Wally Pearce Winters Elder Day Council When Older Americans Month was established in 1963, only 17 million living Americans had reached their 65th birthday. About a third of older Americans lived in poverty and there were few programs to meet their needs. In April 1963 between President John F. Kennedy and members of the National Council of Senior Citizens designated May as “Senior Citizens Month,” the prelude to “Older Americans Month.” Older Americans Month is a time for communities like the City of Winters, to acknowledge the contributions of past and current older persons to our country, those who defended our society. Every President since Kennedy has issued a formal proclamation Older Americans Month is celebrated across the country through ceremonies, events, fairs, and other such activities. The 2019 theme this year is to Connect, Create, Contribute, which encourages older adults and their communities to:
- Connect with friends, family, and services that support participation.
- Create by engaging in activities that promote learning, health, and personal enrichment.
- Contribute time, talent, and life experience to benefit others.
The Express encourages readers to submit letters of general interest to the Winters community. All letters must be received by Monday at noon for consideration of publication in that week’s edition. To learn more about how to submit your letter to the Express, click here.]]>
