AGEs Tech and Fit (Ageless Great Endeavors).
The purpose of this program is to be intergenerational interaction through technology and fitness. Our goal is to have events held at or staged from the Floodwood AGEs (Senior) Center. The name of Floodwood’s program is AGEs Tech and Fit (Ageless Great Endeavors).
Please describe the geographic area that your AGE to age project will serve. Floodwood is considered rural with no larger cities within 35-40 miles. This project will serve youth and adults in the cities of Meadowlands, Toivola, Wawina, Alborn and Cromwell. At least 7-10 surrounding townships would be served.
Describe how the project will build relationships and connections between the generations. This project has shown how valuable relationships are being built with youth assisting seniors on computers and seniors sharing their stories and appreciating the energy of the youth involved. The youth have shown great compassion and patience as they assist seniors. Several more youth, not involved directly with the computers, have stopped by to say hi and see what is happening at the AGEs Center.
Describe how people 55 and older will serve as key resources in the implementation of this project. People in this age group have shown great interest in computers and have been signing up for times on computers with youth assisting. They like to interact with youth with conversation and stories. Some people enjoy having youth do all of the computer hands-on for them, while others are anxious to learn how to operate computers themselves.
For the area youth: The AGEs Center is an out-of-the-way place to gather. The Center is close to school (3 blocks), close to downtown (1 block) but away from the mainstream of Floodwood. A number of youth have taken part in the first “kids’ board games night”. Senior adults were on hand to help out. A healthy snack was provided. These events will keep some elementary and junior high school youth coming to the AGEs Center, knowing they are welcome and can have a good time. A Wii system is set up in the AGEs Center. There is a piano here and several youth enjoyed showing off what they have learned or want to learn. Senior volunteers offer support through words, humor and actions to encourage the youth.
For area adults: The AGEs Center open hours are scheduled to appeal to older adults, other generations and youth. Older adults prefer late morning and early afternoon times, in-between generations tend to like mid and later afternoon and kids, during the winter, come after school. The youth computer helpers are here during the daytime hours. Senior volunteers are flexible and come when the youth come. Handiwork project afternoons proceed the kids’ board games time. Ladies brought in knitting, mending and greeting cards materials to work on for themselves. Several seniors stayed to help the youth who came from school for board games. These projects will be monthly events. Advertising is on-going. AGEs Tech and Fit programs are advertised through both of our local newspapers and with posters announcing each event.
Activities and timeline. All activities are at the AGEs Center. Computers are already in use 3 days every week. The Wii fitness will begin in April 2010, with the installation of the Wii. Walk around the block will begin in late April 2010, one day each week, handiwork projects and kids board games will continue one time per month. The Floodwood Girls Scouts meet here each month. Floodwood Senior Club meets once a month. All activities are intergenerational.
This program is made possible by a collaborative effort between: Floodwood Services and Training, Inc, Floodwood KIDS PLUS, True North AmeriCorps, The Senior Work Program, City of Floodwood, Floodwood School, National Honors Society, Community Education, AEOA Senior Dining (Floodwood Site), Floodwood Girl Scouts, Floodwood Senior Club, Floodwood Scrap Booking Club.
The AGE to AGE is made up of the following: Executive Director of FST, FST Board member, Girls Scout leader, a Girl Scout, AmeriCorps supervisor, AmeriCorps member, several youth from high school, City of Floodwood representative and a youth from the kids board games will be asked to participate. The team will meet once or twice per year unless there is a need for more. The Team will bring ideas and advice from the community and help critique activities.
How does the Year 1 project set the stage for AGE to AGE during the second and third Year? The initial process of the community meetings and speak out got the excitement going. AGEs was ready to roll by September 2009. This was a time to work out any bugs, assess the response by the community and start nicknaming the Senior Center, the “AGEs Center”. Year 1 will be a year of growth in registered seniors for AGEs Tech, growth in the number of youth who will take part assisting seniors on the computers. The fitness component will bring in more youth and some more, perhaps timid, seniors to learn how to use the Wii and take a walk around the block. Year 1 will be a year of building up a strong core of seniors and youth who enjoy each other’s company and learning to have fun together no matter what the project will be. They, in turn, will bring others into AGEs because of their enthusiasm. Year 2 and 3 should be a strong continuation in what year 1 firmly establishes, Continued growth, along with new ideas and directions for exploration by the Team and the community.
This picture features kids who are in the AGES Program in Floodwood, MN on one of the various AGES field trips. This trip included swimming and a picnic to a local area lake. 28 people attended from the ages 4 on up to the low seventies range. Everyone said they had a great time.
- During the summer months every Tuesday at AGES is Kids Game Day from 2 - 5 pm. A snack is provided and the kids play board games and the Wii. Kids age 6 and up can drop in and play baord games with senior workers and community members.
- Every Thursday is Handiwork day from noon - 4 pm. Bring a project to work on or learn how to projects form others. It's a great time to get together and visit with people while working on a project.
Watch this site for upcoming events for the AGES Program