Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Beth graduated from Smith College as a music major. After traveling throughout the U.S., Europe and Middle East, she returned to her native city to pursue careers in broadcasting and politics.

Beth worked on President Eisenhower’s campaign and was a staff member of the Senate. She also held a position in public relations for D.C.’s classical music station, but eventually moved in 1963 to become the Director of Public Relations at the Philadelphia Orchestra.

In her new hometown, Beth met the “man of her dreams,” Henry, the president of an investment banking company. The couple had a son in addition to the three children he brought to their marriage. Aside from traveling in their free time, the Glendinnings ran a summer program in economics for high school students.

Although Henry passed away in 1988, Beth continued to stay active with the Philadelphia Orchestra and joined the Boards of the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, Curtis Institute of Music and Astral Artists.

Despite her involvement with these organizations over the years, Beth eventually knew it was time to make the transition from her home to a community that could not only provide a dynamic atmosphere, but offer a sense of security for her future. Where that community would be, however, was never a question for her.

“I always wanted to come to Cathedral Village because of the diversity of its population,” said Beth. “It’s near Philadelphia and I had friends here.”

Along with the location and vibrancy, it was also the community’s reputation of serving its residents since 1979 that appealed to Beth, so she made the move in 2004.

“I heard the staff was great, but I had no idea how great it was until I got here,” she said. “It’s very well run.”

It is no surprise that since her move to Cathedral Village Beth has not only managed to stay active with her outside organizations, but has become highly involved with those in the community. As co-chair of the Art Studio Committee, she is responsible for choosing teachers for painting programs, but it is her duties as co-chair of the Concert Committee that has let her utilize her roots in music.

“We bring in the most incredible people and present up to 14 concerts a year for the residents,” she said. “Because I’ve been floating around the music world so long in Philadelphia, it’s been easy for me to find the amazing talent.”

Beth credits the staff at Cathedral Village for financially supporting the concert committee and allowing her the opportunity to hire these classically trained artists. The monthly concerts held in the community’s auditorium, Cathedral Hall, are popular among all residents as volunteers bring individuals from the nursing facility to enjoy the experience.

“This is the thing I’m most proud of in the past four years. These are blessed years for me and that is my great joy,” she said.

With a town that is full of talented and diverse musicians, there is no question that her tasks for the Concert Series keep Beth busy, yet she manages to take advantage of the many other opportunities available on campus to stay active. Services that include housekeeping, dining and transportation allow individuals the freedom and luxury to engage in as many or as few activities as they desire, whether it is relaxing on movie nights to reading plays with the drama group.

Cathedral Village offers a range of college courses from Economics to Films and often features guest speakers. Residents can also explore their creative abilities utilizing the craft room, or take advantage of the community’s physical fitness equipment.

“We have a really great pool that I swim in every day,” said Beth. “It’s really beautiful to swim and see the snow falling outside.”

While she appreciates these wonderful amenities and the fact that Cathedral Village is pet-friendly, Beth had also come to the community knowing she would have access to a range of healthcare. This has been especially important lately as she is preparing to have knee replacement surgery and return to Cathedral Village for her therapy.

“You don’t have to go to some rehabilitation place,” said Beth. “You come back home and stay in the nursing facility, but you can come into your apartment and still check in with everyone.”

Now, Beth and her fellow residents also have the peace of mind knowing they can receive assisted living care in the comforts of their apartments.

“We can stay where we’ve all been living and don’t have to pack up our treasures and move, which is a major plus,” she said.

Along with Skilled Nursing and Assisted Living care, Cathedral Village’s supportive services also extends to Alzheimer’s care. The community’s Outpatient Department for independent living residents is managed full-time by an experienced Registered Nurse with a Physician on duty 24 hours a day. A variety of specialists from dentists to audiologists are also brought in for residents at least once a week.

As she looks back on the past five years being surrounded by lively individuals and a supportive staff, Beth could not be happier. Although it had been quite clear as to where she wanted to spend her future, it may be safe to say that Cathedral Village, with its organizations, amenities and care was ‘music to her ears,’ and still continues to be with each passing day.

Since October 2008, these individuals frequently meet to knit garments for people in need around the world. They are especially involved in ‘Save the Children — Warm up America,’ an organization for which they have shipped 125 baby caps and are well on their way to the next 50. With these caps that are donated from across the U.S., the organization has saved over four million babies.

The 11 knitters and nine “passive knitters,” who donate leftover yarns, have also donated 150 hats, mittens and scarves to a charity that helps children of abuse victims in Gaithersburg and Rockville. And it does not stop there with their list of future projects including working on liners for soldiers’ helmets.

According to Cynthia Farringer, the group consists of individuals who come from various locations and backgrounds. There are schoolteachers as well as an accountant, librarian and dancer, among many other careers. The former homelands of the group range from Germany, Italy and England to within the U.S. from Wisconsin to Montana and Maine.

Though their histories are quite unique, they now share a common bond while enjoying one another’s company and an overall sense of camaraderie at The Gardens of Traville, an independent living community, which many of them learned about from their children or on the Internet.

Ms. Farringer said that before coming together, they would simply have nodded greetings and pass the time travelling through their building. But, “Suddenly, as we sat and knitted, we talked and laughed, forgetting our aches and pains and finding the calming and therapeutic values in helping others,” Ms. Farringer says. “Now after 10 months, we are quite close, more like ‘family!’”

With hundreds of donated garments and counting, this group has not only achieved a great deal in their volunteer efforts, but most importantly, they have achieved friendships that have enabled them to make such an impact in the U.S. and different parts of the world.

Long before this move, however, the Resslers’ story begins when they met at a dance, which, according to Mrs. Ressler, has often led to the debate of who saw who first. Though no matter whom it was, the couple is happy to say they have celebrated 48 years of marriage. During this time, Mr. Ressler had worked for Amoco American Oil Company while Mrs. Ressler was a homemaker and bookkeeper who worked part time at the Catonsville Community College bookstore for several years.

It was Aug. 28, 2008 that the Resslers received the call for which they had been waiting. An apartment matching their request had become available. Though the couple sold their home in a matter of three weeks, they knew the actual moving process would not be so easy.

Mrs. Ressler said she and her husband knew they did not want to tackle this move on their own and at the time were given a list of vendors by the Charlestown sales staff. Instead of getting overwhelmed and bogged down with the details, they contacted Charna Kinneberg, owner of the company Senior Transitions, Inc. which provides move coordination services.

As a result, they had downsized, disposed of unnecessary items, had everything packed up, and were moved into their new place by October 10, less than two months after initially learning the apartment was available.

“We didn’t have to go through a book to try to find people to take away trash, donate things to, or even move our things since Charna and her staff took care of everything,” says Mrs. Ressler. “Everyone was wonderful including the other vendors they recommended. They showed up on time and if they were going to be late at all, they called. There was no waiting around wondering.”

Mr. Ressler adds that on the actual moving day, the vendors were taking care of unpacking all of the items and followed the couple’s wishes placing everything accordingly. “We walked into the bedroom and there they were making our bed – it was just like a hotel where everything we needed was in place and ready for us!” he says.

In other moves they made over the years, according to Mrs. Ressler, they had still had to contend with the packing supplies after everything was done. That was certainly not the case this time, however, thanks to their moving coordinator. The trash was removed with boxes taken away, thus the Resslers were free to quickly start their lives at Charlestown.

The Resslers’ story is certainly not uncommon; however, theirs teaches others of the available resources that can be utilized when taking on this difficult task. Charna says the move coordinators take one of the major barriers of moving away. “We often hear ‘I don’t want to be a burden to my children,’ or ‘I don’t have time to help my parents,’” she says.

With a qualified, experienced move coordinator, these and other issues associated with a move are handled. According to Charna, the ultimate goal is to remove that stress from the experience, though the source differs from client to client. One may just need someone to help them figure out what will fit into the new unit while another client may want help disposing of things they do not need. Someone else will just want help packing or unpacking as others want to go on vacation and come back after the move is done.

No matter the scenario, this move manager is there to help. “We’ve done it all,” she says.

Senior Transitions, Inc., however, is not limited to coordinating local moves. Charna is President Elect and one of the founding members of the National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM), an organization of move managers located throughout the U.S. and Canada. The industry has grown significantly in the past six years from the initial 16 member companies in 2002 to now over 500 companies.

“When a client is moving to or from another location, we can easily find a member company to help on the other end,” says Charna. “Because of my longstanding involvement with the organization, I often personally know the other company.”

Also as a result of her commitment to the association, some of the communities she regularly works with even call her rather than just selecting from the NASMM web site.

Meanwhile, with what turned out to be a very stress-free move behind them, the Resslers have enjoyed life in their new home. As Resident Ambassadors at Charlestown, they talk to prospective residents, showing them the community and discussing the advantages of living at Charlestown. Mrs. Ressler is also in the process of starting a new dining companions program at the community with her friend.

Of course, they often discuss their experience with Senior Transitions, Inc. and would recommend seeking the assistance of a move manager to anyone in a similar situation.

“There is no way we could have made the move without them,” says Mrs. Ressler. “It’s the single biggest reason most people give for not making the move. With Charna and her staff’s help, that issue is gone.”