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Rossville Community Foundation (2023) Print
2023 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Transportation
└ Trails
└ Trails
Rossville lacked safe spaces for outdoor exercise, leaving older adults without options for physical activity away from traffic. Responding to community requests, the foundation built a quarter-mile concrete trail near the fire department and high school, added trees for shade, and installed an ADA-compliant bench for resting and socializing. The new trail offers a safe route for walking and biking, encouraging health and connection. It also sparked plans for expansion and secured funding for future phases, reinforcing the town's commitment to active living.
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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Monticello, WI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Trails
Description: Monticello lacked safe, connected routes for walking and biking, limiting older adults mobility and social engagement. The project installed four bike racks, 12 wayfinding signs, three ADA-compliant benches and painted crosswalks. In addition, six trees were planted, creating shaded rest areas and safer paths. Volunteers, many age 50-plus, helped with installation, and a ribbon-cutting drew 400 attendees. These upgrades encourage outdoor activity, reduce isolation and boost tourism, while setting a model for rural communities to prioritize age-friendly infrastructure.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Goshen, CT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Trails
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Wrightsville, AR
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Trails
Description: This project will create a 10-foot sidepath from City Hall to Dollar General and turn the overgrown area behind City Hall into an accessible walking path with seating and shade, improving safety and mobility for older adults.
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Topeka, KS
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2026
Project Category: Digital navigation skills
Description: The city will provide hands on technology classes at community sites with transportation and recorded sessions. Participants will practice everyday digital tasks and receive tablets to stay connected to services, health care and friends.
Auburn, KS
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: Heritage Park lost its aging gazebo, leaving Auburn without a central space for gatherings. The city built a new ADA-compliant gazebo with benches, LED lighting and a chandelier, creating a versatile spot for celebrations. Volunteers, including many older adults, painted and stained the structure, reinforcing community pride. The gazebo now hosts birthdays, weddings and seasonal events like Christmas lighting, restoring a focal point for social life. One resident said "This is a wonderful addition to the park and the entire town. Can't wait to see all the events that will happen." Plans for an ADA bathroom and a pickleball court show continued investment in age-friendly amenities.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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