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Hattiesburg, MS

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021

Project Category: Park enhancements

Description: Duncan Lake Park in Hattiesburg's East Jerusalem neighborhood is popular with residents, yet many of the park's amenities were in disrepair. To give the park new life, Hattiesburg Landmark Preservation refurbished picnic tables with new tops featuring painted checkerboards. They also installed new benches, added a wheelchair-accessible sidewalk and created two murals depicting native plants and animals. Today, the park hosts free arts programming for residents of all ages.

Salmon, ID

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Park enhancements

Description: The city will improve safety and accessibility by resurfacing worn-out pickleball courts with new concrete or asphalt. The courts are particularly popular with older adults residents.

San Antonio, TX

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022

Project Category: Park enhancements

Description: Palomino Park offers older adults living in San Antonio's South Side a no-cost space to exercise. To help residents stay fit, the Alamo Colleges Foundation created a fitness trail by installing 12 pieces of fitness equipment along the park's walking loop. To shield visitors from the sun and allow them to exercise in the summer heat, volunteers also added a shade structure. Today, the park hosts fitness activities, including yoga sessions, lessons on proper stretching techniques and nutrition training. To reach more people, the sessions are streamed online. Organizers hope the fitness trail improves community members' physical and mental health for years to come.

Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects

Germantown, MD

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: Food insecurity and isolation affected residents near the hospital, especially older adults who faced barriers to healthy eating and physical activity. To address this, Holy Cross Health created an ADA-compliant community garden with 19 plots, two wheelchair-accessible tables and a Harvest Garden for donations and education. The program served 19 families, donated 205 pounds of produce and offered bilingual gardening classes and seedlings. Participants reported eating more fruits and vegetables and feeling more confident growing food. Plans include expanding the garden and partnering with schools and other care programs to broaden impact.

Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.

Lovettsville, VA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Bikeability

Description: Without secure bike parking, older adults had fewer options for low-cost, healthy transportation and social connection. The town installed three steel bike racks in front of Town Hall, creating a safe, central spot for cyclists to access shops, events and community spaces. The racks encourage biking for errands and recreation, reducing reliance on cars and promoting physical activity. They've sparked community pride and support future plans for bike-friendly infrastructure, reinforcing Lovettsville's commitment to active living for residents of all ages. One resident said "This project has not only enhanced the convenience for those who enjoy biking, but it has also encouraged a more active lifestyle within the overall community."

Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.

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