Because of your donation, the new space will serve older adults well into the future.
Before
Prior to the new construction, The Friendship Center was housed in a tiny building and hidden away in the middle of The Village of Hillside campus.
You Made This Possible! HOW YOUR GIFT TRANSFORMED THE VILLAGE OF HILLSIDE
Thanks to you, something truly special has happened at The Village of Hillside in Harbor Springs. Because of your generosity, older adults now have a safe, welcoming place to call home and a vibrant community center to enjoy life to the fullest.
Before we look at what your donation created, let’s take a moment to remember why this project mattered so much.
It All Started with a Problem We Couldn’t Ignore
More than ten years ago, PVM began to see a troubling pattern. Some long-time residents of The Village of Hillside, people who loved their homes, were being forced to leave. Not because they couldn’t afford to stay, but because their apartments simply weren’t built for older adults with mobility challenges. These apartments, built in the 1980s, had no elevators. Laundry rooms were down steep flights of stairs. Carrying groceries or baskets of laundry became exhausting and dangerous with the fear of falling always a risk.
To make matters worse, there were no affordable housing alternatives in Harbor Springs. Residents had to choose between leaving the only community they’d ever known or staying in a home that no longer worked for them.
A Small but Mighty Community Center, Buried and Overcrowded
The Village also had something wonderful: the Harbor Springs Friendship Center. It’s like a mini senior center—warm, welcoming, and full of heart. But at just 600 square feet and hidden in the middle of The Village of Hillside campus, it couldn’t serve everyone who needed it. The staff and residents had so many ideas for programs, events, and support for older adults throughout Harbor Springs—but simply no room to make them happen.
That’s When You Stepped In
To fix all of this, we needed more than a plan…we needed You!
Through a partnership with the Harbor Springs non profit Friendship Center and generous community members like you, PVM raised $2 million. This helped PVM secure the remaining funds to bring this renovation project to life, creating safe, vibrant, and up-to-date facilities. Thank you for your donation!
Your support didn’t just build a structure, it built a secure future for older adults in Harbor Springs.
Here’s what you made possible:
• A brand-new residential building—the old building was torn down and the new building was designed with input from residents, families, and the community.
• No more stairs—elevators were installed which made bringing home groceries, and everyday items safer and easier.
• Each apartment now includes a washer and dryer
• Comfort and safety—older adults can now age in place, right in the community they love.
• Completely reimagined The Friendship Center— it is is now three times the size and moved to the front of the campus on Traverse Street in downtown Harbor Springs, where non residents and residents can access it with ease.
• More programs, more joy—from fitness classes to creating art—there’s space for it all at The Friendship Center. More people use it now than ever before.
Activities galore! Triple the size of The Friendship Center provides activities year around. From St. Patrick’s Day parties to wellness classes.
One
resident put it beautifully:
Sandy B., Board Chair of The Friendship Center and resident at The Village of Hillside, is enjoying life in her beautiful apartment with her cat, Joy.
“It was such a struggle with the stairs. I was getting to the point where I had to move. Thank goodness I didn’t. I love my new apartment.”
You Did This! Come See It!
It’s easy to see a building and forget the stories inside. Because of you, people are living safer, fuller, happier lives. You made it possible for them to stay in the community they love—with dignity and connection.
So, from all of us at PVM, The Friendship Center, and every person who calls this building home, Thank you! Your kindness created something that will last for generations.
Thank you for believing in older adults. And thank you for being the reason this dream became a reality. If your travels take you to Harbor Springs this summer, stop by and see your donation at work!
YOUR DONATION IN ACTION RENT ONLY GOES SO FAR YOUR SUPPORT BRINGS THE TRUE MAGIC TO PVM VILLAGES
Rent payments cover the essentials, such as keeping the lights on, maintaining elevators, repairing windows, and making sure PVM buildings are safe and comfortable. But rent can only do so much
The real magic that makes life at PVM Villages truly special comes from your generous donations. Thanks to you, PVM residents, especially those in the affordable housing villages, enjoy much more than just a roof over their heads.
Your support funds once-in-a-lifetime field trips, uplifting choir concerts, inspiring art classes, heartfelt Bible services, and joyful celebrations filled with delicious food and laughter. These experiences bring purpose, connection, and happiness to PVM residents’ lives
Your donation fights a serious challenge many older adults face: loneliness. Social isolation has been shown to affect health as severely as smoking 15 cigarettes a day (that is amazing!). Because of your kindness, PVM residents have reasons to get out of their rooms, socialize, and build meaningful relationships — improving their health and well-being.
Your generosity saves lives. It provides opportunities for residents to come out of their rooms to learn new skills in art and music classes, share meaningful moments during community meals, and explore the world through group outings and cultural events. PVM simply couldn’t offer these life-changing experiences without your kind donation.
From all of us at PVM — and especially from the residents whose lives you enrich — thank you for being the heart and soul of PVM Villages.
Your donation buys the food and provides a big screen TV to cheer on the Tigers.
Exercise classes happen because of your donation.
Your gift provides computer labs at PVM Villages.
LIVING A LIFE OF PURPOSE THAT LEAVES A LEGACY
With August being national “Make a Will” month, it is the perfect time to talk about living a life with purpose and choosing our legacy.
Meet Megan C. Sellers. She serves as Board Chair at The Village of Oakland Woods and member of the Board of Presbyterian Villages of Michigan Foundation. She also serves as a Deputy County Executive for Oakland County and special projects adviser in County Executive Coulter’s administration.
This year, Megan also joined the PVM Legacy Society Megan’s mother was an avid writer, using words as a therapeutic outlet to navigate life’s challenges and to celebrate its joys. Megan writes too, carrying forward that tradition as a meaningful way to honor her mother’s legacy, living with faith, purpose and intentionality.
“When you write your own story, you decide how it turns out. That’s how I see our legacies; we are empowered to write that story”
– Megan C. Sellers
“I am committed to ensuring my mother’s legacy, my legacy and those who come after me is securely set. As I continue to write each chapter of my life and to honor my mother, I chose to include PVM.”
“My mom desired to live independently again at The Village of Oakland Woods. Unfortunately, she transitioned before she had that opportunity. So, I will continue to keep my mother’s legacy alive by making giving a part of my legacy – my will.”
“Taking ownership of your story is a powerful gift to yourself and to your loved ones. It brings clarity for you and relieves your family of difficult decisions during an emotional time.”
Megan’s story is a great reminder that it’s never too early or too late to write your legacy
Join Megan in the PVM Legacy Society today! To learn more about how you can create your legacy, contact Sandy Sommer, Director of Donor Engagement at 248-722-2101 or ssommer@pvm.org.
PAUL J. MILLER, CFRE, PRESIDENT, PVM FOUNDATION
If you know me, you know I’m all about sports, especially football. So, for years, the number 80 meant NFL legends: Jerry Rice, Steve Largent, Kellen Winslow. But today? The number 80 means something far more meaningful.
PVM is turning 80 this year!
Since joining PVM in 2006, I’ve seen the heart, hustle, and hope that go into making this organization what it is. But let’s be clear—reaching 80 years doesn’t just happen.
It started in 1945 with a generous man named Clarence D. Sterling, who made the very first donation to help build The Village of Redford. He never imagined that PVM would grow from one location to 30 Villages across Michigan. But here we are— thanks to thoughtful people like him, and you!
Donors. Volunteers. Partners. Friends. This milestone of 80 years belongs to all of us! The number 80 can mean so many things. 80 is not about football players anymore. It represents caring people bonded together to create a wonderful mission called PVM. Thank you for 80 years of service to older adults. PVM is so grateful for you!
So let’s celebrate!
Join me at the PVM Gala
Friday, October 24th 6:00 PM
The Henry Hotel, Dearborn
The theme is Country Nights!! So grab your boots and cowboy hat and come celebrate. We’ll raise a glass to 80 years of serving older adults— and to the next 80+ to come.
With gratitude and excitement,
Paul J. Miller,
CFRE President,
PVM Foundation
