About
A Bit About Us
Above: Art and Twila Van Damme arrived at Vine Village as 18 year-old recent high school grads. They immediately fell in love, were married in 1976, went off to live in their own apartment, missed the Vine Village community and supports, and lived in their own wing of one of the houses until Arthur's death and Vine Village's closure in 2020.
Making flower-infused vinegars; Working in the Vinegar and Olive Oil shop, and growing the herbs for the various flavors, provided interesting and meaningful work for Vine Village clients for may years.
L-R: Michael Kerson, Robert Cline, Debbie Kersson, Grace Kerson
George and Grace Kerson and Dante Bagnani wanted an alternative to staying at home in perpetual “little kid” mode, or the isolation of independent living, and to the rigidity and depersonalization of large institutions. They wanted their children with special needs to have the same quality of life as their non-handicapped peers.
The Kerson's son, Michael, and his wife, Nancy, continuously directed Vine Village's growth and progress from 1973 to 2023. Their daughter, Saanen, joined the staff in 2007. From 1973 to 2020, Vine Village occupied a beautiful 25-acre ranch in the famed Carneros grape-growing region of southern Napa County, California, and provided residential services in three homes on the property, as well as an arts-based day activity program.
Even though the on-site programs were no longer feasible, the Kersons and the Board of Directors wished to continue to serve the special needs community. Vine Village, directed by Saanen Kerson, actively provides advocacy, education, consulting, and assistance with connecting to services and navigating the sometimes daunting services environment.