In Chicago, Belmont Village resident Merle Philips celebrated her 111 birthday on April 2. Her day began by boarding a party bus with friends, which took her on a tour of historic sites around Wheaton and Carol Stream, where she was greeted with a bouquet of red roses by firefighters along the way. Fellow residents and staff also celebrated with Merleduring a gathering at Belmont Village, where she was described as the life of the party. Friends and family also attended to celebrate the incredible milestone and life of Merle Philips. She was born on April 2, 1907 and has documented her life in 11 books, the first of which she wrote at the age of 72.
In honor of her birthday, and for the second year in a row, Merle wants to give back to the community and help others who have vision challenges. That’s why she’s asking friends, family and well-wishers to consider donating to Spectrios Institute for Low Vision instead of offering gifts/cards. Spectrios works to empower children and adults with vision loss, regardless of income, to optimize their visual capabilities and independence through the use of perspective tools, technology, rehabilitative training and inspiration.
Please consider donating to this wonderful organization on behalf of Merle for her special day. You can make your donation here.
Click on the links below to view coverage of Merle Philips’ birthday celebration.
Daily Herald: Carol Stream woman celebrates 111th birthday
Daily Herald: 111-year-old’s lessons for a life well lived
CBS Chicago: Merle Phillips on the secret to living 111 year
Independent Recorder: Woman turns 111, credits longevity to faith
FOX 32: Carol Stream woman celebrates 111th birthday
Feature photo courtesy of Mark Black and the Daily Herald.