WC People: Meet Emily Filer

WC People is an ongoing series of profiles featuring people connected to Westminster-Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay. Our community brings together people from all walks of life with amazing stories to tell. We are proud to share them with you.

1978 was a pivotal, and tragic, year for Emily Filer.

Her daughter, Lee, died at age 16 from Hodgkin’s disease, a cancer of the lymphatic system.

That moment ignited a passion in Emily that would lead her to a life of service to her community.

Before Lee died in the summer of that year, she and nine of her friends began Lee’s Friends, an organization dedicated to offering emotional and practical support to cancer patients and their families facing the fear and uncertainty of diagnosis and treatment.

Emily with some of the most important things in her life: her children (Lee and Monty), her three grandchildren and her toy poodle, Mango.

Thanks to Emily’s drive and determination, Lee’s Friends grew and became recognized throughout Virginia and the nation as an outstanding non-profit. In 1982, Emily traveled to the White House, as Lee’s Friends was one of 16 agencies chosen from 2,300 nominations to receive the President’s Volunteer Action Award.

“Lee inspired the program, and it’s our job to carry it out,” Emily says. “It’s a living memorial to her. We work with all ages and stages of cancer and have been able to help thousands of people. We started with no volunteers and no money, but thanks to the cause and the dedication of our friends, we have won national recognition.”

After 23 years of service, Emily retired from Lee’s Friends in 2001; but her dedication to the region has never stopped.

She was a member of the board of trustees at Virginia Wesleyan College for 20 years; member, past president and now honorary member of the Junior League of Norfolk-Virginia Beach; vice chair of the Mayor’s Commission on Aging in Virginia Beach, just to name a few of her accomplishments.

In 2010, she received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) from Providence Bible College and Theological Seminary for her volunteerism.

Her dedication to others has continued at Westminster-Canterbury. During her eight years on the WC Board of Trustees, she learned a great deal about the community and knew she wanted to make it her home.

Emily holding her most recent award, the Hampton Roads VOLUNTEER Achievement Award for Outstanding Community Service, which she received in 2014.

“When I retired from Lee’s Friends, I went back to school and became an associate chaplain for Sentara, working in five different hospitals,” Emily says. “I loved it, and I continue my work here as a pastoral caregiver and chaplain in the Hoy Center.”

Emily has a shadow at Westminster-Canterbury - her toy poodle Mango! When you see Emily, Mango is usually not far behind.  “She’s eight pounds and a complete character,” Emily boasts. “Everyone, from staff to residents, has fallen in love with her.”

Emily and Mango out for a walk at Westminster-Canterbury.

Emily can’t imagine calling anywhere other than Westminster-Canterbury home.

“When I was part of the Virginia Beach Commission on Aging, I saw every potential community in Virginia Beach and Norfolk, and I actually lived in both cities for long periods,” Emily says. “But, once I visited Westminster, there was no question. I’m able to do everything I love and explore new interests too. I love playing Sjoelbak – I’d never heard of it and now it’s one of my favorite pastimes!”

Chef Jet Tila Brings His “Cutthroat Kitchen” to Westminster-Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay

TV viewers across the country admire the on-screen talent and humor of Chef Jet Tila on the Food Network’s Camp Cutthroat and Cutthroat Kitchen, but few have the chance to step into the kitchen with the famed cook. Privileged guests at the 2^nd Annual Westminster-Canterbury Foundation Celebrity Chef Cooking Demonstration and Dinner on September 23^rd interacted with Chef Jet as he demonstrated Thai-style Satay Lamb Chops and shared cooking tips from the stage. 

The evening, which raised funds for the Westminster-Canterbury Foundation, kicked off with a lively VIP reception and “meet and greet” with Chef Jet. Guests and residents mingled and snapped photos, sampled signatures dishes such as Drunken Noodles and enjoyed cocktails, like the Thai Silk Sake.

Following the reception, guests took their seats as Chef Jet ruled the kitchen stage, where he joked with members of the audience while cooking up Thai-style Satay Lamb Chops. He shared secrets on the perfect Thai curry sauce, how to cook with a can of coconut milk and tips on serving the perfect piece of meat. 

“Chef Jet felt like part of the WC community from the moment he arrived on campus Wednesday morning,” says Foundation Executive Director Ashley Allman. “Guests were able to learn from his cooking expertise, but he also had the opportunity to collaborate with our culinary team on creative Asian-inspired recipes.”  

Chef Jet and the culinary team at Westminster prepared and served a three-course dinner that included a Thai Coconut Chicken Soup, Roasted Salmon with Mango Slaw and Ancient Grains, Satay Lamb Chops with Peanut Sauce and a Poached Asian Pear over Almond Cake with Franzipan cookie, toasted almonds and Japanese pinwheel for dessert. 

The event raised over $22,000 for the Westminster-Canterbury Foundation, which provides financial support for residents, staff members and the surrounding community. A special thank you to WC’s partners, Flik Lifestyles and The Compass Group, and to all of the event sponsors that made the evening such a success. 

To see more photos from the Celebrity Chef and other exciting events at Westminster-Canterbury visit the Facebook page.  

WC People: Ty Brown

Westminster-Canterbury resident Ty Brown is a retired lawyer who spends much of his time “focusing” on photography, his favorite pastime.

Born and raised in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, Ty Brown earned a bachelors degree from Swarthmore College and a law degree from the University of Colorado. Ty worked for 51 years as a lawyer, but took up photography as a hobby after his wife brought home a camera she found on a remote mountain trail. He began shooting photos of his family members, vacations and then joined the St. Louis Camera Club, where he learned the artistic fundamentals of photography. Ty has presented his work through slide shows, competed in and judged local competitions and earned the Photographic Society of America’s Award of Excellence for his achievements in international competitions. 

Ty and his wife Penny moved to Westminster-Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay in 2004, where he continues to use his camera to capture local life on the Bay and record events on campus. Fellow residents often ask him to shoot family gatherings, and it’s not unusual for friends to call with ideas on unusual subject matter, in hopes that Ty will bring his camera to capture the moment.

For the past 10 years, Ty has volunteered with the Norfolk Botanical Garden Camera Club, at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens where he conducts photography workshops.  He enjoys shooting photos in the gardens, and many of his favorite shots are “macro-images” or close-ups on subject matter, such as a single blossom or flower.

“Seeing the patterns in nature makes me realize that I am really a small part of God’s higher order,” says Ty. “Capturing the things I see is my opportunity to give back.” 

Take a look at some of his shots from the Botanical Gardens below. You can also see Ty's photos highlighted on the Westminster-Canterbury website (like the shot of the pier above) and on the Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/WestminsterCanterbury. 

Meet Foundation Executive Director Ashley Allman

Foundation Executive Director Ashley Allman has a special place in her heart for Westminster-Canterbury. As a child, she spent her weekends on campus with her grandmother, attending events and visiting with friends and family. Today, she spends time at WC in her career, and she has the opportunity to directly enhance the lives of others who live and visit here. Since 2013, she has worked to bring joy to the lives of all those who come in contact with Westminster-Canterbury through the support provided by the Foundation to residents, staff and friends of the community. “We really are a unique community,” says Allman. “The Foundation allows us to provide support and peace of mind to our residents and staff.”

Each year, Allman orchestrates three major events to support those who benefit from the Foundation. The most well-known is the “Bringing Joy to Life” Dinner, second is the Annual Golf Classic, and the newest is the celebrity chef dinner, which was held for the first time last fall.

“Bringing Joy to Life” is an opportunity for the Foundation to thank contributors for their support over the year. The celebration dinner is also a time to reflect on the past year, and allows donors to see the impact of their generosity on the community.

“My favorite part of the night is listening to staff members who have benefited from the fund tell their stories,” says Allman. “We hear from employees who have received scholarships to further their education, and those who have other unmet needs, who have benefited from the Employee Emergency Fund.”

One of many examples from this year’s dinner came from an employee named Gwen. She explained how the fund allowed her to make repairs to her car, when she was unable to come up with the financing. She was so grateful and appreciative and thanked attendees of the event saying, “Not only did this help me, but aided my son, who relies on me for transportation to school and athletic practice each day.” This small gift from Foundation donors changed the life of an employee and her family.

“Stories like Gwen’s make donor gifts tangible and really help drive home the mission,” says Ashley. “It allows you to put a name and face with the cause and creates a very personal connection.”

Most recently, the Foundation hosted the celebrity chef dinner and demonstration featuring Top Chef’s Fabio Viviani. Coming up next is the Westminster-Canterbury Foundation’s 12^th Annual Golf Classic at Bayville Golf Club. The tournament will be held on Tuesday, May 12th at Noon and the “19th Hole" Reception will be held back at Westminster-Canterbury immediately following the tournament. For more information, please call Ashley at (757) 496-1106 or email Ashley.Allman@wcbay.com.

The WC Foundation became it’s own 501(c)3 in 1992, and serves to maintain and enhance the lives of residents, employees and the surrounding community.  

“You truly can’t put a price tag on the peace of mind the Foundation provides to our staff and residents,” says Allman. “That security, along with being good stewards of the dollars invested in our Foundation are what sets us apart from other communities.”

For more information about Westminster-Canterbury and the Foundation visit http://www.wcbay.com/the-westminster-canterbury-foundation.

Westminster-Canterbury Take Home “People’s Choice Award” at Foodbank’s Taste of Hampton Roads

Chef Peter and his talented dining team at Westminster-Canterbury joined nearly 40 local restaurants and businesses to participate in the 26th Annual Taste of Hampton Roads event on March 3rd at the Virginia Beach Convention Center. The event benefited the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and raised enough money to purchase over 600,000 meals for those in need. Prior to the tasting event, Chef Peter participated as one four “Iron Chefs” in a cooking competition held during the VIP reception. After he worked up a sweat cooking against the clock, Chef Peter joined the rest of the dining team at the WC booth, to unveil his “Fire & Ice” creation, a fusion of Wagu Beef Short Rib and Lobster served over asparagus and cucumber slaw. 

At the end of the night, the votes were tallied, and “Fire & Ice” was awarded the People’s Choice Award from the Foodbank, earning more votes than any other dish at the event.

“I was extremely excited about the win and the opportunity to return to Taste of Hampton Roads this year with a new dish,” says Chef Peter. “It’s great to work for a community that puts an emphasis on the quality of its food and dining team. Their support allows me to create signature healthy dishes every day in the community, not just at events like this.”

Chef Peter also created an “at-home” version of the winning dish. You can make it yourself, just follow the recipe at www.wcbay.com/recipes.

March 2015- Westminster-Canterbury Named Hampton Roads Employer of Choice

We’re excited to be featured as the “Employer of Choice” for the month of March. We owe it all to our pre-eminent employees. 

Read the article below to learn more about what it’s like to have a career at Westmisnter-Canterbury, and visit http://www.wcbay.com/jobs-home to find out how to join our team!