5 Questions With Brooksby Village's Cheryl Whitter

March 4, 2020

Whittier Celebrating 20 Years at Brooksby Village 

Peabody, MA – Cheryl Whittier has lived in Peabody for most of her life and is about to celebrate her 20th anniversary at Brooksby Village, a senior living community developed and managed by Erickson Living, in Peabody, MA.  Whittier shares some of her favorite memories of working at the Peabody Retirement Community.

1.    You have worked at Brooksby Village for 20 years!  My first day at Brooksby Village was on March 21, 2000.    I was the first manager hired at the community and we worked out of trailers as the buildings were under construction. I have held multiple positions over the course of my career here including positions in General Services and Resident Life.  Currently, I am a community resources coordinator and one of nine employees who have been here since the beginning.

2.    How long have you lived in Peabody?   I moved to Peabody when I was five and attended the West Memorial Elementary School, John F. Kennedy Junior High, and Peabody High School. I married my high school sweetheart and we have two grown children and two grandchildren.  I have seen many neighbors from Peabody move to Brooksby Village over the years and thrive.

3.    Talk about the many jobs you have had at Brooksby Village?    My first role was as the customer service manager.  In that position I oversaw the front desk and the general services office. I was then promoted to facilities manager, adding transportation to my scope of responsibility. Then I moved over to the resident life department, working as the philanthropy manager before assuming the role of community resources coordinator.  Now I work with two other community resources coordinators to plan all on-campus activities and help facilitate the community's more than 100 resident-led clubs and activities.  

4.    With your strong Peabody background, you now take residents on tours of the city, what does that entail?  Four years ago I partnered with the community's trips coordinator to offer a one-time tour of Peabody.  I know the area so we thought it would be fun to offer a tour of Peabody for residents who might have moved to Brooksby Village from out-of-state and might not be familiar with the city.  The first tour filled up and had a waiting list, so we planned a second one. The response continued to be overwhelming, drawing not only residents who'd moved from out of state, but Massachusetts residents eager to learn more about Peabody's history.  It is now one of the most popular offerings on the trips calendar. I point out local landmarks like George Peabody's birthplace, the Peabody Leatherworkers Museum, and the Felton-Smith Historic Site.  I love doing the tour and residents love hearing about the history of the city.

5.    What do you love best about working at Brooksby Village?  I love making residents smile through the many activities and social opportunities they attend here but they also make me smile every day.  I have also made some wonderful friendships here the past 20 years.  It's all of these relationships that make us a strong community. 

About Brooksby Village: Brooksby Village is one of 20 continuing care retirement communities developed and managed by Erickson Living® and is situated on a scenic 90-acre campus in Peabody, Massachusetts.  The not-for-profit community, located in Essex County, is home to 1,700 residents and is governed by its own board of directors, affiliated with National Senior Campuses, who provide independent financial and operational oversight of the community. Additional information about Brooksby Village can be found at BrooksbyVillage.com.

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