SantaFe Senior Living
East Ridge at Cutler Bay resident Helen Whiting had 100 reasons to celebrate during a special gathering on Saturday, November 18th. She became the newest member to join the life plan community’s centenarian club.
A resident of East Ridge since 2006, Mrs. Whiting was surrounded by friends and neighbors as well as her family for the milestone. Daughter, Pamela Whiting, also flew in from California.
“It’s pretty amazing to be here for mom on her special day,” she said.
In addition to Pamela, Mrs. Whiting’s son, James, and her two grandsons, who live in Pinecrest, attended the festivities.
Mrs. Whiting attributes her longevity to leading a happy life.
“I’ve been healthy and had a wonderful marriage,” she said. “I always look on the positive side.”
She lived in Virginia until 1983 and attended Blackstone College. She served as a bookkeeper for Morton Manufacturing Co. Mrs. Whiting met her husband, Frank, when he was stationed in Lynchburg with the U.S. Army Air Corps. The couple eventually retired to Venice, Fla., with Mrs. Whiting later moving to South Florida to be closer to her son.
She continues to lead an active lifestyle which includes meeting weekly with friends to play Bridge.
“I enjoy living at East Ridge,” she said. “It’s a gorgeous campus and there is independent and assisted living as well as memory care. Plus, the community offers a wealth of activities and there is security. But the best part of being here is the people. All the employees are so thoughtful and helpful and my neighbors are the nicest people.”
Since her birth, the world has changed significantly. Highlights* include:
World Literacy Rates
– 1917: The world literacy rate was only 23 percent.
– Today: Depending on estimates, the world literacy rate today is 86.1 percent.
Travel Time
– 1917: It took 5 days to get from London to New York; 3.5 months to travel from London to Australia.
– Today: A nonstop flight gets you from London to New York in a little over 8 hours, and you can fly from London to Australia in about a day, with just one stop.
Average Price of a U.S. House
– 1917: The average price of a U.S. house was $5,000. ($111,584.29 when adjusted for inflation).
– Today: The average price of a new home sold in the U.S. is $319,700.
Average Price of a Car in the U.S.
– 1917: The average price of a car in the US was $400 ($8,926.74 when adjusted for inflation)
– Today: The average car price in the US was $34,968 as of January 2017.
*Source: SingularityHub