October 2020
Creating a Community Legacy
At JAA, we believe that everyone is capable of making an impact on our community’s future. Each contribution is significant no matter how large or small.
Rita J. Gould is remembered as a vibrant woman who loved nature, colorful clothes, snappy hats, and cycling. Rita helped to start a local TV magazine which became part of TV GUIDE, where she worked for 38 years. In addition to her extended family and many friends, Rita was devoted to the Pittsburgh community, where she volunteered tirelessly for the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh and the Jewish Community Center. Rita became part of the JAA family through a friend who regularly volunteered at the JAA.
Touched by the many residents she met, Rita saw an opportunity to leave a legacy that would bring joy to them and their loved ones for years to come. Rita envisioned a place where residents living with memory loss and their families could spend time together surrounded by the comforts of nature. Working with JAA staff, Rita created her legacy with a bequest to create Rita’s Place, a transformation of the courtyard in the Allderdice residence into a beautiful garden and outdoor gathering space. Rita imagined residents savoring an early morning cup of coffee outdoors, watching a light summer rain under the pergola.
Rita passed away in 2016, and the courtyard has been reconstructed according to her wishes. The base of the perennial garden was laid late summer of 2018 and will continue to grow with the gardening and outdoor activities of residents throughout the coming years. The ever-evolving garden is a living testimony to the passion for life that Rita exuded wherever she went. Rita’s Place is now a sanctuary of colorful flowers that attract birds and butterflies, providing both joy and solace as reminders of the beauty of life.
Rita’s local family, and her family in Canada, join with Allderdice residents and staff in grateful remembrance of the legacy of Rita’s Place.
Updated and reprinted from JAA’s 2018 annual report when Rita’s Place first launched.
We thank K.R.J. Enterprises Inc. in Sharpsburg for providing the beautiful landscaping and awesome man-power to help create Rita’s Garden.