Many of us look forward to retirement simply so we have more time to enjoy our hobbies and spend time with loved ones, which is why more people are choosing to live in 55-plus communities with ample opportunities to stay active, social and productive. At The Avenues Crofton Park, residents have the opportunity to keep busy with a variety of activities, like educational workshops, weekly happy hours and social clubs. We also have several resident-run committees that not only give residents a way to pursue their passions but have an influence on how things operate around the community.
Residents at The Avenues use produce from the community garden to cook fresh meals for themselves.
This year has been particularly productive for members of our Garden Committee. Group members are out nearly every day adjusting water hoses, cleaning up overgrowth and, lately, picking different vegetables and herbs during one of our most productive harvest seasons yet. The committee is currently managed by Becky Biurschett who, before moving to the Avenues in April 2018, owned a lawn maintenance company with her husband in Phoenix.
“When I moved here, I went to a resident committee meeting and volunteered,” Becky explained. “I’m very familiar with the plants, so eventually Thomas asked me if I would manage the garden. It’s a lot of work, I go out there twice a day.”
All their hard work has paid off; the community garden is producing tomatoes, sugar snap peas, zucchini, radishes, beets, onions and carrots—just to name a few. The committee harvests several times a week, often at night, and leaves fresh produce out for other residents in the community to pick from. According to another committee member, Marita Holloway, many residents are eager to use the garden’s produce to cook fresh meals both for themselves and other community members.
“My next-door neighbor’s husband loves fried green tomatoes, so she asked us for several green tomatoes and brought fried green tomatoes for a potluck,” Marita said. “There are several people here who have requested green tomatoes to make the same dish.”
Marita credits the success of the community garden to having a core group of knowledgeable committee members, who often share advice from their own gardening experiences.
“Everyone agrees that this year has been a ‘bumper year,’ compared to when I was here my first year, this has been the best experience we’ve had so far,” she said. “It’s been better than what I had at home. I’ve learned things about fertilizing and watering better and what works, what doesn’t work—it’s been helpful.”
Although they’re connected through the Garden Committee, Becky and Marita use their free time very differently. When she isn’t in the garden, Becky enjoys exploring different attractions in the region. She often signs up for activities through the Broomfield Senior Center, which offers transportation directly from The Avenues to nearby destinations, like her most recent trip to the Cave of the Winds down in Manitou Springs. She also pitches in to coordinate events at The Avenues, like the recent Labor Day picnic.
“I like to be involved in stuff like that—I’m an organizer; I try to find outside activities, things people would like to do,” Becky said. “I get the ladies all together, to make it a community.”
For Marita, free time is family time. Since most of her children live in Colorado, it’s convenient for her to go out and visit them or invite them for an afternoon at her apartment. When she isn’t with loved ones or out running errands, she’ll occasionally pop into various exercise classes at the community.
With such a diverse selection of clubs and activities, paired with our convenient location in the heart of Broomfield, residents at The Avenues Crofton Park have the unique opportunity to spend their days however they choose. Residents enjoy their independence and the freedom to pursue their passions, while also finding new more people to connect with who share their interests.
To learn more about the exceptional lifestyle at The Avenues, or to come see our beautiful garden firsthand, please schedule a private tour online or call 720-799-0915.