LONGVIEW, Texas (KETK) – Buckner Westminster celebrated their 25th anniversary by opening a 5-year-time capsule, a fish fry and hosting a family fishing tournament.

The event was open to the public and residents, families and came together to celebrate Westminster Place’s impact on East Texas since its founding.

Five years ago, senior adults at Buckner Westminster Place, a non-profit, faith-based senior living community, buried a time capsule filled with newspaper clippings and other items that represented 2016.

The capsule was placed inside of a plastic case with two metal cylinders that were sealed air tight and submerged underground on top of water with a wood plank and slab of concrete on top of it.

The whole process of getting the capsules took four to five people to lift out of the hole.

“Five years ago, we had this idea of people recording their thoughts that we would reveal later and so the residents wrote answers to questions that we were asking them, just to be able how things have changed or have not changed,” Dr. Albert Reyes, president and CEO of Buckner International said.

“If this was just a post COVID event, that would be enough to celebrate, but to put on top of that 25 years of people that are healthy, happy, the staff looks great, our team members are doing great so it’s just a great

Around a month ago, the company started making it optional for people to wear masks, according to Dr. Reyes

After the ceremony and opening of the capsules, families and residents could join in for the fishing tournament with Kona Ice and later eat at the fish fry.

“I’ve already seen a few fishing poles and tackle that they are using to fish and just have a fun time,” Dr. Reyes said. “Of course those fish are just for fun because the fish we cooked have already been caught and cooked,”

At the fish fry residents and the community could look at the items that were placed in the capsule.

Buckner Westminster Place is the only complete CCRC (continuing care retirement community) in Longview which accommodates four levels of living and care as members’ needs change. For more information, visit BucknerWestminster.org.

Buckner Retirement Services is part of Buckner International, a ministry founded in 1879 in Texas, which today serves people in the United States and internationally through a variety of programs designed to protect children, build strong families and serve senior adults. Buckner also provides humanitarian aid and crisis relief to poverty-stricken children and families. Learn more and get involved at BucknerRetirement.org