Wofford students conducting Creative Activity Workshops for older adults
February 26, 2018
Students from Wofford College will conduct a series of Creative Activity Workshops for older adults – age 55 and older – starting Wednesday, Feb. 28, at a new location, the Spartanburg County Public Libraries Headquarters in downtown.
The main library is the newest of nine locations for regular, free workshops that give older adults a chance to interact with Wofford students in a fun atmosphere where they will talk, write, draw, color, discuss music and memories and more. The workshops are part of a yearlong intergenerational program funded by a grant from the Council of Independent Colleges in partnership with the AARP Foundation.
The Creative Activity Workshops will be held from 3 to 4 p.m. Feb. 28, March 14 and 28, April 25 and May 9 in the Hoechst-Celanese Classroom. The workshops are free, and registration is not required. The libraries headquarters is located at 151 S. Church St.
Through the grant, student fellows led more than 85 workshops from September through December 2017 at eight community centers and assisted-living facilities in the Spartanburg area. More than 200 older adults and 150 college students participated in the fall workshops, which focus on social engagement through writing prompts and creative activities.
Workshops are continuing this spring in those locations, in addition to the main library. The schedule for the other locations is:
Archibald Rutledge Apartments, 764 N. Church St. – Mondays, 4-5 p.m.
J.C. Bull Apartments, 101 Marion Ave. – Mondays, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
T.W. Edwards Community Center, 195 Coleman Circle, Pacolet – Tuesdays, 11 a.m.-noon
Northwest Community Center, 701 Saxon Ave. – Tuesdays, 11:15-11:45 a.m. (beginning March 6)
Camp Croft Courts Apartments, 111 Hanover Place – Tuesdays, 3-4 p.m.
White Oak Manor, 295 E. Pearl St. – Wednesdays, 2:30-3:30 p.m.
Elite Senior Day Center, 2000 Bud Arthur Bridge Road – Thursdays, 11 a.m.-noon
Pacifica Senior Living Skylyn, 1705 Skylyn Drive – Fridays, 3-4 p.m.
A celebration and exhibit of the creations from all of the workshops throughout the year will be held from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Friday, April 27, in the Barrett Room at the libraries headquarters. The public is invited to attend the free exhibit.
“Low-income older adults in Spartanburg are in need of our attention,” says Bopp, who teaches cognitive and developmental psychology. “Older adults are too often ignored. Our goal is to improve their well-being through interactions with our students, but in addition, I think our students benefit deeply from this opportunity and ultimately care about civic issues related to aging.”
The project has four goals, according to CIC: identify and serve the needs of older adults in college and university communities, particularly in the areas of hunger, housing, income generation and social isolation; help college students develop new skills and knowledge; increase student retention at independent colleges and universities through service learning; and develop a national network of student programs that recognize the mutual benefit of intergenerational connections.
Wofford College, established in 1854, is a four-year, residential liberal arts college located in Spartanburg, S.C. It offers 26 major fields of study to a student body of 1,690 undergraduates. Nationally known for the strength of its academic program, outstanding faculty, study abroad participation and successful graduates, Wofford is home to one of the nation’s 283 Phi Beta Kappa chapters. The college community enjoys Greek Life as well as 19 NCAA Division I athletics teams.
