George Hale Silver Frame Awards

Eastern Agency on Aging’s mission is to be the best source for information, options and services for people as they grow older.  The agency also has a motto: Live Well, Age Well.  This year we want to celebrate May and Older Americans Month by honoring the many unique and inspired older people who demonstrate how living well helps you age well. 

This year Eastern Agency on Aging is announcing the first ever George Hale Silver Frame Awards: the Picture of Active Aging in

Eastern Maine

.  We are seeking nominations for older persons who may not be famous or a household name, but in some unique way have become a model for healthy and active living.  Active aging means living life as fully as possible within the 6 dimensions of wellness (emotional, vocational, physical, spiritual, intellectual and social). George Hale is one of those amazing role models we are privileged to honor by making him the namesake of these awards.

The judging process will be done outside of the agency by a selected group of community leaders. We will be presenting the winners with a silver, engraved frame and $100 cash.  The presentation will be made at a lunch celebration in each winner’s community in May. 

We have established three categories and two age groups (60-75 and 76+).  The categories are meant to be broad reaching and open to interpretation.  It is important to note that there is no wrong category for an entry. We are asking for a 350 to 500 word essay and it can be typed, handwritten, recorded on tape or if you need help writing it, let us know and we will find someone to help you.

Send the essays, include a photo of the nominee if you wish, to Noelle Merrill, Eastern Agency on Aging,

450 Essex St.

,

Bangor

,

ME

04401

or you may email nominations to

nmerrill@eaaa.org

.

The first category is “Artistic/Creative”.   “Living the creative life has the nourishing power we normally associate with food, love and faith,” writes dancer and choreographer Twyla Tharp in her book The Creative Habit. The world’s many talented artists like Tharp, Matisse and even Clint Eastwood have disproved the once held concept that creativity wanes in the second half of life or that the need to be creative goes away. If you know an older person who is living the life creative, tell us about them.

Our second category is Fitness or Outdoor Enthusiast/Adventurer.  Active aging means living life to the fullest extent possible within the dimensions of wellness. Tai chi and yoga, water exercise and strength training are some common ways older people find to stay fit.  The recent 19 kilometer Caribou Bog Ski Race in

Bangor

had 43 participants and 22 of them were over 50 years of age, and two were over 70.  Clearly our many senior athletes demonstrate that as people age they don’t have to give up their physically active nature.  We look forward to hearing about our resident adventurers or fitness role models.

The last category is Life-Long Learner/Entrepreneurial.  Lifelong learning is attitudinal; that one can and should be open to new ideas, decisions, skills or behaviors. Lifelong learning throws the axiom "You can't teach an old dog new tricks" out the door. It is said that brain fitness can be developed by formal education, being actively mentally engaged in life, continuing to learn, and exercises designed to challenge cognitive skills.  Given that

Maine

is the oldest state, it shouldn’t be hard to find those entrepreneurs or life-long learners in our midst.

We can’t wait to read the essays and stories, so don’t hesitate, nominate that special elder today!

Comments

[David]

24th Anniversary Caribou Bog Ski Race and Tour

(No kids tour this year)

Saturday, Feb 23, 2008

www.pvskiclub.org/bograce/index.htm
www.pvskiclub.org/#