Within his first few months of living at Harrogate, Howard Mueller published the first edition of The Harrogate Courier. Now residents anxiously await each issue of the quarterly 8-page resident newspaper, so they can learn more about the fascinating lives of those they enjoy life with at the senior living community.
Howard had a lengthy career as a storyteller, which included graphic arts, illustration, managing an art studio, and producing a TV show for companies such as AT&T and Bell Laboratories, Inc. Nowadays, he spends his free time finessing the senior living community’s newspaper as a way for him to get to know some of his fellow residents better.
“I wasn’t sure how it would be received at first, but it didn’t take long before I heard so much positive feedback from residents and staff that I decided to make it a regular publication,” Howard says.
The Harrogate Courier covers news within the Harrogate community, Lakewood, Ocean County and more of the outside world. Articles about events, concerts, shows and club activities help spread the word about things happening at the community. But the crowd favorites tend to be resident and staff profiles, which include information about past careers, vacation trips, unique hobbies, volunteerism and veteran experiences.
“As a new resident, it was a natural way for me to learn more about people who live and work at Harrogate,” Howard says. “It’s very rewarding, because I learned that we’ve featured many stories about longtime residents and staff that others hadn’t heard before. The Harrogate Courier has brought the members of our community closer together, and that makes it all worthwhile.”