The heart of community: Circle of Friends

Imagine a group of friends who look out for you, care about you, and will always be there for you, especially when times get tough. This is the essence of the Circle of Friends, a vital fund of Front Porch Communities Foundation.

The Circle of Friends resident assistance fund supports residents who, through unforeseen circumstances, may outlive their financial resources. It represents the heartfelt community spirit thriving throughout Front Porch communities, where neighbors genuinely care for and help one another in times of need. Since the first Front Porch Community opened, residents and their families have generously supported what is now known as the Circle of Friends through annual gifts and legacy planning.

Communities across Front Porch celebrate and bolster the Circle of Friends in diverse ways, such as hosting a Philanthropy Week or a special event to promote the Circle of Friends fund. This year, a particularly creative and heartwarming approach to supporting the Circle of Friends blossomed in Northern California, inspired by the literary talents of one Spring Lake Village (SLV) resident, Patricia Snyder.

Patricia moved to the community in January 2023 from Southern Oregon, a move that unexpectedly led her to become both a humor writer and SLV historian. She chose SLV for its excellent reputation and its proximity to her daughter. Her writing adventure commenced in mid-2023 when she heard about the Annual Variety Show. “I wondered what I could do,” Patricia recalls. “So I wrote my first Fractured Fairy Tale and presented it to the audience at the show in August.” It was a hit. Since then, she has become a regular contributor to SLV’s “Wellsprings” publication, discovering an unexpected knack for humor. “I didn’t realize I could write comedy, but now it has become a part of my life,” she shares.

A tip from another resident led Patricia to a short history of SLV stored in the library. This discovery inspired her to write a fictionalized account of the village’s history, weaving in the true facts of SLV’s development with fictional residents, “Mildred and Marvin”. In December, she shared her “history” with Foundation team members Kimberly Manning and Leslie O’Brien. “Leslie,” Patricia notes, “with all her creativity, turned it into the Circle of Friends Residents Revue.” When Leslie sought a resident actor to portray Mildred, Patricia eagerly raised her hand. “And the rest,” she says with a smile, “is ‘history.’”

Inspired by Patricia’s example, groups of residents at St. Paul’s Towers and San Francisco Towers also developed and presented performances that told the story of the resident experience and underscored the importance of the Circle of Friends to their specific community, complete with a medley of songs. Leslie O’Brien, Associate Philanthropy Officer for the Northern California communities, provided extensive creative direction and logistical support.

Patricia has embraced her new role as a community storyteller and philanthropist. Her motivation for giving is heartfelt and personal: “I gave my first donation early because I loved the concert series. This year, I gave more and split my donation between the Circle of Friends and the concert series. I plan to do this every year because the people here do wonderful things and I love living here.”

The Circle of Friends events inspired by her historical reenactments were a resounding success. “Everyone had such a wonderful time,” Patricia enthused. “What are we going to do next year? More people want to participate, everyone is just so excited!” She praised Leslie O’Brien for her supportive role, noting, “Leslie was so easy to work with, and made everyone so comfortable.” The sentiment was widely shared, with one attendee remarking it was “the best one yet.” For Patricia and many others, it was a “labor of love,” and the enthusiasm to repeat the experience is palpable, a testament to the vibrant community spirit fostered by creative residents such as Patricia as well as initiatives that communities work on together, such as the Circle of Friends.

Originally published in the Summer 2025 edition of Community Matters