John Nieburg, known for his award-winning woodcarving creations, created three endowments at Givens Estates. Some proceeds from his gift will support the Givens woodworking and woodcarving programs. An avid carpenter, John shares his passion for woodcarving with other residents and can be counted on to tell a good story while whittling character marks in basswood. …
Ralph and Doris Loomis created the Doris Edwards Autrey Divelbiss Fund in 1996, inspired by the kindness and compassion Doris’ grandmother received during her stay in the Givens Estates Health Center. Following in the footsteps of her grandmother’s civic leadership, Doris Loomis has been an active member of Givens since 1981 and gracefully and diligently …
Gene Parks came of age during the Great Depression with parents who purchased a Texas citrus farm to “keep the wolf from the door.” Gene often talked of watching his father help others, including delivering a truckload of citrus to the Methodist home for unwed mothers in San Antonio each Christmas. This generosity was conspicuous …
Though Givens Communities owns and operates two successful Life Plan Communities, we recognized the great, but often overlooked, need for housing, support, and services for low- and middle-income seniors in the Asheville area. This recognition evolved into action and launched plans to create Givens Gerber Park. In 2016, the Duke Endowment awarded Givens Communities with …
Givens’ first residents, Naomi and Sallie Kale, were twins who moved to Givens in May, 1979. The Kale sisters had worked in the mills of Gastonia, NC, all their lives. They dutifully cared for their parents and grandparents and worked through vacations to earn enough to tithe to their church. Despite years of hard work, …
“My nursing career has spanned 4 fulfilling decades but now being the Givens LifeMinistries community nurse for our affordable communities is the capstone. The residents have allowed me to become a part of their “family”. I am honored to have their trust and to be able to help them through various rough patches in their …
One in three American adults has pre-diabetes, which surpasses 88 million people. Without taking action, many people with pre-diabetes can develop type 2 diabetes within five years. The good news is that you can prevent getting type 2 by learning new lifestyle behaviors to lower the risk of developing this disease. The Centers for Disease …
Not long after moving to Givens Estates, Will and Carlotta Jordan developed an appreciation for the community’s history. After reading Bob Terrell’s book on the history of Givens, A Dream…A Hope…A Reality, the couple realized that it would be easy to take the community for granted without knowing the significant sacrifices and commitment invested over …
An interview with Barbara Turner, Givens Estates resident since June 2018 Barbara Turner, a Givens Estates resident since June 2018, enjoys an active life with fascinating stories, perspectives, and an impressive resume, including teaching high school and working as a neuroscientist and medical educator. She is also a trained chaplain in the Jewish faith. Her …