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Podcast

Garden Spot Communities presents: Purpose In Retirement. In this podcast series released in fall 2020, co-hosts Scott Miller and Juanita Fox explore what it means to retire with purpose, to make a difference, to invest in your family and your community, to live to your full potential and explore abundant opportunities to live with purpose in community.

Podcast Episodes

About the Hosts

Scott Miller, Chief Marketing Officer for Garden Spot Communities, has more than 30 years of marketing experience. Scott oversees all of the marketing efforts and creates innovative approaches for Garden Spot Communities such as a hot air balloon campaign, Destination Garden Spot Village (a bi-annual, promotional magazine), and the Purpose In Retirement podcast.

Juanita Fox, Director of Media Experiences and Storytelling, has more than 20 years of experience in writing and corporate communications. She shares the stories of the people who live and work at Garden Spot through magazine and blog stories, video interviews and now podcasting through the Purpose In Retirement podcast.

Podcast Resources

5 Ways to Reflect on Your Life Story

If you are following along virtually, you will want to draw your constructed world and then write a one to two-page narrative about it. If you are one of the first six people to email [email protected], you can get direct feedback from Scott through 2025. You will also want to read pages 11-86 of The Well-Lived Life by Gladys McGarey and think about how she tells her own story. You will also want to listen to podcast #24 of Purpose In Retirement. In this podcast, Steve Lindsey and Conrad Kanagy talk about the inspiration of the Wisdom Course.

Show Notes for Purpose in Retirement: Finding Purpose Through Service with Duana Helsel

What happens when a lifelong appreciation for people, cultures and service becomes part of your everyday work?

In this episode of Garden Spot Communities Presents: Purpose in Retirement, hosts Scott Miller and Juanita Fox sit down with Duana Helsel, Volunteer and Transportation Manager at Frederick Living. Duana shares how 18 years in children’s ministry prepared her to work alongside volunteers and how she helps residents and community members discover meaningful ways to use their gifts.

Duana also reflects on growing up internationally and attending a school with students from more than 40 countries. Those experiences shaped her belief that our differences give us opportunities to learn from one another and that relationships are at the heart of meaningful service.

The conversation also travels to Kenya, where Duana served alongside Missions of Hope International (MOHI) through Garden Spot Communities. She shares how the experience deepened her understanding of relationship-centered service and why she is looking forward to returning to Kenya as a co-leader for an upcoming Travel with Purpose trip.

In This Episode

00:00 — Learning from one another
Duana reflects on how growing up around people from different countries and cultures shaped the way she sees relationships.

00:40 — Finding her role at Frederick Living
After 18 years in children’s ministry, Duana discovered an opportunity to continue working with volunteers in a mission-driven community.

01:09 — Supporting more than 200 volunteers and team members
Duana describes a typical day of meeting people, introducing volunteers to Frederick Living and connecting their interests with meaningful opportunities.

01:32 — Residents, community volunteers and therapy dogs
From Frederick Living residents to community members—and even therapy dogs—Duana explains how she welcomes volunteers and helps them find the right fit.

02:11 — Keeping Frederick Living moving
Duana discusses the other side of her role: coordinating Frederick Living’s vehicle fleet and working with a dedicated team of drivers.

02:40 — Returning to Africa as an adult
Having grown up in southern Africa, Duana shares how returning as an adult gave her a new perspective on places and experiences that once felt familiar.

04:00 — Serving with Missions of Hope International
Duana reflects on her experience in Nairobi and the importance of Garden Spot Communities coming alongside organizations already doing meaningful work.

04:35 — Relationships before tasks
Inspired by MOHI’s relationship-centered approach, Duana explains why getting to know volunteers is essential to helping them find fulfilling ways to serve.

05:41 — Growing up in an international community
Attending an international school with students from more than 40 countries taught Duana that people can look, speak and live differently while still needing—and learning from—one another.

06:08 — A love of travel and discovery
Duana talks about traveling with her husband, Paul, and their shared love of exploring new cities, foods, architecture and even birds.

06:50 — Returning to Kenya
Duana shares what she is looking forward to most about the upcoming Travel with Purpose trip, including reconnecting with Favor and Favored, twins she and her husband sponsor.

07:28 — Co-leading Travel with Purpose
As a co-leader, Duana will help manage logistics and details while supporting the team throughout the experience.

07:54 — Give volunteering—and purposeful travel—a try
Duana encourages listeners to explore different volunteer opportunities without feeling like the first thing they try has to be permanent. And when it comes to Kenya, she has one piece of advice: don’t let the long flight keep you from an experience built around relationships, service and connection.

A Thought to Take With You

“People are different, and it doesn’t matter what you look like. We need each other, and we can learn from each other.”

Duana’s story is a reminder that purpose doesn’t always come from finding one perfect role. Sometimes it comes from staying curious, building relationships and being willing to discover where your gifts can make a difference.

Read Duana’s story:
Learn more about Duana and her work at Frederick Living in the Fall 2026 issue of Destination magazine.

About Purpose in Retirement
Garden Spot Communities Presents: Purpose in Retirement shares stories of people who continue to find meaning, connection, service and adventure throughout every season of life.

Host: Scott Miller
Co-host: Juanita Fox
Audio Engineer & Producer: Austin Gingerich

What We Discuss

  • Why two siblings raised in the same home had such different expectations growing up
  • Reconnecting in retirement, from laughing their way through London to living in the same community
  • Why Sue signed up for the Wisdom Course and why Tom said, “Why not?”
  • How the course showed Tom he loves facilitating and working with older adults
  • Sue’s belief that “learning is not one size fits all,” and how she found each child’s learning style
  • The value of teachers teaching teachers, and of connecting literature with writing
  • Tom’s Navy lessons: take the job you’re given, stick with it, and do your best
  • “Trust the process” through layoffs, career changes, and new beginnings
  • How travel breaks down closed-mindedness, from Africa to Auschwitz to Jerusalem
  • The Kenya trip, Tom’s hard first day, and a little boy named Wonderful who changed his outlook
  • How Sue lost her father, brother, and husband within six months at age 44, and how it shaped her sense of purpose
  • The warm welcome at Garden Spot Village and advice for people still on the waiting list

Key Takeaways

  1. You’re never too old to learn. “I don’t want to feel that just because I’m getting older, I have nothing more to learn.” (Sue)
  2. Commit, even when it’s not your first choice. Tom didn’t like guns, but he became a skilled gunner’s mate by giving it his best.
  3. Trust the process. Life rarely goes as planned, and it often works out anyway.
  4. Purpose goes beyond yourself. After great loss, Sue focused on making sure her children knew their lives had purpose.
  5. Experiencing a place changes you. Reading about something is different from standing there in person.
  6. If you’re waiting to move in: “Step back and breathe, come up as much as you can, and just enjoy the environment.” (Tom)

Notable Quotes

“Life isn’t always about you. I had three children who needed to know that God had a purpose for them.” (Sue Fitzgerald)

“Every child is unique. You have to look beyond the curriculum and look at the child.” (Sue Fitzgerald)

“I don’t like guns, but I said for four years I can do it. I became very good at it.” (Tom Payne)

“His name was Wonderful. And he totally, totally changed my mind right there.” (Tom Payne)

“You just can’t plan this. I thought I was in control.” (Sue Fitzgerald)

Resources Mentioned

Credits

  • Host: Scott Miller, Chief Marketing Officer, Garden Spot Communities
  • Co-Host: Juanita Fox, Storyteller
  • Audio Engineer & Producer: Austin Gingerich

What if the best part of a trip isn’t where you go, but who you meet along the way? In this episode of Purpose in Retirement, Scott Miller and Juanita Fox sit down with Karen Bender, General Manager, and Laura Bomberger, Business and Finance Manager of Bob Neff Tours. They share how a new collaborative travel model is bringing residents from retirement communities across Lancaster County together for memorable adventures and creating unexpected friendships along the way.

From Cape Cod and Niagara Falls to mystery tours and adventures across North America, Bob Neff Tours takes care of the details so travelers can focus on experiencing something new. Karen and Laura also share how thoughtful planning, accessibility, Christian fellowship and a commitment to personal connection have shaped the company for more than 50 years.

As Karen puts it, the motor coach may be the transportation, but the feeling of community is what makes the journey worth taking. Travelers may board as individuals, but many return home with new friendships, shared stories and a community they didn’t expect to find.

Purpose in Retirement is presented by Garden Spot Communities and explores the people, experiences and opportunities that make the second half of life meaningful and purposeful.

Purpose in Retirement: Sally Mittelstadt on Giving Generously and Creating Community Through the Arts

How can the arts bring generations together, inspire meaningful connections and create new opportunities to live with purpose?

In this episode of Purpose in Retirement, hosts Scott Miller and Juanita Fox welcome Sally Mittelstadt, a Garden Spot Village resident and chair of the Spark Committee for Time to Shine, the fundraising campaign supporting the future Center for Arts and Culture.

Sally shares how her passion for community, background in education and commitment to volunteering led her to embrace a new opportunity to serve. Through the Time to Shine campaign, she is helping residents envision a space where creativity, collaboration and intergenerational relationships can flourish throughout eastern Lancaster County.

In This Episode

  • Finding Purpose Through Service: Discover how Sally’s faith and willingness to rearrange her priorities opened the door to a meaningful volunteer leadership opportunity.
  • Sparking Conversations: Learn how the Spark Committee brings residents together through small, informal gatherings to share the vision for the Center for Arts and Culture.
  • Building Community Through the Arts: Explore how the future center could connect Garden Spot Village residents with children, families and neighbors throughout eastern Lancaster County.
  • Creating Intergenerational Opportunities: Hear Sally’s vision for mentorships, youth theater, collaborative performances and even a summer choral camp.
  • Partnering for a Greater Purpose: Discover how organizations like Gretna Theatre and the Stan-Dean Foundation envision using the center to expand access to the arts and create meaningful experiences.
  • The Joy of Volunteering: Sally reflects on how saying yes to a new opportunity has helped her thrive in retirement while contributing her experience and talents.
  • A New Home for Arts and Culture: Learn how the planned center’s performance capabilities could bring new theatrical productions, musical experiences and creative opportunities to the region.

Key Takeaways

Purpose evolves throughout retirement. Sally’s story illustrates how embracing new opportunities can lead to unexpected fulfillment and personal growth.

The arts are about more than performances. While the Center for Arts and Culture will offer exciting features, Sally believes its greatest potential lies in the relationships and community it will cultivate.

Generosity extends beyond financial giving. Sharing time, talents, experiences and resources can create a lasting impact on future generations.

Connection across generations enriches everyone. By bringing together residents, young people and community organizations, the center has the potential to create opportunities for mentorship, belonging and shared creativity.

Learn More

Time to Shine — Center for Arts and Culture Campaign

Discover the vision for the Center for Arts and Culture and how you can support this initiative.

https://trellisworksfoundation.org/time-to-shine/

Destination Magazine — Fall 2026

Read more about Sally Mittelstadt, the Center for Arts and Culture and other inspiring stories of purposeful living in the Fall 2026 issue of Destination, published by Garden Spot Communities.

https://www.gardenspotcommunities.org/destination-magazine/

About Purpose in Retirement

Purpose in Retirement, presented by Garden Spot Communities, shares inspiring stories of people embracing opportunities to live with purpose, build meaningful relationships and make a difference in their communities.

Host: Scott Miller, Chief Marketing Officer, Garden Spot Communities

Co-host: Juanita Fox, Storyteller

Audio Engineer and Producer: Austin Gingerich