Bel Air, MD – Avondell, a new retirement living community situated on thirteen wooded acres in Harford County, welcomed more than 350 people to its grand opening ribbon-cutting ceremony at the community at 128 West Ring Factory Road in Bel Air on May 15, 2008.

Local guests and Avondell residents were treated to an evening of activities beginning with welcoming comments by Marilynn Duker, president of Brightview Senior Living, and Eileen Adams, executive director of Avondell. Three key Harford County leaders spoke at the ceremony including Harford County Executive David Craig, County Director of Community Services Mary Chance, and City Council member Roni Chenowith. Vicar Blaise Sedney of St. Matthews Lutheran Church offered a blessing for the community, and Avondell resident Bernice Pojunas told of how her life had been enriched since she came to the community this winter.

The event was held in a large tent at the entrance of the community and featured a ribbon cutting by the speakers at the ceremony. A catered reception was held in the dining room and in the garden and patio areas of the new community. Live musical entertainment entertained the guest and it featured the talents of Russian pianist Esther Shumyatskaya, Al D’s jazz trio, and a local acoustic guitarist on the patio deck.

Executive director of Avondell, Eileen Adams, said, “We enjoyed a beautiful evening of welcoming activities with our residents and local guests. We are appreciative to the many local county executives who joined us on the special night. We feel this event connected us even more to out community’s home in Bel Air.”

Avondell gives residents a vibrant and enriching social environment where housekeeping, cooking, transportation, and maintenance are all provided by caring staff members. Residents can enjoy a movie theater, wellness center, hair salon, restaurant dining, pub, billiards room, library and internet café along with free local transportation. Avondell offers seniors independent living apartment homes ranging from comfortable studios to attractive two-bedroom, two bath with den, many with balcony or patio, and twenty-four assisted living apartments with a variety of floor plans. There is also a community pond on-site for enjoying aquatic nature and the local waterfowl.

Brightview Senior Living is dedicated to providing seniors with vibrant and engaging living communities. Brightview Senior Living takes pride in offering customers sixteen unique communities in eight states with retirement, assisted and skilled nursing life care options. Brightview is a division of The Shelter Group, a Baltimore-based real estate development and management company specializing in multi-family and senior living communities. For more information on Brightview Senior Living or the Shelter Group please visit www.BrightviewSeniorLiving.com or www.TheShelterGroup.com.