John and Trish Evenwel came to Willow Valley Communities in 2010 from Connecticut. However, they did not move in completely until 2014. During the four years between, they slowly moved in and used their beautiful one-bedroom apartment as a sort of hotel room as they explored Lancaster and elsewhere.
Trish is a retired art and science teacher and John is a retired respiratory therapist and instructor at Yale New Haven Hospital. They have found that once they retired, they had much more time to pursue their number one passion: seeing the Rolling Stones. “We were just too busy with our home and careers before that,” they agreed.
So far, John and Trish have seen 39 Rolling Stones concerts worldwide. They are both quick to add that if they include the number of times they have traveled to see concerts performed by the Rolling Stones’ backup musicians, the number is closer to 100. They also enjoy traveling to Boston to see art shows put on by Rolling Stones’ lead guitarist, Ronnie Wood, and visiting rhythm guitarist Keith Richards’ restaurant in Connecticut.
Now that the Evenwels are living at Willow Valley Communities full time, they say their passion for Rolling Stones concerts is even easier to pursue. The geographic location of Lancaster makes it easy for them to travel to see concerts in Philadelphia, New York, and Boston, whether they drive or take the train. Their one-bedroom residence at North Garden Apartments is filled with Rolling Stones memories of their many rock and roll adventures.
The Evenwels say they can lock their front door and know their home will be secure while they are traveling. The maintenance-free living style of Willow Valley Communities means they don’t have to worry about home repairs or any home emergencies. What’s more, the many close friends the Evenwels have at Willow Valley Communities are happy to take care of their Classic Maine Coon cat, Kapi, when they are away. That close network of friends, also rock and roll fans, often go out together locally to dine, enjoy live music, and dance. “Willow Valley Communities is close to where the action is!” said John.
The Evenwels also note that the Lifecare contract they have as residents of Willow Valley Communities gives them peace of mind knowing their future is secure. Any supportive care they may need is already budgeted. Lifecare promises that monthly service fees will not increase because of a need for an increased level of care later in life. John chuckled, “I can now just plan to spend my money on concerts!” The couple does not have children and Trish explained, “Even if we did have children, we would want to be kind to them and not burden them with caring for us.”
The Evenwels love their carefree rock and roll life at Willow Valley Communities. They say they plan to continue to follow the Rolling Stones—as long as the Rolling Stones keep touring. With Lifecare and the maintenance-free lifestyle at Willow Valley Communities, John says, “My biggest worry now is just getting that front row ticket.”
