Community

Many AARP members and I have this in common--we've been on both sides of caregiving. We have given and we have received, and considering life's trajectory, it's a trend that will likely continue. Chances are good we will have family members and friends who will depend on us to assist them, provide transportation, and perhaps advocate on their behalf. I'm going out on a limb here, but maybe some of you are like me--occasionally you need some of those very acts of compassion right now.

It was the muffled cry of a tiny baby, Maria’s older sister, that changed the lives of the members of the Caballero family forever. The parents of Maria Caballero Rubio, having worked in the U.S. as part of the Bracero Program (guest worker program) during World War II, were on a bus heading back to Mexico when a U.S. official on the bus heard the baby cry and told the parents to get off the bus. “She’s a U.S. citizen,” they were told. “She needs to stay in the U.S.”

What do you do when your family members’ situation dramatically changes so that they cannot maintain their independence without assistance? What if it happens to a friend or neighbor? In what ways can we create more interdependent communities?

Join AARP Oregon Volunteer State President Elaine Friesen-Strang for some coffee and conversation. Come share your thoughts and hear about the issues AARP is working on this year. Meet other area volunteers and learn about the projects, programs and events you can get involved in.

Newberg is making it easier for people of all people of all ages and abilities to live and thrive in the city as Newberg becomes Oregon’s fourth community to join the AARP National and WHO Global Network of Age-Friendly Communities. The other four Age-Friendly Oregon communities are: Portland, Multnomah County and Springfield.

The third season of NeighborWalks begins in May! We are excited to invite you to join us this year at one or all of the dozen walks that we have designed for you!

Picture, if you can, a man standing with the skin of his chest pierced with wooden pegs tied to leather thongs which are then attached to a pole. The man leans away from the pole putting weight on the skin. The man is a Native American Sun Dancer, and for at least 15 years, that man was Frank Alby. Now 81, Frank doesn’t dance anymore, but he still participates in this sacred ceremony while other men dance. Frank’s participation in the Sun Dance was the culmination of a journey to understand and learn about his heritage as a Native American.

AARP Oregon is in your community. Our organization is more than just discounts and lobbying for older Americans. But, we realize that not everyone knows what we’re working on across the state, Eugene and Springfield. To allow the community a chance to get to know us better, AARP is coordinating a “community blitz,” in Eugene/Springfield on March 1-3, 2017.

Dick Weinman is an AARP volunteer blogger and an assisted living guru.

There is nothing like an aroma from childhood to make one feel at home, and so it’s not surprising that Luul and Tekle, who were both born in Eritrea, love to make African coffee from scratch including roasting the beans themselves on the stovetop. Another nod to their roots is the picture of an African nomad and family in their living room who are also enjoying the delicious brew.