Stand up for Mainers 50+, become a Recess Regular!

With Maine being the state with the oldest population in the country, reminding our elected leaders in Washington that we're paying attention is step one to preserving vital programs and making our voices heard.

Each year, our four elected leaders in Washington are granted several recesses, along with the rest of Congress and the U.S. Senate. This includes Senator Susan Collins (R), Senator Angus King (I), Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D), and Congressman Jared Golden (D). Unlike what we all had in grade school, Congressional recesses are opportunities for members of Congress to come back home and hear from their constituents. AARP Maine's volunteer Recess Regulars meet on a regular basis with Maine's elected leaders at both the state and federal levels, along with their hard-working staff.  We are committed to making sure that Maine's 50+ community isn't forgotten or that the issues they're concerned about don't fall by the wayside. 

Today, we're asking our volunteers, members, and their families to join our team of Recess Regulars. Please note that coordination efforts are supported by our Lead Advocacy Volunteer, Paul Armstrong, where appropriate.

As a Recess Regular you will:  

• Be charged with organizing meetings with Congressional offices and their staff during each recess.

• Join a growing team of volunteers who will organize meetings with members of Congress during their recesses back here in Maine.

• Be part of team conference calls and email exchanges designed to keep you up to speed on the issue of the moment, why it concerns Mainers 50+, how it impacts older Mainers and their families, and what we're asking  members of Congress to do about it. Our goal is to make sure you have what you need to communicate clearly and effectively at each meeting.

• Follow up with AARP Maine staff after the Congressional meeting to summarize the meeting and any responses from the member of Congress or their staff.

AARP Maine - Recess Regulars - in 2025

AARP Maine Recess Regulars have been visiting the offices of Maine’s Congressional Delegation for several years. These visits present excellent opportunities for building and strengthening relationships, educating Members about our advocacy priorities, asking for congressional support for specific legislative issues, and providing information about local AARP Maine activities.

Visits include making an appointment to meet with one or more of the legislator’s local staff members and spending some time in a discussion of AARP topics. Topics of discussion and talking points are provided to our ‘regulars’ well in advance for review. We do stay within AARP's parameters for topics.

This year, our goal is to visit every district office of our Congressional delegation several times and we’re looking for volunteers! This involves a minimal time commitment and yields the knowledge that your efforts and voice are being heard by the decision-makers. Leader/Organizers needed also!

Right now Congressional recesses are scheduled for:

• March 17 - 21
• April 14 - 25
• May 27 - 30
• August 3 - 29
• September 22 - 26

If you’re interested in joining us for some or all of these visits, or if you’d like more information, send an email to me@aarp.org to get started!