Island Elderly Housing (IEH) has provided affordable rental housing on Martha’s Vineyard since 1977. Currently, IEH has more than 165 Vineyard residents. Over 95 percent of IEH residents have family on the Island. Living at IEH allows them to enjoy living on-Island while remaining an integral part of the lives of their family, friends, and the Island community.
On May 1, from 1 to 3 pm, IEH will celebrate the 30th anniversary of Woodside Village Building 1 — the first (and largest) building erected in that location. The celebration is to honor those who have helped, and continue to help, make IEH what it is today. Invitees include board members, community partners, residents, and staff.
“We’re very excited about the celebration,” Dorothy Young, executive director of IEH, said. “It gives us an opportunity to celebrate with our residents and board members, and to visit with our community partners, who we don’t get to see socially.”
The list of IEH community partners includes Elder Services of Cape Cod and the Islands, Vineyard Nursing Association, Island Grown Initiative, Healthy Aging M.V., Misty Meadows Equine Learning Center, and Martha’s Vineyard Museum.
Though all the details for the celebration are still being nailed down, Young, who has worked at IEH for 31 years, has a few ideas up her sleeve. “Aside from food and drinks, we hope to have music, and that Tony the Pony will come over and visit,” Young said.
IEH board member and Island musician Jemima James is looking forward to joining in on the celebration as well. “I was asked to be on the IEH board about three or four years ago, and it was a great privilege,” she said. James isn’t just a board member, however; she has a personal connection to IEH. “The father of my kids moved into IEH about five or six years before he passed. It meant so much to our family, who had really struggled with the Island shuffle. When he finally got in, after he had a stroke, it made a huge difference to us, knowing that he was safe and protected and that we could visit him.”
IEH employees are not only looking forward to the gathering, but also celebrating working in such a supportive and inclusive environment. Property manager Marianne Sebastian has been an IEH employee for a little over three years. “I socialize with the residents, help with paperwork, and try to resolve any problems they have,” she said. “One of the things I love most about my job is when I’m able to offer an apartment to someone who has been on the waiting list.” Currently IEH has a four-year waiting list. “It brings a lot of joy to them — and to me — when they get in. This is such an amazing place.”
Mary Gosselin, IEH service coordinator, has been with the IEH for two years. “My job is to assist with placing our residents. I draw in our networking partners to help with this. Some of our clients are very independent, and some need more assistance,” Gosselin said. “My time here has absolutely flown by, which is really a testament to how well this team runs.”
The 30th anniversary party might not have come to fruition at all if it weren’t for longtime IEH resident Suzanne Walker, who seems to have taken the role of IEH social director. “The celebration is happening in part because Suzanne reminds us all the time how many years Woodside Building 1 has been around,” Young laughed. “She’ll say, ‘It’s the 20th year, or it’s the 25th year since Woodside was built.’ Suzanne reminds us of our milestones, and since she has been here from the beginning, it was important to us to give her a proper way to celebrate that.”
“I let them know every year. I love it here. This is the best place in the world,” Walker said. “I’ve been here since the night before they opened. The parking lot wasn’t even done; there was dirt piled up everywhere. I remember all of it. Everyone in the whole building became family.”
Ninety-seven-year old resident Connie Sanborn has been a resident of IEH since 2007. “I love living here,” Sanborn said. “Everyone is so positive, and Dorothy’s been wonderful.” To show her appreciation over the years, Sanborn created ways to give back to IEH: “I started a cheerful hour. No one could come in the room and talk about anything negative.” Sanborn also put signs up around the campus letting people know what day it was. “I’d stick notes up that said Monday, or Tuesday, etc., and one day a resident came out and saw me hanging a sign on a pole and he said, ‘Oh, you’re the one doing this. Thank you. It’s helped me so much.’ I have nothing but positive things to say about living here.”
And resident Annie Smith, who moved into Woodside in 2001, sang the praises of IEH as well. “Everyone is wonderful here. They even gave me a party when I got my green card in 2004. They wake us, bathe us, and we love each other. I’ve made a lot of friends here,” she said.
IEH clearly has a special place in the heart of the Island community. “There are two preschools that routinely come through here for a walk and interact with the residents,” Gosselin said. “We’ve had tea parties at the community garden; there is an exchange of cards at the holidays; and kids from the Boys and Girls Club come over to do art. The intergenerational activities help on both sides. Kids talk about their grandparents, the residents have a chance to tell stories about their life at that age.”
“People from the M.V. Museum visit and share some of the Island’s history with our residents,” Young said. “We’ve had talks with the fire chief, and guest chefs have come to cook dinner. We have a big garden out back that was made possible by a grant from Martha’s Vineyard Community Services. A board member came over and worked on the garden during COVID. And Jemima came with a few other musicians during COVID and they wandered around singing at the residents’ windows. I still love coming here every day, even after 31 years.”
“People step in and run with it,” Gosselin added. “The man who drives the bus came up with the idea to take the residents to the Gatchell house to see the Christmas lights. Logistically he figured out how to get the residents from here to there, making sure to include people with walkers and wheelchairs. VTA even brought our residents to the Tabernacle for a IEH fundraising concert.”
Of course the heart and soul of IEH are the residents. “There are pictures of everyone who has lived here hanging up near the stairs,” Walker said. “Every single person who has passed away has a plaque. A few years ago, I had a medical crisis and had to go to a nursing home off-Island for eight months. It was the scariest time of my life. I kept saying to the staff there, ‘There’s no place like home, there’s no place like home.’ I sounded like Dorothy from ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ but I didn’t care. I was worried I’d lose my apartment, but Dorothy made sure I didn’t. I was so happy when I came back. This is my home.”
