visit ChippewaPlaceBrecksville.com for more information.