AARP Chapter in Hot Springs Turns 50

AARP’s Hot Springs National Park Chapter 3 of Hot Springs, Arkansas recently celebrated its golden (50th) anniversary. It was among the very first AARP chapters organized, and is among the longest continuously operating chapters in the nation. It continues its legacy of service to the community by providing visitation to nursing homes in the area.

The happy occasion was marked with a ceremony including a presentation from the state director, Maria Reynolds-Diaz. Diaz presented a plaque sent on behalf of AARP Board President Lee Hammond and AARP CEO Barry Rand which will be on permanent display at the Hot Springs Senior Wellness Center. Jerry Lancaster of Conway, Arkansas - a member of AARP Arkansas’s volunteer Executive Council - also attended the anniversary celebration. Lancaster talked to the chapter members about the crucial role of chapters today and since their beginnings in 1960. He congratulated the chapter for continuing to fulfill the enduring legacy of AARP’s founder, Ethel Percy Andrus.
 
AARP members (age 50 and older) and their spouses are eligible for chapter membership. National Retired Teachers Association (NRTA) members may join AARP Chapters or NRTA Units.

One year after the first AARP Chapters were organized in 1960, there were more than 100 chapters in existence. Today, there are more than 2,400 AARP chapters across the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Chapter size ranges from 20 to over 3,000 members. A minimal yearly fee is charged to help run the business of the chapter. Some chapters have fund-raising activities to help support local senior projects, provide scholarships for students, or donate money to worthy causes.

AARP chapters offer another way to make AARP the next chapter in your life. Go online to find an AARP chapter near you or call Lou Tobian at 1-800-445-537.