In this issue, meet your future neighbor, Nhieu Tran. Speaking of introductions, meet our newest Outlook team members, Tony Santillan and Wendy Thomas, in Kristen’s Korner. Should you sell your home now or wait until fall? Find out in Brenda Thompson’s great article. What if you’ve sold your home, but your new apartment won’t be ready until fall? Learn all about temporary housing options. June was a busy month filled with exciting social events for our new cottage residents—read about them here! And for our soon-to-be-new apartment home residents, get the latest construction updates as well as learn about exciting VIP events—past and upcoming!
Meet Your Future Neighbor
Nhieu Tran
Nhieu Tran was born and raised in My Tho, Vietnam. She came to the United States as part of the mass evacuation that occurred in her country after the fall of Saigon in 1975. At the time she left, Nhieu was eight months pregnant. On top of this, she and her former husband, Phat, had four other children ages ten and under: Chinh, Chuong (Nate), Uyen (Winnie), and Thuy (Eve). Nate was living with Nhieu’s mother in My Tho and did not make the trip with them.
The rest of Nhieu’s family had a very arduous journey from My Tho to the U.S. “It was so bad at that time that I cannot remember the whole thing, but it was hard,” says Nhieu. Phat was an officer in the Vietnamese Navy, and the first leg of their trip was on a Vietnamese Navy ship. They were then transferred to a cargo ship along with many others. Because of the pregnancy, she moved slowly, and the family ended up in the least desirable part of the ship: the bottom. She remembers it being terrible and very depressing. The boat took them to Guam, where she and her family waited in a refugee camp for a flight to the United States. A couple of weeks later, they boarded a plane destined for Indiantown Gap in Pennsylvania (an Army base).
Their youngest child was born in Indiantown Gap. They named him Quincy, as a tribute to the Quin family who had sponsored them to come to the United States. Not long after Quincy was born, the Tran family moved to Newport, Rhode Island. The Trans stayed there for a year but found it to be too cold, and they moved to Pennsylvania to be close to some friends there. Their next stop was Houston after Nhieu’s husband found work there with IBM. They stayed in Houston for about ten years. During this time, the Trans were finally able to cut through the necessary red tape to get their son Nate to join the rest of the family. While in Houston, Nhieu’s kids grew up and eventually began shipping off to college: four of them to UT Austin and one to Berkeley in California.
Times were often difficult for the Trans. It was hard to make ends meet with five children. Job options were inconsistent, physically taxing, and held little opportunity for advancement for Nhieu, but she worked hard at everything, learned from everyone, and had a positive attitude throughout the hard times. She did food prep in restaurants, worked as a clerk in a convenience store, had a job at Texas Instruments, worked with people in refugee camps both as a translator and an English teacher, and more. “I did a lot of work!” exclaims Nhieu.
Nhieu visited her kids in Austin a fair amount when they were in college and came to really enjoy it. She moved there and trained to be a nail technician, though she admits that this was not her strong suit. “I realized I wasn’t that skillful at this job,” she laughs. She read in the news that 3M was hiring and eventually found work there via a temp agency. She initially worked on an assembly line but eventually was promoted to run machines. Nhieu worked for 3M for about eleven years before taking early retirement.
For fun, Nhieu enjoyed road trips around the country with her family. She liked to visit friends in other states and experience the different seasons and landscapes around the U.S. She especially enjoyed fall and its colorful trees in Pennsylvania. International travels were also a joy. Nhieu loved the beautiful scenic views in China, but her favorite place was Japan because of how clean it was and their focus on hospitality. Other favorite pastimes of Nhieu’s include watching Asian dramas and reading, though poor eyesight has made reading more difficult lately. She still enjoys audiobooks, “in Vietnamese,” she adds!
After Nhieu retired, she moved to Dallas to be closer to her two daughters who live here. She admires these hardworking daughters and is happy to be near them and their children. Nhieu has eight grandchildren (there were nine but, sadly, one passed away). Five of the grandkids live in the Dallas area, and the other three are in California with sons Chinh and Nate. Her son Quincy currently resides in Thailand but travels all over.
When Nhieu began to tire of the work entailed in living on one’s own, her daughter Winnie found The Outlook at Windhaven for her. (“She’s my favorite,” laughs Nhieu.) She is looking forward to “just relaxing” at The Outlook. Nhieu has attended some of The Outlook get-togethers and has enjoyed meeting other future residents. “The people seem so nice,” she says.
From the Executive Director
Kristen’s Korner
I’m thrilled to introduce you to Tony Santillan, our new Maintenance Director. With over 10 years of comprehensive experience in facilities maintenance management, Tony will coordinate overall business operations of maintenance, landscaping, security, and housekeeping. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Management from Baptist University of the Americas.
Tony is a father of three children, aged 10, 12, and 13, and a beautiful Husky. In his spare time, he enjoys playing guitar, impromptu family music sessions, playing old video games, and reading (of note, Tony’s all-time favorite book series is The Lord of the Rings.)
Maintenance Director
Assisted Living Advisor
Meet Wendy Thomas
I’d also like to introduce you to Wendy Thomas. As the Assisted Living Advisor, Wendy will be working with potential residents and their families to guide them toward the best experience of living in our Assisted Living and Memory Support neighborhood. Educating them on the care services, amenities, activities, dining and so much more that we will have to offer to make every Moment Matter!
Wendy is now taking reservations for Assisted Living and Memory Support. As a VIP, you have priority access in this area. Let us know if you’re interested by contacting Wendy at wthomas@nullforefrontliving.org.
Should You List to Sell Now or Wait Until Fall? Weighing Your Options
by Brenda Thompson
CEO / Managing Broker / Owner of HomeSmart Stars
This month, we’re addressing a question many of you have been asking: Should you list your home for sale now or wait until the fall when the new construction at The Outlook at Windhaven is complete? Each option has its benefits and challenges, and I’m here to help you navigate this decision carefully. Click here to read the full article.
Move-In Planning with Dear Rachel
Dear Rachel,
We sold our home and are looking for temporary housing options because our apartment won’t be ready until the fall. What are some of the options? I worry about moving twice, and that being very complicated.
Signed,
Home Seller
Dear Home Seller,
First, congratulations on selling your home! I understand that the thought of finding temporary housing and moving twice can be overwhelming. However, I’ve compiled a list of resources and options to help you navigate this transition smoothly. Many VIPs have successfully utilized these resources.
Navigating the period between selling your home and moving into your new apartment doesn’t have to be stressful. With resources and my support, we can find temporary housing that meets your needs and makes this transitional phase easy to handle.
During our in-home visits, I provided you with the Moving Guide, which included a section on temporary housing accommodations. Since then, I’ve updated the list with more options, ensuring you have the latest and most comprehensive information. Click to view the updated information.
Temporary Housing Options:
- Express Move-In at The Outlook: We hope you will first consider an express move-in at the community. Whether that’s a temporary stay in a cottage home that is available now, or a residence on the south side of our main building, we have options for you. Please call or email to discuss what an express move-in would look like for you specifically.
- Corporate Housing: We have partnered with WellRive, a trusted service that assists with local temporary housing needs. This partnership ensures that you have access to comfortable and convenient accommodations during the interim period, plus a full line of services including packing, moving, storage, unpacking and setup and more.
- Other Options: There are many other furnished options as well, including an extended stay hotel, Airbnb, VRBO, etc.
It’s important to remember that temporary housing doesn’t have to be daunting. Several of your future neighbors have used this option to bridge the gap between selling their home and moving into The Outlook, effectively eliminating the stress of timing a sale and moving perfectly.
If you have any other questions, or would like to discuss these options, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly at RMcGowan@nullForefrontLiving.org. I’m here to assist with any needs you might have and ensure that your transition is as smooth as possible.
Sincerely,
Rachel
Social Events for Cottage Residents
June was a busy month! We are in full swing with our Community Life events and Wellness classes. Time flies when you are having fun.
We visited Presbyterian Village North to hear a presentation by Dr. Charlotte Decoster with the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum.
We gathered for a delicious family-style Italian dinner, and afterward we headed across the street for dessert and to cheer on the Mavericks at a watch party hosted by The Outlook residents Glen and Lois.
Discovering hidden gems at the farmers market is our kind of summer treasure hunt. The Outlook residents enjoyed exploring the Dallas Farmers Market this month! Fresh fruits, vibrant colors, and happy faces. Summer farmers markets are pure bliss!
The Outlook at Windhaven’s Wellness program is growing with the addition of a Restorative Yoga class in June, designed specifically to fit our residents’ needs. The class focuses on rejuvenating and relaxing both body and mind. Residents are guided through gentle poses promoting relaxation, flexibility, and balance.
Questions?
Do you have questions about the Resident Handbook, or a topic covered in it? If so, our Resident Services email will be the hub of Q&A. Please submit your question to TheOutlookatYourService@nullForefrontLiving.org and someone will get back to you with the 411.
Construction Corner
See the great construction progress we are making. Take a look at our most recent timelapse video as of June 2024:
In the next six weeks, The Outlook at Windhaven construction progress will include:
- Nearing completion of the following spaces: Mail Room, Bistro and Wine Bar
- Nearing completion of Lobby and Office Corridor portions of the Commons building
- Beginning work on stage area of Great room of the Commons building
- Continuing finishes in Fitness and Pool areas
- Flooring of Assisted Living/Memory Support (AL/MS) and Independent Living (IL) residences
- Paint walls on third floor of AL/MS
- Nearing completion of landscaping and hardscaping of Community Courtyard, located between Commons and AL/MC buildings
- Continue landscaping and hardscaping around Commons building and IL Pool Courtyard
DO NOT ENTER!
While the cottages at The Outlook are now open, the rest of the community is still under construction, and that’s why our crew has requested you stay out of their active work site. We take your safety seriously, which is why we have live security onsite as well as 24/7 surveillance. We’re all eagerly anticipating the official opening of The Outlook, and the last thing we want is harm to you or damage to your car.
Welcome to Inside The Outlook, an educational and lifestyle series created especially for you—our VIPs. Below is a list of upcoming events as well as some photos of recent events—either way, we don’t want you to miss a single thing going on at The Outlook!
Save-The-Date
for these upcoming Inside the Outlook exclusive events
Questions about any of these events? Give us a call at (972) 996-3887.
Meet The Outlook Department Heads
Friday, July 26
3:00 pm
First United Bank
3930 Dallas Pkwy,
Plano, TX 75093
RSVP to Info@nullTheOutlookAtWindhaven.org or (972) 996-3887.
Previous Inside The Outlook Event
VIP Social Mixer
Thursday, June 13
The Longest Day
Thursday, June 20
We raised $280. Thank you to our VIPs and host, The Brass Tap! Read more…
Drive-Thru Donation and Shredding Event
Monday, June 24
On the Forefront
Want to know more about Forefront Living and how we actively serve seniors across all our nonprofits? Click here to view the June 2024 On the Forefront newsletter.
Perhaps you know someone who’d be ideal for The Outlook at Windhaven?
If so, let us know at (972) 996-3887 or Info@nullTheOutlookAtWindhaven.org and get rewarded now—and in the future! Click here click to see updates to the referral program.
