On Sept. 3 and 4, Jack Young and Carolyn Rodis, board members of Shepherdstown Area Independent Living, SAIL , traveled to Charleston, to represent SAIL at the West Virginia Housing Conference as invited guests and presenters. SAIL teamed with Karen Glazier from the Kanawa Valley Village People to present information about the nationwide Village Movement and about the two West Virginia Villages now in place. The topic was entitled “The Village Concept in West Virginia-a Cooperative Approach to Aging in Place.” The mission of these non-profit organizations is to provide social activities, education, and services to allow seniors to remain in their own homes as long as possible.

A highlight of the conference was the keynote address by Henry Cisneros former, HUD director in the Clinton Administration, who currently works with urban homebuilders to create homes priced within the range of average families.

Phil Schenk, the Director of the WV Partnership for Elder Living, extended the invitation to SAIL and secured a $5000 grant through WVPEL to cover expenses. Also included in the grant is funding to send four SAIL representatives to the annual National Village to Village Conference being held in Washington, D.C.

SAIL, which opened its doors in January of 2012, is being recognized as a model for other villages in the state. In addition SAIL has received inquiries from several start-up villages in neighboring states and from as far away as New Mexico and Washington State. According to President Vicky Thomas, SAIL has become well-known at Village headquarters for doing what we were told was impossible– sustaining a village with a small population base outside a metropolitan area.