Todd Kuhns on City Council

In Jefferson City at the Missouri Community Betterment (MCB) Awards Banquet this month, Kirksville received  the 1^st place award in their population category for Kirksville’s volunteer spirit and self-help attitude of the community. Projects that were featured in the competition application were the Highway 63 Alternate Route, Tornado Recovery, the Kirksville Arts Association Mural Contest, the Skate Board Park, the HIT DNA lab in progress, and the Jefferson Street improvements.

Kirksville Community Betterment, a committee of the Kirksville Area Chamber of Commerce, was able to demonstrate exceptional cooperation among the City of Kirksville, Truman State University, A.T. Still University of Health, K-REDI, the Chamber of Commerce and many local volunteer and service groups.

The Missouri Community Betterment (MCB) Program is designed to help Missouri communities enhance their life through overall community development, planning, and implementation. The MCB Program accomplishes this mission primarily by lending technical assistance to communities; by officially recognizing the participating communities and neighborhoods; and by awarding those that excel in the program.

One complaint I hear occasionally is that Kirksville’s Parks & Rec dept does not offer enough programming and events for our seniors. While the city does offer a handful of services and some programming for seniors, it also does not want to duplicate efforts that are already being provided by outside groups and agencies. That would not be a responsible use of taxpayer dollars.

So to find out what the gaps are, city staff last year compiled this list of activities that currently happen in town that would be of interest to seniors. I asked a couple folks in RSVP to help fill in the gaps by asking, “Could you please look over this list and tell me what is missing”

Here was the response:

• Fishing Group – fishing events, socializing etc.

• Senior Dances – at least every quarter.

• Bunco Fundays – could be included in the card & game sessions that need to be facilitated so that when newbies to the community drop by they are welcomed.

• Water Walking – Led by some one where each individual works at their own pace while walking, arching, lunging, and side stepping through the pool.  Excellent for those who have had joint replacement procedures.

• Fitness Programs for Seniors – Muscular Strength and Range Movement where you move to music through excersises designed to increase musculare strength and range of movement.  A class for more active souls for muscular endurance conditioning. A Cardio Fit class for those who are fit and active as well as those who are sedentary or unfamiliar with excercise

• Wii Play   Learning to play and competitions.  Golf, bowling, tennis etc.  Other communities have this and the game was donated by a local business.

• Slim and Trim after 60:  work with trainer and dietician to set realistic goals, safe workouts, and nutrition advice all geared specifically toward those 60+

• Weekly Senior Living Programs – have professionals come in and give programs – ie, Common Foot Ailments, Add energy to your 1st Aid Kit, Afternoon Delight:  Latest research to better care for yourself as you age, Beat the Cold or Flue: Common remedies/myths, Beat the Holiday Blues, Shopping Healthy, Eye Care, Cross Train Your Brain, Ask the Attorney, Meet your State Senator, etc.

• Learn a new skill Programs – have instructors to come in and do a basic class.  Perhap the person would want to pursue and join a club or continue with lessons at a business after attending these.  ie. Harmonica lessons, painting lessons, woodcarving lessons, tap dancing lessons, needlework lessons, gardening lessons, Line Dancing, scrapbooking and card making lessons, etc.

• Kirksville Restaurant Group – Dine out with other seniors once every month at a restaurant.  Meet at the restaurant and order from the menu with seperate checks.  RSVP to Parks and Rec and so reservations can be made.

• Zumba Dance Exercise

I think this is a pretty reasonable and pointed list. Some of these would have a cost associated, but others would be relatively easy to put together. What do you think? Is there anything else you would add?

I plan to bring this issue up in a future meeting of the LPRC, so I would love to have as much input as possible. You can comment by clicking the “Comments” link at the top of the article.