A.C. and John Riley enjoy the Library at Woodlawn Commons in the Spring of 2019. John is a former board member of The Wesley Community and The Wesley Foundation, A.C. is a volunteer of The Campaign for Springs Steering Committee. Both A.C. and John are members of The Wesley Society. Photo by SaratogaPhotographer.com.
The Wesley Foundation thanks A.C. and John Riley for their $100,000 leadership gift to the Campaign for Springs. A.C is a resident of Woodlawn Commons on The Wesley Community campus, as was John until his passing in 2021. A.C. is also a member of the Campaign for Springs Steering Committee, where she helped to plan and lead the earliest part of the fundraising effort to renovate Wesley’s oldest nursing home building. This important renovation project will modernize three floors of Wesley’s oldest nursing home building and renovate the Resident Activities Room – the social and spiritual hub of Wesley Health Care Center.
A.C. has had a deep relationship with The Wesley Community since its founding. She gave tours of Embury Apartments when first built in the early 1970s, has presided over groundbreakings and ceremonies on campus while mayor of Saratoga Springs, took part in fundraising campaigns, and later became a resident.
John was a talented architect, and his technical skills and leadership were of immense help to The Wesley Community’s board of directors where he served for 9 years. John would later serve as an honorary board member of The Wesley Foundation, helping to raise funds for the mission and to plan the fundraising initiative now underway as the Campaign for Springs.
Both A.C. and John are members of The Wesley Society, recognizing their philanthropic commitment to the mission of The Wesley Community.
A.C. was quick to become involved in the Campaign for Springs as a member of the Steering Committee and she recognizes the impact of the project. “Beyond the quality of care, the sense of home is what is really going to be the change with the Springs project. That home-like feeling, along with modern technology, will really make a difference in the resident experience,” says A.C.
While the improvements to the Springs building will be a major upgrade, A.C. believes that the people, and culture, are what makes Wesley so special. “I call it a culture, there is a culture of being friendly and cheerful. That culture makes a big difference for residents who call Wesley home,” says A.C.
The Wesley Foundation is profoundly grateful for the generosity of A.C. and John Riley as well as their leadership over the decades. Their leadership gift, along with the support of other community leaders, has helped to raise $4.3 million toward the $5 million goal.
A.C. and John Riley’s collective work on behalf of the mission of Wesley has established an important legacy that will last for years to come. The Wesley Foundation is grateful for their support and leadership.