Bliss, an all-female quartet, played sclassics and folk tunes from on Monday in Bowling Green.
May is Older Americans Month, which was celebrated by seniors and the Wood County Committee on Aging at the Wooster Green in Bowling Green on Monday.
Duane Shively receives a fresh cut flower on Monday, along with an Aging Unbound community award from the Wood County Committee on Aging, for his decade of help in the Guiding Pathways respite program.
A group of older adults was honored on Monday by the Wood County Committee on Aging as part of a celebration of Older Americans Month during a concert at the Wooster Green Gazebo.
“May is Older Americans Month, started in 1963 as a way to honor our older adults in our communities who are able to provide great contributions in many different ways,” said WCCOA Director of Programs Danielle Brogley.
May is Older Americans Month, which was celebrated by seniors and the Wood County Committee on Aging at the Wooster Green in Bowling Green on Monday.
An older adult from each of the eight senior centers was honored during the event, showcasing many positive aspects of aging.
Prior to the concert, the nominees from all of the participating senior center locations were announced, along with the three community award winners received for their contributions to older adults in honor of Older Americans month.
Brogley said that these Successful Aging Individuals promote the essence of aging positively in the community. Honored with awards and cut flowers were:
Dorothy Cline, 88, Wayne Area Senior Center; Randy Box,73, Grand Rapids Area Senior Center; Barbara Brauer, 81, Pemberville Area Senior Center; Jeanne Ricard, 84, North Baltimore Area Senior Center; Carol LaBounty, 86, Perrysburg Area Senior Center; Jenny Triggs, 78, Wood County Senior Center; and Mike Wagner, 82, Rossford Area Senior Center.
Honored with Aging Unbound community awards were: Arista Home Health, Tammy Starr PT and Duane Shively.
“One of our community awards — Duane Shively, who just turned 80 — has been helping with our Guiding Pathways Program, which is a respite program from those with low to moderate cognition loss,” Brogley said. “It provides caregivers with four hours of respite three times a month. He has volunteered with that project since 2014. It really helps us with supporting older adults and keeping that project afloat.”
Triggs, one of the honored Successful Aging Individuals, was born in Chessington Surry, England, and moved to the United States 36 years ago.
“I’ve been teaching (exercise classes) for over 30 years. After my husband passed I had some surgery and I wasn’t going to do any more exercising, and my son said ‘You need to go back to exercising,’ but I told him I didn’t want to teach,” Triggs said.
Duane Shively receives a fresh cut flower on Monday, along with an Aging Unbound community award from the Wood County Committee on Aging, for his decade of help in the Guiding Pathways respite program.
She joined a two-person exercise class, then shortly after starting the instructor had to leave for family reason, and Triggs took over the class.
“So I took over until they could find somebody, and that was about two years ago,” Triggs said.
The fitness class is now called Get Moving Classic. As many as 25 seniors take part, three times a week.
Triggs moved to Bowling Green five years ago. She spent more than 30 years teaching fitness classes and received national recognition for the “Young at Heart” program she started at a local athletic club in New Hampshire.
“This is a nice thing to do on a sunny afternoon. It’s nice to see so many seniors out,” local real estate agent and former councilwoman Sandy Rowland said.
With lawn chairs and sunglasses, more than 100 came to enjoy the awards presentation and free concert. The concert featured the band Bliss, a quintet of women.
Bliss played classics, like John Lennon’s “Imagine” and “California Dreamin’” by the Mamas & the Papas.
Mary Jane and Gary Saunders commented on the music.
“Really, we came for the band. We listened to them on YouTube. They have a great sound, and we know all these songs,” Mary Jane said. “I’m really glad people are also being honored for their efforts in the community.”
