AARP Vermont

Change always starts with a good idea and energy...and sometimes a little jump start! As a way to encourage and support grassroots action to make Burlington more livable, AARP Vermont is once again offering Community Action Grants to provide modest funding and technical support to community groups or individuals. The initiative is part of the Livable BTV, an AARP Vermont initiative aimed at preparing Burlington for the rapidly aging demographic shift – particularly in the areas of housing, mobility and community engagement. The deadline for applications is October 6, 2017.

Every day hundreds of local residents lose hard-earned money to a variety of fraud schemes. In fact, every 2 seconds, someone’s identity is stolen in this country! To strike back against scammers, AARP Vermont and AARP New Hampshire are bringing together top experts and law enforcement officials from both states to present at an informational Scam Jam event in Fairlee, VT at the Lake Morey Resort. Slated for September 19, the program features the VT and NH Attorneys General to kick off the agenda as well as officials from the consumer protection front lines who combat the growing problem day in and day out.

Are you involved with older adult issues in Vermont? This conference will offer the latest information and insights from a wide variety of professional experts across the state and beyond. See below for more on what will be covered.

During NYC Broadway Week, September 4 -17, 2017, stop by the Official NYC Information Center-South Street Seaport.

By: Greg Marchildon, AARP Vermont State Director

Join AARP members from the Brattleboro area at the AARP Chapter’s annual summer Potluck Picnic. AARP Vermont State Director Greg Marchildon will be on hand along with free goodies and valuable literature for attendees. The fun starts on Tuesday, August 15, 11:30am-2:30pm at Memorial Park in Brattleboro (near I-91 exit 2) in the down-hill "Senior Picnic Area" alongside the parking area.

The Vermont Retired Teachers Association (VRTA) is a statewide advocate and voice for over 10,000 retired educators and educational support workers. VRTA is the only organization in Vermont representing all individuals who retired from work in the schools of the state. VRTA speaks in support of retirement and health care programs that benefit those who dedicated their life work to educating and providing services to K-12 students and beyond. Local chapters of the organization can be found in all areas of Vermont and are currently seeking new members. Contact Elliott Greenblott at egreenblott@comcast.net or call (802) 254-4489 for more information.

Attorney General T.J. Donovan announced that the Attorney General’s Office will host a public forum on the cost of health care in Vermont on July 11th in Burlington. The forum will provide information on how the cost of health care is determined in Vermont and the process for the public to give comments to the Green Mountain Care Board. The Attorney General will be joined at the forum by Judy Henkin, General Counsel of the Green Mountain Care Board, Mike Fisher, Vermont Legal Aid’s Chief Health Care Advocate, and Amy Cooper, Executive Director of Health First.

AARP Vermont will host its sixth annual Day on the Lake on Sunday, Aug. 27, at the Community Sailing Center on Lake Champlain in Burlington.

AARP Vermont held this live, interactive teletown hall call with guest speaker Congressman Peter Welch and hundreds of Vermonters on June 19. The topics of conversation were Medicare and the healthcare system in general. Congressman Welch explained why he voted no on the new proposed American Health Care Act bill. AARP strongly opposes the bill as well. Congressman Welch has a history of working against the rising costs of prescription drugs and spoke to this on the call. He explained how important he feels it is to work with those that disagree with him in order to accomplish what is best for the nation. The Congressman also shared his thoughts on the new Republican tax plans.