Thriving at Lenbrook: Resident Bernie Goldstein Enriches Community by Embracing Learning Opportunities
Learning has been a lifelong pursuit for Bernie Goldstein, and he relishes the varied opportunities to do that at Lenbrook – including those he has made happen for residents to enjoy! He moved to Lenbrook in 2016, and quickly began taking advantage of the community’s many activities.
“I decided to move to Lenbrook when it got difficult to climb steps in my large home,” he said. “I had many friends at Lenbrook, and they kept telling me what I was missing. When I moved, I was really amazed at how many activities and events there were. I felt like an octopus, I wanted to do EVERYTHING, and sometimes I still feel that way!”
Through the years, he has served on the Resident Finance Committee and the Friends of the Arts Committee. In addition, he was Treasurer of the Residents Association and participated in the Writer’s Roundtable. Now he serves on the Travel and Excursion Committee and the Speaker’s Committee, which he has led for more than five years. He is Lenbrook’s number one source of Resident Referrals and invites friends to join him in serving on committees.
“At Lenbrook, we have a variety of activities to keep our bodies in shape, as well as a range of cultural programs,” he said. “It has been my mission to bring in speakers that challenge our minds so that when we leave the room, we know more than we did before.”
Mr. Goldstein has drawn many of Atlanta’s movers and shakers to speak at Lenbrook. They include Mayor Andre Dickens, former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, and Dr. Wayne Clough, former president of the Georgia Institute of Technology, to name a few. He drew them to Lenbrook from connections he made by being active in Atlanta’s business and cultural life.
An Atlanta native, Mr. Goldstein grew up in the city before attending Duke University and graduating with a degree in accounting. He also studied taxation at New York University and served two tours of duty in the U.S. Army. He became a Certified Public Accountant and then worked for the accounting firm Arthur Andersen. He was chief financial officer of Shapiro Packing Company in Augusta, Georgia, for 23 years, then became CFO at Vantage Industries in Atlanta. He retired in 1995, but didn’t stop learning!
He began taking eight-week-long classes at the Senior University of Greater Atlanta, focusing on history and current events. He chaired their POTPOURRI class, bringing in many talented people as guest speakers. He also audited classes at Emory University, further connecting him with many interesting people in Atlanta.
Mr. Goldstein likes living at Lenbrook because it offers so many choices of interesting things to experience. “It is like being on a stationary ship. At Lenbrook, there is a variety of food in the multiple dining rooms, a fitness center, a great library, movies, excursions to places of interest, and enjoyable dining experiences.”
For the past two years, he has maintained a vegetable garden in the Lenbrook Resident garden, growing some very tasty tomatoes. He was a serious runner for more than 30 years, running eight marathons in various countries.
“I now enjoy walking in the beautiful neighborhoods adjacent to Lenbrook,” he said. “Also, having given up my car, I am very grateful for the Lenbrook bus that takes us to The Atlanta Symphony, Spivey Hall, and Lake Lanier, as well as my medical appointments. What I enjoy most are my fellow residents, who give me much pleasure and joy,” he said.
He frequents the Lenbrook Business Center, where he meets with fellow residents and dreams up new speakers and activities to offer. He recently shared the idea of having emotional support llamas visit for residents and associates to learn about and enjoy. Their visit was a first for Lenbrook!
“I really enjoy the activities and my friends at Lenbrook and can’t imagine living anywhere else,” he said.