Dear Readers,

Happy Spring, I think, at least I believe it is Spring now. It has been a crazy, as it is normally, winter. As we head into May, I want to remind everyone that May is Older Americans Month. This year, the theme for Older Americans Month is Connect, Create, Contribute.

• Connect with friends, family, and services that support participation.
• Create by engaging in activities that promote learning, health, and personal enrichment.
• Contribute time, talent, and life experience to benefit others.

This is not only a wonderful theme but honestly a way of life. As I begin my tenure with the Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging, I set goals for myself and the organization. Those goals, or values, wrap together well with this year’s theme. They are; to work more closely with non-profits within our twenty-seven (27) county region; be out and more engaged with the communities and to work closely with policymakers at the city, county, state and federal level. That is how I plan to connect, create and contribute, not only in the month of May but while serving as the Executive Director at MNRAAA.

Enjoy May flowers!

Read the Spring issue of MNRAAA news.

Jason W. Swanson