Highlands at Wyomissing® Residents Find Purpose in Giving Back

For many residents of The Highlands at Wyomissing®, volunteering isn’t just something to do; it’s a way of life. Whether it’s bringing music to the Aspire for Well-Being® Memory Support neighborhoods, mentoring children in the local community, or simply helping new neighbors feel more connected, residents here find countless ways to give back. Their time, talents, and compassion weave a vibrant thread of service throughout our community and beyond.

Residents in Independent Living play a vital role in uplifting those in higher levels of care—Memory Support, Personal Care, and Assisted Living. One resident leads a weekly book club in Memory Support, choosing a theme to spark engaging conversations. “Our beloved residents in Memory Support are still here,” she said. “They are just living in different quarters now, and the trick is to meet them where they are.” Some men living in Independent Living host monthly “Conversations with Men” in Memory Support, building camaraderie through thoughtful discussion.

Music is a powerful part of volunteer life. A resident-led ukulele club brings singalongs to Personal Care and Assisted Living each month, while others share classical music and lead drumming classes for residents in Memory Support and Personal Care. Two residents hold piano concerts in Memory Support and Assisted Living and bring other volunteer residents to visit and join in singalongs, brightening the days of residents in both higher levels of care.

Spiritual support is another meaningful contribution. For over a decade, one resident has led a weekly Rosary Club, creating a sacred space for Catholics in higher levels of care. Others assist by transporting residents in Assisted Living to church services. A team of residents also volunteers to facilitate, read and sing during church services, making the weekly service something other residents can count on.

Residents can also be found fostering connection and creativity with their neighbors in Independent Living. The library, for example, thrives under the care of a resident whose late spouse was the first resident librarian from 2008 until her death in 2014.

“Every time [my wife] came to the library, I came with her and helped her however I could,” explained the resident. “So after her passing I said I would be willing to take over.” For the past 11 years, he has reported to the library every day without fail, managing approximately 5,000 books with the assistance of one resident helper who shelves and stamps books.

“Our Neighbors,” a resident-led initiative is as simple as a list of phone numbers of everyone on a residence hall, but when needed it can be a Godsend. “Shortly after doing this for our hall, I fell and needed someone to take me to Urgent Care,” explained one resident, “And I was happy to be able to call a neighbor and ask her for help.” Since then, the idea has been recommended for all halls at The Highlands.

There’s the resident who faithfully leads a chorus and bells team who practice weekly and perform two resident concerts each year in the Spring and Winter. Another leads a spirited “Stand and Drum” class, while others coordinate a semi-annual shuffleboard tournament and monthly bingo games. The gift shop is staffed by a team of resident volunteers, and a talented resident creates beautiful flower arrangements each week for the front desk and main lounge using blooms from his own garden.

One ambitious resident has brought many programs to The Highlands, including skits and singalongs, using volunteer residents as narrators and singers. With help from a team of resident volunteers, she creates programs on various topics including famous singers and songwriters, the 1920s and 1930s, as well as programs on different seasons and special days including Christmas, New Year's Eve, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Memorial Day, and Veterans Day. Her current two-part program is on Music and Memories of the World War II years.

“As much as the residents enjoy it, I do too,” she said. “I get so much positive feedback and it’s a win-win for me. I get to create the programs, play the piano and bring some joy and information into the lives of others.”

Residents are also the engine behind essential communications and other initiatives. The Highlands Happenings, our community newsletter, is edited and distributed by a team of dedicated volunteers. Members of the Highlands Resident Council serve as liaisons between residents and administration, and Advisory Committees — including Dining, Activities, Fitness, Grounds and Maintenance, Marketing, and Hospitality — provide a voice and vision for continual improvement on campus.

Two standout resident-led initiatives are the Scholarship Fund and the Endowment Fund. The Scholarship Fund, established in 2019, aims to provide financial support to employees pursuing education and, to date, has awarded nearly $90,000 in scholarships and raised almost $400,000. The Endowment Fund enables The Highlands to offer the security of lifelong care for residents who deplete their financial resources through no fault of their own and are no longer able to meet their monthly living expenses.

Service extends beyond the campus gates. Many residents volunteer at their churches or with other causes close to their hearts. During the school year, a team of residents volunteers weekly with the Ready Set Read program at a local elementary school, helping second graders to build literacy skills and confidence. “We want to give back to the community and help others have a better quality of life,” one volunteer shared.

Residents also pitch in during events like the United Way of Berks County’s Annual Big Cheese event, a food-packaging event that combats hunger in the community and involves hundreds of volunteers who pack nutritionally fortified meals for distribution to families facing food insecurity. This year, over a six-day period in June, more than 80 Highlands residents helped to label packages to be filled with food.

Others extend their efforts even further, engaging in national and overseas mission work, local construction outreach, and prison ministry.

“We are challenged by our faith to look after and help our fellow citizens by directly working to enhance their lives,” one said. “We feel blessed to have the time, energy and resources to offer ourselves where we can, using the talents we have been given.”

For many residents, volunteering is more than activity—it’s purpose. As one resident reflected, “I was taught at a young age to give back… Now this is our community, so this is where we volunteer. Besides filling the hours, it is our way of finding purpose.”

At The Highlands at Wyomissing, purpose, connection, and community are alive in every act of giving.