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Pebble Ministry Inc. (2023) Print
2023 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Public space activation
└ Public space activation
Clarkesville lacked interactive outdoor spaces that encouraged movement and family bonding, especially for older adults. Pebble Ministry addressed this by creating a StoryWalk near the visitors center, installing posts and display cases for rotating books and adding signage with QR codes for feedback. The trail now draws readers of all ages, promoting exercise and social connection. Older adults report enjoying walks with friends and pets, and one visitor wrote, "A group of us...were out for a walk and were so pleased to see this."
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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La Crosse, WI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: La Crosse's food forest produces fruit and vegetables for the community, helps absorb stormwater runoff and serves as a communal gathering place. The forest, however, did not have seating along its many paths. To beautify the forest and give visitors a place to rest, the La Crosse Area Family YMCA created artistic benches. Younger people worked with older adult mentors to design, assemble and decorate each bench. Many pay homage to the forest, featuring images of plants and vegetables. Project organizers say the public art effort fostered intergenerational cohesion, and residents consider the new benches to be source of community pride.
Dixon, KY
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: Webster County Senior Center has delivered meals to homebound older adults for years. But the center has never fully used its large outdoor greenspace and patio. To make the space more appealing, the center created an outdoor seating area with benches, tables and games, which allow visitors to dine outdoors and make social connections. Today, residents use the space for bingo and board games between meals, and the patio hosts community events.
Potlatch, ID
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: In 1906, the Washington, Idaho and Montana Railway built the Potlatch Depot, which served as a warehouse to store excess freight and baggage. The Washington, Idaho and Montana Railway History Preservation Group hoped to offer visitors rides on speeders and rail cycles -- small vehicles that travel along the tracks, which railroad employees once used to inspect tracks and reach trains needing repairs. To do this, the group needed to expand into the depot's annex. They worked to renovate the building, stabilizing its foundation, replacing siding and removing interior walls and floor lumber. Project organizers hope the speeder rides will attract the public to the depot's museum and increase a sense of community pride.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Hayesville, NC
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017
Project Category: Access to health care services
Description: Hinton Rural Life Center, located in the Appalachian Mountains in western North Carolina, serves as a religious retreat and conference center. It also provides firewood, gardening and home repair assistance and other services to rural residents. The Center trained two staffers in Mental Health First Aid, a program focused on intervention strategies for people experiencing a mental health crisis or developing mental health problems. After five days of instruction, the two officials then passed along their knowledge at a training with nearly 30 other community members. Today, the Center continues to offer training sessions in Mental Health First Aid to local organizations and churches.
Nicholson, GA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Digital Connections Other
Description: Photos and stories honoring local veterans were at risk of fading from public view, leaving families and community members unaware of a shared history that holds deep meaning for many older adults. The library addressed this by digitizing the Veterans Wall of Honor and creating a permanent digital display that is easy to access and expand. Residents were encouraged to contribute photos and information, growing the collection and bringing new visibility to the Wall. When the updated display was unveiled during a community Veterans Day program, attendees reacted emotionally as they saw their own images or those of deceased loved ones recognized. The digital format now protects these stories from deterioration and allows the Wall to continue growing, ensuring that veterans service and sacrifice remain visible to future generations.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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