Purposeful Stuff: Getting creative to create community

We do this because we know that we can achieve more together, in partnership with our residents, than we can on our own.

In this time of COVID, when we need connection, our team has continued to provide unique opportunities for neighbors to engage. This includes honoring traditions in new physically distant ways, delivering community governance and operations virtually, and getting creative about new programs and events.

This installment of Purposeful Stuff highlights a few milestones – new as well as different events that are likely to be keepers in the years ahead.

One:

Each year, the Verrado community honors its high school graduates with a parade down Main Street. This year, with walking and large crowds out of the question, the team got creative. And more inclusive, celebrating grads of all ages.

Hundreds of Verrado High School seniors showed up in decorated cars, driving our pre-planned parade route single-file through the community streets lined with neighbors and friends cheering them on. Check out the video. Incoming freshman had their own driving parade; incoming middle school students had congratulatory lawn signs on the Village Green; and kindergarten grads shared iphone videos declaring what they want to be when they grow up (one kiddo wants to be a unicorn).

We think we have a new and better graduation tradition.

Two:

In late June, Inspiration-Colorado neighbors and friends rocked and walked their way through our community. Our Rock ‘n’ Walk had driveway gatherings, food truck and local brew stops, and of course rockin’ music stages spread out throughout the community for all ages to enjoy. Music, beer, and family fun – let’s do it again next year.

Three:

In show business, they say: the show must go on. In community governance, we say: the board meetings must go on. And go on we did. In mid-March when gatherings of all sizes came to a halt, our community operations teams pivoted to hosting virtual board meetings. We navigated a few technical challenges and have decided this may be an opportunity that’s worth continuing, allowing all community stakeholders to participate and honoring our commitment to transparency of community governance.

Four:

When community events and activities moved online, Eastmark turned to its resident experts. Therese, a classically trained chef who owned her own bakery and taught pastry and cooking classes for about 10 years, now offers virtual cooking classes just for Eastmark foodies. These live sessions provide step-by-step instructions for dishes and desserts like asada empanadas and lemon ricotta cookies. Eastmark also launched an online bingo series. Hosts have included City and community leaders including the Mayor of Mesa and members of City Council and Eastmark Leadership.

Five:

Victory at Verrado sits tucked into the White Tank Mountains. The views are spectacular, and the sunsets are breathtaking. Our residents are known for kicking back on the daily with a cocktail in hand to enjoy nature’s theater. Some cultures call it a sundowner. We call it life in Victory. A Sunset Photo Contest seemed like the perfect fit for Victory, to acknowledge this ritual. Resident photo submissions did not disappoint.

Six:

This Labor weekend, Delta Coves residents will enjoy a weekend full of fun, casual, and physically distant activities. On Saturday neighbors will pick up complimentary catered meals – our first Off the Hook Fish Fry – to share as a family at shaded tables spaced around the beautiful Island Camp. Then on Monday, residents, guests, and the Bethel Island community are invited to our Lagoon Concert. A first for this community – and frankly our team – concert goers can anchor their boats in the lagoon or pull up a comfortable chair on their personal docks to enjoy live music from our Island Camp stage where Yachty By Nature will perform what else, yacht rock classics.

Our team receives and shares a lot of good and purposeful stuff.  Through a series we call “Purposeful Stuff,” we are curating these goodies to share more broadly.