Celebrating 75 Years with Campus Events
This fall, ThriveMore communities across North Carolina will come together to celebrate 75 years of serving older adults with compassion, purpose and dedication.
The celebration series begins today at Ardenwoods, followed by events at Taylor House on September 18, Taylor Glen on October 2 and Brookridge on October 9. Each community will host a special lunchtime gathering featuring food, live music, commemorative gifts and opportunities to recognize the team members who make ThriveMore's mission possible every day.
While each event will have its own local flavor, all four celebrations share a common purpose: honoring a legacy built over 75 years and celebrating the people who continue to shape ThriveMore today.
"Anniversaries are an opportunity to reflect on where we've been, celebrate where we are and look ahead to where we're going," said Reed VanderSlik, ThriveMore President and CEO. "Most importantly, this celebration is about the people who have shaped ThriveMore over the past 75 years and those who continue to make our mission possible every day."
A Legacy of Care
ThriveMore's story began almost 80 years ago, when Baptists in North Carolina began exploring ways to better care for older adults across the state. That vision led to the founding of Baptist Homes for the Aging in 1951, the organization that would eventually become ThriveMore.
Over the decades, the organization evolved from Baptist Homes for the Aging to Baptist Retirement Homes and, in 2021, adopted the ThriveMore name. While names, campuses and services have changed throughout the years, the mission has remained the same: helping older adults live with dignity, purpose and a sense of belonging.
Since opening its first community, ThriveMore has continued to grow in response to the changing needs of older adults and their families. Additional communities, programs and services have been added over the years, all grounded in the organization's commitment to compassionate care and meaningful living.
ThriveMore Today
Today, ThriveMore is a faith-based nonprofit organization serving older adults through four senior living communities, an aging-in-place membership program, philanthropic initiatives and future expansion projects across North Carolina.
The organization includes Ardenwoods in Arden, Brookridge in Winston-Salem, Taylor Glen in Concord, Taylor House in Albemarle and ThriveMore at Home in the Triangle. ThriveMore is also developing Brice Pointe, a future retirement community in New Bern.
Together, these communities and programs serve approximately 750 older adults and members and are supported by roughly 500 team members who bring ThriveMore's mission to life every day.
Honoring the People Who Make the Mission Possible
As ThriveMore celebrates its 75th anniversary throughout 2026, the organization has spent the year reflecting on its history, sharing stories from its past and highlighting the people who have built its legacy of care.
Those people remain at the heart of the anniversary celebrations.
At each community event, residents and team members will gather for a meal, enjoy live music, receive commemorative gifts and celebrate the relationships that make ThriveMore more than just a collection of communities. Team members will also be recognized for their service and entered into special giveaway drawings as a small token of appreciation for the care and dedication they provide every day.
For Ardenwoods Executive Director Sarah Marr, the anniversary is an opportunity to celebrate both the organization's history and its future.
"We're excited to celebrate this milestone with our entire community," said Marr. "ThriveMore's rich history speaks to the kind of organization they are: one fully committed to serving older adults with compassion and dedication. This event is a great opportunity to celebrate the history of the organization we're proud to be part of, while looking ahead to a bright future for the next 75 years."