By Lisa Law,
Guest columnist
Each May, we celebrate Older Americans Month. Originally designated as Senior Citizens Month by John F. Kennedy, it was created in order to celebrate and honor the contributions older Americans give to the community and nation at large.
This is a perfect time to reflect on the vast contributions by the older generation in Renton and how we can foster an intergenerational community, where we celebrate the knowledge, talents, and ideas that can be shared between the generations. This type of intergenerational union can only help strengthen the bonds within the community.
The City of Renton is actively working toward this goal. According to Renton Mayor Denis Law, “Many organizations, from the arts to the museum, recruit young people to become part of their boards to help plan for the future and to find ways to engage and meet the needs of each age group. For instance, we are consciously recruiting younger people to serve on the Renton City Council, as well as our boards and commissions.”
The Beth Johnson Foundation sums up this objective well with its definition of intergenerational practice: “Intergenerational practice aims to bring people together in purposeful, mutually beneficial activities which promote greater understanding and respect between generations and contributes to building more cohesive communities. Intergenerational practice is inclusive, building on the positive resources that the young and old have to offer each other and those around them.”
This is an admirable ambition and one we as a community should be striving for. But the question we must answer in order to achieve this is: How can we bridge the generational divide?
Finding the answer is essential in order to continue Renton’s civic and philanthropic legacy, which countless citizens of all ages and backgrounds benefit from. The answer may lie within our own hands by expanding intergenerational activities through community organizations and city government, as well as by looking outside our community and emulating what other communities are already doing successfully in this area.
With seemingly limited opportunities for generations to interact, this seems like a daunting task. Many organizations are struggling with how to replenish their membership ranks with younger members. It seems they’re all asking the same question: How do we encourage the younger generations to get involved?
This challenge is something I’ve experienced first-hand through my involvement with The Next Curve. The Next Curve is a non-profit, under the umbrella of the Renton Community Foundation, whose primary goal is working to build the next generation of philanthropists in Renton.
Getting the word out and getting young people involved is harder than one might think.
When asked whether the city plans to expand intergenerational activities and connections within the Renton community, Mayor Law states, “We will continue to recognize the importance of understanding the needs of all of our residents, regardless of age, race or cultural backgrounds.”
Senior Services, a comprehensive non-profit agency serving older adults and their loved ones in Washington State, has successfully completed several intergenerational projects through their “Aging Your Way” initiative. Two such projects brought together students and seniors to share stories about their lives. They discussed topics such as work, fashion, struggles, fears, hopes, accomplishments, race, advice, and the ways they have fun.
If you’re inspired to host your own intergenerational project, they’ve developed a takeaway toolkit that can be found on their website, with a plan for individuals to host intergenerational activities.
One idea for getting involved locally could be through mentoring. Communities in Schools of Renton (CISR) and the Talbot Hill Elementary MicroSociety program are both in need of adult mentors to work with children in the programs.
Some additional suggestions for bringing the generations together include community gardening, neighborhood block parties/barbecues, neighborhood park revitalization, and community classes where younger and older generations can come together to learn valuable skills from each other, such as cooking, computers and technology, music, dance, and woodworking. The opportunities are endless.
Given the overwhelming community support throughout Renton we could easily become a great intergenerational community, if we just put our minds to it.
Columnist Lynn Bohart is taking a short break. Lisa Law is president of The Next Curve, a nonprofit fund within the Renton Community Foundation. For more information about The Next Curve or the Foundation, you may visit their website at www.rentonfoundation.org or call 425-282-5199.
