We are pleased to report that, as of 5:30am this morning, power has been restored to the Belmont Place independent living building, and campus operations will resume as normal. Executive Leadership Team members are currently at local hotels where residents stayed overnight coordinating transportation arrangements for their return to Oak Crest. Residents who stayed with family members and friends off-campus…as well as those who roomed with their fellow residents on-campus…are also being notified. At 10am, we sent a special communication to all residents of Oak Crest. The Windows Restaurant in Town Center is resuming normal hours of service today. We would like to thank the Baltimore County Fire Department, Baltimore County Police Department and BGE for their immediate response and steadfast support on Friday. As always, we appreciate the outstanding dedication and teamwork of Oak Crest employees and corporate partners who coordinated services for residents of Belmont Place. They performed rounds throughout the building and addressed all special circumstances that arose to make the safety and well-being of residents our top priority. This morning, Barbara Zorn, Resident Member of the Oak Crest Board of Directors, stated: “The performance of the executive leadership and entire staff of Oak Crest has been magnificent. All residents were kept well-informed throughout the event, and the coordination of services was seamless and effective throughout the night and into the weekend. Everyone pulled together to make sure that residents of Belmont Place were safe and received the care they deserved. I am proud of our team.” Throughout today and this evening, employees will be checking with residents of Belmont Place as they return to Oak Crest to make sure their needs are being met. Over the last 24 hours, the community leadership acted with an abundance of caution to ensure the welfare of everyone on campus. We appreciate the patience and understanding of everyone impacted by this situation. If anyone has further questions, please contact us at 410-665-1000.

Earlier today, Oak Crest staff and corporate partners, along with Baltimore County Fire Department and BGE representatives, provided an immediate response to a broken gas line. Residents and staff from the Belmont Place independent living building were evacuated to a safe location on campus. Fortunately, the gas leak has been located and efforts are underway to repair the damaged pipe. If repairs go as expected, Belmont Place will reopen on Saturday, August 26. One-night accommodations are being provided to those temporarily displaced by this incident. There we no injuries that resulted from this incident; one person from the community was taken to the hospital for an unrelated reason. Thank you for your patience and support as we navigate this situation. We will provide updates as they become available.

The safety and well-being of our residents and staff is our top priority. Oak Crest staff is working directly with officials from the Baltimore County Fire Department and BGE to resolve a gas line issue on our campus that occurred this morning. Appropriate precautions are being taken by these officials, including turning off power and monitoring the impacted area. During this time, residents from the Belmont Place independent living building have been evacuated to a safe location on our campus. We will continue to provide updates throughout the day as we partner with local authorities and officials from BGE.

For many students, school might not begin until after Labor Day this year, but the preparation still begins in August. At Oak Crest, residents, employees and their relatives contributed to the 2nd Annual “Back to School Drive” service project to provide supplies to local families who could use a helping hand. For two weeks, they donated school items such as loose-leaf paper, pens, #2 pencils, binders, folders, notebooks and book bags. On August 10, the items were sorted and taken by employees to Perry Hall Baptist Church as part of the community-wide Person First Connection for distribution at the Eastside Family Shelter in Rosedale later this month. The drive was sponsored and coordinated by the Oak Crest Diversity and Inclusion Council. Shannon Webb, LBSW, MS, a member of the Council who works as a Resident Services Coordinator, noted that the project is “worth doing to help families whom are struggling to make ends meet. Providing a filled backpack allows parents to use other financial resources towards clothes, shoes and other important needs as school approaches.” “It is truly a community-wide collaboration. One resident told me that she and her brother received school supplies when they were young and now it’s her turn to give back,” stated Mrs. Webb, who will represent Oak Crest during the distribution event at Eastside Family Shelter. The Erickson Living retirement community also received $600 to purchase additional supplies to fill book bags to be distributed to eligible employees and students at other schools. The mission of the Oak Crest Diversity and Inclusion Council is to create awareness and understanding through learning and to celebrate our diversity of culture, ethnicity, race, age, physical abilities, gender identification, sexual orientation, religion and mindset of staff and residents.

The 87-acre campus of Oak Crest is a source of pride and beauty for residents and staff alike! The exterior grounds provide for so much fun activity in a secure environment, from walking along the loop road path to enjoying the nature trail behind Crestview Station. One popular area is Lake Victoria across from Village Square. Here, residents can race sailboats with their friends in the Blue Heron Yacht Club or tend to flowers and vegetables in their very own gardenscape. Enjoy the scenery from a “day in the life” at Oak Crest, taken on a beautiful summer afternoon in August!

Employees of Oak Crest consistently look for ways to give back to support worthwhile causes in Baltimore and beyond. The General Services Department did just that on July 20…in a big way. During the department’s three All Staff Meetings, employees teamed up to make and package 1,300 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for distribution to the Baltimore-based Helping Up Mission. The nonprofit organization provides hope to people experiencing homelessness, poverty or addiction by meeting their physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs. By the numbers, their work is impressive. Each year, the Helping Up Mission provides 182,500 nights of shelter, 438,000 meals, 155,000 items of clothing & personal care and 6,700 counseling sessions. “I would like to thank all of our team members who took the time out of their busy day to help with such an important cause,” stated Wendy Kelly, Director of General Services at the Erickson Living retirement community. “Oak Crest has partnered with the Helping Up Mission on other projects through the years, and this was a fun way to do our part.” “Many thanks to Nadine Wellington, Community Resources Manager. Her team helped us to organize this effort so our General Services employees could make an immediate impact,” noted Mrs. Kelly. “Our goal was 1,000 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and we’re proud to say we exceeded that number.”

A Worldwide Summer Vacation at Oak Crest For Diversity Celebration! More than 200 residents and employees of Oak Crest took a trip around the world on Friday, July 21 during the Erickson Living retirement community’s Annual Diversity and Inclusion Expo in Erickson Hall. Visited were Scotland, Egypt, Holland & Netherlands, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Cuba, Germany, and Oak Crest’s Jewish Corner, Catholic Community, Protestant Group and Unitarian Universalists. Interactive displays served as “mini-classrooms” for each exhibit as participants showcased their cultures through demonstrations, international cuisine, artifacts, religious symbols, pictures and clothing. PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) of Bel Air was also a destination for attendees and all who turned in a fully-stamped “passport” were entered into a raffle. Winners were resident Maria Carroll (Liberatore’s gift card) and employee Wendy Branche (world foods basket). Speaking of food, everyone enjoyed tasting Nigerian fried rice, Greek Spanakopita, Asian egg rolls and Maryland crab dip prepared by the culinary professionals of the Oak Crest Catering Department. Elegant music of the Mediterranean and Middle East was performed live by Barrio Andalusi. The event was sponsored by the Oak Crest Diversity and Inclusion Council; a special “thank you” is given to all of the resident and staff attendees and exhibitors as well as the Special Projects, Housekeeping, Catering, Television, Community Resources, Pastoral Ministries and Administration departments for their collective support of this fantastic event! The mission of the Oak Crest Diversity and Inclusion Council is to create awareness and understanding through learning and to celebrate our diversity of culture, ethnicity, race, age, physical abilities, gender identification, sexual orientation, religion and mindset of staff and residents. Details about career opportunities can be found at https://jobs.ericksonliving.com.

Oak Crest careers make a difference! • Help people live better lives • Be part of a growing industry • Work in a beautiful campus setting • Advance your career • Enjoy excellent benefits For more information and to apply on-line, please visit http://jobs.ericksonliving.com.

Life’s Journey Leads to Oak Crest for Fefe Mukendi When Fefe Mukendi arrived in the United States from the civil war-torn nation of the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2004, a career at Oak Crest was the last thing on her mind. A United Nations program (International Organization of Migration) had helped her escape the threat of violence, turmoil and an uncertain future, but new challenges immediately faced Fefe. She was responsible for raising three brothers and a sister. French was her native language so learning English was a priority. And she needed to establish herself in a brand new country, more than 6,500 miles away from her hometown. “The desire to help people has been a constant in my life,” Fefe said with her trademark bright smile in a recent interview. “The medical field was a natural fit.” After taking her first job with Genesis HealthCare, she learned about Oak Crest from colleagues. The rest is history. Fefe began working at the Erickson Living retirement community in Parkville as Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) in December, 2006. She eventually went back to school, enrolling at Baltimore City Community College. While caring for her siblings and working at Oak Crest, she earned an AA degree in respiratory therapy. The new position came to be the “natural fit” that Fefe had sought. The goal of home support is to help maintain the safety and independence of residents in whichever level of care they choose to live. Residents can call upon the department following a recovery from surgery, for example, and take advantages of those services from the comfort of their apartment home. The assistance can be anything from meal preparation and light housekeeping to medical reminders and socialization. “Creating friendships with the residents brings them comfort and happiness,” stated Fefe. “These wonderful relationships make the job even more rewarding for me.” Comprehensive training and career development are major priorities for the team, noted Celeste Saunders, Home Support Manager at Oak Crest. “Our caregivers receive training by the State of Maryland as well as continuing education within our department via monthly in-service seminars and skill labs,” said Celeste, who has been with Oak Crest for eight years. “They also receive oversight and guidance from a registered nurse.” Fefe adds that “we also study the daily care plan of each resident we serve to bring them the best experience possible during our visits.” Her future is bright since those first days in the United States. Fefe is now a full-time employee with a comprehensive set of benefits, and she has a specific short-term goal. “I am currently studying to become a board-certified respiratory therapist,” she said. “Fefe is a model employee,” Celeste said. “She brings compassionate care and a warm spirit to our residents, going above and beyond so many times. She is naturally inquisitive and has been one of our best recruiters by referring other employees to Oak Crest.” Her success story goes well beyond Oak Crest. “Given the journey she has traveled, Fefe is the most positive person I know,” described Celeste. “Her siblings have all become highly successful citizens, due in large part to Fefe’s love and nurturing heart. She inspires all of us, and we’re grateful that she is a member of our Home Support Team.” For more information about the Oak Crest Home Support Department, please call Celeste Saunders at 410-665-1000. For more information about career opportunities at Oak Crest, please visit https://jobs.ericksonliving.com.

Summer Golf Excitement Continues at Oak Crest Tourney! With a closing flurry of three birdies and an eagle, Jordan Spieth won the historic British Open on Sunday, July 23 in dramatic style. The very next day, the golf excitement continued more than 3,600 miles away during the Oak Crest Golf Tournament held at Rocky Point Golf Course in eastern Baltimore County. After a brief shower in the morning, the clouds melted away to unveil a gorgeous summer day. More than 120 people entered the captain’s choice scramble event, a combination of residents, vendors and employees. According to Stacey Schiano, Philanthropy Manager at Oak Crest, the event netted more than $22,000 for the Benevolent Care Fund of the Erickson Living community. Following some exceptional shots and great putting on the course, the day concluded with a delicious grilled lunch catered by Jerry D’s Saloon and an awards ceremony recognizing the top foursomes and individual golfers who conquered the course. Award Winners: 1st Place: Team Brightbill Bus Company 2nd Place: Team Jeff Getek 3rd Place: Team Chemstar Longest Drive (under 61): Patrick McGuire of Eastern Moving & Storage Longest Drive (over 62): Dennis Claassen of Schrader Electric Longest Drive (Ladies): Kay Fennell Closest to the Pin: Mark Roussey, TJ Topper and Bill Hodges Top sponsors for the Oak Crest Golf Tournament were Cove Electric, Commercial Interior Construction, CW Technologies, Eastern Moving & Storage, Facilities Engineering Services, Pinnacle Glass and Tim’s Automotive. Many thanks are extended to Jeff Bell, Head PGA Professional at Rocky Point Golf Course, for his hospitality and making the event run smoothly. Special appreciation goes to Beverly Venedam, Philanthropy Coordinator, and a team of wonderful volunteers that included Bill Witty, Catherine Cohen, Carolyn Seidel, Dana Huntington-Smith, Dawn Mills, Nicole Radar and Rachel Susio.

If you’re looking for the right time to sell your home, this summer might be your best bet. A shrinking inventory and low interest rates have made for a strong seller’s market. According to Attom Data Solutions, a leading provider of real estate and property data, in the first three months of 2017, homeowners saw an average price gain of $44,000 above the purchase price, the highest gain in a decade. The nationwide median home price was also up 13% from last year. Ashley Ruth, Oak Crest’s personal moving consultant who helps future residents sell their houses and move to the Erickson Living community in Parkville, sat down with the Erickson Tribune to answer some important questions for homeowners who are hoping to sell this summer. Read the full interview here: https://www.ericksonliving.com/tribune/articles/2017/06/selling-your-house-summer

You just never know who will show up to watch an Orioles game at Oak Crest! On Wednesday, July 5, the Birds battled the Milwaukee Brewers on the road. Back home, residents of the Erickson Living retirement community held a team appreciation night. The event was sponsored by Acorn After Dark, a resident group that hosts and coordinates monthly social activities in the community’s pub. Donning their orange and black Orioles gear, more than 75 residents enjoyed ballpark-style fare, shared baseball stories and rooted on the team. A surprise visitor appeared early in the game…the Orioles Bird! Entering the Acorn Pub to a rousing ovation, the Bird gave high-fives and hugs to residents and employees, posed for photos and led the group in the infamous O-R-I-O-L-E-S cheer. There is no doubt that the Bird will always have a standing invitation to take in the national pastime and root on the Orioles with residents of Oak Crest. And don’t forget…the second half of the season begins tonight with a game at Camden Yards versus the World Series champions, the Chicago Cubs. Let’s Go O’s!