Friendship Senior Options celebrated its 21st Annual Sterling Friendship event, honoring its communities Friendship Village and GreenFields, residents, friends, vendors, and supporters, and the vibrant lifestyle that older adults now enjoy.

Friendship Village resident Betty Sanders addressed the attendees, talking about playing water volleyball in the community’s aquatic center. The 86-year old reflected on how her grandparents didn’t even own swimsuits, let alone don them for a quick game in the pool. The former generations of “nursing homes” where people went to grow old, she said, nowhere near resemble the vibrant lifestyle at the senior living community in which she’s made her home. 

Duane Suits talked about his carefree and active life at GreenFields, where his wife no longer must worry about him climbing ladders to clean out his gutters and perform other maintenance chores required by home ownership.

Dr. Robin Stone, senior vice president for research at LeadingAge was presented with the Sterling Friendship Award, which honors an individual or group making an extraordinary impact on their community while embodying the highest ideals of aging with grace. Dr. Stone was recognized as a leading researcher and authority on aging and long-term policy. “It’s not a silver tsunami; it’s a golden opportunity,” she said, citing the exciting and challenging evolution in demographics as aging baby boomers bring unprecedented opportunities to the U.S. economy and business landscape. 

The event, which raised money for Friendship Senior Options Foundation, was emceed by NBC News personality Art Norman. Friendship Senior Options Foundation fosters philanthropic giving and volunteer service opportunities in support of Friendship Senior Option’s caring mission to serve the needs of older adults.