According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of Americans 60 years and older will nearly double in the next 20 years. Due to this considerable growth, the Indiana Philanthropy Alliance (IPA) announced financial support for a series of statewide community events under its Connecting Generations project, which aims to promote more age-friendly communities by spurring intergenerational understanding between older and younger Hoosiers.
Through the Connecting Generations project, the Scott County Youth Grantmaking Council (?YGC?) was one of seven Indiana youth organizations which were awarded grants of $750 to develop and host community events that encourage meaningful interaction between youth and seniors. The YGC, a program of the Scott County Community Foundation, is made up of students from throughout the community who hold regular meetings, discuss ideas and hold events to raise money, and then give grants to the community for youth-related projects. The goals of the YGC are to provide opportunities for leadership development, provide positive peer support, learn about philanthropy and serving the community, form a partnership with other youth and adults, and grow their endowment fund for the future. There are currently 46 youth involved in the program.
YGC senior Tyler White chaired the planning committee to discuss details for ?A Night to Remember? Senior Prom, which was hosted at Hampton Oaks on April 11. Residents enjoyed a casino-themed event, complete with roulette, slot machine, music and the ever-popular bingo! Youth enjoyed listening to stories shared from the seniors, many of whom had never attended a prom. Bob Ligda was crowned king, while Joanne Drake was crowned queen. Awards were also given for the resident who earned the most ?money? from the games, the oldest and youngest in attendance. YGC members shared a popular dance from their time period, and some of the seniors showed their dance moves. Everyone enjoyed a special visit by Mayor Bill Graham.
The Scott County Youth Grantmaking Council thanks their sponsors of the event: the Don Collins Sr. Family, Wal-Mart, the White family, and Lee Anne Hahn. They would also like to express appreciation to Heather White for photographing the event, IPA for the grant opportunity, and Hampton Oaks for allowing the YGC to host this special event.
