Senior Planet from AARP is open for tech training for seniors
Oct. 19—PLATTSBURGH — Morrisonville resident Jerry Bates patronized Senior Planet Exploration Center North Country when it first opened its doors, and he was there for the grand reopening Friday with a new brand, Senior Planet from AARP.
"I have been a long time attendee," Bates, 88, said.
"Every program that they offer, I try to take part in if it meets my time schedule. They're widely diversified hours, so a lot of times you can get it. Then, you also have the one-on-one interviews that you can do if you have a special problem."
At a new location in Champlain Centre, the center offers new and improved tech lectures, workshops and classes under the supervision of center manager Jamie Sutton and technology trainer Jessica Fortin, who are assisted by an amazing cohort of volunteers.
For Wednesday, Oct. 19, in-person classes are "Google Photos" at 10:15 a.m. and "Using Google Slides" at noon. Both classes are free.
"They are good people running the operation," Bates said.
"They seem to be very knowledgeable and experienced in all the computer things that you need to do and help us older folks catch-up on things that younger people have just like that."
'GREAT TURNOUT'
Marco DiGirolomo, MBA, director, In-Person Experiences, Senior Planet and Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) from AARP was very happy with the turnout of 51 for Friday's reopening celebration.
"A huge thanks for Assemblyman Jones for attending as well as other community members," he said.
"We had a great turnout. We had many great discussions about the impact the Senior Planet from AARP programs has had on the Plattsburgh and North Country community as well as the future of what it is to come with what we are offering, specifically around the Affordable Connectivity Program as well as our health and wellness programs."
CHARITABLE AFFILIATE
The center had been closed since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, but quickly pivoted to offer online classes to the North Country region and beyond.
The organization has been a charitable affiliate of AARP since January 2021, which has allowed Senior Planet to leverage a greater impact on seniors nationwide and outside of the country.
The center's soft reopening was September 19, and it was definitely a celebratory vibe at the grand reopening last week.
"It was great to see so many familiar faces at the grand reopening of Senior Planet today," Assemblyman Billy Jones (D-Chateaugay Lake) Jones said.
"I've missed coming to the center the last couple of years, and I am happy to see it reopen so that members of the North Country community can come for in-person classes once again. I am proud to have secured $200,000 for Senior Planet in this year's state budget and am especially proud to have been able to secure funding annually for the past six years.
"From exercising to learning how to navigate technology, Senior Planet is an invaluable resource, and I will continue to make sure that they have the funding they need to continue to be there for North Country seniors."
Chazy resident Deb Gouge, 65, has taken classes on iPad Basics, Beyond iPad Basics and Shutterfly.
"So, I've done a lot of the classes," she said.
"I started having my line dance classes here. That was fun. So, I'm going to start those back again."
Keeseville resident Dave Vandenburgh, 76, was interested in seeing what classes were going to be available.
"I'm glad it's reopening," he said.
"Basically, the seminars that I went to were kind of technical sort of things.
Email: rcaudell@pressrepublican.com
Twitter@RobinCaudell
