Resident's Lifestyle

THE LIFESTYLE OF A WESTHILLS VILLAGE COUPLE

Home is where the heart is, and to Chuck and Audrey Gerlach Westhills Village is their home. They made Westhills Village their home when they retired in their seventies.

Chuck and Audrey both keep busy at Westhills Village and outside of the Village in the Black Hills community. To start their days they both take in the exercise class that is provided in the Multi-Purpose Room each weekday morning or take a walk on the sidewalk trail that circles the 19-acre retirement community.

Chuck visits the Carpenter Shop in the Village regularly and Audrey partakes in the arts and crafts that are regularly scheduled. They are always the first to attend bingo, and the monthly socials and birthday parties at the Village, as they enjoy socializing with all of their friends.

They both volunteer their services at the Village; For example, Chuck delivers packages to residents, Audrey volunteers to help out with sales and special events at the village, and they both have worked at the Village Pantry Store many times. Chuck has also served several years on the facility's Resident Council. The Spring Style Show at the Village always includes Chuck and Audrey modeling clothes provided by the local retail stores.

Audrey also volunteers and works in the gift shop at the local hospital, which is located only a short distance from Westhills Village, and serves on the Hospital Auxiliary. They both are very active in their community church and serve on either the Church Board or Circle. They serve on several other committees in the Rapid City community, including Shriners and Eastern Star.

Chuck and Audrey take advantage of the Black Hills scenery, too, as they enjoy golfing, ice and lake fishing, and camping with nearby family and friends. They don’t hesitate to travel to Wyoming and Colorado to visit their grandchildren and take trips south in the winter months in their motor home.

The Gerlachs still find time to make special visits to their older neighbors at the Village, cook and entertain for friends who visit them, read several books monthly from the Village library, and take up gardening at the Village’s garden plots in the spring and summer.