The grand opening and ribbon cutting for The Sylvestery, Vinson Hall Retirement Community’s, new assisted living residence for people with memory impairments, will be held at 5 p.m., Monday, Dec. 2.
Residents will start moving in during the month of January 2003.
Board members from Vinson Hall and the Alzheimer’s Association will attend with family members of future residents.
The ribbon will be cut at 5:30 p.m.
A reception and building dedication will be held Tuesday, Dec. 3, from 4-7 p.m. with a ceremony at 4:30 p.m. Members of the local medical and geriatrics community are invited.
The garden dedication and reception will be held from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 4.
Members of the local religious community and civic groups will attend that event.
The Sylvestery, designed to provide assisted living care of people with impaired memories, will have suites that open on continuous pathways that overlook four inner garden courtyards.
Each garden features a focal point of interest to the residents, such as statuary of children playing with a butterfly, a trickle fountain with boulders, a gardening pavilion with raised planting beds, and another garden with covered porches and outdoor furniture.
Exterior garden trellis woodwork is carried through to the interior.
The Sylvestery also will have a spa, aquarium, beamed-ceiling solarium, living room with fireplace, and the Compass Rose Cafe.
Vinson Hall originated in 1969 after the Naval Officers Wives Club of Washington proposed building a community to provide affordable housing for Navy widows to live in dignity, surrounded by friendship.
The Vinson Hall Corporation embraced the wives club’s mission and opened Arleigh Burke Pavilion for assisted living and nursing care for residents of Vinson Hall and the local community.
The Sylvestery is the third phase of development for Vinson Hall.
It is named for Mrs. Geraldine Sylvester, who made a donation to fund its construction.