A pioneer is a person who is among the first to enter or settle in a region, thus opening it for others.

Those who paved the way at Maris Grove were applauded, Oct. 14, at a luncheon to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the community. The 174 pioneers who moved within the first three months reminisced about their initial days at the complex.

“When we first came there was just a trailer and we picked out the design for our apartment,” said Dottie Patterson. “We lived in our house in Wilmington for 40 years, but there was no place like this in Delaware.”

Owned by Erickson Living, the continuing care retirement community occupies 1.5 million square feet on 87 acres. The campus, in Concord, has 964 independent units in nine residential buildings. The community is divided into neighborhoods and the recent groundbreaking for a 75-apartment building will complete the second neighborhood.

The complex offers amenities such as clubhouses, restaurants, a convenience store, bank branch, beauty parlor, fitness center, swimming pool and activity and game rooms. The center is also served by an interfaith chapel.

“Cooking is out,” said Edith Hardy, who re-located from Wayne. “I thought it was time to move from my home and now I have time for so many things.”

The “continuing care” is provided by an on-site medical center and 132-room extended assistance program. Residents receive additional support through personal care, short-term rehabilitation and long-term skilled nursing.

The sign at the entrance suggests Maris Grove allows seniors to “add more living to your life” and most residents seem to have traded mowing, raking and shoveling for interests and volunteer opportunities. Individuals have the chance to participate in nearly 175 clubs, generating 500 different activities per month, and the campus operates a community television station transmitting programs “for residents, by residents.”

Mary Ann Sharkey, who taught first grade in the Downingtown School District, exchanged her lesson book for the chance to lend her expertise to the gifted support class at Concord Elementary School. She and her husband, Leonard, never expected their lives would be so busy.

“We thought we would have gobs and gobs of free time and now we are booked,” she said. “We have a rocking chair but we never sit in it.”