When Champ McDowell donated 56 acres of land for the development of a Continuing Care Retirement Community in 1962, his vision was to create a positive living environment for local seniors. A railroad man who pulled himself up to eventually become president of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company, McDowell had a passion for helping seniors that was born from his mother, Cornelia Nixon Davis. She was a chief proponent of the movement to provide better health care options for seniors.
 
Plantation Village was built on what was originally the McDowell family’s planation property. Since its dedication in 1988, the community has worked to continue the tradition of excellence established by its founders. Guided by a commitment to provide exceptional health care and a rich quality of life, the community has continuously expanded the depth and range of services it provides.
 
This is partially due to the fact that Plantation Village was established as a nonprofit organization. Everything goes back into the community, and this has exerted a range of implications. Aside from contributing to its financial stability, the community’s status as a nonprofit has resulted in a comprehensive expansion project, which includes a new apartment home building, an auditorium that can accommodate 350 residents, and a new fitness center with an indoor saltwater pool and state-of-the-art equipment.
 
Located on a beautiful campus, all of which is accessible to the residents, Plantation Village has consistently built on the legacy of service excellence that inspired its founders 27 years ago. This has involved a focus on meeting the expectations of new and prospective residents, all while ensuring that existing residents benefit from the additional amenities that are being provided.
 
To serve the current and future needs of its residents, Plantation Village offers a wide array of community programs. Recognizing there are eight dimensions of wellness, the Leisure Services programs were designed to fit a range of tastes and preferences, from woodworking and gardening classes to art and sculpture lessons in the art studio, yoga and tai chi in the fitness center, cooking classes and study groups in the library, and even discounted greens fees at local golf courses.
 
With all of the residents understanding that Plantation Village was founded as a nonprofit, and knowing that the profits go back into funding continued operations and improvements, a sense of community and shared purpose has prevailed. This is a sharp contrast to the transient nature of rental senior communities and the newer retirement communities that have yet to build a long-standing reputation in the Wilmington area, or a long history of success in serving the senior population.
 
Considering that our residents receive priority access to Champions Assisted Living and the Davis Health Care Center, two of the highest-rated health care facilities in the area, it’s never a surprise when I hear someone tell me that they want to become a part of the Plantation Village community. To find out how Plantation Village can provide you or your loved one with a positive living environment, call (910) 319-1416, or visit www.PlantationVillageRC.com.

Lisa Polanski is the director of marketing at Plantation Village. Plantation Village is a nonprofit continuing care retirement community that offers independent living on a 56-acre campus in Porters Neck, just minutes from downtown Wilmington and area beaches. Residents enjoy first-class services in a wide variety of home styles, from one- and two-bedroom apartments to cottage homes and two-bedroom villas. Plantation Village is managed by Life Care Services™, the nation’s third-largest elder care management company. For more information, visit plantationvillagerc.com.