Frankfort, IN

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Park enhancements

Description: This project will update a walking path by adding benches at several stopping points, along with attractive landscaping. The Center will also expand the path to a full loop, improving safety.

Fort Scott, KS

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021

Project Category: Park enhancements

Description: Fort Scott's Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes mission is to share stories of lesser-known great Americans through project-based learning. The Center created a downtown park next to its museum facilities. The new space features six narrative boards, which commemorate the contributions of individual heroes. Students in grades four through twelve researched and chose the subjects, who include scientists who discovered dinosaur bones and measured the extent of the universe, as well as a Navajo code breaker, a pioneer of modern education and others. Project organizers say the story rails will allow visitors to learn about historical figures outside the nearby museum's operating hours.

Paonia, CO

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019

Project Category: Park enhancements

Description: The Town of Paonia made several improvements to Poulos Park, including construction of an accessible path, repairs to a wall, installation of new lighting and the addition of a conversation circle bench designed by local artists. The town also received the donation of a bronze sculpture to display in the park. Since these upgrades, a local theater company now uses the outdoor space, which also acts as a concert venue.