Apartment Managers, Residents Putting Community First (NAPSA)}—According to research by Yankelovich, Americansare looking for a more connected lifestyle— they want to be part of something bigger than themselves. Many apartment dwellers are accomplishing this by seeking the comfort of their neighbors, gathering in once-empty clubhouses for organized social activities, ranging from wine tastings to doggie birthday parties, and promoting goodwill within their communities by volunteering time, effort and talent to raise money for worthwhile causes. In order to further build a sense of community and enhance the quality of life for residents, a number of apartment managers are approaching their work with a new perspective. For example, Chris Stacy, manager of Brookside apartments in Tustin, California, believes it is her job to do more than rent apartments. In addition to her daily duties of marketing apartments and tracking maintenance requests, she has a giant calendar filled with activities for the 1,200 people who call Brookside home. These activities range from arts andcraft sessions for parents and children to back-to-school events and ice cream socials. For Stacy and the hundreds of managers at AIMCO apartment communities across the country, it’s about responding to the needs of residents who want to feel like they are connected to each other and their communities. At several properties in Maryland, community bonding is an opportunity to help those neighbors who need a hand. Employees across the region band together every year at their summerpicnic ) b al VZE : |ES ‘ wi XN ie Hi} XY OM sf \\ Residents and managers are working to turn their apartment buildings into communities. to raise funds for the company’s Share and Care Program. Over the past nine years they have distributed items such as coats, toys and food gift certificates to more than 1,000 families in need. At Elm Creek Apartments in Chicago, residents donated furniture and clothing for a communitywide yard sale which raised $500 for the victims of September 11. In addition to planning commu- nity activities, many apartment managers, like Jan Winters at Elm Creek Apartments, are doing special things for residents, to remind them that they are an integral part of a caring community, such as tying birthday balloons to a resident’s door or sending them anniversary cards. “Apartment residents haven’t always gotten the credit they deserveas full participants in their communities,” said Winters. “As apartment community managers we take pride, and havelots of fun, in dispelling that misperception.” To learn more, visit the Web site at www.aimco.com.
