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Black Hills Retired School Personnel (2023) Print
2023 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Public space activation
└ Public space activation
Visitors in busy community spaces often had no place to sit, leaving people without a comfortable spot to rest during walks or long visits. To address this, the group partnered with a welding class to design and build two ADA-compliant benches, which were finished with powder coating and installed on new concrete pads. Placing them in the market park created the only seating in that area and offered shaded resting spots for people spending time there. Members said the project helped them recognize broader unmet needs in their community and inspired future efforts. One volunteer noted that the benches were placed in "perfect shaded areas", making the park easier for people to enjoy.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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Toledo, OH
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: To transform a vacant lot into a pocket park, Salem Lutheran Church installed benches at the site. Inspired by the improvements, community members contributed donations to construct concrete pads for the benches and add trash receptacles nearby. The Church also built a pergola to provide shade at a nearby bus stop, making it the only stop with shelter in the immediate neighborhood. Project organizers engaged local teenagers to help with installation, who volunteered alongside residents. Salem Lutheran Church has since continued its efforts to revitalize North Toledo, hosting a summer youth program to build a community garden for the neighborhood.
Glen Ullin, ND
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: Outdoor options for older adults were scarce in Glen Ullin, leaving few chances for social connection. That changed when two permanent concrete cornhole games were installed-one at a playground and another downtown-giving residents a simple, fun way to stay active. Volunteers hosted instructional events, and soon people of all ages were stopping by to play. "These games are so awesome, people stop over while we are playing and want to join the fun," said one resident. The project turned idle spaces into lively gathering spots, fostering engagement and movement for everyone.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Max, ND
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: To beautify its downtown, the City of Max added hanging flower baskets, benches and picnic tables, as well as raised garden beds. The undertaking was a community effort for the small town (Max only has 131 residents). A local community club picked out the flowers, with another group of older residents volunteering to plant them and keep them watered. Project organizers say they hope the brightened streetscape encourages residents to get out and stroll through downtown.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Hill City, SD
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: Hill City's community garden needed a reliable water source to expand food production for local families and older adults. The project installed a 1,500-gallon cistern connected to a solar-powered pump, ensuring steady irrigation. Volunteers helped prepare and place the cistern, and a kick-off event marked the upgrade. The improvement makes the garden more sustainable, enabling greater participation and more produce for food pantries and homebound residents. "It brings great joy to see those little seeds become big plants and to see all the visiting and teaching and learning that happens," a participant said.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Custer, SD
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: After flooding destroyed the Custer Community Garden, the Custer Area Economic Development set out to relocate the beloved amenity to a new site. The organization created a new garden at a local high school, installing 16 raised beds, including wheelchair accessible and raised options to accommodate gardeners of all ability levels. Workers laid compost and mulch at the site and installed fencing to keep out foraging wildlife. The school's lunch program now has access to excess produce grown in the garden, which also provides educational programming to the community. Project organizers report that since the improvements, leaders from neighboring communities have reached out for advice for creating their own gardens.
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