AARP Iowa

For over four decades, Frank W. Abagnale has advised the FBI on how to outsmart con artists. On October 3, Abagnale joined forces with AARP Iowa and the AARP Fraud Watch Network for a telephone town hall in Des Moines to help Iowans learn how to spot and avoid scams in order to protect themselves and their family members.

AARP and Iowa Public Television have teamed up to produce Stealing Your Life, a program on how to guard against fraud. The show features Frank Abagnale, whose exploits decades ago were depicted in the movie Catch Me If You Can.

AARP is pleased to welcomes the 2017 Class of AARP Iowa Executive Council members, leaders from across the state who are joining with a team of volunteers to provide strategic direction and leadership in support of accomplishment of AARP priorities in Iowa.

AARP Iowa is working with employers to help them understand and support employees who also serve as unpaid family caregivers. The goal is to identify resources that can help not only caregivers but employers, as well.

Every Two Seconds Someone’s Identity is Stolen - Don’t Let it Be Yours!

Two weeks ago the AARP Iowa’s Associate State Director for Communications, Ann Black, retired after 16 years at AARP. Since then, Brandi and I have been getting a much closer look at everything it takes to be in her position, and all the smaller tasks that she did on a regular basis that we never saw. All summer we have been learning, slowly, what it really means to be work in communications. For example, we have written press releases, but now that Ann isn’t in the office anymore, we have to figure out where to send the press releases and who to send them to. Brandi and I have spent an entire day devoted to going through all of Ann’s media lists and still are nowhere near done—a task that needs to be done in order to get news out effectively.

AARP loved being a part of the fun during RAGBRAI XLV in Spencer on July 23! We had a great time welcoming more than 1,000 of the 10,000 riders who participated in this 45th anniversary celebration of the Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) as they rode in at the end of their 62-mile Day One ride from Algona to the Clay County Fairgrounds for Spencer’s “Kick Your Wheels Up” celebration.

It ain’t o ver ‘til it’s over. Technically, my time at AARP Iowa is coming to an end. But it sure doesn’t feel like it. There is still work to be done. In addition to our normal intern duties, like social media, and Age-Friendly business evaluations, we are also prepping for the Iowa State Fair.

Like all Iowans, the AARP Iowa office loves the Iowa State Fair and is so excited for it to begin! AARP will be hosting a booth throughout the entire fair, August 10-20, 2017. Make sure to stop by our booth in the Varied Industries Building and learn more about caregiving and to find out what AARP is doing in Iowa to support family caregivers. At our booth you can connect with AARP staff and volunteers, sign our petition and win a free blinking safety light!

Aug. 14, 2017 is Veteran's Day at the AARP booth at the Iowa State Fair! Veterans are invited to visit our booth and pinpoint where they served on our map. We will also be giving Veterans special AARP Challenge Coins to express our gratitude for their service.