This summer, Holly Creek Life Plan Community in Centennial held its first Community Life Showcase, highlighting the dynamic residents and committees that keep the community buzzing with activity and engagement. The event attracted more than 125 attendees, consisting of priority waitlist members, residents, and family members who explored more than 45 resident-led booths representing interests across the community. Christian Living Communities (CLC) Chief Operating Officer Jayne Keller explained that the fair exemplifies how the community operates. “People look at our titles and say, ‘Oh, you’re in charge,’” Keller said. “And my response back is always, ‘No, we’re not.’ It’s all the residents that are here.”
Community Life Showcase is Extension of CLC’s Citizenship Model
The Community Life Showcase is an extension of CLC’s Citizenship Model of Community Living, an age-positive approach to senior living that replaces traditional decline-focused care with active contribution, shared responsibility, and mutual respect. It redefines everyone in the community—residents, staff, families, and partners—as equal citizens who shape their environment rather than just receiving services.
The model rejects old-age stereotypes by focusing on the unique talents, skills, and life experiences each person still offers. It encourages elders to co-create community culture, guide activities, and provide input on daily operations instead of being passive consumers, fostering a deep personal sense of influence, meaning, autonomy, belonging, and overall well-being. CLC Board Member and Holly Creek resident Bill Piche noted that the program tasks all residents and staff with responsibility for their care and their surrounding community. “We practice respect, and dignity in aging is important,” Piche said. “Those are values that CLC believes in and promotes, and that makes all the difference.”
Residents Help Create the Community They Want to Live In
This shared ownership eliminates rigid hierarchies between staff and residents to build a collaborative, purpose-driven environment. “This isn’t a bunch of staff members standing around telling people what Holly Creek is. It’s the people that live here,” said CLC President and CEO Jill Vitale Aussem. “We co-create the community that we want.” That formal leadership takes shape through groups like the Holly Creek Resident Association, which serves as an advisory sounding board for the executive director. Through its eight subcommittees, the association provides input on what residents feel they need help with, ensuring communication flows in both directions.
Residents also take direct responsibility for funding community enhancements. The Volunteer Advisory Committee, which is authorized to raise money, generates funds through Molly’s Mercantile—a resident-run shop open six days a week—and monthly Savvy Seconds resale events. All the money stays within the community. The committee funds resident wish-list items like patio covers or piano tuning, supports music and theater programs, and sponsors floor parties to build neighborhood cohesion. They also fund large celebrations for residents turning 100 and hold monthly appreciation drawings that award $100 gift certificates to hourly employees. As one committee member explained, “These employees are part of our family here. They meet and exceed all our expectations, and we really want them to feel appreciated.”
That stewardship extends to the physical campus. The Building, Grounds, and Safety Committee maintains gardens and landscape, while Uli Kappus promotes plantings that attract hummingbirds and pollinators. In the Woodshop, residents repair neighbors’ items and make cutting boards and picture frames.
Residents Build a Vibrant, Engaging Community
Beyond governance and campus care, residents drive a vibrant culture of connection and lifelong learning. The Conversations That Matter program has grown from four groups to ten groups of seven people each. Rather than following a preset agenda, each group chooses its own topics—ranging from current affairs to travel and personal experiences—in a confidential, safe space where members must agree on the subject matter and keep all conversations confidential.
The Book Club, which includes retired librarians among its members, gathers regularly to discuss titles sourced through the Arapahoe Library District. For those looking to learn a new language, the Spanish Club offers a low-pressure Friday class that accommodates multiple skill levels. A quick note, the Spanish Club has plenty of room for new participants, so sign up at the concierge desk!
When residents want to explore beyond the campus, the Excursions Committee works with staff months in advance to research and plan monthly outings to symphonies, plays, and baseball games. On a more localized level, the Cottages Social Committee organizes neighborhood gatherings, recently drawing up to 50 people for a Cinco de Mayo celebration.
The Arts Are Alive at Holly Creek
The arts at Holly Creek are similarly resident driven. The Writers Circle meets monthly to share stories, utilizing prompts and guidelines to help members develop their work, which is then submitted for publication in a quarterly printed journal. The Poetry Explorers group gathers to read and discuss classic works by poets like Robert Frost and Richard Wilbur, while also offering a space for residents to share and receive feedback on their own poetry. The Music Committee provides another avenue for creative expression. Resident Peggy Neville recalled that she began singing again at age 82 after a 50-year hiatus, and she continued taking piano lessons after moving to Holly Creek. Using her past experience organizing performances, she helped establish a concert series for the community.
Holly Creek is a Real Community with Real Friendships
The fair gave prospective residents a clear view of life at Holly Creek. Public relations consultant Chuck Montera described it as more than a place with great service and amenities. “Holly Creek is a real community where residents and staff find friendship, look out for and care about each other,” Montera shared.
Resident Anne Ryan’s reason for choosing Holly Creek distilled the fair’s message: “For the people at Holly Creek, citizenship is not just a slogan; it is residents sharing their skills, voices, and care to shape the community together. It is fulfilled through neighbors caring, sharing, learning new things, and offering a welcoming invitation to join the fun.”
