Bryan Reynolds [00:00:04] Hello, hello, hello, welcome to Episode 17 of the Linkage podcast by Episcopal Retirement Services. This episode is for the week of September 14th. Twenty twenty. Thanks so much for joining us. I'm Bryan Reynolds Vice President of Marketing of Episcopal Retirement Services, and I'm here with Kristin Davenport, our director of communications for IRS and executive producer. How are you Kristin?

 

Kristen Davenport [00:00:26] Wonderful Bryan. Thanks. I'm happy to be here this week with you.

 

Bryan Reynolds [00:00:31] Then off for a few weeks with the Labor Day holiday ends and vacation. So it's nice to catch back up again. So the Linkage podcast is dedicated to educating our audience about issues regarding aging, informing people about the mission of ERS and how that comes to life and our everyday interactions with residents, clients, families and staff members.

 

Bryan Reynolds [00:00:52] So, Kris ten, you want to introduce our interviews for today?

 

Kristen Davenport [00:00:57] Absolutely. So joining us today as guests are resident from Episcopal Church Home in Louiville. Suzanne Padgett. Suzanne lives at Dudley Square Patio Homes in Louisville. And we have a special, very special guest, Brian Gruber. He's the president and CEO of Ridgestone Builders and Developers. And he'll talk with this a little bit about their partnership with the ERS today and of course, president and CEO Laura Lamb. And she'll check in with us and give us the latest update with what's going on with all things ERS .

 

Bryan Reynolds [00:01:37] Well, we've got another great show for everyone today, and I'd be remiss in reminding our virtual Gala. It's coming up in just a little less than a month now. Together, we ride Virtual Gala is on Friday, October 9th. It's a special evening of celebration and inspiration and entertainment, all in support of our Good Samaritan mission. We've got a very special live program for everyone, and it's hosted by Channel Five's very own Curtis Fuller here in Cincinnati. So want to give a special thank you for our presenting sponsors, the model group Ridgestone Builders and Contractors, Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing and US Bank. So we're looking forward to that, Kristin.

 

Kristen Davenport [00:02:23] Absolutely. And we hope everybody registers so that they can join us virtually. Well, I got a sneak peek this week of some of the special things that will be happening, the auction and the video. So just really excited about that coming up October 9th.

 

Kristen Davenport [00:02:41] That's great. That's great. So, Kristin, you want to introduce our first guest for for today's episode?

 

Kristen Davenport [00:02:47] Absolutely. Suzanne Padgett is a resident of Dudley Square in Louisville, Kentucky. Part of our Episcopal Church Home community. And I enjoyed catching up with Suzanne to find out what she's been doing during Covid 19 to stay active and engaged. And we had a great conversation, Bryan. So here's my interview with Suzanne Padgett.

 

Kristen Davenport [00:03:14] Welcome Suzanne Padgett, resident of Dudley Square. Thanks for joining us today on our podcast.

 

Suzanne Padgett [00:03:22] I'm glad to be here.

 

Kristen Davenport [00:03:23] Well, good. Tell us, how are things down in Lousiville this morning?

 

Suzanne Padgett [00:03:27] They are just fine. Many of the days seem very much the same, however. But every day there's something a little different to look forward to. It's sunny and I'm so grateful for our nice weather. I've been able to get outside. So basically, you know, I think they're doing as well as we could be expected.

 

Kristen Davenport [00:03:48] Well, there was some some form or fashion of Derby this weekend. We just said Derby weekend. So that was, I think, good for her, was to try to to try to have Derby.

 

Suzanne Padgett [00:04:00] There was that is a big deal around here. And a lot of people had missed it. They seem to take it in stride pretty well. We always have a big hullabaloo about Derby. And so instead of actually going to the track, I think many people just had in home parties. And then, of course, it was followed by Labor Day. So we're going to have a lot of ramifications, I think, in a couple of weeks with a spike in the virus again.

 

Kristen Davenport [00:04:28] Well, I know and I hope folks were were smart. Follow the guidelines and and we can keep those cases down because nobody wants to see a spike. But I feel, as you do that that is definitely something we're all kind of bracing for, for sure.

 

Kristen Davenport [00:04:47] Thanks for joining us today. I know that that you have lived at  Dudley Square in the patio homes since 2008. You were one the first folks that moved in the area. Right when they were being built in the second phase. Tell our listeners what type of things you've been doing to stay healthy and engage during these times when we're all trying to be distance as well.

 

Suzanne Padgett [00:05:12] Well, they're actually quite a few opportunities, more than you might realize in our technological age. Our computers have been very busy and we have discovered Zoom. I have a number of groups that meet every week or once a month or twice a month or something like that. And the staff had been very creative in putting together meetings for us online instead. One, of course, that's available to anybody is going to a church service on Sunday morning. I especially appreciate that I don't have to get up and get dressed and get there. I can sit my coffee. Well, and I met church service on Sunday. And another is I'm involved in a few bridge groups. And we have discovered an online bridge site that will allow us to log in with our names, and we all are sitting around the table and at a virtual table. And they plant our hands in front of us with the cards all dealt out, allowing us to just bid our hands and then play the cards. And we hit. We don't have we don't have our visuals on. But we do have audio. We have our phones turned on so we can talk with one another. And it's like being at the bridge table, hearing your friend's voices and hearing hearing the disgruntled manners that come through on difficult hands and that kind of thing.

 

Suzanne Padgett [00:06:57] It's been it's been a lot of fun and it's been a learning experience. So that's always fun when you learn something new. Also, I have a I'm in a book club and we meet every month and we go online for that as well. And we have had success with that. Everybody joins in. They're starting to meet together in a smaller group because they're a couple of us that still aren't comfortable going out.

 

Suzanne Padgett [00:07:28] I'm really trying to stay isolated as much as I can for a couple of reasons. And but I am finding that my meeting online like this, staying in touch with my friends and being able to speak with them, if not being able to be with them has been really helpful.

 

Suzanne Padgett [00:07:50] I miss the contact with people in the social social contact with my friends, but I don't feel so isolated. So I think I'm dealing with this as best I can.

 

Kristen Davenport [00:08:03] Yeah, it sounds like it. And I love that you've found a way to still play bridge. I had not heard about a way to do it online. It sounds like a great way to keep your your love of playing bridge together with your friends going until it's safe to do it in person. That's wonderful.

 

Suzanne Padgett [00:08:23] Yeah, exactly. And living here at Dudley Square, we're on a ground floor. There are no steps. And I'm not even a tiny step in our entire facility. And I can easily go out on my front porch and people are walking by all the time and I can go out on my patio and that's that. And then I have all the privacy I want. But either way, I have a way to get outside and try the fresh air.

 

Suzanne Padgett [00:08:54] Yes, but I'm finding a lot of people here. Dudley Square walk a lot. Man, whether they have a dog or not. I mean, the people are walking and we can still interact with one another without actually having contact with them.

 

Kristen Davenport [00:09:11] Right. Right. This looks right now like something that's going to be a problem for us or a challenge for us for the foreseeable future. But, you know, once it is safe to come back together, what are some of the things that you're looking forward to when it is safe to be back together again?

 

Suzanne Padgett [00:09:30] Mostly the ease. I don't have any family here in town, so the ease of traveling would allow me to go and visit my daughter Virginia or my other daughter in Ohio, whereas I. I can't do that now. That's a big thing. The family thing. We have created a Zoom night once a week. And my entire family gets on Zoom. And so we share with one another. And that's smart that we did before. So that like, I'm glad for that. But I really miss the hugs and the personal contact, particularly with my family.

 

Kristen Davenport [00:10:13] Definitely. I think the thing that we'll all be thankful for when we get back together, when this is all behind us. Hopefully sooner rather than later. Well, Suzanne, thank you so much for joining us on the podcast today. It was great to connect with you and find out how things are moving along down in Louisville. And please take care. Be well. Until we can see each other again.

 

Suzanne Padgett [00:10:39] OK. Thanks so much for your good wishes. Kristin, I was glad to particapate.

 

Bryan Reynolds [00:10:44] Kristin, that was such a nice interview with Suzanne Padget of fiscal churchwarden Dudley Square, it's so, so nice to hear how she's adapting to this Covid world and really embracing technology to stay stay connected and and also just making sure she's staying connected with her neighbors down there at Dudley Square.

 

Kristen Davenport [00:11:07] She really is. Suzanne has got such a positive attitude, even though there's some challenges right now. She's just working through them one by one. And it was great to catch up with her. And you hear about some of the things that she's doing, especially enjoyed hearing about playing online bridge, which I had never even heard of. So it was wonderful. OK, Bryan will next up. We've got all things of Episcopal Retirement Services with our president and CEO Laura Lamb. I'm looking forward to hearing what's been happening.

 

Bryan Reynolds [00:11:43] So we're back this week again with Laura Lamb president, CEO of Episcopal Retirement Services. How are you, Laura? Doing well, Bryan. How about you? Good. Good. We're back after the Labor Day holiday. Hope you had a good one.

 

Laura Lamb [00:11:56] I did. I did. How about you?

 

Bryan Reynolds [00:11:58] Yeah, it was very nice. Get some nice outdoor activities, of course, like fishing and hiking and biking. So. Well, I want to do just kind of touch base. You know, it seems I think this last week was the six month kind of mark from when the pandemic was announced by the WHO. And, you know, kind of the shut down of of our country. And we've certainly seen a lot of ebbs and flows. You know, with Covid over time and it you know, it seems like things have gotten better. And then they the numbers rise again and then they get better. And it almost seems like we're going into a period where people are getting together again, such as colleges work and things like that. I just thought I'd kind of. Touch base and check in with you to see what you're seeing out there and how that's impacting our organization.

 

Laura Lamb [00:13:04] Boy, you're you're hitting all the things that we're seeing every you know, as we have our student workers go back to school and having our employees have their state, have their their children go back to school, I think we are absolutely seeing internally what is happening outside. And that's been a theme, hasn't that you know, we are really a reflection on the broader community so that, you know, we can do great things internally and those things are effective. But the other factor that's so important to look at is the surrounding county that we are in.

 

Laura Lamb [00:13:49] And I'm sure all of our listeners have seen the news reports, as you and I have, that, you know, we've all a lot of us have been college students years and years ago. And we remember and, you know, as they're as we're seeing the news of students at parties, we are starting to see more cases in our surrounding communities. And I was just watching the news this morning, and the highlight was that children are carriers. Was the headline. Yeah. And I shook my head and said, well, yeah, we know that, you know, we're kind of preparing ourselves to really understand that we are probably going to have another between the holiday that you mentioned at the opening.

 

Laura Lamb [00:14:36] And frankly, kids going back to school, that we're not going to be surprised when we have additional cases internally. Right. Even though I think the staff are doing a really good job on balance, on hold of abiding by the guidelines. It's really a sheer numbers issue, isn't it? I mean, if you are in a classroom setting or you're in a, you know, a group setting, you have more exposure. If you've been caught teaching with your family and you're moving on campus, that transition period of adjusting to your new tribe increases your exposure. So, yeah, it's where we're at. It's where we're at. We're definitely in this in-between feeling right now.

 

Bryan Reynolds [00:15:30] Yeah. I mean, it's it does seem in a lot of ways there's so much more caution. You know, people are wearing masks. More people are staying socially distance. But to your point, the opportunities to gather, you know, it's almost to your to your point again. And it's a numbers game. And even though we're carriers and maybe we don't get as sick as another person, it's still the spread of the disease that we're trying to maintain so that we protect our our older population.

 

Laura Lamb [00:16:04] It's so true. It's so true. I mean, this the staff that we have identified, you know you know this. We're identifying them in the bi monthly screen. So they're asymptomatic largely. So they don't know they're sick.

 

Laura Lamb [00:16:21] You know, they they are younger, more resilient. You know, they probably chalk it up to, oh, I didn't get a lot of sleep last night that Sawai. I'm tired here. As you know, if they were maybe in that age cohort, they might recognize the symptoms a little differently or see this symptom, see them as symptoms versus just oh, I didn't get a good night's sleep or oh I'm coming down with a cold.

 

Laura Lamb [00:16:52] So it's, it's, it's challenging really is, because as we've said over and over again, this disease, unfortunately, impacts different ages so differently. But we all have to work and live together. And in a retirement community, you know, the majority of our staff that work at our dining program are high school, college age people. So we are a very intergenerational organization. And that's not unlike any retirement community across the country.

 

Bryan Reynolds [00:17:27] Yeah, absolutely. And I think, as you said before, it's a marathon. We don't know how long this is going to last into next year. So I guess that that's probably a message that you're preaching to the staff, is that we just have to keep being diligent over over a long period of time.

 

Laura Lamb [00:17:49] You know, it's funny, I shared this with you earlier. My niece is a freshman at UC and she could be the poster child of doing everything right. I mean, she is checking all the boxes she's just being. You know, a model kind of college student of what you know, doing the safer out. And she said to me the other day, she said she calls me Anta Anto. It's just like the world is half as good as we know it can be.

 

Bryan Reynolds [00:18:19] Right. .

 

Laura Lamb [00:18:23] Well, she's an insightful girl, but I always think I always think, you know, people of her age group just cut through all the nonsense and just tell it like it is. 

 

Laura Lamb [00:18:32] And I've reflected on that so much since I heard her say that, because it's so true. It's so it kind of goes to the marathon analogy, doesn't it? Yeah. Like, we know what fall it should be. Right. Right. My favorite time. A beer. Right. Oh, my gosh. The crisp air that we had yesterday be, you know, thinking about all things punkin. I'm getting a pumpkin cider Bryan I might have to share with you this week. All those things are like wonderful time, you know, going back to school, all those things. But this year, it feels half as good as it could be right now.

 

Laura Lamb [00:19:17] So I think I think it is a law in a large way... This is the mental the psychosocial impact of the pandemic is really at the six month mark. I think wearing on everyone.

 

Bryan Reynolds [00:19:36] So, yeah, I know that that's such a an amazing kind of piece of insight there, because it is so it does feel, you know, half the joy and half hour, we're just strained and it's tough to know what to look forward to as well. But I think, speaking of a good transition, you know, despite Covid, there's been some amazing progress in our organization on some kind of key strategies and initiatives in the organization. And I was wondering if you could speak to those specifically. You know, we announced the master plan at Episcopal Church Home this this past winter. And there's been some amazing progress. And I was wondering if you could share some of that with us.

 

Laura Lamb [00:20:32] Yeah, I tell you, you know, even during a pandemic, we've been able to move several of our strategies forward. And I'm really pleased with that. And frankly, delighted that that we've had the the energy and the capacity to do that. And you knows the master plan is a shining example of that.

 

Laura Lamb [00:20:55] I mean, if you line up our our work that we plan to do in January with where we are now, within all the controllables of our architects and our builders, we are we're right on target with scheduled plus or minus a week or two. I say that because I might not be able to say that now that we're moving into the permit phase. So I want to get it. I want to say it again. We're right on schedule right now. Kind of. But we are well under way in converting a portion of E.C.H.'s building to skilled nursing and that will wrap up by the end of the year. Within the next two weeks we'll be breaking ground on that. Fingers crossed. Permits, you know, coming in. We'll be breaking ground at Dudley Square to create two two model buildings and a clubhouse. So that is super, super exciting. I think it's you know, it'll be a visual kind of example of the future of ECH coming  to fruition.

 

Bryan Reynolds [00:22:07] That's terrific. Excellent. So, so wonderful to hear. And then on the other side of our business, an affordable living. We've still got some communities that are rising from the ground as well. And I was wondering if you could talk maybe more specifically about Schepper Ridge. Yeah, Schepper Ridge.

 

Laura Lamb [00:22:28] I love I love that project. Named after our beloved Paul Schepper, who is our CFO for thirty five plus years. So it is you know, it's in Florence, Kentucky, and it will be our second community in the wonderful state of Kentucky. And it's forty eight apartments for low income seniors in the community. And we just saw some wonderful aerial views that we've shared widely in social media as well. And there's video, there's aerial shots, just kind of literally show it kind of, as you said, kind of coming from the earth and it's under roof. And we're now in the interior phases of the construction, which is always a nice milestone to hit, especially, you know, not knowing we're hearing that this winter is going to be a difficult winter. So it's great to get it under roof on on time so that construction will be complete. Summer of twenty-twenty one.

 

Bryan Reynolds [00:23:39] Wow. It's hard to believe that I did see these projects start and get an announcement of the tax credits to be closing on the deals to seeing it rise up and getting close to opening is always so exciting.

 

Laura Lamb [00:23:56] So exciting. We'll be able to serve more elders in our community.

 

Bryan Reynolds [00:24:00] Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, thank you so much for joining us again this week, Laura. It's always great to catch up and hear the latest on on everything going on.

 

Laura Lamb [00:24:13] Well, thank you, Bryan It's always good to catch up with you.

 

Bryan Reynolds [00:24:16] Well, I look forward to getting together again next week.

 

Kristen Davenport [00:24:21] Bryan, that was great to hear from Laura this week and to remind us all that we've gotta stay a little bit cautious and keep our eye on the trends, the ups and the downs.

 

Bryan Reynolds [00:24:32] Yeah, I think it you know, as we discussed in our segment, that we're at the six month mark of all of this. And we've just seen things get worse and then better and then a little worse. And so there's there's always kind of watch outs up there. And it's good to know that, you know, Lara is looking out for that or our leadership team is looking out for that. So I know we're in good hands. But, you know, we've we've still got a ways to go. But, you know, with that being said, there's still a lot of positive things going on in the organization in terms of movement towards the future and some of our strategic initiatives or just, you know, some of our new affordable living projects. So that was that was really fun to catch up with Laura on all that. So with that being said, our next interview was proud to catch up with Brian Gruber of Ridgestone Builders and Contractors. He is a great partner of Episcopal Retirement Services, and I really had fun catching up with Bryan and learning more about, you know, kind of our history and why his partnership with the ERS is so special.

 

Bryan Reynolds [00:25:55] So I'm here this week with one of our sponsors of our upcoming virtual Gala, Bryan Gruber of Ridgestone Builders and Contractors. How are you, Brian?

 

Brian Gruber [00:26:08] Doing great. How are you today?

 

Bryan Reynolds [00:26:09] Good. Thanks so much for joining us. And this is this is really, I think, special interview for me because and and our organization. Because we've been such close partners. Gosh, what is it, about fifteen years now.

 

Brian Gruber [00:26:25] Yes, and we treasure the partnership.

 

Bryan Reynolds [00:26:27] Yeah, great. And I wondered if you could tell us a little bit about how ERS, Episcopal Retirement Services and Ridgestone started working together back 15 years ago.

 

Brian Gruber [00:26:39] Yes. So it was... We feel blessed. It was kind of probably in the beginning, a little bit rando. Laura and your team were kind of exploring options for small house green house model at the time. And we were constructing one and Laura and your team visited us and toward the units we had under construction. And we had a great meeting and it was springboarded from there we went and then eventually built the cottages for you at Deupree House. And then any other projects.

 

Bryan Reynolds [00:27:10] Yeah. And the cottages are really a very special nursing home setting that you guys built together. And it I think was even recognized for some awards.

 

Brian Gruber [00:27:21] It was it's special. The neat thing for us as a contractor was it's it's rare that you can build something where you really see how much it that physical structure makes a difference in people's lives. And to see what you guys transform that into with your people and how you take care of our elders, it's just phenomenal. And having gone through that person on a personal level with my grandparents, have, you know, fortunately and unfortunately. Right. They are fortunate to be able to be in the cottage that they passed away there. The experience there was just phenomenal to see. Right. The bricks and mortar become a total different real a totally different level there.

 

Bryan Reynolds [00:28:01] Yeah. And I think what what makes it so unique, too, is, you know, nursing homes have traditionally been very, very institutional. And this is very homelike setting. That's just beautiful.

 

Brian Gruber [00:28:16] And we loved that. That was something that kind of allowed us. You know, we have two divisions at Ridgestone, one commercial on one residential.

 

Brian Gruber [00:28:23] And I think one of the cool things about the cottages, was it allowed us to use both both ends of the company. And blend those together. All the important to regulations that we need to meet for a nursing home, but kind of mask all that with the look and feel the true.

 

Bryan Reynolds [00:28:36] All right. Right. Right. And, you know, since then, you've done several projects in partnership with the ERS. I think you've done a couple of masterplan projects at Marjorie P. Lee. And and so, you know, that which has just cemented the relationship even further for sure.

 

Brian Gruber [00:28:56] It's been and working so closely with your executive team and then each one of your teams at Deupree and a Marjorie P. Lee. It's just been phenomenal to master plans. It feels really cool to see how that building has transformed. And then as the the demands and the world changes. Right. And see how we've been able to evolve and meet the needs today and into the future.

 

Bryan Reynolds [00:29:21] Yeah. And, you know, especially with the Marjorie P. Lee that was built, you know, 60 years ago and has some really unique architectural elements to it, to it to work around and within. I'm sure that had some challenges. But you guys had really faced those head on.

 

Brian Gruber [00:29:42] We did. And I think at the end it came out and came out and definitely built in a different era. It was pretty interesting. One of them and I'm sure you'd heard these stories. But, you know, as we download some of that initial inner core of the rooms, the bathrooms look to be built as if they were like a bomb shelter type thing.

 

Bryan Reynolds [00:30:02] Right.

 

Brian Gruber [00:30:02] It makes sense, right? Back in the 60s, or whenever it was built. A different year, a different time frame.

 

Bryan Reynolds [00:30:08] Yeah. Right. Right. Right, right. Right. Yeah. Wow. And then I'd be remiss in saying that, you know, not only have you done such a good job building these physical structures, but what I hear time and time again from our staff and even the residents that are kind of living sometimes in the dust, which really isn't much because you do such a good job at how great you and your team are in partnering and and making them, you know, just feel good about that. You know what's oftentimes just kind of a flexing, flexing time period there?

 

Brian Gruber [00:30:46] Yeah. You know, I think a lot of it is while the two teams work together, you guys have an amazing team and we have a great group as well, and when you put those together, I think, you know, we great people come together, great things happen, and we've been fortunate and to see that. Right. And understanding that we're working in someone's home. So it's a different approach than normal construction.

 

Brian Gruber [00:31:14] But you guys always give us grace. It's been, you know, because construction, like you said, it is dusty. There is an element of mess. But I think the key is always remembering they were in their home and we would want it if it was our home and try to always work that way.

 

Bryan Reynolds [00:31:29] Yeah. And I think that, again, is the line very well with the ERS mantra that I've heard time and time again. And, you know, we're working within the homes of our residents. Yeah, for sure. Another reason we're so aligned in our philosophies. So, you know, again, you know, we've done a lot of past work, but we've got some some pretty cool projects going on right now. I wonder if you could talk a little bit about I think Laura's talked on this podcast in the past about our our kind of middle market project up in Perrysburg. And and now with the ECH master plan, you're kind of in full swing down in Louisville, as well.

 

Brian Gruber [00:32:08] Yeah, I'm excited about both projects. ECH Master Plan and Louisville is really cool to see, you know, that campus transformed and and again, building the ground at the foundation for that to just sustain another 20 years or beyond. Right. So I would take that masterplan and see where the building was, where it is, and then what do we need to do to meet the needs of the next 20 years coming in and then beyond. So right now, I'm excited to see the changes there. We are well into the first phase of that wrap it up or the Thanksgiving area at or end of the year and then getting into phase two and phase three, where we're bringing new product line and new dining on and then new residents and peace building.

 

Brian Gruber [00:32:52] So really excited to see all that come together and it'll change the landscape there dramatically.

 

Bryan Reynolds [00:33:01] Yeah, I'm really excited to share that vision as we bring these all up online from a marketing standpoint.

 

Brian Gruber [00:33:13] And then the middle market, you're really excited. I mean, we feel incredibly honored to be partnering with IRS on this. Yeah, I really think we are as a partnership, kind of on the edge of what the future of kind of this middle market, you know, senior product will look like. And you'll be in one of the first ones that do anything like this is exciting. Destruction's going phenomenal. But then again, see how the bricks and mortar is is one side of it. But see how that year team services and to be able to provide for our seniors in a homelike home, you know, you know like a homelike environment where it is actually in a home.

 

Bryan Reynolds [00:33:51] Right.

 

Brian Gruber [00:33:52] It's just phenomenal. And to be able to allow people who quite honestly may not been able to afford that level of care, that type of product to be able to offer, that is something that's huge as well. And I think we both feel that the best this could be replicated in so many areas across Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky, where it's really not being done right now.

 

Bryan Reynolds [00:34:17] Right, right. Well, and I again, I think it's just so special and the partnership that we've we've really seen a really nice response in the market just as we start opening up these first phases and then people really interested in it. And of course, you've got a great, great product there in the homes that you've developed with no steps, an open floor plan and great, great features and amenities. But then you've got those services that are kind of al la cart that we can offer. And in partnering with you guys as really it's just been a joy.

 

Brian Gruber [00:34:54] We're excited that, you know, like you're right, as you're seeing. I just drop through there a few minutes ago and I see people moving in and I see their, you know, meeting residents and starting to do services and charity has events planned. You can see the community building. And you can see... It's just it's pretty cool. You know, it's the idea of that vision or that dream. And then when you start to drive through and see, wow, it's reality right where we're at, where we're seeing it come to reality.

 

Bryan Reynolds [00:35:21] Yeah, it's really turning out beautiful. So. So with with, you know. Well, what is it about working with a possible Episcopal Retirement Services that may be so special to you and your family and your company? And why have you become a sponsor for this year's Gala?

 

Brian Gruber [00:35:39] I think the first thing is people. You, Laura, the entire executive team. You are just amazing people. And that shows every day when we work with you. And when we see how you work with your residents. And I see we were blessed to be able to see it firsthand and to see what you do for the residents. And I think on the Gala end, we just really, truly value not only what you do, but how you take care of people, you know, who run out of money and it can't stay there. And you never kick him out. You always take care of them.

 

Brian Gruber [00:36:16] We just see an incredible value in the service we provide our seniors. And more importantly, how you provide it to them. We're proud to sponsor a Gala. We're proud to be a part of it. We're proud to any time we have our name next year, us. We're proud of that. And again, I think, you know, I had a really special view of that with, watching both my grandparents go through the continuum there. Deupree. And then there's an all out so I can really see the value. Right. And what you guys provide is priceless. It's truly priceless. And I know it's not possible without everybody giving. So we really believe you got to give back.

 

Bryan Reynolds [00:36:59] Well, we we really you know, this and we value so much for your partnership. And I've really gotten to know you and your teams over the years. And, you know, it is personal. And and I'm so grateful to, you know. Call you a partner and a friend, and thank you so much for not just coming on this podcast today, but all of your support and and just great camaraderie among us.

 

Brian Gruber [00:37:30] Thank you. Thank you for the opportunity to be a partner. It's  a blessing.

 

Bryan Reynolds [00:37:36] Well, great. Well, thanks, Bryan. And maybe maybe after a little bit of time passes, we can kind of check back in about the master plans and the middle market at some point in the future as well.

 

Brian Gruber [00:37:48] Just let me know. That would be exciting.

 

Brian Gruber [00:37:48] Thanks so much.

 

Kristen Davenport [00:37:53] Wow, that was really great to catch up with Brian Gruber, and hear to some back the story of his partnership, his company's partnership with ERS over the years. And now I know we have got some great things working with them right now. They're one of our main sponsors of the Gala. And also, we've got two to wonderful projects going on, one in Louisville and our middle market going on in Perrysburg, Ohio.

 

Bryan Reynolds [00:38:21] Yeah, it Bryan is such a nice guy and he really lives ERS's values. I think that's what makes our partnerships so special. And we're just very grateful to have him around. And he just goes that extra mile for our residents and understands that we're working in their home so.

 

Bryan Reynolds [00:38:40] Well, with that being said, Chris, and that's it for this episode of the Linkage podcast by Episcopal Retirement Services.

 

Bryan Reynolds [00:38:48] For more information about us, you can visit our Web site at a fiscal retirement dot com. We have lots of great content, including our linkage on long online blog resources to learn more about aging and the services we offer. You can follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube to see what's going on with any ERS in our communities. You have any questions or feedback? We'd love to hear from you. Please email us at info at ERSlife.org. This podcast is produced by Kristin Davenport and Bryan Reynolds. Feoshia Davis is our associate producer and our technical director is Michelle Hoehn. I'd like to thank our guests today, including Suzanne Padgett and Brian Gruber and of course, Laura Lamb, for giving us her weekly update on behalf of myself, Bryan Reynolds and Kristin Davenport.

 

Kristen Davenport [00:39:36] Thank you so much for joining us. We look forward to our podcast next week. Thanks so much, Kristin. We'll talk to you soon, Bryan. Thanks.