Couple Celebrated for 65 Years of ACV Employment

Between the two of them, Dick and Angie Grillo have given over 65 years of employment to Advent Christian Village. While Angie retired last year, Dick continues as Senior Director of Community and Church Outreach, and he was recognized recently for 35 years of faithful service. Their years of dedicated service have helped shape Advent Christian Village into a ministry of excellence.

Just prior to moving to Dowling Park, Dick and Angie lived in Tallahassee. Since graduating from Aurora College in Illinois, Dick managed a Burger King, played his guitar in restaurants, taught guitar lessons and worked as a music director at two churches. Angie, having graduated with a degree in social work (also from Aurora), held jobs in that field until Emily, their first, was born.

Around 1980, ACV executive Jim Humbles contacted Dick and asked if he would be interested in performing at some of the residents’ events. Jim had been a dean at Aurora while Dick and Angie had been students. Not long after Dick’s first visit to ACV, he expressed an interest in coming to work at the community full time.

Knowing the type of man Dick was, Jim did soon call and offer Dick the position of Director of Retirement Living. After prayerfully considering, Dick accepted and the young family moved to Dowling Park.

Dick’s job as Director of Retirement Living entailed a lot of on-the-job training. He managed the two apartment buildings and oversaw community care for all the residents. For approximately 25 years, Dick filled this role. During this time, he also began the Live! at Dowling Park Artist Series, a program that is finishing its 30th season this month.

For the past 10 years, Dick has been ACV’s Director and Senior Director of Church and Community Outreach.

Angie started working for ACV in 1986 when their second child, Matt, was not quite two years old. Selflessly willing to help wherever she can, the positions she held were grant writer, social services worker; activities worker; personnel director; nursing home administrator in training; nursing home associate administrator; personnel director; assistant to ACV’s psychologist (testing school children); Village Church secretary; administrative assistant to the Chief Program Officer and finally office manager for Resource Development, from which she retired in August 2017.

“[Advent Christian Village has] been a great place to serve and raise kids,” says Angie. The couple is so glad they decided to move to Dowling Park when they did, and they plan to remain in the off-campus home they built. Emily and her family now live down the street, and Matt and his family recently bought a house in Live Oak. Emily’s younger children are attending Wee Care — ACV’s daycare — just like their mother and uncle did when they were their age.

Angie now spends most weekdays caring for their youngest grandchild. Dick is still joyfully entertaining both ACV’s members, community organizations and prospective members with his guitar playing and vocals and with his knowledge of ACV as he travels locally and across the country sharing ACV’s story.

Advent Christian Village is grateful for this dedicated couple and their many years of service.