Don’t Miss Your Chance to Join Brookland Commons Early

The Expression of Interest period at Brookland Commons closes January 31. This is the final window to secure exclusive early access benefits and take the first step toward a more empowered future.For those who are ready to make a plan today, without moving tomorrow, this is the perfect moment. The Expression of Interest (EOI) deposit is fully refundable and gives you time, flexibility, and priority positioning as Brookland Commons continues to take shape.A Smart Step with Real AdvantagesJoining the EOI phase is a thoughtful, no-pressure way to explore your options and stay ahead. Benefits include:Priority access to apartment selection ahead of the pre-sale phaseSpecialty pricing incentives reserved for early depositorsAdvance access to floor plans, pricing, and community milestonesA fully refundable deposit up until the point of apartment selectionThis opportunity is designed for individuals who want to be informed, intentional, and prepared ... Those who want a plan today without moving tomorrow.A Community Designed for What’s NextSet on the former Lexington 2 School District site in West Columbia, Brookland Commons is redefining what it means to age well. Our community is financially accessible, wellness-driven, and built around meaningful partnerships that support independence and purpose at every stage.The Window Is ClosingThe EOI phase will not be extended and the benefits it offers will not return once the community enters its official pre-sale phase. If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to take a confident first step, this is it. Learn More + Reserve your spot Brookland Commons will be a nonprofit 55 and older collaborative senior living community redefining independent living through proactive wellness, meaningful community partnerships, and resident-powered programs. Located in West Columbia, we will reshape expectations of what healthy aging looks like. By focusing on multidimensional wellness, we will empower residents to remain independent and flourish in every aspect of life. Learn more about Still Hopes’ upcoming senior living ministry at brooklandcommons.org.

Exploring a Bright Future with the University of South Carolina

Brookland Commons is excited to share that we are actively exploring future partnerships with the University of South Carolina. This collaboration has the potential to bring meaningful learning, research, and recreational opportunities to our future residents while also strengthening connections within the greater Midlands community.As a new community rooted in engagement and wellbeing, we believe in creating environments that support personal growth at every stage of life. A partnership with USC would allow residents to enjoy access to educational programs, campus experiences, and innovative research that promotes healthy aging and lifelong learning. Opportunities may range from lectures and guest speakers to hands-on wellness initiatives and intergenerational activities that enrich everyday life.This relationship also opens doors for collaborative research that can inform the future of senior living. By connecting with USC faculty, students, and research teams, Brookland Commons can help advance studies related to aging, community design, wellness, and social connection. The insights gained can directly benefit residents and contribute to a broader understanding of how older adults can thrive in community settings.Recreational opportunities are another exciting area of potential. From campus performances and athletic events to cultural programs and volunteer partnerships, a closer relationship with USC empowers residents to stay active, engaged, and connected to the heartbeat of the region.As conversations continue, we are energized by the possibilities. Brookland Commons has always been envisioned as a community that blends independence with connection, and this emerging partnership aligns beautifully with that mission. We look forward to sharing more updates as plans develop and new opportunities take shape.

Celebrating a Successful Lunch & Learn Series at Brookland Commons

Brookland Commons is pleased to share that our inaugural Lunch and Learn series has officially wrapped up, and we could not be more grateful for the incredible response from the Midlands community. Each session was an opportunity to introduce our vision for a new kind of retirement living, one centered on independence, connection, and meaningful choice.We extend our sincere thanks to The Woman’s Club of Cayce for welcoming us into their space and supporting this project. Their hospitality helped us create an inviting environment where guests could ask questions, explore early design concepts, and learn how Brookland Commons is preparing to shape the future of community living for older adults.Although the series has concluded, the momentum continues. Our Expression of Interest campaign is still underway, and now is the perfect time to take the next step. An Expression of Interest deposit allows you to secure priority placement for apartment selection as we move toward pre-sales. The deposit is simple, fully refundable, and an easy way to reserve your place in line while our plans come to life.We invite you to schedule a private meeting with our Marketing and Sales team to dive deeper into what Brookland Commons will offer. Visit BrooklandCommons.org or call 803-704-2432 to learn more or reserve your priority spot.Together, we are building a community designed for possibility, comfort, and vibrant living. We are excited to share more in the weeks ahead.

Brookland Commons Sales and Marketing Office Opens!

Brookland Commons is pleased to announce that our Marketing and Sales Office is officially open and ready to welcome future residents. This marks an exciting step forward in bringing our vibrant new community to life.With the office now open, we are actively accepting Expression of Interest deposits. This early step allows individuals to secure their place in line as we move toward formal pre sales. It is a simple and fully refundable way to show interest while gaining priority access to information, events, and upcoming opportunities.Our team is eager to share the vision for Brookland Commons and walk you through what makes this community unique. Visitors can explore preliminary floor plans, discuss lifestyle features, and learn how Brookland Commons is being designed to offer independence, comfort, and meaningful connection for older adults.The excitement surrounding this project continues to grow, and we look forward to meeting those who want to be among the first to call Brookland Commons home.To schedule a visit or to place an Expression of Interest deposit, please contact our Marketing and Sales Office through BrooklandCommons.org.A new chapter is beginning, and we are honored to take this step with you.

A family favorite, year after year.

If you’ve ever found yourself trying to win over a picky eater at the Thanksgiving table, you’re not alone. Barbara, one of our residents here at Still Hopes, faced that exact challenge years ago when her grandkids, then just six and four, came up to the family home in the mountains for their first Thanksgiving. Like any good grandmother, she knew the secret weapon: fruit, sugar, and a little bit of nostalgia.She remembered a dish from her church in Cullowhee, North Carolina. The youth group there used to serve a warm, fruit-filled casserole at brunch fundraisers after Sunday services. She called another mom from that group to track it down. The original recipe was long gone, but luckily, the friend had another version to share. Barbara gave it a try.That was the first Thanksgiving she made cranberry apple casserole. Her grandson Quinn was six then. Now he’s a sophomore at Clemson, and every year since, this dish has had a place on the Thanksgiving table. Even during COVID, when the family had to hand dinner over the porch railing of his apartment, the casserole still made the trip.This week, I had the absolute pleasure of joining Barbara in her apartment as her Sous Chef...though I really only peeled and cored a few apples. I was locked in as an observer of the magic at work! After hoodwinking her into making her specialty a few weeks earlier than normal, I assured her the deliciousness would not go to waste. Armed with her casserole and the cutest carrying basket you've ever seen, I began to parade the staff halls offering scoops of still-warm fruity goodness. I didn’t even make it five minutes before the dish was scraped clean and people were asking for the recipe. So, in the spirit of sharing, here’s Barbara’s cranberry apple casserole. It’s one of those dishes that feels like it’s always been part of the holiday, even the first time you make it.Barbara’s Cranberry Apple CasseroleIngredientsFruit base:12 oz fresh cranberries1 to 1½ cups sugar (Barbara uses 1 cup, and I felt it was PERFECTLY balanced)6–8 Granny Smith apples, cored and thick-sliced5 tablespoons cornstarchA splash of bourbon (optional, but highly recommended if no one at the table is under ten)Topping:1 cup old-fashioned oats1 cup sugar1 cup chopped pecans¼ cup flour1 stick butter, melted1 tablespoon vanilla extractInstructionsPreheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 13x9 glass baking dish with non-stick spray.Spread cranberries evenly in the dish.In a bowl, mix the cornstarch and sugar. Pour over the cranberries and stir gently to coat.Arrange apple slices on top of the cranberries. You can line them up neatly or go a little rustic. Either way works.Pour the bourbon over the apples as evenly as possible.In another bowl, mix all the topping ingredients until everything is well combined and the butter coats the dry ingredients.Spoon the topping evenly over the apples.Bake uncovered for 1 hour and 20 to 30 minutes, or until the top is golden and the filling is bubbling around the edges.Let it cool a little before serving. Or just grab a spoon and go in. Your call.Make-Ahead Tip: You can prep the whole thing a day ahead. Just cover it, refrigerate, and bake it the next day when you’re ready.

Christmas At Still Hopes: A Step Back in Time

There is enough research to indicate when you lose one of your senses, your others are heightened. And even more recent studies reveal that there is more brain activity associated with the olfactory stimuli than with visual stimuli. That would also prove true for Judge James Sanders Guignard, who remembers Christmas at Still Hopes Retirement Community Columbia SC from when he was just a small child. While Judge Guignard is now nearly blind, his memory is as sharp as anyone’s. He grew up just a couple miles away from the Guignard estate, where he would travel as a boy to see his father’s aunts, most of whom lived together in the Guignard mansion, or what he unassumingly referred to as the “family house.”Now, more than 100 years after it was built, Judge Guignard is a resident at Still Hopes (as is his sister, Emilie). As he walks through the house today, he remembers the scent of evergreens on the mantle, the candles in the windows, the beeswax of the floor polish and the lemon oil on the wood furniture, and imagines the bustle in the kitchen. He said those scents frame his memories, and take him back to holiday celebrations at the house, many years ago.We had the pleasure to hear about his holiday memories, and wanted to share them with you in his words:"I do remember coming to the house for Sunday dinners and big family feast days. And I remember Christmas. There was always a Christmas tree in the big hall in front of the large staircase. The big table in the dining room would be set for all of the adults, and a little side table for the small children. The children’s table would be set with the same china and glassware, except we didn’t have wine glasses. There were starched linen napkins.One of the men in the family would say grace and carve the turkey… and a turkey leg or two would be carved for the children’s table. There would be every manner of food - green beans, rice and gravy, stuffing, peach chutney, watermelon pickles, chow chow, hot buttered yeast rolls, and plenty of Still Hopes scuppernong wine for the adults, and milk for the children. And dessert would be a trifle custard or some sort of cake or pumpkin pie. It was always the kind of feast you would see in a Norman Rockwell painting.The food was incredibly good. They kept a garden in the back where they grew all sorts of vegetables. They had a cow that grazed out of the pasture. They ate wild onions and wild garlic and the milk tasted and smelled like it as well.There were always candles. The house was generally chilly in the winter but fairly cool in the summer because of the thick brick walls. There was a fire in every room. They started the fire in the dining room early so no one had to sit too close to the fire and get too hot. And there was a fire in the front music parlor, one in the front library, a fire in the back sitting parlor, and a fire in the dining room fireplace. And the little children would run and play in the main hall. Just inside the front double doors was an enormous brass grate, which I remember as being about four feet by six feet, and under it was a big furnace that spit out hot air which heated the lower part of the house a little bit, and the upper part of the house a lot more. All of the upper bedrooms had transoms over the doors so the heat could go in there, but the bedrooms also had fireplaces.The adults, of course, would have their time at the table. And there would be presents under the tree for the little children. I remember getting a wind-up toy car that would scoot across the hardwood floor. It was just a grand time for the children and for the adults.There was a lot of conversation and hub bub… all around the table would be family, cousins, aunts and uncles and occasional guests. It was a festive occasion. I remember the warmth of the season, the smells, the turkey cooking in the main kitchen, the fire logs, the candles, the green decoration in the windows… just a whole layer of different wonderful smells."Dr. Jane Bruce Guignard was the last remaining sibling, and after much discussion with the family, she decided to donate the home and it’s land to the Episcopal church to serve older adults in Columbia, West Columbia, Cayce, and Lexington.Now as a resident, Judge Guignard says he knows that Still Hopes embodies what his great aunt had hoped it would be.“Here I am, and all of the staff must have some sort of special quality about them that is a requirement for being hired. They are giving and caring people,” he said. “I can’t tell you what it means to me to be here to be with other people in similar circumstances. Not everyone here is blind, but everyone here is understanding that the caregivers are just incredible people. The staff and what they are doing to make this place is what Dr. Jane Bruce envisioned.”You can learn more about the Still Hopes history and Dr. Jane Bruce Guignard here.Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from our Still Hopes family to yours!