More Winners

In addition, winners were named for the Prescription for Better Health Award—a nationwide competition for senior centers with activities and education that promote healthy lifestyles. The Traverse City Senior Center, of Traverse City, Michigan, won top honors, and five other centers received honorable mentions.

The Traverse City Senior Center was recognized for its program “The Amazing Race,” a 16-week course designed to empower seniors to make healthy lifestyle choices while also encouraging them to take advantage of resources in their hometown. Seniors are given a weekly “challenge” that relates to wellness or healthy living, such as bowling, miniature golfing, and mall walking. For the less-active participants, there is a “detour” that includes activities such as having their blood pressure taken and calculating the number of calories in a certain food.

The five honorable mentions are

• Capital Senior Center of Columbia, South Carolina, for its “Palmetto Health Lifestyle University” program, a three-month course for seniors;
• East Providence Senior Activity Center of East Providence, Rhode Island, for its “Nutrition Weight Loss” program;
• Friendship Circle Senior Center of Darby, Pennsylvania, for its “Passport to Health,” a customized program encouraging older adults to increase their daily activity, gain knowledge about nutrition, and live a healthier lifestyle;
• Newton Senior Center of Newtonville, Massachusetts, for its “Fit and Balance Brain” program combining physical fitness with brain challenges; and
• Resources for Seniors, Inc., of Wake County, North Carolina, for its “Fit & Strong” program for arthritis sufferers that blends a cardiovascular, strength, and flexibility program with a group problem-solving curriculum.

Note: As part of the Boomers Leading Change Initiative, Silver Planet was awarded a $10,000 matching grant from the Rose Foundation. Through the grant, Silver Planet will
leverage its online expertise in supporting the Foundation’s Boomers Leading Change initiative
to expand opportunities for those age 55+ in work, service, and
learning and thereby strengthen and support their communities.

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