News & Events

5/5/2010
Huell Howser ''Goes Visiting'' at University Village Thousand Oaks

PBS Star Encourages Audience to Seek Their Own "California’s Gold"

THOUSAND OAKS, CALIF. (May 5, 2010) — Before a packed audience of residents and special guests, PBS television star Huell Howser shared stories from the road recently in an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at his popular series, "California's Gold," at University Village in Thousand Oaks, Calif.

Nearly 500 residents and guests were treated to three presentations by Howser in the community's Catalina Hall. In his warm, engaging style, he explained how he uncovers what he likes to call California's "hidden gems" and how he decides which gems will make the air. Each presentation also included a question and answer session and an opportunity for people to meet the popular PBS host.

One of the longest running television series about California started with a basic premise – tell the hidden stories of the state's people, places and wonders in a simple, straightforward manner. Nearly 20 years later, Howser is still discovering "California's Gold" most nights of the week on numerous PBS stations across the state.

"Our program operates on the premise that TV isn't brain surgery," Howser said. "People's stories are what it's all about. If you have a good story, it doesn't have to be overproduced."

Howser encouraged the audience at University Village to uncover and explore their own California "gold." He said the stories are easy to find, if people take the time to talk to others, make new friends and ask questions.

"Every person living on this planet has a story worth listening to," he told the audience. "Show interest in other people's lives, acknowledge their existence, and you can uncover some pretty amazing stories."

"I always enjoy speaking with seniors because they have a true appreciation for California's amazing variety of history, culture and geography," Howser said after the presentations. "I can't tell you how often I hear from older Californians thanking us for covering a certain park, cultural icon or long-lost tradition. Quite often, we touch on something that was a big part of their lives at one time. It's been very gratifying re-visiting these forgotten treasures."

Jim Norris, a resident of University Village, said that he and his fellow residents are big fans of the longtime PBS series, as well as Howser's other shows.

"Many of us have a love for lifelong learning and exploring the world around us," Norris said. "Huell reminded us that you don't always have to go to a faraway place to find something fascinating. We have little gems tucked away throughout the state."

Ernie Sandlin, director of marketing for University Village, added that "Huell's upbeat presentations were a perfect fit for the vibrant lifestyle that we encourage at University Village. Whether our residents are native Californians or not, this was an opportunity to learn more about the state and motivate them to discover a variety of new experiences."

University Village Thousand Oaks, located at 3415 Campus Dr., is a continuing care retirement community for people 62 years of age and older offering a variety of housing options and a comprehensive package of services, amenities, activities, fine dining and transportation. The community also provides assisted living, skilled nursing and Alzheimer's care at OakView, the health center located adjacent to University Village.