On the patio outside Ann and Jim Good’s apartment at Vi at The Glen, bright pink flowers bloom —a keepsake they brought back from their house in Florida. The couple are snowbirds: They spend winters down south and return to Chicago’s North Shore to reconnect with their community and enjoy all there is to experience at Vi at The Glen.
“It’s where our friends are,” said Ann.
The Goods are just one example of residents who are often on the go. Since moving to Vi, Mary Fields and Andy Anderson have ventured as far as the Middle East, while Lois Golub recently traveled to Iceland with her daughter and is already planning her next cruise.
“I love to travel,” said Lois. “I think the more you can see the world, the broader it makes your viewpoint. It makes you appreciate what you have at home.”
No matter how far their journeys take them, residents agree that there’s excitement and comfort in returning to Vi at The Glen.
“I love coming back. I just know that this is home,” said Mary.
A sense of comfort, at home or away
No matter your age, travel involves planning and logistics that can be complicated—and sometimes stressful. Mary says living at Vi at The Glen helps make the process simpler.
“You just take off, and it’s easy,” she said. “Someone picks up the paper, everything’s taken care of.”
Lois agreed: “I don’t worry about the roof caving in. I don’t worry about a water pipe breaking. You just lock your door and go.”
For Mary and Andy, that sense of ease began the moment they moved in.
“Vi helped us downsize,” said Mary, adding that moving to Vi made it easy to trade the upkeep of a house for a more worry-free way of living—not to mention amenities they didn’t have before.
“You don’t feel claustrophobic,” added Andy. “We’re in a two-bedroom unit, but you have the library, lounges, pool, gym, dining rooms. The space feels expansive because the community is yours, too.”
For Ann, the decision to move early made all the difference. “We’ve never regretted it,” she said. “It’s better five years too early than five minutes too late.”
Never-ending opportunities for discovery
For these world travelers, exploration doesn’t end when their suitcases are unpacked; adventure, learning and connection continue at Vi at The Glen.
When he’s not traveling, Jim tends a ten-by-twenty-foot plot in the community’s shared garden, something he’d never done before moving to Vi. By leaning on the expertise of neighbors for tips, he ended up with more tomatoes this year than he knew what to do with.
“We’ve handed out a ton,” he said. “It’s been fun.”
Lois keeps her calendar full, too. In addition to joining friends for regular games of mahjong, she participates in “Great Decisions,” a resident-led current-events discussion group focused on global politics and culture. “Some of it is pretty heady stuff,” she said, “but the discussions are always very interesting.”
Beyond the scheduled events and activities, the community is also a place for everyday moments that bring people together. “Almost everyone meets in the bar,” Ann added. “It’s a great place to see people.”
Home is where your friends are
Whether they’re returning from a trip or stepping into a new activity, residents say one of the best parts of life at Vi at The Glen is how easily friendships are formed.
Lois noticed a sense of belonging from the start. “It’s a very friendly, welcoming community,” she said. She’s now part of the New Residents Committee, helping others feel that same warm welcome.
“People are so inclusive. You could go out every night with people to dinner or to the theater,” added Ann. “You almost have to learn to say no once in a while.”
And even when neighbors are away, that sense of connection doesn’t fade.
“When people travel, they’re missed,” Mary added. “It’s a community that looks out for each other.”
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