By Judie Donaldson

I know that this will seem un-American, but I’m a Mother’s Day scrooge. It isn’t that I oppose mothers being lauded and honored. Quite the contrary. I’d just like it to happen in an authentic manner, rather than through a commercialized “Hallmark card day” or as an excuse for another mattress sale.  And so, I’ve asked my kids to honor me all they want, but to do it on their own terms, whenever they feel motivated.
For some reason, thinking about this prompted me to reflect on the holidays that populate our calendar. Did you know that there are over 350 “commemorative” holidays that exist along with our 10 federal ones? Why, you could busy yourself celebrating a whole bunch of rather bizarre things every day!
For example, consider these:  National Hugging Day, World Pizza Day, International No-Diet Day, World Laughter Day, Rare Disease Day, International Sheep Day, Dr. Seuss Day, National Sibling Day, World Turtle Day, and, not surprisingly, Cannabis Day! And, believe me, I’ve just given you a sampling. How on earth do you think these days get approved and placed on a calendar?  That’s a mystery I haven’t unraveled.
But, seriously, there was something meaningful that I did find out in scouting around. I learned that May is “Older Americans Month”!  So, I am sending a huge Carquinez Village salute to all older adults in our community.  (By the way, our definition of American extends to all who are living here.) We are grateful to be getting to know many of you, and are looking forward to meeting more of you in the future. Never forget it. Seniors are an important asset in the community. Carquinez Village recognizes this every day.
When I learned about Older Americans Month, I wondered who started it and who celebrates it.  And so, I learned. It was started by the Administration on Aging (AoA), a division of Health and Human Services that promotes the well-being of older adults by providing services and programs designed to help them live independently in their homes and communities.
Sounds good, doesn’t it? I’ll need to learn more about what this actually translates to in terms of benefits for older adults. I’m afraid that I’m not optimistic. From a positive perspective, in commemorating the month, one of President Trump’s speech writers wrote something that I like. He or she said, “Our older adults are our nation’s memory.”
My next question, as I indicated, pertains to who celebrates Older Americans Month. Before I share my discovery, I want to confess that my research was limited to the proverbial, you guessed it, Google search. From this, I discovered four national organizations that are hosting month-long campaigns or celebrations. They are all raising awareness of seniors.   Yea!
First, AoA, of course. I love its theme for the month, “Engage at Every Age.” One of AoA’s primary goals is to stimulate awareness. It worked for me. It prompted me to do reflect on how I am engaging during this stage of my life. How about you? Are you pleased with your choices? I am grateful to be working with Carquinez Village because I meet and learn from so many seniors and because it protects me from getting stuck in living a self-centered life.
Second, the National Council on Aging (NCOA) is using the month for a fundraising campaign and, in doing so, is raising awareness of seniors’ basic needs. “Senior Hopes” is what NCOA is about. It is raising money to help seniors pay for daily needs, prevent falls, manage chronic conditions, become liberated from elder abuse, remain connected, and stay independent. Increased understanding of seniors’ basic realities? It’s always needed.
Third, Feeding America is raising awareness that one in twelve seniors is “food insecure,” which means lacking in essential calories and nutrients. That’s 5.4 million seniors or 8.1 percent of the senior population. In California, it’s 8.4 percent. Did you know this? I didn’t. It prompted me to be increasingly grateful to CAC (the Community Action Council) for its senior meals program.
Fourth, Senior Corps is calling attention to the ways in which older adults are giving back. Through its Foster Grandparents Program, Senior Companions, and responsive “RSVP” Program, Senior Corps’ 220,000 volunteers log 54 million service hours annually. It is always important to highlight how seniors are making a difference. That’s why Diane Choquette wrote about Carquinez Village’s volunteers in last week’s column. We are so grateful to them. They are not only making a difference in seniors’ lives. They are strengthening our community.
Hmmm. I started writing today by rejecting a holiday, Mother’s Day, and being grateful for another, Older Americans Month. And I loved the crazy holidays that I learned about along the way. It all seems like a good balance. Thanks for traveling with me.  May you continue to be aware of and support our community’s seniors. Happy May holidays!

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