Join the Village of St. Edward in celebrating sixty years of serving the residential needs of seniors
By Patricia Nugent
As The Village of St. Edward (VSE) community prepares to celebrate 60 years this month, now is the perfect time to reflect on how far it has come. With not-for-profit locations in Fairlawn, Wadsworth and Green, the facilities have become a beacon of hope and comfort, nurturing residents’ spiritual, physical and emotional well-being by fostering a supportive and enriching environment.
To mark the milestone, Bishop Edward Malesic will say a special Mass at the Fairlawn location on Wednesday, September 25, open to residents and their families, staff and those who have enjoyed a connection to VSE over the years and reserve their spot.
“We are deeply honored to reach this significant milestone and to have Bishop Malesic join us for this momentous occasion,” says Danielle Maur, CEO of VSE. “Our 60th Anniversary is not just a celebration of our past achievements, but a reaffirmation of our commitment to providing exceptional, faith-centered care to our residents. We look forward to celebrating this legacy with our community and those who have supported us along the way.”
According to Chief Marketing Officer Megan Bright, “As part of the anniversary reception following the Mass, VSE Vice President of Development Vondea Sheaffer will share details about ‘Building a Legacy on a Foundation of Faith,’ an endowment campaign that will provide permanent support for spiritual care.”
Rooted in Faith
Once upon a time, back in the mid-1950s, there were two Catholic activists—Germaine Karg and Anna Doran Walsh—who made it their mission to draw attention to the absence of a Catholic home for seniors in Akron.
When they approached the bishop at the time, he suggested they partner with a group of sisters to staff the home. In 1957, the ladies reached out to the Sisters of St. Dominic in Akron, who were interested in getting involved. The sisters took their role seriously and went back to school for nursing and administrative training.
In 1959, Archbishop Hoban earmarked funds from Catholic Charities campaign to go to The St. Edward Nursing Home for the Aged.
Then in 1962, Joseph and Sophie Jacobs, siblings of a Dominican sister, gifted their family home on a 26-acre tract of land. Construction of a 100-bed facility began later that year and it was finished in 1964.
Two locations joined the Fairlawn flagship village in 2019, one in Wadsworth and one in Green. The Fairlawn and Green locations include independent living, assisted living and memory care, with the Wadsworth location offering assisted living and memory care.
Today, the communities serve more than 400 people, and through ministry has touched the lives of thousands of family and friends. It lives up to its original mission of supporting and enriching lives through compassionate, Christ-centered care.
In Their Own Words
To get a first-person perspective about all that VSE has to offer, we reached out to several people with a long experience here. Here are their reflections.
Kimeta Colo, Nursing Assistant, Fairlawn and Green
“This is the only place I’ve worked since coming here from Europe. I love my job because I help people live their healthiest, best possible lives. By providing excellent care, we make sure they are thriving and always growing. We get to know each person as an individual and find out unique things about their lives. Engagement is important. We take them on drives to the country and different restaurants, and do seasonal things, like seeing the Christmas lights.”
Doris Schubert, Resident at Green, age 91
“I used to play bridge at the Fairlawn location and enjoyed the residents and the caring environment. When I found out they were opening one in Green, I was one of the first to sign up. I’ve lived here over four years. Faith is one of the biggest reasons I knew I’d fit in well here. I enjoy going to Mass in the beautiful chapel and praying the rosary twice a week with a group. The staff and fellow residents couldn’t be any friendlier. They’ll do anything for us. This week we’re going on a country drive to Szalay Farm and then getting ice cream. I also enjoy a good game of bridge and euchre.”
Mary Lou Gault, Resident at Fairlawn, age 92
“I didn’t need to look anywhere else other than here when it came time for me to make the move in 2018. The Village had an excellent reputation as a true, faith-based facility and that meant a lot to me. If I can’t make it to Mass, I can watch it on television, and someone will bring me communion. I was still driving when I came here and enjoyed that freedom. When I gave up my car, it was a relief to me that people here will drive me to doctors’ appointments and what not, so I still feel like I have that freedom. I’m an Akron girl who used to live overlooking Summit Lake, so having an apartment that overlooks a beautiful pond and gazebo is wonderful. The staff plans outings that are so much fun. We just had a baseball game where they helped us around the bases. We have picnics with hot dogs and everything is well-planned and organized. I play in a different group with a different game every night of the week, from bridge to bingo, Scrabble and others.”
The Village of St. Edward has three locations. In Wadsworth, the address is 880 Main Street, and phone number is 234-217-8735. There are one- and two-bedroom suites in independent living, one-bedroom and studio units in assisted living, and memory care studios. In Fairlawn, the address is 3125 Smith Road, and phone number is 330-668-2828. In Green, the address is 3813 Fortuna Drive, and phone number is 234-294-0010. There are no long-term contracts and residents will not be asked to leave if they run out of funds. Pets under 40 pounds are allowed. For more information or to schedule a live tour, visit VSECommunities.org.