Around Utah—What's Happening in 2009!
By: State: Utah | Source: AARP.org
Credit: Don Wilhelmsen
AARP Utah's Day of Service Planning Committee met during the recent Volunteer Leadership meeting at the Utah State Office in Midvale. [l-r] Area Coordinators, Glenda Brown, Sharon Ott, Leonard Miller, Associated State Director for Community Outreach, Carolyn Hunter, Area Coordinator, Pat Burdick and Utah Retired School Employees Association Executive Board President, Roger Miner.
Throughout the year ahead, there will be numerous ways for Utah members and other Utahns to get engaged with AARP Utah.
The popular Staying Sharp and Fraud Forums return in 2009. Locations being considered include Tooele, Heber City, Beaver, Emery and San Pete Counties. Developed in collaboration with the University of Utah Brain Institute, Staying Sharp features leading brain scientists who present the latest information on the aging brain; distinguishing normal memory lapses from Alzheimer's disease; prevention and treatment of brain disorders; and what we know about proven approaches to keeping the brain healthy. Bonus sessions on topics such as Identity Theft and Fraud Prevention may also be offered.
AARP Utah will be holding a Utah Communities' 'Connect to Serve' Day in mid-May at locations statewide. Last year volunteers from Logan to St. George and Moab to Salt Lake did trails clean-up. Locations, specific dates and times are still being determined and will be posted here at www.aarp.org/ut.
Other events and presentations in some areas will include "The Wise Use of Medications", a review of how to safely get the most from your prescribed medications. A powerful documentary movie, entitled "I.O.U.S.A." chronicling the continuing financial deficit that affects us all, is tentatively scheduled for several communities as well.
The annual Bike MS Harmon's Best Dam Bike Ride is scheduled for Cache Valley June 27 and 28. This 23 year-old fundraiser for the Multiple Sclerosis Society attracts more than 3,000 cyclists each year. Last year's 14 member Team AARP Utah is recruiting new riders and donors for 2009. To join the 2009 Team AARP please visit www.cureMSutah.org and click on the Bike MS 150 banner. Then click on "Join a team" and select "Team AARP Utah."
Driver Safety, one of AARP's flagship programs, is now being presented in a four-hour classroom session, and will be available in many locations statewide, as well as online. Go to aarp.org/families/driver_safety to locate a class near you.
CarFit, an educational program that provides older adults the opportunity to check how well their personal vehicles "fit" them, will also be offered in some areas beginning later this spring.
Community Health Fairs, Financial Security Seminars, Community Conversations—all will be part of AARP's community outreach in 2009.
There are several ways to find out what is planned for your area:
- For dates, times and specific information for AARP Utah's activities as it becomes available, you can visit the AARP Utah homepage: www.aarp.org/ut, and click on Read the Latest Utah News.
- Contact your region's Area Coordinator: Scroll down to your region and click on the Area Coordinator's name and it will bring you to their email.
- Sign up for AARP Utah's The Source, a regular update that comes directly to your email, keeping you abreast of all that is happening. Email Gail Goodwin, ggoodwin@aarp.org in order to subscribe to this timely brief that informs community colleagues, legislators, and other Utahns of AARP Utah's activities on a monthly basis.
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