The first Seventy Over 70 banquet honored its inaugural class at the Round Barn Banquet Centre in Champaign, with families and colleagues joining the celebration. ClarkLindsey and News-Gazette Media will open nominations for the next class in late fall. News-Gazette Media will also soon begin accepting nominations for its upcoming Forty Under 40 program.

ClarkLindsey is expanding its Celebrate Aging initiative from a single annual week to quarterly events throughout the year. The first is the ClarkLindsey Carnival on April 6, offering free activities, music, health checks, and more. The program promotes lifelong well‑being for adults 55+ with support from community partners.

ClarkLindsey resident and longtime pianist Jan Impey will perform at the first Seventy Over 70 banquet. At 91, she remains an active musician with deep ties to the University of Illinois and the local community. Known for her spontaneous playing style, she’ll provide live music for the sold‑out celebration at the Round Barn Banquet Centre.

News-Gazette Media announced the first Seventy Over 70 honorees, recognizing 70 older adults for lifelong learning, growth, and community impact. Sponsored by ClarkLindsey, the program includes several recipients with Piatt County ties. The group will be celebrated on April 4 at the Round Barn Banquet Centre and featured in a special News-Gazette section.

The News-Gazette announced the first Seventy Over 70 honorees, a group of 70 older adults recognized for curiosity, growth, and community impact. Supported by ClarkLindsey, the program will celebrate the recipients on April 4 at the Round Barn Banquet Centre and in a special News-Gazette feature.

At the Champaign Go Red for Women luncheon, Jennie Garth spoke about her family’s history with heart disease and the importance of women prioritizing their health. Community leaders, including ClarkLindsey’s Karen Blatzer, joined more than 200 attendees to raise awareness, share personal experiences, and encourage women to care for their well‑being.

A volunteer panel has been selected to review nominations for the first Seventy Over 70 program, supported by ClarkLindsey. Community members can submit names until January 31. Honorees will be celebrated at an April 4 event in Champaign, with tickets available in February. For details, contact News-Gazette Media’s Whitney Emmert.

ClarkLindsey held its third Indoor Snowball Fight in December, using soft fabric “snowballs” to create a safe, energetic winter activity. About 60 residents and staff joined the event, which encourages movement and connection during colder months. The playful gathering drew local media coverage and continues to be a favorite seasonal tradition.

ClarkLindsey is holding its third annual Indoor Snowball Fight, giving residents a fun, weather‑proof way to stay active using soft synthetic snowballs. The event takes place Tuesday from 2–3 p.m. in the Laing Dining Room and supports wellness, movement, and community connection. ClarkLindsey also offers skilled nursing and therapy services through Meadowbrook Health Center and Renewal Therapy Center.

ClarkLindsey is partnering with University of Illinois researchers through the CHART program to study how older adults use smart‑home devices, apps, and emerging technologies in a real apartment setting. Residents test tools like smart speakers, fall‑risk apps, and VR systems, helping improve usability and guide future innovation. The collaboration supports safer, more accessible technology designed with older adults in mind.

ClarkLindsey added new clinical simulation tools to help nurses and CNAs practice skills like IV insertion, wound care, and phlebotomy in a realistic, low‑pressure setting. Staff use lifelike models and a tablet app to reinforce techniques and maintain accuracy. The equipment supports confidence, consistency, and ongoing professional development for the care team.

ClarkLindsey held its second annual Cardboard Boat Regatta, where teams of residents and staff built boats from cardboard and tape and raced them across the pool to retrieve a rubber duck. The event emphasized creativity, teamwork, and community fun. The team S.S. Minnow finished the course fastest and won the regatta.

A community bulletin listed services and activities for older adults across Central Illinois, including wellness programs, social events, transportation support, volunteer opportunities, and meal services. ClarkLindsey was featured through its monthly Ethel & Maud’s Table luncheon, one of many resources helping older adults stay connected and engaged.

A 101‑year‑old ClarkLindsey resident remains committed to voting, a habit shaped by opportunities she received through New Deal programs in the 1930s. Despite limited energy, she plans to cast her ballot in person and continues to follow national leadership closely. Her lifelong sense of civic duty reflects the deep engagement many older adults maintain.

ClarkLindsey is expanding its long‑standing partnership with the University of Illinois to support research, student engagement, and workforce development. Through shared projects, internships, and campus outreach, the collaboration brings new ideas into aging services while helping prepare future professionals for careers in the field.

Nick Holonyak, the “father of the LED,” is honored at the University of Illinois as he turns 90. Former students—now leaders in optoelectronics—returned to celebrate his groundbreaking inventions, including the first practical LED and major advances in lasers and semiconductor technology. Though unable to attend in person, Holonyak continues to work and inspire from his home at Clark‑Lindsey Village.

A monthly dance class at the Krannert Center helps people with Parkinson’s improve balance, flexibility, and strength through guided movement and music. Instructors encourage participants to stretch beyond everyday motions to ease muscle tightness. Jim and Maxine Kaler attend regularly, finding relief and connection. The program offers supportive, accessible movement for those living with Parkinson’s.

ClarkLindsey is hosting Champaign County’s 5th Annual Celebrate Aging Week from September 22–29, offering free events for adults 55 and better. The week highlights spiritual, intellectual, physical, and social well‑being, reflecting research showing lifestyle plays a major role in how we age. Supported by local sponsors, the program provides accessible activities across the community to promote active, engaged aging.

Jim Gaffigan jokes about his love for simple, traditional beer and his frustration with overly creative craft brews. He pokes fun at modern flavors, elaborate labels, and questions about “hoppiness,” arguing that many new beers don’t taste like beer at all. His humorous take highlights how beer culture has shifted as craft brewing has exploded across the country.

ClarkLindsey wrapped up Spirit Week with a playful fundraiser supporting the Alzheimer’s Association. Staff and residents held a Penny War to choose which employees—including CEO Deb Reardanz—would become “human sundaes.” The celebration ended with an ice cream social, with the community wearing purple to honor those affected by Alzheimer’s and promote the local Walk to End Alzheimer’s, where ClarkLindsey is the Premier Sponsor.