When Noah DeGarmo shows up for a talk, you never know what strange and wonderful treasures he bears. After all, the man holds the key to the 1,700 square foot Mercury One American Journey Experience vault filled with thousands of rare artifacts and historical documents. At a recent presentation, the residents at The Preston of the Park Cities had an up-close-and-personal encounter with some of the priceless items from the vault as part of the senior living community’s Watermark University program.
DeGarmo is the Education Coordinator and Curator of the Artifact Collection of Mercury One, a nonprofit organization focused on humanitarian aid, education, and the preservation of United States history. Mercury One, which is celebrating its 10-year anniversary, recently opened the American Journey Training Center in Irving to house both the training center and the extensive collection.
Among the items DeGarmo brought for a hands-on experience was an exploding rat device (sans explosive) developed for British intelligence during World War II by Charles Fraser-Smith, the inventor credited as being the inspiration for Ian Fleming’s “Q” in the James Bond series. Another object of significant historical value he shared and discussed was the actual microphone used by the infamous Tokyo Rose for her broadcasts.
“This was an absolutely fascinating educational experience for our residents,” said Ke’o Velasquez, Executive Director, The Preston of the Park Cities. “Having an opportunity to handle original historical documents and objects was truly special.
“This is a great example of what Watermark University is about,” he continued. “A big part of it is tapping into the wealth of resources right here in the North Texas community and making them accessible to our residents.”
The presentation by Noah DeGarmo was part of the community’s Watermark University fall series, which features integrated programmatic offerings in the seven dimensions of wellness (spiritual, emotional, vocational, physical, social, environmental, and intellectual).
The program is a signature of Watermark Retirement Communities® at the 58 communities in 21 states it manages, including The Preston of the Park Cities, which is owned by Dallas-based Silverstone Senior Living.
The Preston of the Park Cities, parkcities.watermarkcommunities.com, is a full-service luxury rental retirement community offering Assisted Living, The Bridge and Memory Care. The community is located at 5917 Sherry Lane, Dallas 75225.
ABOUT THE PRESTON OF THE PARK CITIES
The Preston of the Park Cities is a full-service luxury rental retirement community with 134 residences offering Assisted Living, The Bridge and Memory Care. Located at 5917 Sherry Lane, Dallas 75225, in the prestigious Park Cities / Preston Hollow area, the community features an amenity-rich lifestyle with dynamic programs, fine dining, and concierge services. The Preston of the Park Cities is owned by Dallas-based Silverstone Senior Living and operated by Watermark Retirement Communities®. Visit parkcities.watermarkcommunities.com for more information.
ABOUT SILVERSTONE SENIOR LIVING
Silverstone Senior Living develops high-quality senior housing communities which provide independent living, assisted living and memory care services in Texas, Florida, and the Mid-Atlantic states. The principals of Silverstone have extensive experience and an excellent track record in the real estate industry. This experience includes designing, developing, managing, operating, and owning premier properties throughout the nation and across all the major asset platforms for both public and private companies. Silverstone is committed to developing and operating “best in class” communities that are as comfortable as home, luxurious as a country club, and provide the highest level of care. Visit silverstoneseniorliving.com for more information.
ABOUT WATERMARK RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES®
Watermark creates extraordinary communities where people thrive. We believe aging is about renewal rather than retirement. Watermark communities are known for highly trained and caring associates, a lifestyle built on choice, fine amenities, integrative wellness, and innovative programs including the award-winning Watermark University featuring a wide variety of engaging classes for residents and area seniors. Watermark has been named in the top 25 Best Workplaces for Aging Services in a national program conducted by the Great Place to Work Institute and published on Fortune.com. A privately held company with a reputation for over 30 years for service, innovation, integrity and financial stability, Watermark manages more than 65 retirement communities coast to coast. Based in Tucson AZ, Watermark is ranked as the nation’s 9th-leading senior housing operator by the American Seniors Housing Association. Visit watermarkcommunities.com for more information.