City of Gulfport
The City of Gulfport joined the Communities for a Lifetime on May 6, 2003, 2008. Susan Frank, Senior Center Supervisor, Gulfport Senior Center, is the Communities for a Lifetime coordinator. The Gulfport Senior Center recently became the first senior center in Pinellas County to host a CarFit event. CarFit is a national program developed by AARP, the American Automobile Association, and the American Occupational Therapy Association. The program looks at if seniors are properly positioned in their cars so that they travel safely and are more effective drivers. Fran Carlton Rogers, Fran Carlin Rogers Associates and a national CarFit instructor was also on hand to work with and train volunteers to assist the community.
Buddy Cloud, the Communities for a Lifetime Bureau’s Transportation Director, is a CarFit Event Coordinator, and is available to assist communities in planning this type of event. He can be reached at (850) 414-2000.
City of Boynton Beach
The City of Boynton Beach is new to the Communities for a Lifetime initiative. The city joined the initiative on March 18, 2008. The coordinator for this initiative is the city's Recreation and Parks Supervisor Steve Lulkin. Steve manages the Multipurpose Senior Center, which was formerly Lucille & Otley’s local restaurant. The center has been accredited by The National Institute of Senior Centers. This center is only one of six senior centers in the state of Florida to become nationally accredited. It is also the first in South Florida.
A movie was filmed over a three-day period at the center in the fall of 2006, “Boynton Beach Club”. Susan Sidleman, who also directed “Sex in the City”, was the director. Other filming locations included the art center, woman’s club, Valencia Shores (private condominiums), and local restaurants in Boynton Beach. The city also partnered with the department and AARP to host a community forum earlier this year.
2008 COMMUNITIES FOR A LIFETIME AWARD WINNERS
Five outstanding city and county communities were recognized at the closing brunch of the Florida Council on Aging’s annual conference in Orlando.
The Communities for a Lifetime awards honor accomplishments and progress in planning and implementing changes that benefit all residents, young and old alike. In addition, these communities were rated on how they assessed community needs, established community partnerships and included cross sections of the communities in advisory capacities.
“Awards are given to those who made outstanding and successful efforts to participate in Communities for a Lifetime events,” said Bureau Chief Larry Baxter. “How well communities developed and carried out action plans to enhance the aging-in-place concept was another important criteria in the judging.”
The award winners include:
1st place - Orange County Commission on Aging
2nd place - City of Tallahassee and Leon County
3rd place - The City of Gulfport
4th place - Brevard County Commission on Aging
5th place - Sarasota County
The initiative appreciates the work of this year’s award judges:
Representative Thomas Anderson, Florida House of Representatives
Ted Granger, President, United Way of Florida
Dr. Lori Parham State Director, AARP
Kimberly Moore, CEO, Workforce Plus
Dr. Donna Jacobi, Geriatrics Clerkship Director, Florida State University School of Medicine’s Pensacola Campus
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