Our Daily Show Interview! Villa Rose Celebrating 40 Years W/ Open House and Drone Show!
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BETHALTO - Villa Rose Senior Living Community is celebrating its 40th anniversary with several events next week.
Executive Director Cindy Cannon explained that the celebrations are “twofold,” with a focus on the residents as well as the community. From 3–6 p.m. on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, the community is invited to an open house at Villa Rose. At 9:15 p.m. on Thursday, July 24, there will be a drone show for community members and residents to enjoy. Cannon believes that Villa Rose is the first organization to host a drone show, just like they were one of the first senior living communities 40 years ago.
“We were one of the very first independent living communities in the area. We’re the only family-owned community in the Riverbend area,” she said. “I think our community just has a different feel. It’s family-owned and the family is involved in the operations. I just think it makes a huge difference on the way that we’re able to serve residents.”
Located at 401 South Moreland Road in Bethalto, Villa Rose is an independent living facility home to 110 seniors. The facility was founded by the Balsters family, which still owns and operates it today. Because of this, they’re able to keep their prices lower than other senior living facilities in the area.
Cannon hopes to welcome many outside community members on Tuesday, July 22, for the open house so they can learn more about what Villa Rose does. In addition to enjoying a nice meal, visitors can meet staff members and residents.
“They can come in and tour the community,” Cannon explained. “The staff will be there to visit with them. We’re going to offer some refreshments. If you’ve not been to Villa Rose, we have lots of common space, so there’s plenty of space for you to sit and visit and network with other people in our community. We look forward to our community members coming out.”
On Thursday, July 24, residents will enjoy a meal catered by Brass Door and music by the Granite City Swing Band. The drone show will start at 9:15 p.m. Cannon joked that all residents and staff members will have “a mandatory afternoon nap” so they can stay up for the show. The 15-minute presentation will include 150 drones over 500 feet up in the sky. Community members can park at Villa Rose or any of the surrounding churches for a great view.
As part of the 40th anniversary celebrations, residents can also enjoy “Coffee and Conversation” on Monday, July 21, with Bunkhouse Joe Coffee, and a carnival inside Villa Rose on July 23. Cannon looks forward to celebrating the 40th anniversary with the residents who make Villa Rose feel like home.
She encourages people to come to Villa Rose for the celebrations, but also to consider the facility when making choices about their own care. She noted that all of the 38 staff members care deeply about the residents, and she hopes they can continue to support the aging community in Bethalto and beyond.
“I just really want to invite the community to come out and see the community, come visit with us, see what we have to offer. If somebody is considering senior living, give us a call. Come take a look before you make a decision,” she added. “The seniors we serve, I can walk the halls and tell you their names, I can tell you what apartment they live in, I can tell you their family members that walk through the doors…You can’t be in this business if you don’t care about people.”
For more information about Villa Rose, including their 40th anniversary celebrations, visit their official website at VillaRoseSLC.com or their official Facebook page.
