Independence Village Ames

08/29/2025

Our Vice President of Culinary, Chef Kevin Penn, CEC, CCA, was recently honored as the American Culinary Federation Central Regional winner for the 2025 Dr. L.J. Minor Chef Professionalism Award.

This award honors chefs who exemplify professionalism, and Chef Kevin is more than deserving. His leadership has elevated dining across 150+ StoryPoint Group communities, turning meals into experiences and dining rooms into gathering spaces. We couldn’t be prouder. Way to go, Chef Kevin!

08/29/2025

✨ What an unforgettable week at Independence Village of Ames! Our celebration has been full of joy, music, and memories 💫. We had such a great time celebrating the decades all week long—and today we went out with a bang! 💥

🎶 Our Millennium Dance brought every era to life, with the incredible Vintage Café rocking songs from across the decades 🎤🎸. The energy was contagious—residents clapped, sang along, and some even danced the night away 🕺💃.

🥂 To top it all off, we raised our glasses in a champagne toast—celebrating the week, the decades, and the special moments we shared together 💛.

Here’s to shining bright through every decade 🌟✨

08/29/2025

🚀🪐 Independence Village Brighton proudly welcomed retired NASA astronaut Drew Feustel, son of two of our very own residents, whose visit filled the community with excitement and pride as he shared stories from his 23 years of space exploration. 👨‍🚀❤️✨

08/29/2025

🥳🎂 Independence Village Waukee had the honor of celebrating Mayme’s 107th birthday—a remarkable milestone for a remarkable woman whose warmth and wisdom continue to inspire. 🎉🎈✨

08/27/2025

✨💾 BIG HAIR + TECH BOOM = 80s MAGIC! 🎶🕺💿 Our afternoon kicked off with a mystery box challenge 🎁🤔 where residents guessed throwback 80s items—Jimmy Fallon style! 😂👀 Then, the amazing Neil Hewitt rocked the courtyard 🎸☀️ while we soaked up the sunshine 🌸😎. To top it off, Steph the Caricature Artist wowed everyone with her lightning-fast sketches 🎨✏️🖼️ (seriously, she was FAST!).

Our residents were all smiles 😍🙌💃—what a totally rad day! 🌟 ✨

08/26/2025

Every wagging tail and wet nose brings pawsitive energy to our community, filling hearts with love and laughter. 🐾💞 Dogs are always welcome here—they offer comfort, spark smiles, and bring joy to our days. 🐶✨

08/26/2025

🌟 Grandparents Day is right around the corner — September 7! 🌟

There’s nothing like the charm of a homemade card, a fresh-baked treat, or simply spending quality time together. Looking for inspiration? We’ve gathered 15 creative and thoughtful ways to make this Grandparents Day truly magical.

✨ Explore fun crafts, activities, and heartfelt ideas here: https://www.storypoint.com/resources/health-wellness/grandparents-day-ideas/

See 15 of the top grandparents day activities. Spend time with loved ones with our ideas for grandparents day. Learn more here.

08/25/2025

🚀✨ Day 1 of our “To Ames and Beyond” biannual event was a BLAST! 🌌 We kicked things off by time-traveling back to New Year’s 1969 🕺🪩—right as Apollo 11 prepared for launch. 🚀🌍

👨‍🚀 One of our very own “astronauts” stopped by to greet each resident with a smile and a wave from “outer space.” 🌟 To sweeten the mission, everyone enjoyed a banana 🍌 + chocolate 🍫 Moon Pie 🌙—the perfect treat for a space adventure!

🎈 And the crowd favorite? Silly Sally stopped by to twist up some amazing balloon animals that had all our residents raving with joy! 🐶🐦🐢 Silly Sally

Later, we gathered for a special remembrance of the Apollo 11 mission 🇺🇸✨—a giant leap for mankind! 🌕

The fun kept going with Galaxy Punch 🪐🥤, sparkly alien headbands 👽✨, and colorful planet-inspired sand art 🌈🪐. Tonight, we’re ending the day by watching the incredible story of Apollo 11 together on the big screen. 🎬🌌

Today was truly out of this world 💫 and the perfect launch to our Ames adventure. 🚀💖

✨ 🚀

08/25/2025

Heading back to school or moving into senior living? 🤔📚🧳

Like students starting a new school year, many of our residents felt unsure about what was ahead. But just like students finding new friends and opportunities, they discovered joy, connection, and a community that feels like home.💛

Hear from our residents themselves about how moving to senior living turned into one of the best chapters of their lives. Visit StoryPoint.com to learn more.✨

08/24/2025

💦😎 Independence Village Waukee residents made a splash on the Slip ’n Slide, proving joy slides right along with you at any age. ❤️✨

08/22/2025

🎶🪩 A silent disco had Independence Village Grand Ledge residents moving to the rhythm of summer. 🎧 With headphones on and spirits high, the dance floor came alive. 🎼❤️✨

08/21/2025

Our residents have lived full, vibrant lives — and they have so much wisdom to share. 🌟 In honor of Senior Citizens Day, here’s what they want YOU to know. ✨💛

08/21/2025

What a beautiful day to celebrate our amazing seniors on National Senior Citizen Day! 💛🎉 Our day was packed with laughter and creativity—from bingo to an obstacle course featuring walkers, canes, and nightgowns galore. We cheered on races, had a blast with Dazzling Dentures (our own silly twist on chubby bunny), and even tested our guessing skills with a lively round of Headbands.

No matter the game, the heart of today was celebrating the joy, spirit, and love our seniors bring every single day. We had so much fun, and we are grateful for every smile shared. ✨

08/21/2025

On National Retirement Community Day, we’re honoring the vibrant communities that provide comfort, care, and connection for our seniors. We’re proud to highlight our members who create welcoming spaces where residents can enjoy life to the fullest every day.

Bethany Life
Green Hills Community
Independence Village Ames
Northcrest Community
Northridge Village
Vintage Cooperative of Ames
Windsor Manor in Nevada

08/20/2025

🚢⚓️ At 98, Independence Village Petoskey resident Martha, made waves as the oldest person to ever captain the Harbor Princess ferry on Little Traverse Bay! From history-making moments to breathtaking sights, our residents are always steering the ship of life and proving that adventure has no age limit. ❤️✨

08/18/2025

Nothing says innovation like a table full of fresh flavors! 🍋🫑 Independence Village Grand Ledge started the week with a brunch that was truly five-star. ⭐️🍽️✨

08/18/2025

🎯💞 The Dating Game at Independence Village Oxford cooked up laughs, love, and a winning recipe for fun with Chef Brian. 👨‍🍳✨

08/16/2025

On the last day of the State Fair, we’re remembering a sweet moment from years past. Our residents were taking in the music at the Bill Riley Stage, but the excitement of the day caught up with them. They stretched out, kicked off a pair of blue suede loafers, and drifted off for a quick nap under the summer sky. A reminder that sometimes the best fair memories aren’t just about the rides and the shows, but about the little moments of comfort and joy along the way. 💙🎶🎡

08/13/2025

Vote for Independence Village of Ames! 📮✨
We’re honored to be nominated for the 2025 Best of Story County – Community’s Choice Awards! Voting is open now through August 18th, and your support would mean the world to us and our amazing community. You can vote up to one time a day! 💛💌

Cast your vote here: https://consumers.secondstreetapp.com/og/3a208c2d-b389-457e-8883-98c58582b157/gallery/500751725

Thank you for helping us 🌟😊

Independence Village Senior Living

08/08/2025

🎳 Yesterday, we hit the lanes at the 60 Forward Center in Ames for some duckpin bowling fun! Turns out our residents are expert bowlers 🎯 and even picked up a brand-new game along the way!

🎡 Today, we wrapped up our Iowa State Fair pre-celebration week with a FAIR-tastic kickoff 🎉 featuring all the delicious favorites — corn dogs 🌭, funnel cake 🍩, fried Oreos 🤤, AND a brand-new fair food item… the chicken, bacon, ranch eggroll 🥓🐓🥚! A big thank you to Chef Jeff 👨‍🍳 for cooking up our fair favorites and bringing the fair to Ames!

🍋 We sipped on fresh lemonade 🍹, played balloon volleyball 🎈🏐, ring toss 🎯, and so many more games that had everyone laughing and smiling from ear to ear 😄❤️

This week was all about celebrating Iowa traditions and the magic of the fair — and it was even better doing it together! 🥳💛 🌞🌽🎡🍩🎳

08/07/2025

As part of our Iowa State Fair Week fun, residents rolled up their sleeves and sculpted their very own butter masterpieces—from animals to fair-inspired designs, all in honor of the legendary Butter Cow! 🐄✨

And just like the real fair tradition, we enjoyed hard-boiled eggs—because what’s a visit to the Butter Cow without standing in line with an egg in hand? 🥚🎡 It was a moo-ving tribute filled with laughs, creativity, and buttery brilliance!

🧈🐮🥚🎨

08/05/2025

Remember that BIG surprise we teased yesterday? Well… today was the day! As part of our Iowa State Fair celebrations, the Hovick Family Farm Petting Zoo, LLC stopped by Independence Village of Ames – and it was farm-tastic! 🐴🐑🐐

Our residents got to cuddle, feed, and fawn over an adorable lineup of animals including goats, llamas, a horse, donkey, and sheep! There were no baaad vibes—just fuzzy friends, big smiles, and lots of love. 🐾💛

It was a llama fun and truly the GOAT of all fair week events. We herd it was the best surprise yet! 😉

🐐🎡