Aged to Perfection 2024: A Fun Evening with a Big Impact

Aged to Perfection 2024 saw a return of the event to where it all started – Holly Creek! Residents graciously offered their beautiful community as a venue for this joyful celebration of Christian Living Communities.

This year’s event focus was to raise money to support Chaplain Services, and naturally the CLC Chaplain Team was on hand to join the festivities and meet supporters. It was profoundly moving to see the broader community of CLC supporters coming together to support their impactful work, raising a gross total of $134,000 to support Chaplain Services.

Robert Smith, the Executive Director of Chaplain Services, spoke about the meaningful impact funds raised will have on their ability to support residents, families, and team members. Chaplains, he noted, are there to help us find our footing during those times in life when the ground underneath us has shifted. Needs pop up during these times that can’t be predicted a year, a month, or even a week in advance. Gifts to the Chaplain Fund provide the Chaplain Services team resources to meet those needs in the moment.

From valued mission partners to members of the families who founded CLC in 1972, attendees represented a broad spectrum of people who support the vision of creating communities where aging is honored and celebrated. Residents from Holly Creek, Clermont Park, Someren Glen, and Dayspring Villa joined the celebration, as did the CLC Board of Directors. Retired team members, families who have cherished the care their loved ones received at a CLC community, and longstanding supporters were in attendance. The event moved smoothly thanks to the help of an amazing group of CLC team members who volunteered their time.

Attendees relished the opportunity to connect with likeminded friends, new and old. Conversation flowed throughout the evening, as did the 12 different varieties of wine available for the wine tasting.

Duet Chefs from multiple CLC communities delighted attendees, serving up their delicious creations for guests to enjoy. Chefs Jessica Elliott and Deandre Smith from Clermont Park served scrumptious seared ahi tuna crisps. Chefs Tony Sandoval and Ty White, representing their community at Someren Glen, created an incredibly flavorful fall harvest salad. The Colorado lamb meatballs from Holly Creek Chefs Kevin Marquet and Justin Fuentes were a hit. Guests returned again and again to enjoy the crispy pork belly from Casey’s Pond Chef Brian Keberlein. And the smokey red chili chicken with cornbread from Chefs Donna Lachman and Nick Provencio at Sunny Vista was raved about by attendees throughout the evening.

The Silent Auction and the Wine Pull were fun features of the evening, and showcased the kindness, generosity, and talent of the CLC community. Resident artists donated beautiful paintings, exquisitely handcrafted wooden bowls, homemade greetings cards, and even a fully furnished dollhouse. CLC communities, team members, and the Board of Directors pitched in to create fun and exciting baskets, sporting tickets, and experiences for bidders to enjoy. And lots of amazing individuals provided bottles of their favorite wine to give attendees the opportunity to pick a fun surprise bottle from the wine pull.

We want to express our sincere thanks to everyone who made the event a success. Thank you to our sponsors, some of whom have supported CLC for 20 years and some who joined us this year for the first time. A special thanks to our presenting leadership partner sponsors, AMG National Trust and Duet Dining. Thank you to all attendees, and to the supporters who could not make it but gave a gift for the Chaplain Fund anyway. Thanks to everyone who contributed a basket, a handmade creation, or a bottle of wine. We are so grateful to you all for your support and for your wonderful impact for our Chaplain Services program. Look at the impact we make together as citizens of the CLC community!

Thank You to Our 2024 Mission Partners!

Leadership Partners

Community Partners

Supporting Partners

Integrity Partners

Care Partners - Organizations

Care Partners - Individuals

• Jill Vitale-Aussem and Todd Aussem

• Jack and Char Barker

• Rick and Carol Pilgrim

• Christine Powers

Impact Partners

October 5th's Colorado fall evening provided the perfect backdrop for a warm evening of fellowship and fun! The genuine warmth, caring, and mission celebration at our 2023 Aged to Perfection enveloped all who attended to honor two extraordinary women and raised nearly $100,000 for the CLC Workforce Innovation Fund.

The evenings' theme, Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow, was evident in the program, which included honoring Jean Todd, a resident at Someren Glen, with the 30th annual Earthen Vessel Award and Pat McBride, the former Vice President of Clinical and Compliance, with the Distinguished Service Award.

Our Strength

Jean Todd is a lifelong volunteer, yet she has never considered what she does as volunteering; she's always known she should give to others. “We didn’t use to call it volunteering,” she shared after receiving her award. “We called it what it meant to be part of a community.” Born in McCook, Nebraska with her twin sister Joan, the girls had music running through their veins. Jean and Joan sang, danced, and both played instruments, which they shared in many volunteer efforts at hospitals, for war veterans, and even for German POWs at a WWII camp nearby.

After making her home in Littleton, Colorado, she and her husband had three children. Jean led the St. Mary's choir for 20 years and helped found Magic Moments, a non-profit that stages inclusive musical productions for physically and cognitively challenged individuals, some with as many as 150 cast members.

Jean helped form and lead the Someren Glen choir and bell choir when making Someren Glen her home. During the dark days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jean led Rosary Services and bingo as outside volunteers were not allowed in the community for a period. Jean perfectly exemplifies the Earthen Vessel biblical verse the award is based on, allowing God's gracious work to be done through her, an earthen vessel.

Receiving the Distinguished Service Award, Pat McBride shared with attendees an inspirational story of her mom's service as a nurse, her family, and just how special she thinks CLC is; she called it magical.

In her nearly 40-year nursing career, Pat served in hospitals and senior living communities. She came to CLC first as a consultant, but like many, she felt the warm CLC culture and knew she had to be a part of it.

Pat created the nationally recognized CLC Clinical Mentorship Program, dramatically improving CNA retention rates; the Norovirus Notebook, essential to decreasing the devastating effects of Norovirus in all CLC-Cappella communities; and she helped reshape the organization's Core Values into Action Value Statements which are used each day to guide the actions of everyone at CLC.

The strength of CLC during the COVID-19 pandemic is a direct result of Pat's tireless dedication and hard work. She and her team quickly pivoted to create more than 1,000 processes and policies as governmental directives evolved. Her resolve, guidance, and, at times, good humor helped strengthen CLC during the darkest days. She offered counsel to CLC and families, friends, and the general public, helping calm the waters and make a very scary and complicated situation more bearable and easier to understand.

Both honorees spoke about the importance of the CLC team members in delivering the CLC vision of creating communities where aging is honored and celebrated and the mission of providing care and services that reflect Christian love, respect, and compassion.

Our Bright Hope

Proceeds from the evening benefit the CLC Workforce Innovation Fund, providing innovative training such as the Eden Alternative for care partners, meaningful recognition, and respite opportunities such as the Pines Ranch Respite Retreats.

The Workforce Innovation Fund provides caring individuals with the opportunity to partner with CLC to care for the caregivers, efforts that tend to be underfunded due to the rising cost of care and services to older adults.

To learn more about the transformative impact of the Workforce Innovation Fund, please watch this video that debuted at Aged to Perfection.

If you would like to support the Workforce Innovation Fund, please visit our giving page to make a gift.

We thank the many people who gave baskets, experiences, and art to our silent auction, the precious friends who joined us, those who couldn’t attend but still donated, and to our business partners who helped underwrite the evening. THANK YOU!

ATP 2023 - An Evening of Celebration and Fellowship

Thank You to Our Sponsors!

Leadership Presenting Partners

Community Partners

Supporting Partners

Integrity Partners

Care Partners

On October 13th, 2022, more than 275 guests gathered to commemorate Christian Living Communities' 50th Anniversary at Aged to Perfection featuring the Earthen Vessel Award. It was a marvelous evening of connection and celebration - we strolled down memory lane, heard stories of residents leading purpose-filled lives, enjoyed harmonious entertainment, and honored Greg J. Ham as the Earthen Vessel Award recipient.

Our heartfelt thanks to each of you who, through your support, partnership, and care, made Aged to Perfection a big success and will continue to enrich the lives of older adults! Together, we are creating communities where aging is honored and celebrated.

Favorite Moments from Aged to Perfection 2022

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Leadership Presenting Sponsors

Community Partner Sponsors

Supporting Partners

Compassion Partners

Integrity Partners

Care Partners

Aged to Perfection 2021, a Hybrid Event

Aged to Perfection, which took place on October 14, 2021, was a wonderful evening of gratitude, heartwarming stories, and our commitment to our vision – Creating Communities Where Aging is Honored and Celebrated.

We are so grateful for all who attended – both in-person and virtually – in support of older adults and the people who care for them.

A recording of the event program is now available and demonstrates the many hands and hearts who come together every day to make Christian Living Communities a truly wonderful organization to be a part of. Watch the video. Please share our mission in motion with your family, friends, church, and colleagues.

Favorite Moments from 2021