Written by Liz Backus, Communications Volunteer at STL Village
Happy Anniversary, STL Village! This June, we are celebrating ten years of
bringing older adults together to enjoy staying active and engaged in the
community. STL Village, located at Second Presbyterian Church in the Central
West End neighborhood, is one of over 260 independent, non-profit, membership
organizations worldwide that are part of the Village Movement. The mission of
the movement is to support adults who want to age in place in their own homes
and neighborhoods in a safe and socially connected way.
Villages cater to adults ages 50 and up and are typically developed by local
residents. They offer a variety of social activities along with volunteer-led
services such as grocery shopping and rides to medical appointments. The
Village to Village Network provides guidance, resources and ongoing support to
newly developing and existing villages.
STL Village was founded by a small group of residents in the Central West End
neighborhood. Gloria Gordon, PhD, a retired psychologist who has also conducted
research in public health, was interested in bringing the Village model to St.
Louis. She partnered with neighbor Arthur Culbert, PhD, previously an associate
dean at Boston University’s School of Medicine and School of Public Health. They
formed an exploratory committee, and after visiting other Village organizations in
the Midwest and gathering input from area residents, the group opened STL
Village to its first members in June 2014. It is currently the only such Village in
the St. Louis area.
From the start, building a culturally and economically diverse organization was a
guiding value of STL Village. Our members come from across the City of St.
Louis as well as St. Louis County and beyond. Both members and non-members
are welcome to attend our events and activities. Social connection is the foundation of STL Village.
“The research is clear,” says Brian Carpenter, PhD, co-director of the Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging. “The deep and diverse connections that come from being part of an organization like STL Village can deliver a host of benefits such as a stronger immune
system, positive mood, robust brain health and lower risk of dementia. Overall, that means social engagement contributes to healthy longevity.”
Madeline Franklin, JD, who was recently honored with the Friedman Center’s
Excellence in Service to Older Adults award, has been executive director of STL
Village since its founding. Looking back on the decade, she noted, “I am most
impressed with the commitment of members and volunteers to the organization.
Considering that as a relatively new nonprofit, we were able to survive the
pandemic is quite an accomplishment.”
Looking ahead to the next ten years, Franklin said, “It is my hope that STL
Village will continue to grow and thrive as an organization that serves older
adults in the metro area. We have established great partnerships and
collaborations with other organizations for older adults and it is my hope that
these relationships will continue to develop.”
STL Village events are open to everyone. If you’d like to receive a weekly
calendar of activities and events or learn about becoming a member or volunteer,
contact info@stlvillage or 314-240-5020.