Residents of Calvert Complex Hit Jackpot For Socializing

Bingo, Luaus Bring People Together

Bingo night is so popular at the Silverwood Farm apartments in Prince Frederick, Md., that residents have to reserve a spot to play.

And bingo is just one of the organized activities at Silverwood Farm, a 180-unit apartment community in a still slightly rural part of Calvert County. Residents say they enjoy those social opportunities, as well as a lifestyle that is close to both nature and shopping.

For example, there is a yearly summer luau. "Everyone brings a dish and we have a ton of food," said Cheryl Jett, the community's assistant property manager.

Up until last year Joanne Kline, 73, always made potato salad and baked beans for the luau, but stopped because of health problems, she said. "They like my potato salad. Cheryl said I could sell it myself."

Several times during the year, Jett said, the management team collects magazines from residents and donates them to a local hospital. There is a yearly drive to collect toys, blankets and treats for the local pet shelter. There's also an annual Santa Shop where younger tenants can shop, buying donated items at bargain prices.

The complex does not have a fitness center, but there are plenty of opportunities for outdoor exercise on the walking paths throughout the community's 13.8-acre grounds. In the summer, residents can swim in the pool or borrow racquets to play on the tennis court. Sometimes, Jett said, management staff will grill hot dogs or hamburgers to throw an impromptu cookout for "whomever happens to be at the pool."

"They are always thoughtful and kind," said Walter Newman, 59, who along with his wife, Ruth, is a regular at the bingo games. "You don't find that everywhere you go."

For daily exercise, Kline goes to the store or out for lunch. Because she does not drive, she takes a county shuttle, which runs six days a week. The shuttle picks up residents in front of the community center and takes them around the county. Within a couple of miles, there are grocery stores, coffee houses, a movie theater and a hospital.

Greg Davidson, 39, commutes from Prince Frederick to his job outside Bowie in Prince George's County. "It is worth the commute," he said. "It is really just a straight shot traveling down [Route 4] unless you get a little bit of traffic. It doesn't take too long. On a good day, I can be up to work in about 50 minutes. It beats fighting that traffic. Those people in Montgomery County and Virginia sit on the Beltway."

Silverwood Farm has 331 parking spaces; there is also a car-care area.

Newman moved in when the community opened in 1993. "I love this place here," he said of his one-bedroom apartment. "The staff here are really wonderful. . . . .You never have problems with things breaking down."

He said, "If anything ever goes wrong in here, call maintenance and they will be right here."

Management promises that if a resident's maintenance need is not addressed within 24 hours, the day's rent will be waived. "We've never had to give a day's rent," Jett said.

Each apartment has a hook-up for a full-size washer and dryer, either in a closet off the bathroom or a small room off the kitchen. Many residents bring their own machines. Kline had a washer and dryer installed in her apartment. "I don't have to go up and down the steps," she said. There are also laundry rooms with coin-operated machines.

Davidson said he moved to his one-bedroom apartment about six years ago to be close to his parents, who live in Calvert County. He considers himself lucky to have found the apartment -- it is nice, clean, convenient and one of the few rental options in the county.

He said, "It's been a fairly enjoyable stay for me."