Press

Vel Rae Burkholder of Fargo will be presented with the 2018 AARP Andrus Award for Community Service during a volunteer recognition luncheon Oct. 4 in Fargo.

Medicare contributes $1.3 billion to North Dakota’s economy, equivalent to 12 percent of state and local government spending in the state, according to a new report from AARP. Medicare also covers 116,951 beneficiaries in the state. Older Americans have said Medicare is one of their top issues in the 2018 mid-term elections, and AARP North Dakota is working to encourage voter participation this election season.

Hettinger, Buxton and Grand Forks are the recipients of a 2018 AARP Community Challenge grant. A total of $1.3 million will be distributed to fund 129 “quick action” projects across the country, helping communities make immediate improvements and jumpstart long-term progress to support residents of all ages.

In July AARP North Dakota was fortunate to host the world’s leading expert on fraud and scams in Fargo, where he spoke to about 1,000 people. Abagnale also participated in a telephone town hall with thousands of North Dakotans that day. You can listen to that conversation here.

Bismarck is ranked among the top 10 most livable small cities in the country, according to data analyzed from the newly updated AARP Livability Index.

RaeAnn Johnson of Grand Forks and Cindy Yale of Burlington have been appointed to the AARP North Dakota Executive Council.

To recognize their integral work to support family caregivers in North Dakota, AARP named Senator Judy Lee, West Fargo, Representative Kathy Hogan, Fargo, and Representative Jay Seibel, Beulah, as 2017 “Capitol Caregivers,” a bipartisan group of nearly 100 elected officials from more than 30 states. These leaders have advanced policies to support family caregivers, who help their parents, spouses and other loved ones live independently at home and in the community.

Marlys Hlavinka of Mayville will be presented with the 2017 AARP Andrus Award for Community Service during a volunteer recognition luncheon Oct. 12 in Fargo.

The City of Bismarck is the recipient of an AARP grant totaling $12,610 as part of the AARP Community Challenge, aiming to create change and enhance quality of life for people of all ages at the community level.

Although she walked in the University of Mary graduation ceremony April 29, Bismarck resident Cassidy Kraft has one more task to complete before earning her degree in mass communication, with a minor in marketing. Kraft began a 13-week internship June 5 at AARP North Dakota. She will focus on communication projects including; social media, volunteer recruitment, campaign planning and implementation, and event planning.