It takes a village
In Hesston – and really throughout the surrounding communities – some truths are simply understood. One is that a Villa Partners bake sale means you’re about to encounter the kind of homemade treats people still talk about weeks later. Another is that the regular garage sales have earned a reputation as a must-visit treasure hunt, drawing loyal crowds time after time.
What may be a little less obvious, is just what exactly the group is doing when they are out serving and fundraising in the community.
As a non-profit senior care community, Schowalter Villa recognized from its earliest days that providing residents with exceptional care and experiences would truly take a community.
The Villa Partners are a committed group of volunteers focused on raising funds for special projects that enhance daily life for residents at Schowalter Villa. Formed in 1963, just a couple of years after Schowalter Villa opened its doors, the Villa Partners have long been a force for resident well-being. Their decades of service reflect a shared belief that every resident deserves meaningful experiences, comfort and connection.
“We have such wonderful, creative, hard-working and caring people as part of the Villa Partners group,” said Phyllis Weaver, who has served as chair of the Villa Partners council for about a year and a half. “The mission of the group is to give service, financial support and assistance as needs and opportunities arise, and to maintain contact and communication between the Schowalter Villa resident community and the greater Hesston community.”
Initially organized as a women’s auxiliary group, the organization was first called the Schowalter Villa Auxiliary, and they committed to hosting two resident parties each year. They soon incorporated fundraising socials for special projects, the first of which were a coffee maker, hair washing and drying equipment and a piano.
Over the years, membership has grown to include both women and men from the Hesston community, along with residents of Schowalter Villa’s independent living neighborhoods. While the group has expanded and evolved, its commitment to serving Villa residents has remained steadfast throughout more than 60 years of dedicated work.
In 2025, the Villa Partners raised $35,000 for special projects at Schowalter Villa, which included the Good Samaritan Caring Fund, nursing scholarships for staff pursuing advanced nursing degrees, maintenance of the bird aviaries in health care and assisted living, new plates for health care dining rooms, new light-weight tables in the chapel, a bladder scanner in health care and new seating and side tables along Lake Vista.
“Half of the money raised each year is earmarked for the Good Samaritan Caring Fund,” explained Weaver. “That ministry of Schowalter Villa is so important in ensuring health care residents who face unexpected financial hardships won’t have to forfeit their home or care.”
A full slate of community‑supported fundraising events fuels the Villa Partners’ impact and has long made the group an invaluable auxiliary to Schowalter Villa. Volunteers can regularly be found hosting bake sales at local farmers markets, raffling gift baskets filled with goods and services from area businesses during the town’s annual homecoming celebration, and coordinating nearly monthly garage sales. These garage sales, the organization’s most successful endeavor, draw eager crowds from miles around, many of whom line up well before opening in hopes of being the first through the door.
“The garage sales have really established a reputation for selling good stuff at a reasonable price,” said Abe Schmidt, who along with his wife, Judy, have been volunteering with the garage sales for six years, and chair of the committee for five years.
Garage sale items, ranging from big-ticket pieces like furniture to everyday household goods, come from several generous sources. Many are donated by residents as they downsize in a transition to another level of care, as well as resident families sorting through belongings after their loved one’s passing. On occasion, the Schowalter Villa Maintenance department contributes appliances that have been upgraded from resident homes.
“We’re really glad to be able to contribute to the Villa in this way,” said the Schmidts. “When a resident moves or passes away, they or their families can leave behind the things they don’t want. The garage sale team then goes into the home to sort and pack up the items, and then works with Maintenance to get the items to the garage sale building or to storage until there is room on the sales for them. It’s doing work for a good cause.”
For all the bustle of bake sales, raffles and garage‑sale treasure hunts, the heart of the Villa Partners’ work has always been simple: neighbors caring for neighbors. Their efforts – quiet, steady and deeply rooted in service – continue to shape daily life at Schowalter Villa in ways that cannot be measured only in dollars raised or items sold. Every treat baked, every item sold, every donation collected represents a community choosing to show up for its seniors with generosity and love.
Editor’s note: Villa Partners’ garage sales are held nearly monthly, usually on the second Saturday of the month. Follow Bluestem Communities on Facebook to see information and specific dates for upcoming garage sales. To be added to the garage sale email list for future sales, contact SheriE@bluestem.org.