50+ Lifestyles

RSVP participates in Honor Flight Mail Call in Celebration of Older Americans Month

The following is from the Administration for Community Living part of the US Dept. of Health and Human Services

By Dave Layton
Retired and Senior Volunteer Program of Eastern Iowa and Western Illnois

When Older Americans Month was established in 1965, only 17 million living Americans had reached their 65th birthdays. About a third of older Americans lived in poverty, and there were few programs to meet their needs. Interest in older Americans and their concerns was growing, however. In April of 1963, President John F. Kennedy’s meeting with the National Council of Senior Citizens served as a prelude to designating May as “Senior Citizens Month.”

In 1980, President Jimmy Carter changed the name from Senior Citizens Month to “Older Americans Month.” Every president since him has issued a formal proclamation during or before the month of May asking that the entire nation pay tribute in some way to older persons in their communities.
This year, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Older Americans Act (OAA), we are focusing on how older adults are taking charge of their health, getting engaged in their communities, and making a positive impact in the lives of others. The theme for Older Americans Month 2015 is Get into the Act.

Though RSVP always celebrates Older Americans month, this year’s celebration of 50 years of the Older Americans Act is especially important to us. That’s because RSVP is a product of the Older American’s Act, as is our sponsor Western Illinois Area Agency on Aging. Plus, what seniors are taking charge of their health, getting engaged in their communities, and making a positive impact in the lives of others more effectively than RSVP members?
This year we are doing a special project honoring both Older Americans Month and Senior Corps Week, May 18th through the 22nd. That’s because RSVP is a program of Senior Corps nationally. What better way to honor older Americans than to honor our finest older Americans who fought in foreign wars? That’s why this year we will be inviting volunteers to write letters of thanks to be read during mail call to the veterans of the Korean War as they fly to Washington DC to visit the Korean War Memorial

If you want to learn more about how you can write Mail Call letters to the veterans on the Honor Flights be part of the celebration call RSVP at 309-793-4425 or email rsvp@wiaaa.org.