No matter where we’re at in life, all of us are searching for a sense of community and connection. Perhaps nowhere is that connection more important than in the place we call home. The Lakes of Valparaiso, a unique group of apartments, takes the meaning of home to heart, and strives to create that sought after community lifestyle for its residents.
The Lakes of Valparaiso believes people should have an apartment community attuned to their individual lifestyle. The community boasts a variety of amenities for its residents, including a fitness studio, pool, gaming center, and basketball courts to name a few. The shining star of the community is the clubhouse, which hosts a variety of events to spark community engagement.
“We want residents getting to know each other so it feels more like a home; we really want to promote that sense of community,” said Lily Smith, Residential Concierge at The Lakes of Valparaiso, “It’s nice to have people be able to say hello and recognize each other when they’re walking down the street.”
Thursday evening, the clubhouse hosted a Wine Tasting and Glass Painting event. Guests were treated to a variety of wine options, food, and a painting lesson from instructor Francine Didonna of Didonna Crafts.
“I started doing this about three years ago just wanting to see people have a good time and make new friendships,” said Didonna, “What makes us different is that we customize our paint colors so attendees can have any color they want. That way whatever they create can match their home décor.”
The clubhouse typically hosts four events per month, and although most are exclusive to residents, some, such as this one, are open to the public. Tickets for public events are sold on The Lakes of Valparaiso Facebook page as well as their website, and often attract people from far outside the Valpo area. Laural Stenenga and her daughter came all the way from Demotte to attend tonight’s glass painting event!
“We saw the event on Facebook,” said Stegenga, “We’ve done a couple of these types of events before and thought it would be fun. The clubhouse is beautiful!”
Friendly vibes were definitely present for guests and residents alike as attendees laughed and smiled together throughout the evening. The Lakes of Valparaiso residents Jordan Peterson and Mackenzie Hill are a testament to the amazing neighborly environment that exists there.
“As residents, we enjoy that aspect of the community,” said Peterson, “Just the fact that they have things like this for the residents makes it a more enjoyable experience to actually live here. During Christmas time they did a wrapping station with hot chocolate…it’s not just like your same old apartment complex.”
“My two friends Nicolette and Ivanka lived here, so I would always come here to visit them,” said Hill, “When Jordan and I were looking for a place we didn’t even really consider anywhere else because we knew how much they enjoyed their time here. Now we’re all neighbors and it’s awesome! I love the perks they have for us here; Last month they had a thing where if you were on your way to work you could stop at the clubhouse and pick up some Dunkin Donuts!”
Whether you’re a member of the community or just a visitor, one thing is for sure: it’s always a beautiful day in the neighborhood at The Lakes of Valparaiso!
To learn more about The Lakes of Valparaiso and future events being held at the clubhouse, visit www.lovthelife.com
