New Director of Philanthropy and Community Relations talks VVRC heritage and growth

In August, Wendy Garlock joined Valley View as its new Director of Philanthropy and Community Relations. She says that what started as a job application quickly became a calling when she experienced the culture of caring at
Valley View.

“The first thing that drew me to the role was Valley View’s mission of enriching the lives of older adults in a manner that demonstrates God’s love,” she said. “I was so impressed with how the mission, vision, and values guide the interactions that Valley View’s team members have with residents.”

Wendy has over 20 years of experience in development, helping higher education and healthcare organizations engage with their stakeholders. “Amazing things can happen when people come together to support the causes that they most care about—it changes lives for the better,” she said.

Wendy and her husband Robby live in Huntingdon County, where they raised their three now-grown children, and she says that she is “in awe” as she learns about how leaders in Big Valley rallied together to meet an unmet need and created Valley View. “It was too big for a few people to do it alone—it took the entire community to see Valley View become a reality.”

As Valley View continues to meet the needs of local older adults and is on the cusp of adding Memory Support Personal care services to its offerings, it still cannot do it alone. “Valley View can’t continue to grow and provide an excellent level of support for those who need it most without our local community’s support. We just can’t do it on our own.” It was true in the initial founders’ planning and holds equally true for the organization’s efforts today.

“Sometimes people say, ‘I am only giving a small amount of my time.’ or ‘I am only donating a small amount of money,’” she added. “But it’s like throwing a stone into a pond. It only makes a small splash, but the ripples carry on. When we give, we often don’t realize the impact that our gift is actually making, especially when we come together as a community. What may seem like a small gift, has the potential to make a really big impact—especially when combined with the gifts of others.”