A Dance and Poignant Remembrance by the Love of Friends
Residents and friends of the Hope Village assisted living facility in Friendswood came out for the annual dance organized by the Friends Helping Friends.
By Jawahar Malhotra
FRIENDSWOOD: It was a mark of remembrance for two of their own dear friends, who were also founders of the 16 year-old non-profit Friends Helping Friends, which brought the Board of Directors of the Clear Lake based charity once again to the Hope Village in Friendswood. After all, Shoba and Alan Wenger had spent many days caring for and nurturing the residents of the assisted living facility and held a dance every June for them.
FHF Board member Dr. Neera Bhutani helped organize the event along with the rest of the FHF Board.
Once again this year, on Friday, June 23, FHF organized a dance event at the Hope Village on July 8 in memory of Shobha, Alan and their daughter Suji Chaudhary who also passed away just a little earlier than her mom. Almost 200 residents enjoyed the food and dance with the help of Lisa Davis, the Day Program Manager and Recreational Director at the Hope Village.
Photo on left: FHF volunteer Bill Massone helped out with the party arrangements.
Hope Village was started in 1967 by Bill and Lucille Williams when they sought care for their daughter Sally, who was diagnosed with mental retardation. The first home opened in 1970 with six residents. Since then, it has grown substantially to handle kids from 6 years-old to adulthood living in five homes on the Village campus on 18 acres of land donated by Louis and Hildegard Strey.
Shobha Wenger passed away in February 2016, seven years after her husband of 30 years, Alan died. Last July, the Board of FHF, many of whom knew the Wengers well, remembered the tremendous generosity of the couple by keeping the tradition of the annual dance alive. The Wenger’s son Doug and Shobha’s sister Asha Kapadia came to the event which drew some 200 people.
This year, once again, the FHF Board – Dr. Meera Bhutani, Panna Bhatia, Dr. Manik Hussein and Darin and Sandy Ard – organized the dance with the help of volunteers Dhiren Bhutani, Mustaq Hussein, Toni and Bill Massone and Mohini Ahluwalia and the residents turned out for the dance. A poignant way to remember a couple who would have smiled at the occasion.