We asked some of our residents to share how they feel about being called a “senior” and how Forever Dublin has influenced there experiences living on our city.
We hope you join them and get engaged through our website.
News & Events
Am I A Senior? Part 2
We asked Dublin residents if they felt like a “senior” and what that even means to them. Check out what they had to say about it all in this Dublin Life Magazine article. You will also find information about the Forever Dublin Hub and Theresa Wasserstrom, our Hub Navigator.
By the way, if the person on the cover looks familiar, you are correct. She is Roberta Kayne, who was features in one of our Encore Career posts right here!
Forever Dublin – Our Home
by Joe Fox
Like many people, my Dublin story has a couple of parts.
Part 1: My wife Susan and I and our four young children (ages 2 to 12 at the time) moved to Dublin from the Cleveland area in 1994. Looking back on the past 28 years, we are convinced we could not have picked a better place to live, work and raise our family.
We were blessed with friendly neighbors, an outstanding school system, and excellent city services. I worked at Ashland Chemical for 25 years and had a dream commute of 10 minutes. Santa Claus brought our family two tickets to the Memorial Tournament every year and we used to go in shifts so that everyone had a chance to watch the pros. We lived close to Dublin Coffman, the North Pool, Avery Park, Sports Ohio, and Perimeter Loop – everything was so convenient and so well taken care of all year round.
Part 2: The kids are all grown now and Susan and I are retired. We have made a conscious, and very easy, decision to stay in Dublin. It is quite simply — a wonderful place to live. Last November, we downsized to a patio home in the Cottages at Ballantrae. Our life has changed very little – we just come at everything from a slightly different direction!
And our new home puts us closer to one of my passions – the Miracle League of Central Ohio at Darree Fields. The Miracle League is a baseball league for more than 300 special needs children and young adults from all over the Columbus area. I have had the privilege and the pleasure of being the league director for the past 11 years.
If you have never been to a Miracle League game, I strongly encourage you to do so. It is one of the most positive, most supportive environments you will ever find – everyone cheers for everybody and it brings the entire community together. I have been very fortunate to be part of this wonderful program, and I am very thankful that the City of Dublin helped get it started 17 years ago. Staying in Dublin has given me the chance to continue to be involved with the Miracle League, and each Saturday during baseball season I look forward to the kids’ smiles and leading them in the singing of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.”
When people ask Susan and me where we are from, we do not say Columbus. We tell them we are from Dublin, Ohio. We are very proud and very thankful to call Dublin our home.
Ready to Un-retire?
If you are retired and thinking about looking at other employment and engagement options, this article has some valuable insight. George Jerjian un-retired and did research into how other retirees are dealing with the change in lifestyle and purpose.
“Retirement means different things to different people. I did a deep survey of more than 15,000 retirees over the age of 60, and asked them one question: “What is your single biggest challenge in retirement?”
Below is a small selection of responses I received under the most cited categories:
Regret:
- “I miss doing the work that I love.”
- “I don’t think retiring is for me. I want to go back to teaching.”
- “I’m not sure what to do with my time. I feel lost.”
Health:
- “Keeping my mind healthy and adding value to the world.”
- “Fear of dying in pain and discomfort.”
- “When you’re 70 with a heart condition, you don’t get that many more bites at the apple.”
Identity:
- “Fear of losing my identity created over a lifetime.”
- “People do not see you anymore.”
- “Feelings of rejection — internalized, not voiced.”
Here’s what this tells us: The biggest retirement challenge that no one talks about, in my experience, is finding purpose.”
Read the article here.
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Forever Dublin: It’s Our Home
Like many residents, Dwight and Pam Seeley relocated to Central Ohio for a professional opportunity. We asked Dwight how Dublin became their home, and why they still love living here.
How did you choose Dublin for your home?
Pam and I relocated from Virginia with our 2 elementary age children in 1998. We quickly narrowed our search to Dublin primarily because of the excellent school system. Then we discovered there was so much to Dublin: bike paths, attractive neighborhoods and a charming, growing and vibrant community.
Can you share some of the reasons you like living in Dublin?
We raised our two, now adult, children here and the school system did not disappoint. I suppose we are spoiled somewhat. The city services for homeowners are hard to beat…starting with curbside pickup of almost anything from appliances to yard waste. Our home is on a lot with many mature trees, and I use the chipper hotline several times a year. The city is clean and attractive and the pride of ownership by our neighbors throughout the city is abundantly clear. The green spaces and parks throughout make Dublin a very comfortable pastoral type of environment. That said, it’s the many Dublin residents we now call friends and extended family that make living in Dublin so nice.
Continue reading “Forever Dublin: It’s Our Home”Forever Dublin – My Home
We caught up with long-term Dublin resident Marilee Chinnici-Zuercher who has chosen Dublin as her forever home. You may remember Marilee for her service to our community as council member, mayor, advocate and energetic volunteer.
When did you move to Dublin, and why?
Moved into the school district August 1, 1978, then moved again into corporate limits of Dublin 1986. In August 1978 moved to Dublin because of the school system. It had an excellent reputation which was important to us. We also moved to Dublin because of the proximity of my husband’s job at the time (Scioto Village Girls Institution) We thought if the school called with child related issues, he would be close enough to handle the situation.
It was apparent the community had a strong planning approach which would result in property values appreciating. The community also had a reputation of engaging their residents in community meetings to voice what they were looking for/from a community.
What are some of the reasons you like living in Dublin?
In addition to the above reasons:
City sponsored events: The city invests money in sponsoring large community events (St. Patty’s Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Spooktacular , etc.) which brings people together and keeps those living here in town for major holidays.
Green Space Planning: Parks, Walking Paths , etc., are throughout the community and residential areas are required to set aside park space. This has given Dublin a wide variety of the types of parks throughout the community. Parking is available even when they are tucked away in a neighborhood so other residents can enjoy the park. Each park has different amenities depending on the land available etc.
Volunteer Program: A strong citizen engagement program that enables people of all ages and capabilities to get involved, thus they take greater ownership of the community. All events use many volunteers who are recognized by the city volunteer program.
Plus, it is just a beautiful city in appearance!
When you talk with friends, what about Dublin do you share or brag about?
Encore Career: Roberta Kayne, Photographer
After retiring from her role as a realtor, Roberta explored other opportunities to engage in the world. She had always loved taking photographs and had taken workshops to grow her skills. With the ability to travel, she could really explore the world, camera in hand.
“I have always loved having a camera and taking pictures. After recovering from breast cancer, I found that being in nature, hiking and photography were very therapeutic for me. In 1989, I signed up for my first photography workshop in Crested Butte, Colorado, led by a group of famous photographers. I was awestruck by the ability of these photographers to capture the beauty of the mountains and the wildflowers, and I wanted to achieve that level of excellence and continue pursuing my passion and therapeutic journey.”
Continue reading “Encore Career: Roberta Kayne, Photographer”Join The Conversation
by Christine Nardecchia
So many of you have told us why you choose to stay in Dublin. Some of you have raised your children here and have settled in for the long haul. Some of you have chosen to relocate here to be closer to family, or to be in an engaged community with outstanding quality of life. Whatever your reasons, we have listened and learned, and launched Forever Dublin in response to your desire to age in place here. While you’ve shared your stories with us, it’s time you shared your stories with one another.
So – welcome to our Forever Dublin blog – a way for our residents to share their reasons for choosing and remaining in Dublin. Stories are as diverse as the extraordinary people who are living here, are retired here, in second or “encore careers,” enjoying children, grandchildren, and who are thriving while enjoying the quality of life in Dublin.
We invite you to share your story. Email us. Keep up with ForeverDublin.com. Attend a class or event. Reach out to our Navigator who can assist with all topics relating to aging in place. Or just enjoy reading about your fellow residents, who we’re so glad have decided to make Dublin their forever home!
Christine Nardecchia is the Director of Outreach & Engagement for the City of Dublin, OH.
2021 Regional Assessment on Aging
