Anita Parran

Reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, diabetes and other debilitating ailments prompted the volunteer Kansas City Team to kick off a healthy behaviors walking program tagged “Get Off the Couch” on March 26. Two kick-off meetings, one in the morning and one in the evening, were held at the Southeast Community Center in Kansas City. A special April 2 kick-off meeting held at a senior center increased the number of participants to a total of 100.

A new AARP survey of 800 Missourians age 45 and over shows that 72 percent support expansion of Medicaid to provide health coverage for at least 56,044 uninsured Missouri residents age 50-64. This is based on the number of residents age 50-64 who were living at or below 138 percent of poverty in 2010. The survey also finds that nearly 64 percent of Missouri residents agree with Gov. Jay Nixon's support of accepting federal funds to expand Medicaid.

April 2013 has been designated as National Encore Entrepreneur Mentor Month!

Some of the most interesting items in State Treasurer Clint Zweifel's Unclaimed Property vaults in Jefferson City were recently put on display. The items were found in more than 1,000 new safe deposit boxes that have been turned over by law to the State Treasurer since November of last year. The safe deposit boxes are being opened and catalogued so their contents can be returned to their legal owners or heirs. A signed photo of Spencer Tracy, a St. Bernard-shaped nutcracker, antique tools and four Purple Hearts were among the items on display.

An exciting six-week free walking program to help people of all ages keep moving while learning ways to “strike a balance” in life will kick-off on March 14, 2013 at 10 a.m. in Cape Girardeau. The walking program, called “Striking a Balance,” will be held on Thursdays from 10 – 11:15 a.m. at the St. Francis Medical Center-Fitness Plus, Conference Rooms 1 and 2, 150 S. Mt. Auburn Road.

With a rising senior population that already includes more than nine million older Americans at risk of hunger, The Campus Kitchens Project (CKP) and AARP Foundation announced a Senior Hunger Outreach Program that is designed to meet the challenge of reducing hunger and food insecurity among seniors. The program is made possible by a $148,500 investment from AARP Foundation and is part of the Foundation's strategy to develop innovative, sustainable solutions to increase food security for older Americans.

With a rising senior population that already includes more than 9 million older Americans at risk of hunger, the Campus Kitchens Project (CKP) and AARP Foundation has announced a Senior Hunger Outreach Program that is designed to meet the challenges of reducing hunger and food insecurity among seniors. The program is made possible by a $148,500 investment from AARP Foundation and is part of the Foundation's strategy to develop innovative, sustainable solutions to increase food security for older Americans.

This year again, the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Program corps of volunteers offers tax preparation and filing assistance. In it’s 48 th year, Tax-Aide is the nation’s largest free tax assistance and preparation service that gives special attention to the older population – and you don’t have to be an AARP member o a retiree to use the service.

Leslie Nivens graduated from Cox College with a degree in nursing on December 14, 2012. She presented the graduation address for her class and following is the bio that served as her introduction to the audience.

Fun was the fare of the day when AARP Missouri volunteers from across the state convened for the Annual Volunteer Recognition luncheon at Columbia’s Stoney Creek Inn on Nov. 13. From 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., volunteers played casino-style game that allowed both novices and those experienced in Black Jack, craps, poker, and roulette to take chances on winning play money that could be bartered for unique prizes.