A Lakeside Retirement
“Whether it was going off to college or enlisting in the Air Force, my daughters moved away a long time ago—and I used to only see my three grandsons once a year. Now being together again, my goal is to help everyone experience true family living.”
Dana is no ordinary grandmother. This army veteran was living in Wisconsin, working as the environmental services and support manager at a nursing home, where she specialized in emergency preparedness and partnered with the county health department as a training instructor.
After a fulfilling 30-year career, Dana saw retirement as a big house all to herself and part-time jobs to pass the time. With her youngest daughter in Redding and her oldest daughter living in Fairfield with her husband and three sons—California dreaming was on Dana’s mind. The idea was to get an apartment for herself, but once her daughter discovered One Lake, a whole new vision came to light.
“My daughter owned a house in Fairfield right across the way from One Lake. As soon as she saw they were breaking ground on the development, she was online learning everything she could. They sold their house in November, and we just moved in mid-May.”
When they saw that the floor plans at Creston by Lennar were perfect for multigenerational living, they felt as if they were made for them. They could live the dream of being close again while cutting the cost of rent or a secondary house payment. Dana now has a private first-floor bedroom with an en suite bathroom, while her daughter’s family has their own space upstairs.
“Because my daughter and son-in-law have long workdays, I’ve been able to help with the house’s finishing touches and hold down the fort. My grandsons love that I’m around to do the cooking.”
But it’s the outdoors that really calls to Dana. Most days you can find her adventuring on her bike and capturing the beautiful hillside scenery. As an avid swimmer and hiker, she’s also looking forward to exploring the nearby trails and getting her laps in at the planned Resident’s Lake Club pool.
Up and active is her thing, and she loves living in a place where she can enjoy the fresh air while also spending quality time with her grandsons. They’ve made a splash at a nearby water park, traveled to Lake Natoma and even bought adult-sized scooters to ride along the path at the 21-acre Lake-Park District. But when she’s not on two wheels, she’s on two feet walking around the community and meeting her new neighbors.
“We’ve met such friendly people in our neighborhood, and they are all equally excited to build relationships and bring the vision of One Lake to life.”
Getting to bask in the California weather during the winter months is one thing, but Dana and her daughter truly feel like they’ve found their forever home. From weekend barbecues and grand events to perfect spaces for sitting back with a beer and a lakeside view—they’re beyond grateful for the unique care that has gone into creating this development.
“‘Happy homeowners’ means something different here, and we’ve taken pride in being part of this growing community. You know they’re doing things the right way when residents feel like they are heard and that their opinions and ideas matter.”