Age-friendly action plan certified
Sterling one of 21 Colorado communities in Network of Age-friendly States and Communities
Logan County is celebrating a milestone in its enrollment in the AARP Network of Age-friendly States and Communities. On Friday, Dec. 1, Logan County’s Agefriendly action plan was certified by AARP and its membership in the Network of Age-friendly States and Communities was renewed.
“AARP is really excited that Logan County has been recertified as an age-friendly community. That means that they form part of the network across the country of communities meeting age-friendly work and it shows their commitment to make Sterling really accessible for older adults and really members of all ages to be living there,” Marissa A. Volpe, AARP Associate State Director for Livable Communities, said.
With this milestone, Sterling will become part of 21 communities in the state of Colorado and hundreds in the U.S. that are part of AARP’S network and, with that, part of the World
Health Organization’s Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities.
Work on this effort started in January of 2021 when Logan County became the 497th community to enroll in the AARP Network of Age-friendly States and Communities. Commissioner Joe Mcbride submitted the application, which was written in collaboration with Logan County Economic Development Corporation and CSU’S Northeast Regional
Engagement Center. At that time, Logan County was certified as a community that was committed to becoming more age-friendly.
From January of 2021 to the present, Logan County’s commitment was demonstrated through many hours of work by a volunteer group, Logan County Coalition on Aging. That group began its work by looking at the eight domains of livability — outdoor
spaces and buildings, transportation, housing, social participating, respect and social inclusions, work and civic engagement, communication and information, community and health services.
They then used what they learned as they spent many volunteer hours disseminating surveys, CSU Prevention Resource Center’s data analysis and reporting funded by the Northeast Regional Engagement Center, as well as writing an Agefriendly action plan using the data collected from the surveys.
All of their hard work paid off on Dec. 1, when the plan was certified by AARP and membership in the Network of Age-friendly States and Communities was renewed. This certification is valid until Dec. 1, 2026.
Karen Ramey-torres, who serves as the community contact with AARP for Logan County’s Agefriendly plan, recently presented the certificate awarded by AARP to Logan County Commissioners Mcbride and Mike Brownell. They were joined by Peggy Stoltenberg, Partnership and Project Development Manager at CSU’S NCREC, who played a significant role in facilitating the survey and plan process; Tim Stahley, director of the NREC; and Trae Miller, executive director of the LCEDC, who contributed the data that was needed for the application and provided important input
“This is a process, so it’s never complete, you’re always working towards being an age-friendly community and that’s for all ages, children to adults,” Rameytorres explained.
Volpe noted that the work that Ramey-torres and the other volunteers have been doing has been very focused on having a place where older adults are able to connect in order to reduce social isolation.
“I know that’s going to be at the forefront of the work that’s happening and also just having access to transportation, affordable housing, civic and social activity, healthy food. All of these pieces are going to be part of that plan,” Volpe said.
Part of the efforts now underway through the work of the Age-friendly volunteers include a group of community members, the Public Places Team, who are meeting regularly to work on the reimagining of Sterling Recreation Center and Logan County Heritage Center possibly as one building and with some added amenities. University of Colorado students are currently gathering input to create a concept design, at no cost, thanks to a grant program offered through the Department of Local Affairs. Ramey-torres said the architectural rendering of the project should be completed within the next year, by next fall.
Once the concept drawing is complete, the city and county can get a better idea of the cost and determine if they want to move forward and if so, how the cost will be paid for. Logan County’s Age-friendly action plan certification and its renewed status as member of the AARP Network of Age-friendly States and Communities can help with that too, as it will allow them the possibly of writing for AARP grants, including the large Community Challenge grant offered once a year as part of the nationwide AARP Livable Communities initiative that helps communities become great places to live for residents of all ages.
Logan County will also be able to write for smaller AARP grants as well and receive coaching help too, to help ensure they are successful in getting the grants.
“This community will benefit in a variety of ways from this,” Ramey-torres said about certification of the Age-friendly action plan and renewed membership in the AARP Network of Age-friendly States and Communities.