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Town of Wellston (2022) Print
2022 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Park enhancements
└ Park enhancements
Wellston's park lacked safe, accessible features, forcing families to travel elsewhere for recreation and creating barriers for older adults. The town installed ADA-compliant picnic tables with UV shade coverings and created a safe walking area, with volunteers helping to ensure proper grading. These upgrades made the park a welcoming space for gatherings and outdoor activity. The improvements have sparked interest in adding features like a splash pad and expanded trails, signaling momentum for long-term revitalization.
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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Milwaukee, WI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: Mujeres con Poder addressed barriers that made Kozy Park difficult to use for everyday activities, especially for older adults who needed places to rest and feel safe staying longer. Limited seating and unclear safety information meant some residents shortened visits or avoided the park, despite its role as a neighborhood gathering space. The project added benches and safety and wellness signage and paired these upgrades with community walks and planning sessions centered on resident input. The changes had an immediate effect. One grandmother shared that a bench near the playground now allows her to bring her grandson more often because she can sit in the shade while he plays. Together, these improvements supported more consistent park use and strengthened ongoing collaboration around safety and reducing isolation for older adults.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Grafton, ND
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: Grafton lacked inclusive spaces that encourage social connection and mental engagement for older adults. The city installed Harmony Garden, an interactive musical park featuring 15 instrument structures, benches and landscaping along a four-mile bike path. Volunteers added trees, perennials and recycled mulch to create a welcoming environment. The park now offers free access to music-based sensory therapy and a unique spot for older adults to rest and interact. Plans include adding a butterfly sculpture and hosting community events to deepen its role as a gathering place.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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
Davenport, OK
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Public place improvements to withstand extreme weather events
Description: Frequent power outages in Davenport left older adults without power for medical devices, creating serious health risks in a rural area where generators are scarce and costly. To address this, the town distributed portable generators, grounded extension cords and carbon monoxide detectors to 21 households, prioritizing those with medical needs. The effort reduced weather-related emergencies and helped residents age in place more safely. One recipient, an older adult living alone with mobility challenges, said receiving a generator gave her peace of mind and independence during outages.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
McLoud, OK
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Transportation Systems Change
Description: Older adults in the tribe faced isolation and limited mobility in a rural area with few transportation options. To reconnect tribal elders with cultural traditions and community life, the tribe organized trips, including transportation for 52 participants to the Meskwaki Powwow and a community viewing of Killers of the Flower Moon. These events revived cherished traditions and strengthened social ties. "Without this... I would not have been able to take a trip and see my old friends in Iowa," one elder said. The project prompted policy changes to fund future trips and inspired similar efforts by neighboring tribes.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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