AARP Georgia Celebrates Age-Friendly Designation and Honors State President Myrtle Habersham

Macon-Bibb County Mayor Lester Miller, AARP Georgia staff, and more than 200 AARP volunteers and participants visited the Macon Mall Conference Center yesterday to celebrate the city’s 13^th year as an Age-Friendly community. Macon-Bibb was the first to receive this designation from the AARP and the World Health Organization. Now all of Georgia’s 159 counties share this designation.

Much to Myrtle Habersham’s surprise, the crowd also gathered to honor her as she will soon end her second term as volunteer State President of AARP Georgia. Mayor Miller presented her with a proclamation declaring May 7^th as Myrtle Habersham Day in Macon-Bibb County, AARP Georgia’s State Director, Vanessa J. Payne presented her with a plaque, and the AARP Macon Volunteers honored her with flowers and a letter of appreciation. Habersham’s second term ends on June 15^th.

Habersham’s contributions help Macon-Bibb County maintain its Age-Friendly designation. She served as lead volunteer and was appointed to the AARP Executive Council in 2012 and 2022, encouraging community leaders to develop walkable streets, better housing and transportation options, and access to key services. Habersham is also a graduate of AARP’s prestigious Volunteer Leadership Institute, an extensive six-month, rigorous training and development program. She was the first Georgian to be selected and complete this program.

In her professional life, Myrtle served more than three decades with the U.S. government, holding a succession of senior-level positions, including Commissioner for the Southeastern and Midwestern Regions of the Social Security Administration, Regional Inspector General for the Southeastern Region of the Department of Health and Human Services, and Associate Director for the Office of Management Planning in the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

“Myrtle’s commitment to service has been an inspiration. She embodies the very spirit of AARP, empowering people to choose how they live as they age, and creating a more inclusive, compassionate, and equitable future for all,” Payne said.

Visit Macon celebrates age-friendly city status with 13th annual celebration and Macon celebrates 13th "age-friendly" status anniversary - 41NBC News | WMGT-DT for more video coverage of the Macon-Bibb celebration.