Cornwall Manor & Whoville: Caring Communities

A community can be defined as “a unified body of individuals; people with common interests living in a particular area.” We all know that a community is more than just a group of people living near one another. A community is a group of people we lean on when times are tough; our friends, family, and neighbors who are there for us when we need love, support and encouragement.

Cornwall Manor is a welcoming senior living community with friendly neighbors and a caring staff. We provide high-quality housing, healthcare, and related services for individuals to achieve a retirement and aging lifestyle they find fulfilling in a secure, caring and Christian environment and that has been at the heart of our mission for 69 years. While we have been a caring community for generations, our residents and staff make a difference by contributing to the Cornwall Manor community.

Communities exist all over the world. A popular children’s author, Theodor Seuss Geisel, created a similar caring community in his popular 1957 book How The Grinch Stole Christmas! This classic story features Whos, who are whimsical, animal-like creatures who live in Whoville, a fictional town and are known for their warm hearts and welcoming spirits.

Both Cornwall Manor and Whoville have similarities of being caring communities (even though one is real life and the other is fictional!), but now Cornwall Manor and Whoville have something else in common.

Cornwall Manor residents Patrick and Jeannette Renaud’s youngest son, Chris, is the Executive Producer for Illumination Entertainment’s newest movie release, Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch, which was released on November 9.

“We always knew his future would be in art,” explains Jeannette. “He started drawing at the age of four. I remember his first grade teacher calling us. She noticed his talent right away and recommended that we get Chris enrolled into some professional art classes to further develop his talent.” At the age of 10, he started taking classes at the Maryland Institute of Art. The family relocated from Baltimore to Allentown after Patrick’s job at Bethlehem Steel transferred him. He took more classes at The Baum School of Art.

After graduation, Chris attended Syracuse University in New York for Illustration. His goal was to be a comic book artist. He worked at Marvel Comics and Blue Sky Animation, where he directed No Time for Nuts (2006), which was nominated for an Oscar. In 2007, he went to Illumination Entertainment in Paris, where he continues to reside today with his wife and two children. His professional tenure has included story artist, creating and writing, directing and producing.

He directed Despicable Me (2010), The Lorax (2012), Despicable Me 2 (2013) and The Secret Life of Pets (2016). He executive-produced Minions (2015) and Despicable Me 3 (2017). The films have done well at the box office, totaling more than $4 billion.

Patrick and Jeannette kicked off their holiday season by attending the opening night of The Grinch with several of their Cornwall Manor neighbors. “We love the sense of community here,” shares Patrick. “It’s heartwarming that our fellow neighbors are supportive of our son’s accomplishments.”

Christmas is a special time for the Renaud family. The iconic movie teaches us that the true meaning of Christmas does not come from a store, but rather the true spirit of Christmas lives in our hearts. Patrick and Jeannette, who moved to Cornwall Manor in 2017, enjoy visits from both their sons and their families at Christmastime. “Having everyone together is what means the most at this special time of the year – exactly what the Grinch learns in the movie,” states Jeannette.