Anita Parran

National Urban League President/CEO Marc Morial, who last year hosted a conference themed, “Bridges to Jobs and Justice”, often stresses the need for poor people to have jobs as a key to economic empowerment and civil rights.

Sidney McCarther of Kansas City was selected to participate in AARP’s Volunteer Leadership Institute or VLI and graduated from the program Dec. 10 in Washington DC. VLI is a rigorous and innovative year-long training program designed to elevate highly skilled and motivated AARP volunteers to the next level of volunteer leadership. (S/he) will be joined by 33 other exceptional AARP volunteers from across the country, who will meet both in person and virtually throughout the year to build their leadership strengths in one of three chosen “tracks” – advocacy, community outreach or external representation.

In celebration of Older Driver Safety Awareness Week - December 1 through 5 - AARP members and non-members can register fo the AARP Smart Driver online course at 30 percent off the normal rate! This offer is good until December 7! Upon registration at www.aarpdriversafety.org, participants have 60 days to complete the course in which they will learn valuable safe driving strategies.

At any time during the year, more than 1,270,000 Missourians perform a great labor of love: caring for aging parents, spouses, and other loved ones so they can remain in their homes. These family caregivers are sometimes on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week – and often they can’t even take a break. But they wouldn’t have it any other way.

Each year, AARP’s annual Day of Service is a day to give to communities in honor of the victims and survivors of 9/1. Every year, AARP Missouri invites chapters to participate in a multi-layered competition that garners chapters’ monetary rewards for their participation and efforts.

An interactive brain game room, nutrition and exercise classes, and other activities take center stage during the Brain Health “Memory Clinic” that will be held on Saturday, November 8, 2014 from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. The clinic, free and open to those 18 and older, will be held at the Mary L. Kelly Community Center, 2803 E. 51 st Street in Kansas City, MO.

“Shaping Lives and Offering Hope” is the theme of the 2014 Grandfamilies Conference scheduled for Friday, Oct. 17, 2014 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Pleasant Valley Baptist Church, 1600 North 291 Highway in Liberty, MO is the site of the free event that is open to the public. The conference will feature informative sessions, exhibits and a complimentary continental breakfast and lunch.

This year, AARP Foundation is again providing free tax assistance and preparation for taxpayers with low to moderate income through the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide program. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, in its 46 th year, is the nation’s largest free tax assistance and preparation service, giving special attention the older population. You do not need to be a member of AARP or a retiree to use this service.

You don’t have to be a “deer in headlights” if you see a deer in your headlights this fall. October through December marks the peak time for deer activity on and off the road and nearly half of deer collisions happen during these months. Deer collisions can be nerve-wracking, harmful and costly. In fact, the Insurance Information Institute estimates that there are more than 1.6 million vehicle collisions with deer each year, resulting in over $4.6 billion in vehicle damage, medical costs and other expenses.

This is a shout out to all football fans everywhere!