Riderwood Celebrates its Silver Anniversary!

The Residents of Riderwood are enjoying their time as Riderwood celebrates 50 years!

            Silver Spring, MD - Riderwood, an Erickson Senior Living community in Silver Spring, Md., celebrated its silver anniversary with a variety of fun events and activities.

"It was our goal to plan activities that recognize our past and look ahead to the future," says Resident Life Director Fiona Divecha.

Celebrations began on May 1 with a communitywide champagne dinner, followed by a recognition of Riderwood's "pioneer" residents and staff members, who have been with the community all 25 years. Later, Riderwood hosted an anniversary-themed summer carnival, complete with a live band, games, bounce houses, face painting, and snacks.

"All of the events were successful, thanks to the hard work and dedication of our planning committee. Everyone was committed to creating special experiences for the entire community," says Divecha.

Savoring the memories

Becky Hedin, a member of the planning committee, moved to Riderwood 21 years ago with her husband Alan. Only 62 years old at the time, she is grateful for the worry-free lifestyle that has allowed them to make the most of their retirement years.

"The biggest piece of advice I have to share is to come early. Do not wait to start this wonderful part of your life," she says. "Moving to Riderwood has offered us so many exciting opportunities. We've been involved in so much more than we would have, had we stayed in our house."

Becky recently started a Riderwood history and archives group, which played a large role in the community's anniversary celebration.

Meet Our Residents

"Our intent is to collect the history of different clubs and activities around campus," she says. "As we began thinking about ways to honor our 25th anniversary as a community, we started interviewing lots of residents, many of them Riderwood pioneers, for a series called Meet our Residents."

The group asked the residents about everything from their careers to the hobbies they're enjoying now. "The result is a nice balance of stories about remarkable professional achievements as well as the many little things that people did, or do, that bring them a lot of satisfaction," notes Becky.

As the anniversary approached, the history and archives group, in partnership with the Riderwood Civility group, also encouraged residents to share memories about day-to-day living at Riderwood through a series of "Do you remember?" questions.

"It's been such a fun project. We asked residents to share some of the special moments or events they remember over the years," says Becky.

"The responses were wonderful and insightful. One resident shared her memory of celebrating Juneteenth and the Pride parade. Another remembers when the beautiful windows were erected in the chapel. All of these things, when combined together, are capturing our shared history."

With so many meaningful memories and accomplishments to look back on, Riderwood is very well-positioned for the future.

‘It's the people who stand out'

"When you reflect on the past 25 years, it's the people who stand out the most. Each resident and staff member, in their own unique way, has helped shape Riderwood into the vibrant, thriving community it is today," says Executive Director Dee Dee Gray-Weaver.

"Twenty-five years is just the beginning," adds Divecha.

"Growth is an important part of life at Riderwood. As times change, so do the needs, wants, and lifestyles of our residents. We are growing with them," she says.

This spring, Riderwood unveiled the community's new outdoor activity complex, which also houses the relocated putting green and driving range.

This new addition follows on the heels of the six new pickleball courts added in 2023 and the meditation garden added in 2024.

A special life

For Becky, it's the people who live at Riderwood that make life so special. "It doesn't matter if you've lived here for years or if you're new to Riderwood. Everyone is so friendly and welcoming. It's exciting to meet new people and benefit from their new ideas and enthusiasm. I believe it is what makes our community so special," she says.

Looking forward to Riderwood's future milestones, Becky is excited to continue leading the history and archives group, which is currently working on honoring residents who have served as chair of the Resident Advisory Council.

"Just as Riderwood continues to grow, our group will continue to collect and document the memories and things that make life at Riderwood so special," she says.