Dunn, along with her husband Martin, known as “the M & M’s,” moved to Sunnyside from Bradenton, FL, 27 years ago. Martin had just undergone his fifth bypass surgery, and they wanted to move closer to their family.
When choosing their new home, the Dunns decided on an apartment in the Highlands rather than a cottage. They moved into their one bedroom apartment and never looked back.
“We thought the Highlands would give us the best chance of meeting people,” she shared.
They were right. From the very beginning, their life at Sunnyside was filled with connection.
“Once we moved in, we hardly ever ate dinner alone because we would eat with other couples,” Dunn said. “I kept a notebook and wrote down people’s names and what floor they lived on so that I could keep everyone straight.”
Today, Dunn still lives in that same apartment, still walking the same halls, but now, each step is layered with memories, friendships, and familiar faces.
“The beauty of living here is that you’ll go out in the hall, meet someone, and chat with them,” she said. “Then you’ll walk a little further down the hall and meet someone else.”
But it was during one of life’s most difficult moments that the true meaning of community revealed itself.
In 2005, Dunn lost both her son and grandson in a tragic airplane crash. In the midst of unimaginable grief, she was not alone.
“People would stop and visit, invite us to eat, and offer their prayers,” Dunn said. “We just had a real community around us.”
That support, presence, and quiet kindness is what turned neighbors into something more.
“I’ve made a lot of wonderful friends,” she said. “It’s just been perfect.”
As Dunn holds on to the memories and connections that Sunnyside has given her, the halls of The Highlands will forever carry the imprint of her footsteps, 27 years of walking and creating a life filled with community.
From the Ground Up
Throughout the years, Dunn has had a front row seat at watching Sunnyside grow and evolve into the community it is today.
“When we moved in, the Glen was nothing but a cow pasture,” Dunn said. “My husband worked for the dairy division in the department of agriculture, so we would walk down and look at the cows.”
She has witnessed the construction of the Glen, the addition of the Chapel to the Corson building, the growth of the Village, and is now going through her third Highlands dining renovation.
Change continues right outside of the sliding doors in her living room, through the renovations of the green space in the middle of the Highlands. What was once “Grandaddy’s Putting Green” is now the Fountain on the Green, a refreshed space filled with new life and new memories waiting to be made.
“Every time my grandkids would come to visit, they’d just have to go out and play putt putt,” Dunn said.
Now, she plans to use the new putting green and is excited to use the pergola to read a good book or sit outside with her friends and family!
Volunteering
For 17 years, Dunn volunteered all around campus. From helping with gardening to setting up for resident games on the weekends, she was lending a hand in various departments.
“You can be as active as you want to be,” Dunn said.
Dunn had a passion for volunteering, which she inherited from her dad. She started off helping out in the mailroom, where she would mail out the Funside before it went digital. From there, she took on more roles.
One volunteer opportunity, specifically, stuck with her.
“I loved helping in shipping and receiving,” Dunn said. “I had such a good time and I genuinely looked forward to going over there to help.”
Today, those connections remain. Dunn stays in touch with each of the departments where she volunteered and says she’s built wonderful relationships!
“The friendliness here is amazing,” Dunn said. “Everyone is truly interested in what you’re doing and it’s just a very caring community.”
