New book gives residents a voice

Anne Calvert could see the idea taking shape in her head.

She remembers sitting around the dinner table at The Glenridge on Palmer Ranch, listening to her friends share childhood memories, college adventures and world travels. If a story caught her attention, she would point a finger at them and say, “That’s a voice.”

Calvert’s finger pointing meant something — she wanted to be able to hold all of the voices in her hands.
After one year in the making, she and 51 Glenridge residents published their first 196-page book, “Voices of the Glenridge: Reflections on Lives Well Lived,” and were honored in a book-launch party Sept. 15, which also celebrated The Glenridge’s fifth anniversary.

The party was a happy one — a spunky crowd of people who became giddy when copies of the book were placed into their hands. Everyone raced around the room in a frenzy to ask for autographs. Each author received a special ribbon badge and a copy of the book, both of which made such an impact that some authors continued wearing their badges the following day.

“There are so many interesting lives and fabulous people here that add to the generation we are,” Calvert said. “The idea was to leave our mark here.”

Calvert stalked the floors of The Glenridge for nearly one year and obtained 75 essays written by 52 residents, each of whom could submit up to two essays, which were edited by Rennie Carter, event coordinator. The published stories are 350-word snapshots of a moment in their lives.

“When I see a member, I think of their story,” Carter said. “One of our members told the story of a member in our memory unit. She interviewed her and got this story out of her and wrote it down. Then, she went back and read the story to her, and the woman said, ‘I remember that.’”

The book is on sale for $8 at The Glenridge Kiltie Café.