Oakland Seniors Walk Tall to Celebrate Older Americans Month

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Women Walking Tall stiltwalkers tower over the crowds at Oakland, CA's Older Americans Month event.

On May 30, the City of Oakland's ASSETS Senior Employment Opportunities Program hosted their annual Senior Day. The huge event features blues musicians, opera singers, actors and actresses, dancers and clowns and welcomes thousands of participants,. And did we forget to mention the stilt walkers? The Women Walking Tall Stilting Troupe, a group of women from 3 to 93 trained to walk on stilts, towered over the event wearing some outrageous fashions to create an eye-catching performance for the crowds.

Recognizing several men and women in the community whose lives represent the theme of the event, "Celebrate Aging: Making Oakland a Great Place to Grow Old," Oakland honored those special seniors with Gold and Silver Awards. Six awards were given including one to Senior Aide Gracie Jefferson who became involved with the program through Oakland's ASSETS Senior Employment Opportunities Program. Gracie was placed in September of 2002 in a subsidized position in the City Manager's Office where she trained as a receptionist. Less than one year after being placed, Gracie was hired as an employee and now continues to help Oakland citizens find the city services they are seeking.

Another senior contributor to the community, Maudelle Shirek, gave the keynote presentation for the day. The 92-year old is a Berkeley City Council Member in her eighth term and the eldest elected official in California.

Nearly 40 community agencies that provide services to seniors attended and set up community resource tables during the day including ASSETS which distributed Senior Service America brochures, facts about the Senior AIDES program in Chinese and Spanish and Mardi Gras beads, key chains and other novelty items. ASSETS staff estimate that 900 visitors stopped at their booth to learn about eligibility criteria for the Senior AIDES program and what it provides. "We believe participating in community resource events is a successful way to inform folks about Senior AIDES," said Brendalynn Goodall, project director of ASSETS and chief organizer of the event. "We are able to reach a wide diversity of potential program participants with this event."