Connecting Hearts: A Love Story Born in Episcopal SeniorLife Communities’ Neighborhood Program

Episcopal SeniorLife Communities’ Neighborhood Program was designed to foster connections, not only within the community of residents but also with the neighbors who surround them. When the program launched in 2012, we had dreams of the friendships and bonds that could be formed, but Chrystal and Ron took those hopes and turned them into an even more beautiful reality.

Chrystal, a member of the Henrietta program, and Ron, a member of the Northeast Greece program, were not likely to cross paths—until the world changed and the programs transitioned to Zoom during the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s when the magic happened. With a little help from program coordinator (and apparent matchmaker) Katy Bauer, Chrystal agreed to give Ron her email address, thinking to herself, “No guy is ever going to email me.” But to her surprise, Ron did. After a few weeks of exchanging messages, Chrystal agreed to meet Ron for dinner at Nolan’s. Nervous, she got ready for their date, but when Ron arrived, flowers in hand, she knew something special was happening—it “just clicked.” They spent four hours together, exchanging phone numbers, laughing, and having an amazing time.

A year later, celebrating the anniversary of their first date, Ron proposed to Chrystal at Nolan’s on Canandaigua Lake. About a year after getting engaged, Chrystal and Ron decided to sneak away and elope in Las Vegas, where ‘Elvis’ officiated their wedding. Chrystal joked, “I really did feel like a teenager sneaking around,” but it was clear that the joy from that first date had only grown.

Though they met in 2020, Chrystal and Ron are approaching their fourth year together. Each year, they’ve celebrated their first date by returning to Nolan’s, enjoying sock-hops, traveling together, and spending cherished time with friends from the Neighborhood Program. Their story is a beautiful reminder of the connections the ESLC Neighborhood Program creates, not just between neighbors, but between hearts.

As Chrystal reflects on their journey, she says, “He had been married almost 60 years, and I had been married 30 years and to find a second soulmate in life has really been a blessing for us. We feel blessed all the time.” We’re honored that our program played a part in this beautiful love story, bringing these two wonderful people together through our Neighborhood Program.