Coping with Aging
Coping with Aging 2008 will be the 18th annual production of this well received, daylong seminar. 

The content of the seminar changes each year, but always deals with a mixture of serious and fun aging issues.  Various speakers present information on programs, benefits and services. While most of the day is spent on serious and practical issues, fun is always added.

CEU's available.

 

Leadership Institute for Retirees

The Leadership Institute for Retirees provides training in senior issues, benefits, programs and challenges. 2008 will be the third exciting year for the Leadership Institute, through which SARCOA is building a community of volunteer leaders and advocates.  

Volunteers attend eight sessions to be held at Troy University in Dothan, over four weeks, usually starting in February. Certificates are awarded at the end of the course at graduation. No academic credit is given. 

Leadership Institute graduates will join previous graduates who continue to volunteer with SARCOA for various projects, programs and initiatives. Each graduate volunteers only in the areas of their interest. The volunteer group, called Senior Advocates for the Elderly, has been a wonderful asset for SARCOA and has allowed its programs to serve more people. SARCOA is extremely proud of its Senior Advocates.

 

Ms. Senior Wiregrass

If you would like to have the time of your life, come join other women 60 years and older that live in the 7 county SARCOA area and enter in the Ms. Senior Wiregrass pageant.  The pageant is held at the first of the year. 

Ms. Senior Wiregrass pageant gives mature women a chance to demonstrate their successful aging through intelligence, wisdom, talent and poise.  The pageant consists of 4 categories:  Interview, Philosophy of Life, Evening Gown and Talent.  The winner will go on to compete in the Ms. Senior Alabama pageant in Birmingham. 

View Ms. 2008 Senior Wiregrass Pageant Photos, January 2008

 

National Peanut Festival Senior Day
The annual National Peanut Festival in Dothan sponsors a day just for seniors. Seniors are admitted free for an afternoon of amusement and entertainment. Vendors offer corn dogs, cotton candy, elephant ears and other delicious fare for lunch. Exhibits of photography, crafts, and cooking are open as well as the livestock exhibits of cattle, sheep, hogs, poultry and rabbits. A program of music, door prizes and peanuts concludes the day.

 

Older Americans Day
The first Wednesday in May is a fun and exciting time for seniors in our area. Over 2,500 area seniors converge on Dothan’s Eastgate Park for an event full of games, prizes, fishing, food and entertainment.

Located under the majestic oaks of the park, seniors experience hours of enjoyment listening to the music provided by local entertainers. Those wanting a little more activity may take part in the game booths or visit with vendors offering information about their services and products. Fishermen may want to bring their tackle and try to catch some of the catfish furnished by the City of Dothan.

Generous door prizes donated by our sponsors are given to the many lucky winners just before lunch. A picnic lunch is then served to the seniors by one of hundreds of volunteers who help to make this day a special one.

View Older American’s Day Celebration “Pirates of the Chattahoochee” Photos, May 2008.

Wiregrass Santa for Seniors Project

The holidays mean a lot, especially to children, but what about to the elderly on fixed incomes? The Wiregrass Santa for Seniors Project began in 2006 in partnership with Westar Aerospace & Defense Group of Daleville, Alabama with the idea to provide needy seniors with gifts. Little did we know what an impact it would have on the recipients, staff, volunteers, and all those who donate to the project.

Modest wish lists are gathered and then distributed in the wiregrass area by email, mail, word of mouth or media. The wish list includes items that most people take for granted like cleaning supplies, pest control, adult diapers, clothes and books to name a few. The items are gathered at a drop site location and then distributed. 

If you want to learn more about how to participate in the Santa for Seniors Project contact the SARCOA office.

 

Wiregrass 50 Plus Expo

2008 will be the first annual Wiregrass 50 Plus Expo for the tri-state area. It will be an entertaining and fun event that will also give valuable information about resources available for seniors, their families and baby boomers. The Expo will offer a wide variety of exhibitors and will have something for everyone- from health screenings, job fairs and seminars to speed dating, great entertainment and food.

The Expo will be held at the National Peanut Festival Fairgrounds in Dothan, Alabama on October 1-2, 2008.  If you are interested in exhibiting for the 2008 Expo contact the SARCOA office.