A dedicated group of parishioners at Christ Episcopal Church in Winchester, Virginia agreed there was a need in this area for such a community and started the necessary process to establish one. It was determined, however, that due to the size of the population, it would be preferable to adopt the Westminster-Canterbury method of organization, in which the sponsorship of the project was shared by both the Episcopal and Presbyterian churches.

A group of citizens was formed to take on this extraordinary task. Several women, encouraged by Helen Leigh Smith, spearheaded this project with support by a number of local businessmen. Much time and effort was put into this project. Most notably the generous gift of real estate by the family of William H. Lawrence, Jr. and Nancy D. Lawrence. Their gift along with the subsequent purchases, constitute the beautiful sixty-five acre parcel of land on which Shenandoah Valley Westminster-Canterbury now stands. Many of the original leaders or members of their families remain active and supportive of the mission and vision of our community.

The contributions of the original founders cannot be overstated; they were numerous and varied, from choosing the color of the bricks, the interior decorating, the types of furnishings, to the landscaping. Above all other aspects, the primary goal of the organizers was to create a community they could be proud of and where they could live in comfort and security. They hoped to attract a compatible group of residents that would enjoy living in a retirement community with the security and assurance of knowing that every detail from recreation to health care is available.