Ruth Frost Parker Center for Abundant Aging: An Inspiring Start

 

The family of Ruth Frost Parker with Joan Lunden and Rev. Kenneth Daniel

Nearly 200 people joined United Church Homes in remembering and celebrating the visionary spirit of Ruth Frost Parker, whose philanthropy helped to create the senior living residence of Parkvue Community, by attending a Symposium in Columbus, Ohio, last November. This inaugural, annual Symposium introduced the newly created Ruth Frost Parker Center for Abundant Aging, an initiative started by UCH as a lasting tribute to Mrs. Parker.

Joan Lunden’s keynote address on the changing landscape of aging prompted those in attendance to reimagine the impact they can have on others, made possible by the additional 25-30 years of life that modern medicine and healthier lifestyles have given us.

First award for the Ruth Frost Parker Center for Abundant Aging

The day also featured the premiere of a video chronicling the life and impact of Mrs. Parker, whose philanthropic interests also supported a wide range of entities in the Sandusky, Ohio, and Erie County community. In addition to her role in establishing Parkvue Community, Mrs. Parker quietly served Erie County residents in various capacities involving issues such as alcohol addiction, education, volunteerism, historic preservation, and community beautification.

The Symposium’s agenda also included the presentation of the Ruth Frost Parker Center for Abundant Aging lifetime achievement award to Joan Lunden. The family of Ruth Frost Parker — as represented by her three children and their spouses: Jim and Julia Parker, John and Val Parker, and Allison Van Hartdsveldt — supported this event by attending the Symposium and by serving as founding funders of the Center.

The 2017 Symposium will be held October 20 and will feature Dr. Laura Carstensen, founding director of the Stanford (University) Center on Longevity, as the keynote speaker.

For more on Ruth Frost Parker Center for Abundant Aging, Mrs. Parker, or this year’s Symposium, visit unitedchurchhomes.org/rfpcaa.

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