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“We had children and grandchildren here so we decided to move back to the area,” said Bill Abt. They did their homework and looked at other communities, but chose The Woodlands. “What really sold us was that we were able to rent our home. We did not have to buy it,” Bill said. “I don’t have to worry about anything here, and St. Barnabas does a terrific job of maintaining the property. And I don’t have to shovel snow!”

Cover Story - May 2007

Retirement Resort in Your Own Hometown | Teen Takes Two Titles at Kean Idol

The Retirement Resort in Your Own Hometown

By Janice Lane Palko

Area residents’ roots run very deep. In fact, according to data released by the U.S. Census bureau, Pennsylvania leads all states in the share of homeowners who have lived on their property for more than 30 years. An even more telling figure of how attached residents are to the area is that 78 percent of our inhabitants were born here. And many people are choosing to make the area their place of retirement.

It’s no wonder that local retirees are staying put when Warren Bland, award-winning geographer and author of Retire in Style – 60 Outstanding Places Across the USA and Canada, rated the Pittsburgh area in the top 10 places to spend the retirement years. Bland does extensive research and evaluates a location on the 12 criteria most important to retirees including quality of life, cost of living, health-care and crime.

The trend to retire to the area is not only common among natives, but other retirees from outside the region are choosing to settle here as well. In fact, the RAND Corporation states that 3,605 elderly people moved from other states to Pittsburgh from 1995 to 2000.

There has also been evidence of a “boomerang” phenomenon taking place in the last few years as many people who have moved elsewhere when they initially retired are migrating back to the vicinity in their later years of retirement.

One of the reasons more and more retirees are staying here, returning to the area, or moving in is the outstanding facilities offered in the area—and the crown jewel of them all is the retirement communities offered by the St. Barnabas Health System.

Mary Lou and Bill Abt are a “boomerang” couple. After a 14-year sojourn in Hilton Head, South Carolina, Mary Lou and Bill, who formerly lived in Allison Park, returned to the area in 2001, moving into St. Barnabas Communities’ The Woodlands neighborhood. The Woodlands, located in Valencia off Three Degree Road, offers beautiful, modern carriage homes in three different floor layouts and sizes and is perfect for the younger retiree. Each single-story home has a cathedral ceiling, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a fireplace, a sunroom and a patio or deck. The Woodlands offers maintenance-free living and all the amenities and services provided by the St. Barnabas Health System.

Many choose The Woodlands because no up-front money is required because they are leasing the property.

“Another thing we liked is that you can move about in the St. Barnabas system if your situation changes,” Mary Lou said. “Should I need more extensive care, it’s available here at St. Barnabas.”

The Abts’ enthusiasm for the Woodlands seems to be infectious. Two years ago, Mary Lou’s sister and brother-in-law, Jackie and Wink Laird, moved into the Woodlands from Bradford Woods as did her brother, Walter Schick and his wife Nancy.

Unlike the Abts, the Lairds moved directly from their North Hills home to The Woodlands. “We had both taken care of elderly parents,” Jackie said, “and I would do it all again, but I thought I’m not going to do this to my kids. I wanted this to be our choice, not our kids.”

Jackie and Wink decided to downsize. “We looked at a lot of places, but the Woodlands offered everything we wanted, and I knew Mary Lou and Bill were happy here.”

The Woodlands accepts residents as young as 55, and Jackie advises others to make the move when they are still in their prime of life. “It was much easier cleaning out my house in my 60s than in my 80s, and beside, why wait to move to The Woodlands? I wanted to time to enjoy living here.”

Jackie also noted the peace of mind that being in the St. Barnabas Health System offers. “If I need an operation, I can come home to one of the St. Barnabas facilities and recuperate instead of moving into another off-site facility. My friends and family would still be close by.”

Both the Abts and the Lairds noted the social activities that enhance living at the Woodlands. “We have a lodge, swimming pool and pavilion and St. Barnabas is always organizing activities and special events,” Jackie said.

If you’re more of a homebody, that’s fine too. “Everything here is flexible. It’s up to the individual to how much they want to socialize,” Bill Abt said.

In fact, for first-class entertainment, residents at the Gibsonia campus don’t have to leave home at all. In addition to offering the finest care, St. Barnabas is home to the Kean Theatre, which is located on the Gibsonia campus at The Washington Place. Unless you’re the Phantom and lurking about in a theatre, one can’t live any closer to the footlights than living at St. Barnabas with the Kean Theatre nearby. It’s like having Broadway in your backyard.

The intimate, lavishly decorated, 350-seat theatre is host to some of the area’s best entertainment. On May 12, Vegas! A Celebration will be playing. Wee Jams on June 12 and Superstars on June 30 fill out the entertainment bill. July features the ever-popular Johnny Angel & the Halos on July 14 and Abbey Road Beatles Tribute on July 28. Pittsburgh’s own The Vogues take the stage on August 11. The Kean Theatre also plays host to its annual Fashion Show and the Kean Idol talent contest.

Also, on Tuesdays at 2 p.m. and on Wednesdays at 1 p.m., the Kean Theatre plays first-run movies. All events at the Kean Theatre are open to the public to support the St. Barnabas Free Care Fund.

Mary Lou perhaps summed up the best reasons for moving to The Woodlands. “St. Barnabas is wonderful. We’re happy and relaxed.”

To find out more about St. Barnabas Health System, the Woodlands or the Kean Theatre, please visit the Website at: www.stbarnabashealthsystem.comor call: 724-443-0700 Ext. 587.

Teen Takes Two Titles at Kean Idol

Madison Georgi, a 14-year old from Hampton Township, achieved something no one else has ever accomplished before. She captured both the favor of the judges and the audience, winning two titles—the Audience Choice Vocal Award and the Greg Maggio Judges Choice Vocal Award—at the 2007 Kean Idol Vocal and Dance Contest at the Kean Theatre on Friday, March 30.

A ninth grader at Hampton High School, Georgi performed “Take My Hand” a song she composed as a fund-raiser for autism research. “It was so exciting and to win both awards was amazing,” Georgi said. “I tried to tell a story with my voice.”

The grand prize included six hours of studio time from Audible Images Recording Studio, a portrait session with professional photographer Rick Armstrong and a trophy.

The dance duo of Taylor Enos and Lizzie Pontiere won the Audience Choice Dance Award on Saturday, March 10, at the 2007 Kean Idol Vocal and Dance Contest at the Kean Theatre. The duo performed a tap routine to "Cool Jerk" to win the top honors. Enos, 10, is a student at Poff Elementary school and thoroughly enjoyed the competition. “It was so much fun, and I was really surprised to see my photo hanging in my school’s office,” Enos said.

Pontiere, who is also 10 and attends Marshall Elementary, said she received a lot of support from her friends. “So many kids at school told me they saw me on television,” Pontiere said.

Winning the Greg Maggio Judge's Choice Dance Award was Karly Schwab of Harmony. She performed a lyrical routine to "Crippled Bird."

The grand prize for the dance competition included a portrait session with professional photographer Ray Thompson, a 13" television, a gift certificate to "All That Jazz" dance wear, a gift certificate to Salon Vivace and a trophy.

The Kean Idol grossed $32,146 for the St. Barnabas Free Care Fund. Northern Connection magazine is a proud sponsor of The Kean Idol.