The Senior Coalition of Washoe County and AARP Age Friendly Communities-Reno received a small grant from Truckee Meadows Tomorrow and Food Bank of Northern Nevada to put on a series of monthly information fairs for seniors at our local Washoe County libraries through June.We hosted eight fairs from November 2022 through June 2023 atSparks, Northwest, South Valleys, and Spanish Springs neighborhood libraries.
We invited representatives from AARP, RTC, Food Bank, Washoe Senior Services, state housing agencies, health care providers, caregiver agencies, legal offices, our senior advisory board members, and many more groups to have information tables at the monthly fairs. Catholic Charities and Immunize Nevada provided free flu and covid vaccinations at most of the events. Over 30 seniors learned how to use RTC’s new FlexRIDE system in Northwest Reno and Sparks/Spanish Springs that gave them new skills to go shopping, to medical appointments and to socialize with others.
About 50 seniors attended each fair—over 400 over the eight months—and were able to ask questions and get referrals right on the spot.For many seniors who are not tech users, this was a perfect way to solve some of the problems they needed some help with.And every senior got a chance to socialize, grab a coffee and a snack and get connected to others at the fair.
In July, to wind up the project, we will update and print 20,000 copies of the free pocket-size Elder Services Guides & Resources brochure for distribution throughout Washoe County. Look for them at all the local senior centers.We will fund Sparks Library with a small grant to buy equipment to teach free technology classes to seniors how to use computers, smartphones, and tablets. Finally, we will partner with the Center for Healthy Aging to provide annual recreation activity passes, transportation, and host several healthy social “mixer” events for low-income community seniors this summer.
Washoe County Library has committed to continuing the monthly fairs later this fall as part of their regular programming for seniors. We are in discussions with several local agencies to partner with the Library to coordinate monthly planning and fair activities.
We thank our grantors and everyone who participated with us at the fairs—from the seniors who attended, their families and caregivers, the local media who helped us spread the word, and to all the awesome volunteers who helped us put on these eight very successful events for our elder community.
See you on September 5, 2023, at Senior Fest and at the upcoming series of fall and winter resource fairs at our local libraries. For more information, please contact me at donnanorm1@yahoo.com or 775 240 2745.
