Bowling Green, Lexington win big in the AARP Community Challenge

AARP Kentucky announces two winners for the AARP Community Challenge, aiming to create change and improve quality of life at the community-level. The winning projects include the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, Division of Parks and Recreation and the Western Kentucky University Center for Gerontology. Each project was fully funded through the AARP Community Challenge grant and is set to be completed by November 1, 2017.

“Kentucky can be proud of the local work by so many community partners and volunteers making their neighborhoods more livable for people of all ages. These grants will add even more momentum to those efforts,” said AARP Kentucky State President Charlotte Whittaker.

Bowling Green: WKU Aging Center for Gerontology | Placemaking and Beautification

Muralist Megan Jain will develop a mural conceptualized by alumni of the Over Fifty Academy (a leadership group within the Age-Friendly Bowling Green effort) and members of Companions of Respected Elders (CORE) a student group at Western Kentucky University.

Lexington: Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government | Sit, Grow, & Chat

ADA-accessible benches will be placed along a trail in Lexington’s Idle Hour Park and positioned in a U-shaped conversational style to foster greater social interaction and better enable visitors to talk to and hear one another.

“Great communities require careful planning and time,” said AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy & Engagement Officer Nancy LeaMond. “These quick action projects will give community leaders the motivation and momentum to create greater change.”

All of winning projects in this challenge will deliver on one or all of the following:

• Improve social connections through the built environment benefiting people of all ages and abilities in the community.
• Expand opportunities for all residents, such as job, volunteer, and educational/training opportunities.

  

• Drive inclusive community engagement and interaction across a diverse population.

For a complete list of the winners and projects, visit aarp.org/CommunityChallenge.