AARP seeks alternative ways to help Wyoming people

For the past seven years, AARP has held a community-wide food drive – the Souper Bowl, held in conjunction with the annual Super Bowl football game – to collect food for the Food Bank and the Salvation Army.

This year, according to Clarence Montano, that can’t happen because of COVID-19 restrictions on the organization.

Montano, who’s a member of the AARP Wyoming executive council, said AARP is, instead, hoping to partner with the VFW for a food drive this year.

Montano said details remain to be worked out, but in the meantime, the AARP is seeking other ways to continue being part of peoples’ lives during a difficult time. He said the AARP recently provided items to be given away as prizes in Bingo games for residents at the Sheridan Square apartments and is now coordinating donations for Bingo giveaways at the Amy Holt Care Center in Buffalo.

He said at the state level, AARP will be starting a series of webinars this week. The first webinar, on Wednesday, will be on suicide and the older population. Details on that will be provided on the AARP website.

In addition, Montano said, the local AARP is providing articles monthly in the local newspaper on topics of interest and potential benefits to seniors.