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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Fort Wayne Advocacy Update - October 2024</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 10/30/24 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/d4/15/1b6fa246490ebf1e92b1078b537e/image-20241008-212446-90cd22a6-1.jpeg" alt="image-20241008-212446-90cd22a6 (1).jpeg" width="4032" height="3024"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Vicki Builta (Volunteer), Deb Baumert (Volunteer), Linda Dunno (State President), and Emily Gorman (Director of Community Engagement) at the October 8th Fort Wayne City Council Meeting</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div><p>AARP Indiana volunteers and staff had a successful October in Fort Wayne with two important wins! Read more about their accomplishments at the October 22<sup>nd</sup> Fort Wayne City Council Meeting!<br><br><b><u>Citilink</u></b><br>AARP Indiana supported Citilink’, the city's transit provider, in its efforts to avoid service cuts. Volunteers Vicki Builta, Deb Baumert, State President Linda Dunno, and Director of Community Engagement Emily Gorman (pictured above) attended the City Council meeting on October 8<sup>th</sup> and Gorman testified on behalf of AARP Indiana at a standing-room-only, Fort Wayne City Council meeting. In addition to testimony, AARP Indiana cultivated 75 personalized letters sent to the Council members in support of public transportation. A recording of the City Council meeting can be found <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://acpl.viebit.com/watch?hash=9FzeEkvGcJsEDndY" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a></span></span>.<br><br>As a strong proponent of access to public transportation, AARP Indiana has been a longstanding partner with Citilink. Thanks to the Fort Wayne team’s hard work, Citilink and the Fort Wayne City Council were able to come to an agreement on a stopgap measure to help them avoid cutting services in 2025.<br><br>Emily spoke with John Metzinger (General Manager/CEO) and Casey Claypool (Marketing & Development Director) of Citilink to discuss their recent successes on This is IN. You can watch the episode below or on the AARP Indiana <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel. You can also learn more about Citilink's efforts on their <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://fwcitilink.com/join-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">website</a></span></span>. <br><br>Even with this success, it is imperative that Fort Wayne, the City Council, and Citilink continue to work together to secure additional funding. The current plan, while approved unanimously, is only a temporary solution.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" data-video-id="L_RsQRSa4hw" data-video-title="This is IN - Citilink"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L_RsQRSa4hw?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Citilink</div> </span> </div> </div><p></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/4a/87/e17d09214f9fbdb30575ddc3b61b/city-council-meeting-3.jpg" alt="City Council Meeting 3.jpg" width="1600" height="1204"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Standing room only at the City Council Hearing on October 8th. </figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/01/c2/7b1cac674818a5ddf2fc1346e850/rosa-bus.jpg" alt="Rosa Bus.jpg" width="1705" height="960"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Rosa Parks Citilink bus</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/cb/93/c14596db44fea955225d1868dd4c/southgate-plaza-shelter.jpg" alt="Southgate Plaza Shelter.jpg" width="2048" height="1468"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Southgate Plaza Shelter</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><p><b><u>Urban Trail</u></b><br>The Fort Wayne team’s second October win comes in the form of the City’s <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://engage.cityoffortwayne.org/urban-trail" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Urban Trail</a></span></span> Project. This project aims to significantly enhance the walkability and accessibility of downtown Fort Wayne, particularly for older adults and differently-abled individuals. AARP Indiana submitted a letter of support to the City Council, mayor, and deputy mayor before the October 8<sup>th</sup> meeting.<br><br>Efforts were rewarded when the Council unanimously voted to pass the ordinance allocating American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the improvement of the Urban Trail. Specifically, the funds will be used to connect the existing trail to Electric Works along Washington Street. The only stipulation of the ordinance is that traffic studies will be conducted on a regular basis and reported to the Council to ensure there’s no major negative impact on Washington Street traffic.<br><br>On a follow-up episode of This is IN, Emily spoke with Joe Giant, Community Development Administrator for the City of Fort Wayne about their success with the Urban Trail project. You can watch the episode below or on AARP Indiana's <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" data-video-id="Rqb_qNuJ63o" data-video-title="This is IN - Joe Giant"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rqb_qNuJ63o?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Joe Giant</div> </span> </div> </div><p>Congratulations to Fort Wayne residents on these two critical wins that will make the community more livable for people of all ages!<br><br>Be sure to follow AARP Indiana on <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook</a></span></span>, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span>, and <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://x.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">X</a></span></span> for continued updates from the Fort Wayne area.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; 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} [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/fort-wayne-in/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/fort-wayne-in/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Fort Wayne</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Fort Wayne</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/walk-and-roll-advocating-for-pedestrians-and-cyclists-in-communities-across-maine-fcndq8hr4vk.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-WALK-AND-ROLL-ADVOCATING-FOR-PEDESTRIANS-AND-CYCLISTS">Walk and Roll: Advocating for Pedestrians and Cyclists</a></h2> <p class="time">Thursday, Nov 21, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-il-holiday-healing-tools-for-seniors-to-overcome-isolation-112124-virtual-ljnyqcqg8cb.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-HOLIDAY-HEALING-TOOLS-TO-HELP-OVERCOME-SOCIAL-ISOLATION">Holiday Healing: Tools to Help Overcome Social Isolation</a></h2> <p class="time">Thursday, Nov 21, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Facebook</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-co-virtual-low-impact-cardiostrength-training-class-online-co-1031-12122024-28n3l8vmx3d.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-LOW-IMPACT-CARDIOSTRENGTH-BUILDING-SERIES">Low Impact Cardio/Strength Building Series</a></h2> <p class="time">Thursday, Nov 21, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/fort-wayne-in/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-FORTWAYNE-IN">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-FORTWAYNE-IN">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Indiana Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Indiana Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Fort Wayne</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:INAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">INAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/indiana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Indiana</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/aarp-indiana/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-FORTWAYNE-IN" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aarp.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Instagram"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/icon-ig.png" alt="Instagram icon" title="Instagram icon" style="height: 49px;"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); 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Read more about their accomplishments at the October 22<sup>nd</sup> Fort Wayne City Council Meeting!<br><br><b><u>Citilink</u></b><br>AARP Indiana supported Citilink’, the city's transit provider, in its efforts to avoid service cuts. Volunteers Vicki Builta, Deb Baumert, State President Linda Dunno, and Director of Community Engagement Emily Gorman (pictured above) attended the City Council meeting on October 8<sup>th</sup> and Gorman testified on behalf of AARP Indiana at a standing-room-only, Fort Wayne City Council meeting. In addition to testimony, AARP Indiana cultivated 75 personalized letters sent to the Council members in support of public transportation. A recording of the City Council meeting can be found <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://acpl.viebit.com/watch?hash=9FzeEkvGcJsEDndY" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a></span></span>.<br><br>As a strong proponent of access to public transportation, AARP Indiana has been a longstanding partner with Citilink. Thanks to the Fort Wayne team’s hard work, Citilink and the Fort Wayne City Council were able to come to an agreement on a stopgap measure to help them avoid cutting services in 2025.<br><br>Emily spoke with John Metzinger (General Manager/CEO) and Casey Claypool (Marketing & Development Director) of Citilink to discuss their recent successes on This is IN. You can watch the episode below or on the AARP Indiana <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel. You can also learn more about Citilink's efforts on their <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://fwcitilink.com/join-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">website</a></span></span>. <br><br>Even with this success, it is imperative that Fort Wayne, the City Council, and Citilink continue to work together to secure additional funding. The current plan, while approved unanimously, is only a temporary solution.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" data-video-id="L_RsQRSa4hw" data-video-title="This is IN - Citilink"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L_RsQRSa4hw?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Citilink</div> </span> </div> </div><p></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/4a/87/e17d09214f9fbdb30575ddc3b61b/city-council-meeting-3.jpg" alt="City Council Meeting 3.jpg" width="1600" height="1204"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Standing room only at the City Council Hearing on October 8th. </figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/01/c2/7b1cac674818a5ddf2fc1346e850/rosa-bus.jpg" alt="Rosa Bus.jpg" width="1705" height="960"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Rosa Parks Citilink bus</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/cb/93/c14596db44fea955225d1868dd4c/southgate-plaza-shelter.jpg" alt="Southgate Plaza Shelter.jpg" width="2048" height="1468"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Southgate Plaza Shelter</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><p><b><u>Urban Trail</u></b><br>The Fort Wayne team’s second October win comes in the form of the City’s <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://engage.cityoffortwayne.org/urban-trail" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Urban Trail</a></span></span> Project. This project aims to significantly enhance the walkability and accessibility of downtown Fort Wayne, particularly for older adults and differently-abled individuals. AARP Indiana submitted a letter of support to the City Council, mayor, and deputy mayor before the October 8<sup>th</sup> meeting.<br><br>Efforts were rewarded when the Council unanimously voted to pass the ordinance allocating American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the improvement of the Urban Trail. Specifically, the funds will be used to connect the existing trail to Electric Works along Washington Street. The only stipulation of the ordinance is that traffic studies will be conducted on a regular basis and reported to the Council to ensure there’s no major negative impact on Washington Street traffic.<br><br>On a follow-up episode of This is IN, Emily spoke with Joe Giant, Community Development Administrator for the City of Fort Wayne about their success with the Urban Trail project. You can watch the episode below or on AARP Indiana's <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" data-video-id="Rqb_qNuJ63o" data-video-title="This is IN - Joe Giant"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rqb_qNuJ63o?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Joe Giant</div> </span> </div> </div><p>Congratulations to Fort Wayne residents on these two critical wins that will make the community more livable for people of all ages!<br><br>Be sure to follow AARP Indiana on <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook</a></span></span>, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span>, and <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://x.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">X</a></span></span> for continued updates from the Fort Wayne area.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; 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} [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/fort-wayne-in/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/fort-wayne-in/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Fort Wayne</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Fort Wayne</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/walk-and-roll-advocating-for-pedestrians-and-cyclists-in-communities-across-maine-fcndq8hr4vk.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-WALK-AND-ROLL-ADVOCATING-FOR-PEDESTRIANS-AND-CYCLISTS">Walk and Roll: Advocating for Pedestrians and Cyclists</a></h2> <p class="time">Thursday, Nov 21, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-il-holiday-healing-tools-for-seniors-to-overcome-isolation-112124-virtual-ljnyqcqg8cb.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-HOLIDAY-HEALING-TOOLS-TO-HELP-OVERCOME-SOCIAL-ISOLATION">Holiday Healing: Tools to Help Overcome Social Isolation</a></h2> <p class="time">Thursday, Nov 21, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Facebook</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-co-virtual-low-impact-cardiostrength-training-class-online-co-1031-12122024-28n3l8vmx3d.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-LOW-IMPACT-CARDIOSTRENGTH-BUILDING-SERIES">Low Impact Cardio/Strength Building Series</a></h2> <p class="time">Thursday, Nov 21, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/fort-wayne-in/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-FORTWAYNE-IN">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-FORTWAYNE-IN">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Indiana Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Indiana Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Fort Wayne</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:INAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">INAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/indiana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Indiana</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/aarp-indiana/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-FORTWAYNE-IN" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aarp.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Instagram"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/icon-ig.png" alt="Instagram icon" title="Instagram icon" style="height: 49px;"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); 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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Fort Wayne Advocacy Update - October 2024</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 10/30/24 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/d4/15/1b6fa246490ebf1e92b1078b537e/image-20241008-212446-90cd22a6-1.jpeg" alt="image-20241008-212446-90cd22a6 (1).jpeg" width="4032" height="3024"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Vicki Builta (Volunteer), Deb Baumert (Volunteer), Linda Dunno (State President), and Emily Gorman (Director of Community Engagement) at the October 8th Fort Wayne City Council Meeting</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div><p>AARP Indiana volunteers and staff had a successful October in Fort Wayne with two important wins! Read more about their accomplishments at the October 22<sup>nd</sup> Fort Wayne City Council Meeting!<br><br><b><u>Citilink</u></b><br>AARP Indiana supported Citilink’, the city's transit provider, in its efforts to avoid service cuts. Volunteers Vicki Builta, Deb Baumert, State President Linda Dunno, and Director of Community Engagement Emily Gorman (pictured above) attended the City Council meeting on October 8<sup>th</sup> and Gorman testified on behalf of AARP Indiana at a standing-room-only, Fort Wayne City Council meeting. In addition to testimony, AARP Indiana cultivated 75 personalized letters sent to the Council members in support of public transportation. A recording of the City Council meeting can be found <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://acpl.viebit.com/watch?hash=9FzeEkvGcJsEDndY" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a></span></span>.<br><br>As a strong proponent of access to public transportation, AARP Indiana has been a longstanding partner with Citilink. Thanks to the Fort Wayne team’s hard work, Citilink and the Fort Wayne City Council were able to come to an agreement on a stopgap measure to help them avoid cutting services in 2025.<br><br>Emily spoke with John Metzinger (General Manager/CEO) and Casey Claypool (Marketing & Development Director) of Citilink to discuss their recent successes on This is IN. You can watch the episode below or on the AARP Indiana <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel. You can also learn more about Citilink's efforts on their <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://fwcitilink.com/join-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">website</a></span></span>. <br><br>Even with this success, it is imperative that Fort Wayne, the City Council, and Citilink continue to work together to secure additional funding. The current plan, while approved unanimously, is only a temporary solution.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" data-video-id="L_RsQRSa4hw" data-video-title="This is IN - Citilink"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L_RsQRSa4hw?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Citilink</div> </span> </div> </div><p></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/4a/87/e17d09214f9fbdb30575ddc3b61b/city-council-meeting-3.jpg" alt="City Council Meeting 3.jpg" width="1600" height="1204"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Standing room only at the City Council Hearing on October 8th. </figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/01/c2/7b1cac674818a5ddf2fc1346e850/rosa-bus.jpg" alt="Rosa Bus.jpg" width="1705" height="960"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Rosa Parks Citilink bus</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/cb/93/c14596db44fea955225d1868dd4c/southgate-plaza-shelter.jpg" alt="Southgate Plaza Shelter.jpg" width="2048" height="1468"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Southgate Plaza Shelter</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><p><b><u>Urban Trail</u></b><br>The Fort Wayne team’s second October win comes in the form of the City’s <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://engage.cityoffortwayne.org/urban-trail" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Urban Trail</a></span></span> Project. This project aims to significantly enhance the walkability and accessibility of downtown Fort Wayne, particularly for older adults and differently-abled individuals. AARP Indiana submitted a letter of support to the City Council, mayor, and deputy mayor before the October 8<sup>th</sup> meeting.<br><br>Efforts were rewarded when the Council unanimously voted to pass the ordinance allocating American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the improvement of the Urban Trail. Specifically, the funds will be used to connect the existing trail to Electric Works along Washington Street. The only stipulation of the ordinance is that traffic studies will be conducted on a regular basis and reported to the Council to ensure there’s no major negative impact on Washington Street traffic.<br><br>On a follow-up episode of This is IN, Emily spoke with Joe Giant, Community Development Administrator for the City of Fort Wayne about their success with the Urban Trail project. You can watch the episode below or on AARP Indiana's <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" data-video-id="Rqb_qNuJ63o" data-video-title="This is IN - Joe Giant"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rqb_qNuJ63o?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Joe Giant</div> </span> </div> </div><p>Congratulations to Fort Wayne residents on these two critical wins that will make the community more livable for people of all ages!<br><br>Be sure to follow AARP Indiana on <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook</a></span></span>, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span>, and <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://x.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">X</a></span></span> for continued updates from the Fort Wayne area.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; 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} [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/fort-wayne-in/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/fort-wayne-in/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Fort Wayne</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Fort Wayne</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/walk-and-roll-advocating-for-pedestrians-and-cyclists-in-communities-across-maine-fcndq8hr4vk.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-WALK-AND-ROLL-ADVOCATING-FOR-PEDESTRIANS-AND-CYCLISTS">Walk and Roll: Advocating for Pedestrians and Cyclists</a></h2> <p class="time">Thursday, Nov 21, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-il-holiday-healing-tools-for-seniors-to-overcome-isolation-112124-virtual-ljnyqcqg8cb.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-HOLIDAY-HEALING-TOOLS-TO-HELP-OVERCOME-SOCIAL-ISOLATION">Holiday Healing: Tools to Help Overcome Social Isolation</a></h2> <p class="time">Thursday, Nov 21, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Facebook</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-co-virtual-low-impact-cardiostrength-training-class-online-co-1031-12122024-28n3l8vmx3d.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-LOW-IMPACT-CARDIOSTRENGTH-BUILDING-SERIES">Low Impact Cardio/Strength Building Series</a></h2> <p class="time">Thursday, Nov 21, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/fort-wayne-in/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-FORTWAYNE-IN">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-FORTWAYNE-IN">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Indiana Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Indiana Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Fort Wayne</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:INAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">INAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/indiana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Indiana</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/aarp-indiana/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-FORTWAYNE-IN" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aarp.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Instagram"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/icon-ig.png" alt="Instagram icon" title="Instagram icon" style="height: 49px;"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); 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Read more about their accomplishments at the October 22<sup>nd</sup> Fort Wayne City Council Meeting!<br><br><b><u>Citilink</u></b><br>AARP Indiana supported Citilink’, the city's transit provider, in its efforts to avoid service cuts. Volunteers Vicki Builta, Deb Baumert, State President Linda Dunno, and Director of Community Engagement Emily Gorman (pictured above) attended the City Council meeting on October 8<sup>th</sup> and Gorman testified on behalf of AARP Indiana at a standing-room-only, Fort Wayne City Council meeting. In addition to testimony, AARP Indiana cultivated 75 personalized letters sent to the Council members in support of public transportation. A recording of the City Council meeting can be found <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://acpl.viebit.com/watch?hash=9FzeEkvGcJsEDndY" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a></span></span>.<br><br>As a strong proponent of access to public transportation, AARP Indiana has been a longstanding partner with Citilink. Thanks to the Fort Wayne team’s hard work, Citilink and the Fort Wayne City Council were able to come to an agreement on a stopgap measure to help them avoid cutting services in 2025.<br><br>Emily spoke with John Metzinger (General Manager/CEO) and Casey Claypool (Marketing & Development Director) of Citilink to discuss their recent successes on This is IN. You can watch the episode below or on the AARP Indiana <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel. You can also learn more about Citilink's efforts on their <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://fwcitilink.com/join-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">website</a></span></span>. <br><br>Even with this success, it is imperative that Fort Wayne, the City Council, and Citilink continue to work together to secure additional funding. The current plan, while approved unanimously, is only a temporary solution.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" data-video-id="L_RsQRSa4hw" data-video-title="This is IN - Citilink"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L_RsQRSa4hw?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Citilink</div> </span> </div> </div><p></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/4a/87/e17d09214f9fbdb30575ddc3b61b/city-council-meeting-3.jpg" alt="City Council Meeting 3.jpg" width="1600" height="1204"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Standing room only at the City Council Hearing on October 8th. </figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/01/c2/7b1cac674818a5ddf2fc1346e850/rosa-bus.jpg" alt="Rosa Bus.jpg" width="1705" height="960"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Rosa Parks Citilink bus</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/cb/93/c14596db44fea955225d1868dd4c/southgate-plaza-shelter.jpg" alt="Southgate Plaza Shelter.jpg" width="2048" height="1468"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Southgate Plaza Shelter</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><p><b><u>Urban Trail</u></b><br>The Fort Wayne team’s second October win comes in the form of the City’s <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://engage.cityoffortwayne.org/urban-trail" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Urban Trail</a></span></span> Project. This project aims to significantly enhance the walkability and accessibility of downtown Fort Wayne, particularly for older adults and differently-abled individuals. AARP Indiana submitted a letter of support to the City Council, mayor, and deputy mayor before the October 8<sup>th</sup> meeting.<br><br>Efforts were rewarded when the Council unanimously voted to pass the ordinance allocating American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the improvement of the Urban Trail. Specifically, the funds will be used to connect the existing trail to Electric Works along Washington Street. The only stipulation of the ordinance is that traffic studies will be conducted on a regular basis and reported to the Council to ensure there’s no major negative impact on Washington Street traffic.<br><br>On a follow-up episode of This is IN, Emily spoke with Joe Giant, Community Development Administrator for the City of Fort Wayne about their success with the Urban Trail project. You can watch the episode below or on AARP Indiana's <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" data-video-id="Rqb_qNuJ63o" data-video-title="This is IN - Joe Giant"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rqb_qNuJ63o?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Joe Giant</div> </span> </div> </div><p>Congratulations to Fort Wayne residents on these two critical wins that will make the community more livable for people of all ages!<br><br>Be sure to follow AARP Indiana on <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook</a></span></span>, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span>, and <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://x.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">X</a></span></span> for continued updates from the Fort Wayne area.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; 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} </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-FORTWAYNE-IN">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-FORTWAYNE-IN">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Indiana Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Indiana Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Fort Wayne</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:INAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">INAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/indiana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Indiana</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/aarp-indiana/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-FORTWAYNE-IN" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aarp.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Instagram"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/icon-ig.png" alt="Instagram icon" title="Instagram icon" style="height: 49px;"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); 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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Fort Wayne Advocacy Update - October 2024</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 10/30/24 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/d4/15/1b6fa246490ebf1e92b1078b537e/image-20241008-212446-90cd22a6-1.jpeg" alt="image-20241008-212446-90cd22a6 (1).jpeg" width="4032" height="3024"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Vicki Builta (Volunteer), Deb Baumert (Volunteer), Linda Dunno (State President), and Emily Gorman (Director of Community Engagement) at the October 8th Fort Wayne City Council Meeting</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div><p>AARP Indiana volunteers and staff had a successful October in Fort Wayne with two important wins! Read more about their accomplishments at the October 22<sup>nd</sup> Fort Wayne City Council Meeting!<br><br><b><u>Citilink</u></b><br>AARP Indiana supported Citilink’, the city's transit provider, in its efforts to avoid service cuts. Volunteers Vicki Builta, Deb Baumert, State President Linda Dunno, and Director of Community Engagement Emily Gorman (pictured above) attended the City Council meeting on October 8<sup>th</sup> and Gorman testified on behalf of AARP Indiana at a standing-room-only, Fort Wayne City Council meeting. In addition to testimony, AARP Indiana cultivated 75 personalized letters sent to the Council members in support of public transportation. A recording of the City Council meeting can be found <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://acpl.viebit.com/watch?hash=9FzeEkvGcJsEDndY" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a></span></span>.<br><br>As a strong proponent of access to public transportation, AARP Indiana has been a longstanding partner with Citilink. Thanks to the Fort Wayne team’s hard work, Citilink and the Fort Wayne City Council were able to come to an agreement on a stopgap measure to help them avoid cutting services in 2025.<br><br>Emily spoke with John Metzinger (General Manager/CEO) and Casey Claypool (Marketing & Development Director) of Citilink to discuss their recent successes on This is IN. You can watch the episode below or on the AARP Indiana <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel. You can also learn more about Citilink's efforts on their <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://fwcitilink.com/join-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">website</a></span></span>. <br><br>Even with this success, it is imperative that Fort Wayne, the City Council, and Citilink continue to work together to secure additional funding. The current plan, while approved unanimously, is only a temporary solution.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" data-video-id="L_RsQRSa4hw" data-video-title="This is IN - Citilink"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L_RsQRSa4hw?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Citilink</div> </span> </div> </div><p></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/4a/87/e17d09214f9fbdb30575ddc3b61b/city-council-meeting-3.jpg" alt="City Council Meeting 3.jpg" width="1600" height="1204"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Standing room only at the City Council Hearing on October 8th. </figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/01/c2/7b1cac674818a5ddf2fc1346e850/rosa-bus.jpg" alt="Rosa Bus.jpg" width="1705" height="960"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Rosa Parks Citilink bus</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/cb/93/c14596db44fea955225d1868dd4c/southgate-plaza-shelter.jpg" alt="Southgate Plaza Shelter.jpg" width="2048" height="1468"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Southgate Plaza Shelter</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><p><b><u>Urban Trail</u></b><br>The Fort Wayne team’s second October win comes in the form of the City’s <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://engage.cityoffortwayne.org/urban-trail" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Urban Trail</a></span></span> Project. This project aims to significantly enhance the walkability and accessibility of downtown Fort Wayne, particularly for older adults and differently-abled individuals. AARP Indiana submitted a letter of support to the City Council, mayor, and deputy mayor before the October 8<sup>th</sup> meeting.<br><br>Efforts were rewarded when the Council unanimously voted to pass the ordinance allocating American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the improvement of the Urban Trail. Specifically, the funds will be used to connect the existing trail to Electric Works along Washington Street. The only stipulation of the ordinance is that traffic studies will be conducted on a regular basis and reported to the Council to ensure there’s no major negative impact on Washington Street traffic.<br><br>On a follow-up episode of This is IN, Emily spoke with Joe Giant, Community Development Administrator for the City of Fort Wayne about their success with the Urban Trail project. You can watch the episode below or on AARP Indiana's <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" data-video-id="Rqb_qNuJ63o" data-video-title="This is IN - Joe Giant"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rqb_qNuJ63o?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Joe Giant</div> </span> </div> </div><p>Congratulations to Fort Wayne residents on these two critical wins that will make the community more livable for people of all ages!<br><br>Be sure to follow AARP Indiana on <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook</a></span></span>, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span>, and <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://x.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">X</a></span></span> for continued updates from the Fort Wayne area.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; 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Read more about their accomplishments at the October 22<sup>nd</sup> Fort Wayne City Council Meeting!<br><br><b><u>Citilink</u></b><br>AARP Indiana supported Citilink’, the city's transit provider, in its efforts to avoid service cuts. Volunteers Vicki Builta, Deb Baumert, State President Linda Dunno, and Director of Community Engagement Emily Gorman (pictured above) attended the City Council meeting on October 8<sup>th</sup> and Gorman testified on behalf of AARP Indiana at a standing-room-only, Fort Wayne City Council meeting. In addition to testimony, AARP Indiana cultivated 75 personalized letters sent to the Council members in support of public transportation. A recording of the City Council meeting can be found <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://acpl.viebit.com/watch?hash=9FzeEkvGcJsEDndY" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a></span></span>.<br><br>As a strong proponent of access to public transportation, AARP Indiana has been a longstanding partner with Citilink. Thanks to the Fort Wayne team’s hard work, Citilink and the Fort Wayne City Council were able to come to an agreement on a stopgap measure to help them avoid cutting services in 2025.<br><br>Emily spoke with John Metzinger (General Manager/CEO) and Casey Claypool (Marketing & Development Director) of Citilink to discuss their recent successes on This is IN. You can watch the episode below or on the AARP Indiana <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel. You can also learn more about Citilink's efforts on their <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://fwcitilink.com/join-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">website</a></span></span>. <br><br>Even with this success, it is imperative that Fort Wayne, the City Council, and Citilink continue to work together to secure additional funding. The current plan, while approved unanimously, is only a temporary solution.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" data-video-id="L_RsQRSa4hw" data-video-title="This is IN - Citilink"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L_RsQRSa4hw?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Citilink</div> </span> </div> </div><p></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/4a/87/e17d09214f9fbdb30575ddc3b61b/city-council-meeting-3.jpg" alt="City Council Meeting 3.jpg" width="1600" height="1204"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Standing room only at the City Council Hearing on October 8th. </figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/01/c2/7b1cac674818a5ddf2fc1346e850/rosa-bus.jpg" alt="Rosa Bus.jpg" width="1705" height="960"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Rosa Parks Citilink bus</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/cb/93/c14596db44fea955225d1868dd4c/southgate-plaza-shelter.jpg" alt="Southgate Plaza Shelter.jpg" width="2048" height="1468"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Southgate Plaza Shelter</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><p><b><u>Urban Trail</u></b><br>The Fort Wayne team’s second October win comes in the form of the City’s <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://engage.cityoffortwayne.org/urban-trail" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Urban Trail</a></span></span> Project. This project aims to significantly enhance the walkability and accessibility of downtown Fort Wayne, particularly for older adults and differently-abled individuals. AARP Indiana submitted a letter of support to the City Council, mayor, and deputy mayor before the October 8<sup>th</sup> meeting.<br><br>Efforts were rewarded when the Council unanimously voted to pass the ordinance allocating American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the improvement of the Urban Trail. Specifically, the funds will be used to connect the existing trail to Electric Works along Washington Street. The only stipulation of the ordinance is that traffic studies will be conducted on a regular basis and reported to the Council to ensure there’s no major negative impact on Washington Street traffic.<br><br>On a follow-up episode of This is IN, Emily spoke with Joe Giant, Community Development Administrator for the City of Fort Wayne about their success with the Urban Trail project. You can watch the episode below or on AARP Indiana's <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" data-video-id="Rqb_qNuJ63o" data-video-title="This is IN - Joe Giant"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rqb_qNuJ63o?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Joe Giant</div> </span> </div> </div><p>Congratulations to Fort Wayne residents on these two critical wins that will make the community more livable for people of all ages!<br><br>Be sure to follow AARP Indiana on <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook</a></span></span>, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span>, and <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://x.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">X</a></span></span> for continued updates from the Fort Wayne area.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; 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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Fort Wayne Advocacy Update - October 2024</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 10/30/24 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/d4/15/1b6fa246490ebf1e92b1078b537e/image-20241008-212446-90cd22a6-1.jpeg" alt="image-20241008-212446-90cd22a6 (1).jpeg" width="4032" height="3024"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Vicki Builta (Volunteer), Deb Baumert (Volunteer), Linda Dunno (State President), and Emily Gorman (Director of Community Engagement) at the October 8th Fort Wayne City Council Meeting</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div><p>AARP Indiana volunteers and staff had a successful October in Fort Wayne with two important wins! Read more about their accomplishments at the October 22<sup>nd</sup> Fort Wayne City Council Meeting!<br><br><b><u>Citilink</u></b><br>AARP Indiana supported Citilink’, the city's transit provider, in its efforts to avoid service cuts. Volunteers Vicki Builta, Deb Baumert, State President Linda Dunno, and Director of Community Engagement Emily Gorman (pictured above) attended the City Council meeting on October 8<sup>th</sup> and Gorman testified on behalf of AARP Indiana at a standing-room-only, Fort Wayne City Council meeting. In addition to testimony, AARP Indiana cultivated 75 personalized letters sent to the Council members in support of public transportation. A recording of the City Council meeting can be found <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://acpl.viebit.com/watch?hash=9FzeEkvGcJsEDndY" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a></span></span>.<br><br>As a strong proponent of access to public transportation, AARP Indiana has been a longstanding partner with Citilink. Thanks to the Fort Wayne team’s hard work, Citilink and the Fort Wayne City Council were able to come to an agreement on a stopgap measure to help them avoid cutting services in 2025.<br><br>Emily spoke with John Metzinger (General Manager/CEO) and Casey Claypool (Marketing & Development Director) of Citilink to discuss their recent successes on This is IN. You can watch the episode below or on the AARP Indiana <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel. You can also learn more about Citilink's efforts on their <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://fwcitilink.com/join-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">website</a></span></span>. <br><br>Even with this success, it is imperative that Fort Wayne, the City Council, and Citilink continue to work together to secure additional funding. The current plan, while approved unanimously, is only a temporary solution.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" data-video-id="L_RsQRSa4hw" data-video-title="This is IN - Citilink"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L_RsQRSa4hw?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Citilink</div> </span> </div> </div><p></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/4a/87/e17d09214f9fbdb30575ddc3b61b/city-council-meeting-3.jpg" alt="City Council Meeting 3.jpg" width="1600" height="1204"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Standing room only at the City Council Hearing on October 8th. </figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/01/c2/7b1cac674818a5ddf2fc1346e850/rosa-bus.jpg" alt="Rosa Bus.jpg" width="1705" height="960"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Rosa Parks Citilink bus</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/cb/93/c14596db44fea955225d1868dd4c/southgate-plaza-shelter.jpg" alt="Southgate Plaza Shelter.jpg" width="2048" height="1468"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Southgate Plaza Shelter</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><p><b><u>Urban Trail</u></b><br>The Fort Wayne team’s second October win comes in the form of the City’s <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://engage.cityoffortwayne.org/urban-trail" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Urban Trail</a></span></span> Project. This project aims to significantly enhance the walkability and accessibility of downtown Fort Wayne, particularly for older adults and differently-abled individuals. AARP Indiana submitted a letter of support to the City Council, mayor, and deputy mayor before the October 8<sup>th</sup> meeting.<br><br>Efforts were rewarded when the Council unanimously voted to pass the ordinance allocating American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the improvement of the Urban Trail. Specifically, the funds will be used to connect the existing trail to Electric Works along Washington Street. The only stipulation of the ordinance is that traffic studies will be conducted on a regular basis and reported to the Council to ensure there’s no major negative impact on Washington Street traffic.<br><br>On a follow-up episode of This is IN, Emily spoke with Joe Giant, Community Development Administrator for the City of Fort Wayne about their success with the Urban Trail project. You can watch the episode below or on AARP Indiana's <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" data-video-id="Rqb_qNuJ63o" data-video-title="This is IN - Joe Giant"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rqb_qNuJ63o?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Joe Giant</div> </span> </div> </div><p>Congratulations to Fort Wayne residents on these two critical wins that will make the community more livable for people of all ages!<br><br>Be sure to follow AARP Indiana on <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook</a></span></span>, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span>, and <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://x.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">X</a></span></span> for continued updates from the Fort Wayne area.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; 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} [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/fort-wayne-in/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/fort-wayne-in/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Fort Wayne</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Fort Wayne</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/walk-and-roll-advocating-for-pedestrians-and-cyclists-in-communities-across-maine-fcndq8hr4vk.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-WALK-AND-ROLL-ADVOCATING-FOR-PEDESTRIANS-AND-CYCLISTS">Walk and Roll: Advocating for Pedestrians and Cyclists</a></h2> <p class="time">Thursday, Nov 21, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-il-holiday-healing-tools-for-seniors-to-overcome-isolation-112124-virtual-ljnyqcqg8cb.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-HOLIDAY-HEALING-TOOLS-TO-HELP-OVERCOME-SOCIAL-ISOLATION">Holiday Healing: Tools to Help Overcome Social Isolation</a></h2> <p class="time">Thursday, Nov 21, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Facebook</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-co-virtual-low-impact-cardiostrength-training-class-online-co-1031-12122024-28n3l8vmx3d.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-LOW-IMPACT-CARDIOSTRENGTH-BUILDING-SERIES">Low Impact Cardio/Strength Building Series</a></h2> <p class="time">Thursday, Nov 21, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/fort-wayne-in/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); 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Read more about their accomplishments at the October 22<sup>nd</sup> Fort Wayne City Council Meeting!<br><br><b><u>Citilink</u></b><br>AARP Indiana supported Citilink’, the city's transit provider, in its efforts to avoid service cuts. Volunteers Vicki Builta, Deb Baumert, State President Linda Dunno, and Director of Community Engagement Emily Gorman (pictured above) attended the City Council meeting on October 8<sup>th</sup> and Gorman testified on behalf of AARP Indiana at a standing-room-only, Fort Wayne City Council meeting. In addition to testimony, AARP Indiana cultivated 75 personalized letters sent to the Council members in support of public transportation. A recording of the City Council meeting can be found <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://acpl.viebit.com/watch?hash=9FzeEkvGcJsEDndY" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a></span></span>.<br><br>As a strong proponent of access to public transportation, AARP Indiana has been a longstanding partner with Citilink. Thanks to the Fort Wayne team’s hard work, Citilink and the Fort Wayne City Council were able to come to an agreement on a stopgap measure to help them avoid cutting services in 2025.<br><br>Emily spoke with John Metzinger (General Manager/CEO) and Casey Claypool (Marketing & Development Director) of Citilink to discuss their recent successes on This is IN. You can watch the episode below or on the AARP Indiana <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel. You can also learn more about Citilink's efforts on their <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://fwcitilink.com/join-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">website</a></span></span>. <br><br>Even with this success, it is imperative that Fort Wayne, the City Council, and Citilink continue to work together to secure additional funding. The current plan, while approved unanimously, is only a temporary solution.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" data-video-id="L_RsQRSa4hw" data-video-title="This is IN - Citilink"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L_RsQRSa4hw?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Citilink</div> </span> </div> </div><p></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/4a/87/e17d09214f9fbdb30575ddc3b61b/city-council-meeting-3.jpg" alt="City Council Meeting 3.jpg" width="1600" height="1204"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Standing room only at the City Council Hearing on October 8th. </figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/01/c2/7b1cac674818a5ddf2fc1346e850/rosa-bus.jpg" alt="Rosa Bus.jpg" width="1705" height="960"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Rosa Parks Citilink bus</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/cb/93/c14596db44fea955225d1868dd4c/southgate-plaza-shelter.jpg" alt="Southgate Plaza Shelter.jpg" width="2048" height="1468"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Southgate Plaza Shelter</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><p><b><u>Urban Trail</u></b><br>The Fort Wayne team’s second October win comes in the form of the City’s <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://engage.cityoffortwayne.org/urban-trail" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Urban Trail</a></span></span> Project. This project aims to significantly enhance the walkability and accessibility of downtown Fort Wayne, particularly for older adults and differently-abled individuals. AARP Indiana submitted a letter of support to the City Council, mayor, and deputy mayor before the October 8<sup>th</sup> meeting.<br><br>Efforts were rewarded when the Council unanimously voted to pass the ordinance allocating American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the improvement of the Urban Trail. Specifically, the funds will be used to connect the existing trail to Electric Works along Washington Street. The only stipulation of the ordinance is that traffic studies will be conducted on a regular basis and reported to the Council to ensure there’s no major negative impact on Washington Street traffic.<br><br>On a follow-up episode of This is IN, Emily spoke with Joe Giant, Community Development Administrator for the City of Fort Wayne about their success with the Urban Trail project. You can watch the episode below or on AARP Indiana's <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" data-video-id="Rqb_qNuJ63o" data-video-title="This is IN - Joe Giant"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rqb_qNuJ63o?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Joe Giant</div> </span> </div> </div><p>Congratulations to Fort Wayne residents on these two critical wins that will make the community more livable for people of all ages!<br><br>Be sure to follow AARP Indiana on <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook</a></span></span>, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span>, and <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://x.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">X</a></span></span> for continued updates from the Fort Wayne area.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; 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} </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-FORTWAYNE-IN">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-FORTWAYNE-IN">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Indiana Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Indiana Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Fort Wayne</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:INAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">INAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/indiana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Indiana</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/aarp-indiana/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-FORTWAYNE-IN" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aarp.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Instagram"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/icon-ig.png" alt="Instagram icon" title="Instagram icon" style="height: 49px;"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); 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AARP Indiana volunteers and staff had a successful October in Fort Wayne with two important wins! Read more about their accomplishments at the October 22nd Fort Wayne City Council Meeting!
Citilink
AARP Indiana supported Citilink’, the city's transit provider, in its efforts to avoid service cuts. Volunteers Vicki Builta, Deb Baumert, State President Linda Dunno, and Director of Community Engagement Emily Gorman (pictured above) attended the City Council meeting on October 8th and Gorman testified on behalf of AARP Indiana at a standing-room-only, Fort Wayne City Council meeting. In addition to testimony, AARP Indiana cultivated 75 personalized letters sent to the Council members in support of public transportation. A recording of the City Council meeting can be found here.
As a strong proponent of access to public transportation, AARP Indiana has been a longstanding partner with Citilink. Thanks to the Fort Wayne team’s hard work, Citilink and the Fort Wayne City Council were able to come to an agreement on a stopgap measure to help them avoid cutting services in 2025.
Emily spoke with John Metzinger (General Manager/CEO) and Casey Claypool (Marketing & Development Director) of Citilink to discuss their recent successes on This is IN. You can watch the episode below or on the AARP Indiana YouTube channel. You can also learn more about Citilink's efforts on their website.
Even with this success, it is imperative that Fort Wayne, the City Council, and Citilink continue to work together to secure additional funding. The current plan, while approved unanimously, is only a temporary solution.
Urban Trail
The Fort Wayne team’s second October win comes in the form of the City’s Urban Trail Project. This project aims to significantly enhance the walkability and accessibility of downtown Fort Wayne, particularly for older adults and differently-abled individuals. AARP Indiana submitted a letter of support to the City Council, mayor, and deputy mayor before the October 8th meeting.
Efforts were rewarded when the Council unanimously voted to pass the ordinance allocating American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the improvement of the Urban Trail. Specifically, the funds will be used to connect the existing trail to Electric Works along Washington Street. The only stipulation of the ordinance is that traffic studies will be conducted on a regular basis and reported to the Council to ensure there’s no major negative impact on Washington Street traffic.
On a follow-up episode of This is IN, Emily spoke with Joe Giant, Community Development Administrator for the City of Fort Wayne about their success with the Urban Trail project. You can watch the episode below or on AARP Indiana's YouTube channel.
Congratulations to Fort Wayne residents on these two critical wins that will make the community more livable for people of all ages!
Be sure to follow AARP Indiana on Facebook, YouTube, and X for continued updates from the Fort Wayne area.
Thursday, Nov 21, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. ET
Zoom
Online Event
Thursday, Nov 21, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET
Online Event
Thursday, Nov 21, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET
Zoom
Online Event
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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Fort Wayne Advocacy Update - October 2024</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 10/30/24 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/d4/15/1b6fa246490ebf1e92b1078b537e/image-20241008-212446-90cd22a6-1.jpeg" alt="image-20241008-212446-90cd22a6 (1).jpeg" width="4032" height="3024"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Vicki Builta (Volunteer), Deb Baumert (Volunteer), Linda Dunno (State President), and Emily Gorman (Director of Community Engagement) at the October 8th Fort Wayne City Council Meeting</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div><p>AARP Indiana volunteers and staff had a successful October in Fort Wayne with two important wins! Read more about their accomplishments at the October 22<sup>nd</sup> Fort Wayne City Council Meeting!<br><br><b><u>Citilink</u></b><br>AARP Indiana supported Citilink’, the city's transit provider, in its efforts to avoid service cuts. Volunteers Vicki Builta, Deb Baumert, State President Linda Dunno, and Director of Community Engagement Emily Gorman (pictured above) attended the City Council meeting on October 8<sup>th</sup> and Gorman testified on behalf of AARP Indiana at a standing-room-only, Fort Wayne City Council meeting. In addition to testimony, AARP Indiana cultivated 75 personalized letters sent to the Council members in support of public transportation. A recording of the City Council meeting can be found <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://acpl.viebit.com/watch?hash=9FzeEkvGcJsEDndY" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a></span></span>.<br><br>As a strong proponent of access to public transportation, AARP Indiana has been a longstanding partner with Citilink. Thanks to the Fort Wayne team’s hard work, Citilink and the Fort Wayne City Council were able to come to an agreement on a stopgap measure to help them avoid cutting services in 2025.<br><br>Emily spoke with John Metzinger (General Manager/CEO) and Casey Claypool (Marketing & Development Director) of Citilink to discuss their recent successes on This is IN. You can watch the episode below or on the AARP Indiana <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel. You can also learn more about Citilink's efforts on their <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://fwcitilink.com/join-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">website</a></span></span>. <br><br>Even with this success, it is imperative that Fort Wayne, the City Council, and Citilink continue to work together to secure additional funding. The current plan, while approved unanimously, is only a temporary solution.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" data-video-id="L_RsQRSa4hw" data-video-title="This is IN - Citilink"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L_RsQRSa4hw?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Citilink</div> </span> </div> </div><p></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/4a/87/e17d09214f9fbdb30575ddc3b61b/city-council-meeting-3.jpg" alt="City Council Meeting 3.jpg" width="1600" height="1204"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Standing room only at the City Council Hearing on October 8th. </figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/01/c2/7b1cac674818a5ddf2fc1346e850/rosa-bus.jpg" alt="Rosa Bus.jpg" width="1705" height="960"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Rosa Parks Citilink bus</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/cb/93/c14596db44fea955225d1868dd4c/southgate-plaza-shelter.jpg" alt="Southgate Plaza Shelter.jpg" width="2048" height="1468"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Southgate Plaza Shelter</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><p><b><u>Urban Trail</u></b><br>The Fort Wayne team’s second October win comes in the form of the City’s <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://engage.cityoffortwayne.org/urban-trail" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Urban Trail</a></span></span> Project. This project aims to significantly enhance the walkability and accessibility of downtown Fort Wayne, particularly for older adults and differently-abled individuals. AARP Indiana submitted a letter of support to the City Council, mayor, and deputy mayor before the October 8<sup>th</sup> meeting.<br><br>Efforts were rewarded when the Council unanimously voted to pass the ordinance allocating American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the improvement of the Urban Trail. Specifically, the funds will be used to connect the existing trail to Electric Works along Washington Street. The only stipulation of the ordinance is that traffic studies will be conducted on a regular basis and reported to the Council to ensure there’s no major negative impact on Washington Street traffic.<br><br>On a follow-up episode of This is IN, Emily spoke with Joe Giant, Community Development Administrator for the City of Fort Wayne about their success with the Urban Trail project. You can watch the episode below or on AARP Indiana's <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" data-video-id="Rqb_qNuJ63o" data-video-title="This is IN - Joe Giant"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rqb_qNuJ63o?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Joe Giant</div> </span> </div> </div><p>Congratulations to Fort Wayne residents on these two critical wins that will make the community more livable for people of all ages!<br><br>Be sure to follow AARP Indiana on <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook</a></span></span>, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span>, and <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://x.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">X</a></span></span> for continued updates from the Fort Wayne area.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; 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Read more about their accomplishments at the October 22<sup>nd</sup> Fort Wayne City Council Meeting!<br><br><b><u>Citilink</u></b><br>AARP Indiana supported Citilink’, the city's transit provider, in its efforts to avoid service cuts. Volunteers Vicki Builta, Deb Baumert, State President Linda Dunno, and Director of Community Engagement Emily Gorman (pictured above) attended the City Council meeting on October 8<sup>th</sup> and Gorman testified on behalf of AARP Indiana at a standing-room-only, Fort Wayne City Council meeting. In addition to testimony, AARP Indiana cultivated 75 personalized letters sent to the Council members in support of public transportation. A recording of the City Council meeting can be found <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://acpl.viebit.com/watch?hash=9FzeEkvGcJsEDndY" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a></span></span>.<br><br>As a strong proponent of access to public transportation, AARP Indiana has been a longstanding partner with Citilink. Thanks to the Fort Wayne team’s hard work, Citilink and the Fort Wayne City Council were able to come to an agreement on a stopgap measure to help them avoid cutting services in 2025.<br><br>Emily spoke with John Metzinger (General Manager/CEO) and Casey Claypool (Marketing & Development Director) of Citilink to discuss their recent successes on This is IN. You can watch the episode below or on the AARP Indiana <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel. You can also learn more about Citilink's efforts on their <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://fwcitilink.com/join-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">website</a></span></span>. <br><br>Even with this success, it is imperative that Fort Wayne, the City Council, and Citilink continue to work together to secure additional funding. The current plan, while approved unanimously, is only a temporary solution.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" data-video-id="L_RsQRSa4hw" data-video-title="This is IN - Citilink"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L_RsQRSa4hw?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Citilink</div> </span> </div> </div><p></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/4a/87/e17d09214f9fbdb30575ddc3b61b/city-council-meeting-3.jpg" alt="City Council Meeting 3.jpg" width="1600" height="1204"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Standing room only at the City Council Hearing on October 8th. </figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/01/c2/7b1cac674818a5ddf2fc1346e850/rosa-bus.jpg" alt="Rosa Bus.jpg" width="1705" height="960"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Rosa Parks Citilink bus</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/cb/93/c14596db44fea955225d1868dd4c/southgate-plaza-shelter.jpg" alt="Southgate Plaza Shelter.jpg" width="2048" height="1468"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Southgate Plaza Shelter</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><p><b><u>Urban Trail</u></b><br>The Fort Wayne team’s second October win comes in the form of the City’s <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://engage.cityoffortwayne.org/urban-trail" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Urban Trail</a></span></span> Project. This project aims to significantly enhance the walkability and accessibility of downtown Fort Wayne, particularly for older adults and differently-abled individuals. AARP Indiana submitted a letter of support to the City Council, mayor, and deputy mayor before the October 8<sup>th</sup> meeting.<br><br>Efforts were rewarded when the Council unanimously voted to pass the ordinance allocating American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the improvement of the Urban Trail. Specifically, the funds will be used to connect the existing trail to Electric Works along Washington Street. The only stipulation of the ordinance is that traffic studies will be conducted on a regular basis and reported to the Council to ensure there’s no major negative impact on Washington Street traffic.<br><br>On a follow-up episode of This is IN, Emily spoke with Joe Giant, Community Development Administrator for the City of Fort Wayne about their success with the Urban Trail project. You can watch the episode below or on AARP Indiana's <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" data-video-id="Rqb_qNuJ63o" data-video-title="This is IN - Joe Giant"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rqb_qNuJ63o?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Joe Giant</div> </span> </div> </div><p>Congratulations to Fort Wayne residents on these two critical wins that will make the community more livable for people of all ages!<br><br>Be sure to follow AARP Indiana on <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook</a></span></span>, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span>, and <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://x.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">X</a></span></span> for continued updates from the Fort Wayne area.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; 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} </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-FORTWAYNE-IN">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-FORTWAYNE-IN">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Indiana Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Indiana Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Fort Wayne</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:INAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">INAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/indiana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Indiana</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/aarp-indiana/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-FORTWAYNE-IN" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aarp.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Instagram"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/icon-ig.png" alt="Instagram icon" title="Instagram icon" style="height: 49px;"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); 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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Fort Wayne Advocacy Update - October 2024</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 10/30/24 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/d4/15/1b6fa246490ebf1e92b1078b537e/image-20241008-212446-90cd22a6-1.jpeg" alt="image-20241008-212446-90cd22a6 (1).jpeg" width="4032" height="3024"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Vicki Builta (Volunteer), Deb Baumert (Volunteer), Linda Dunno (State President), and Emily Gorman (Director of Community Engagement) at the October 8th Fort Wayne City Council Meeting</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div><p>AARP Indiana volunteers and staff had a successful October in Fort Wayne with two important wins! Read more about their accomplishments at the October 22<sup>nd</sup> Fort Wayne City Council Meeting!<br><br><b><u>Citilink</u></b><br>AARP Indiana supported Citilink’, the city's transit provider, in its efforts to avoid service cuts. Volunteers Vicki Builta, Deb Baumert, State President Linda Dunno, and Director of Community Engagement Emily Gorman (pictured above) attended the City Council meeting on October 8<sup>th</sup> and Gorman testified on behalf of AARP Indiana at a standing-room-only, Fort Wayne City Council meeting. In addition to testimony, AARP Indiana cultivated 75 personalized letters sent to the Council members in support of public transportation. A recording of the City Council meeting can be found <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://acpl.viebit.com/watch?hash=9FzeEkvGcJsEDndY" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a></span></span>.<br><br>As a strong proponent of access to public transportation, AARP Indiana has been a longstanding partner with Citilink. Thanks to the Fort Wayne team’s hard work, Citilink and the Fort Wayne City Council were able to come to an agreement on a stopgap measure to help them avoid cutting services in 2025.<br><br>Emily spoke with John Metzinger (General Manager/CEO) and Casey Claypool (Marketing & Development Director) of Citilink to discuss their recent successes on This is IN. You can watch the episode below or on the AARP Indiana <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel. You can also learn more about Citilink's efforts on their <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://fwcitilink.com/join-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">website</a></span></span>. <br><br>Even with this success, it is imperative that Fort Wayne, the City Council, and Citilink continue to work together to secure additional funding. The current plan, while approved unanimously, is only a temporary solution.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" data-video-id="L_RsQRSa4hw" data-video-title="This is IN - Citilink"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L_RsQRSa4hw?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Citilink</div> </span> </div> </div><p></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/4a/87/e17d09214f9fbdb30575ddc3b61b/city-council-meeting-3.jpg" alt="City Council Meeting 3.jpg" width="1600" height="1204"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Standing room only at the City Council Hearing on October 8th. </figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/01/c2/7b1cac674818a5ddf2fc1346e850/rosa-bus.jpg" alt="Rosa Bus.jpg" width="1705" height="960"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Rosa Parks Citilink bus</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/cb/93/c14596db44fea955225d1868dd4c/southgate-plaza-shelter.jpg" alt="Southgate Plaza Shelter.jpg" width="2048" height="1468"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Southgate Plaza Shelter</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><p><b><u>Urban Trail</u></b><br>The Fort Wayne team’s second October win comes in the form of the City’s <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://engage.cityoffortwayne.org/urban-trail" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Urban Trail</a></span></span> Project. This project aims to significantly enhance the walkability and accessibility of downtown Fort Wayne, particularly for older adults and differently-abled individuals. AARP Indiana submitted a letter of support to the City Council, mayor, and deputy mayor before the October 8<sup>th</sup> meeting.<br><br>Efforts were rewarded when the Council unanimously voted to pass the ordinance allocating American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the improvement of the Urban Trail. Specifically, the funds will be used to connect the existing trail to Electric Works along Washington Street. The only stipulation of the ordinance is that traffic studies will be conducted on a regular basis and reported to the Council to ensure there’s no major negative impact on Washington Street traffic.<br><br>On a follow-up episode of This is IN, Emily spoke with Joe Giant, Community Development Administrator for the City of Fort Wayne about their success with the Urban Trail project. You can watch the episode below or on AARP Indiana's <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" data-video-id="Rqb_qNuJ63o" data-video-title="This is IN - Joe Giant"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rqb_qNuJ63o?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Joe Giant</div> </span> </div> </div><p>Congratulations to Fort Wayne residents on these two critical wins that will make the community more livable for people of all ages!<br><br>Be sure to follow AARP Indiana on <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook</a></span></span>, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span>, and <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://x.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">X</a></span></span> for continued updates from the Fort Wayne area.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; 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} [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/fort-wayne-in/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/fort-wayne-in/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Fort Wayne</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Fort Wayne</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/walk-and-roll-advocating-for-pedestrians-and-cyclists-in-communities-across-maine-fcndq8hr4vk.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-WALK-AND-ROLL-ADVOCATING-FOR-PEDESTRIANS-AND-CYCLISTS">Walk and Roll: Advocating for Pedestrians and Cyclists</a></h2> <p class="time">Thursday, Nov 21, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-il-holiday-healing-tools-for-seniors-to-overcome-isolation-112124-virtual-ljnyqcqg8cb.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-HOLIDAY-HEALING-TOOLS-TO-HELP-OVERCOME-SOCIAL-ISOLATION">Holiday Healing: Tools to Help Overcome Social Isolation</a></h2> <p class="time">Thursday, Nov 21, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Facebook</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-co-virtual-low-impact-cardiostrength-training-class-online-co-1031-12122024-28n3l8vmx3d.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-LOW-IMPACT-CARDIOSTRENGTH-BUILDING-SERIES">Low Impact Cardio/Strength Building Series</a></h2> <p class="time">Thursday, Nov 21, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/fort-wayne-in/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-FORTWAYNE-IN">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-FORTWAYNE-IN">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Indiana Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Indiana Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Fort Wayne</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:INAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">INAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/indiana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Indiana</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/aarp-indiana/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-FORTWAYNE-IN" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aarp.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Instagram"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/icon-ig.png" alt="Instagram icon" title="Instagram icon" style="height: 49px;"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); 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Read more about their accomplishments at the October 22<sup>nd</sup> Fort Wayne City Council Meeting!<br><br><b><u>Citilink</u></b><br>AARP Indiana supported Citilink’, the city's transit provider, in its efforts to avoid service cuts. Volunteers Vicki Builta, Deb Baumert, State President Linda Dunno, and Director of Community Engagement Emily Gorman (pictured above) attended the City Council meeting on October 8<sup>th</sup> and Gorman testified on behalf of AARP Indiana at a standing-room-only, Fort Wayne City Council meeting. In addition to testimony, AARP Indiana cultivated 75 personalized letters sent to the Council members in support of public transportation. A recording of the City Council meeting can be found <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://acpl.viebit.com/watch?hash=9FzeEkvGcJsEDndY" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a></span></span>.<br><br>As a strong proponent of access to public transportation, AARP Indiana has been a longstanding partner with Citilink. Thanks to the Fort Wayne team’s hard work, Citilink and the Fort Wayne City Council were able to come to an agreement on a stopgap measure to help them avoid cutting services in 2025.<br><br>Emily spoke with John Metzinger (General Manager/CEO) and Casey Claypool (Marketing & Development Director) of Citilink to discuss their recent successes on This is IN. You can watch the episode below or on the AARP Indiana <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel. You can also learn more about Citilink's efforts on their <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://fwcitilink.com/join-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">website</a></span></span>. <br><br>Even with this success, it is imperative that Fort Wayne, the City Council, and Citilink continue to work together to secure additional funding. The current plan, while approved unanimously, is only a temporary solution.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" data-video-id="L_RsQRSa4hw" data-video-title="This is IN - Citilink"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L_RsQRSa4hw?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Citilink</div> </span> </div> </div><p></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/4a/87/e17d09214f9fbdb30575ddc3b61b/city-council-meeting-3.jpg" alt="City Council Meeting 3.jpg" width="1600" height="1204"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Standing room only at the City Council Hearing on October 8th. </figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/01/c2/7b1cac674818a5ddf2fc1346e850/rosa-bus.jpg" alt="Rosa Bus.jpg" width="1705" height="960"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Rosa Parks Citilink bus</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/cb/93/c14596db44fea955225d1868dd4c/southgate-plaza-shelter.jpg" alt="Southgate Plaza Shelter.jpg" width="2048" height="1468"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Southgate Plaza Shelter</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><p><b><u>Urban Trail</u></b><br>The Fort Wayne team’s second October win comes in the form of the City’s <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://engage.cityoffortwayne.org/urban-trail" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Urban Trail</a></span></span> Project. This project aims to significantly enhance the walkability and accessibility of downtown Fort Wayne, particularly for older adults and differently-abled individuals. AARP Indiana submitted a letter of support to the City Council, mayor, and deputy mayor before the October 8<sup>th</sup> meeting.<br><br>Efforts were rewarded when the Council unanimously voted to pass the ordinance allocating American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the improvement of the Urban Trail. Specifically, the funds will be used to connect the existing trail to Electric Works along Washington Street. The only stipulation of the ordinance is that traffic studies will be conducted on a regular basis and reported to the Council to ensure there’s no major negative impact on Washington Street traffic.<br><br>On a follow-up episode of This is IN, Emily spoke with Joe Giant, Community Development Administrator for the City of Fort Wayne about their success with the Urban Trail project. You can watch the episode below or on AARP Indiana's <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" data-video-id="Rqb_qNuJ63o" data-video-title="This is IN - Joe Giant"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rqb_qNuJ63o?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Joe Giant</div> </span> </div> </div><p>Congratulations to Fort Wayne residents on these two critical wins that will make the community more livable for people of all ages!<br><br>Be sure to follow AARP Indiana on <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook</a></span></span>, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span>, and <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://x.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">X</a></span></span> for continued updates from the Fort Wayne area.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; 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} </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-FORTWAYNE-IN">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-FORTWAYNE-IN">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Indiana Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Indiana Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Fort Wayne</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:INAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">INAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/indiana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Indiana</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/aarp-indiana/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-FORTWAYNE-IN" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aarp.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Instagram"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/icon-ig.png" alt="Instagram icon" title="Instagram icon" style="height: 49px;"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); 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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Fort Wayne Advocacy Update - October 2024</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 10/30/24 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/d4/15/1b6fa246490ebf1e92b1078b537e/image-20241008-212446-90cd22a6-1.jpeg" alt="image-20241008-212446-90cd22a6 (1).jpeg" width="4032" height="3024"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Vicki Builta (Volunteer), Deb Baumert (Volunteer), Linda Dunno (State President), and Emily Gorman (Director of Community Engagement) at the October 8th Fort Wayne City Council Meeting</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div><p>AARP Indiana volunteers and staff had a successful October in Fort Wayne with two important wins! Read more about their accomplishments at the October 22<sup>nd</sup> Fort Wayne City Council Meeting!<br><br><b><u>Citilink</u></b><br>AARP Indiana supported Citilink’, the city's transit provider, in its efforts to avoid service cuts. Volunteers Vicki Builta, Deb Baumert, State President Linda Dunno, and Director of Community Engagement Emily Gorman (pictured above) attended the City Council meeting on October 8<sup>th</sup> and Gorman testified on behalf of AARP Indiana at a standing-room-only, Fort Wayne City Council meeting. In addition to testimony, AARP Indiana cultivated 75 personalized letters sent to the Council members in support of public transportation. A recording of the City Council meeting can be found <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://acpl.viebit.com/watch?hash=9FzeEkvGcJsEDndY" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a></span></span>.<br><br>As a strong proponent of access to public transportation, AARP Indiana has been a longstanding partner with Citilink. Thanks to the Fort Wayne team’s hard work, Citilink and the Fort Wayne City Council were able to come to an agreement on a stopgap measure to help them avoid cutting services in 2025.<br><br>Emily spoke with John Metzinger (General Manager/CEO) and Casey Claypool (Marketing & Development Director) of Citilink to discuss their recent successes on This is IN. You can watch the episode below or on the AARP Indiana <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel. You can also learn more about Citilink's efforts on their <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://fwcitilink.com/join-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">website</a></span></span>. <br><br>Even with this success, it is imperative that Fort Wayne, the City Council, and Citilink continue to work together to secure additional funding. The current plan, while approved unanimously, is only a temporary solution.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" data-video-id="L_RsQRSa4hw" data-video-title="This is IN - Citilink"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L_RsQRSa4hw?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Citilink</div> </span> </div> </div><p></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/4a/87/e17d09214f9fbdb30575ddc3b61b/city-council-meeting-3.jpg" alt="City Council Meeting 3.jpg" width="1600" height="1204"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Standing room only at the City Council Hearing on October 8th. </figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/01/c2/7b1cac674818a5ddf2fc1346e850/rosa-bus.jpg" alt="Rosa Bus.jpg" width="1705" height="960"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Rosa Parks Citilink bus</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/cb/93/c14596db44fea955225d1868dd4c/southgate-plaza-shelter.jpg" alt="Southgate Plaza Shelter.jpg" width="2048" height="1468"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Southgate Plaza Shelter</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><p><b><u>Urban Trail</u></b><br>The Fort Wayne team’s second October win comes in the form of the City’s <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://engage.cityoffortwayne.org/urban-trail" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Urban Trail</a></span></span> Project. This project aims to significantly enhance the walkability and accessibility of downtown Fort Wayne, particularly for older adults and differently-abled individuals. AARP Indiana submitted a letter of support to the City Council, mayor, and deputy mayor before the October 8<sup>th</sup> meeting.<br><br>Efforts were rewarded when the Council unanimously voted to pass the ordinance allocating American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the improvement of the Urban Trail. Specifically, the funds will be used to connect the existing trail to Electric Works along Washington Street. The only stipulation of the ordinance is that traffic studies will be conducted on a regular basis and reported to the Council to ensure there’s no major negative impact on Washington Street traffic.<br><br>On a follow-up episode of This is IN, Emily spoke with Joe Giant, Community Development Administrator for the City of Fort Wayne about their success with the Urban Trail project. You can watch the episode below or on AARP Indiana's <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" data-video-id="Rqb_qNuJ63o" data-video-title="This is IN - Joe Giant"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rqb_qNuJ63o?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Joe Giant</div> </span> </div> </div><p>Congratulations to Fort Wayne residents on these two critical wins that will make the community more livable for people of all ages!<br><br>Be sure to follow AARP Indiana on <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook</a></span></span>, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span>, and <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://x.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">X</a></span></span> for continued updates from the Fort Wayne area.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; 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} [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/fort-wayne-in/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/fort-wayne-in/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Fort Wayne</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Fort Wayne</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/walk-and-roll-advocating-for-pedestrians-and-cyclists-in-communities-across-maine-fcndq8hr4vk.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-WALK-AND-ROLL-ADVOCATING-FOR-PEDESTRIANS-AND-CYCLISTS">Walk and Roll: Advocating for Pedestrians and Cyclists</a></h2> <p class="time">Thursday, Nov 21, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-il-holiday-healing-tools-for-seniors-to-overcome-isolation-112124-virtual-ljnyqcqg8cb.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-HOLIDAY-HEALING-TOOLS-TO-HELP-OVERCOME-SOCIAL-ISOLATION">Holiday Healing: Tools to Help Overcome Social Isolation</a></h2> <p class="time">Thursday, Nov 21, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Facebook</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-co-virtual-low-impact-cardiostrength-training-class-online-co-1031-12122024-28n3l8vmx3d.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-LOW-IMPACT-CARDIOSTRENGTH-BUILDING-SERIES">Low Impact Cardio/Strength Building Series</a></h2> <p class="time">Thursday, Nov 21, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/fort-wayne-in/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-FORTWAYNE-IN">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-FORTWAYNE-IN">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; 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Read more about their accomplishments at the October 22<sup>nd</sup> Fort Wayne City Council Meeting!<br><br><b><u>Citilink</u></b><br>AARP Indiana supported Citilink’, the city's transit provider, in its efforts to avoid service cuts. Volunteers Vicki Builta, Deb Baumert, State President Linda Dunno, and Director of Community Engagement Emily Gorman (pictured above) attended the City Council meeting on October 8<sup>th</sup> and Gorman testified on behalf of AARP Indiana at a standing-room-only, Fort Wayne City Council meeting. In addition to testimony, AARP Indiana cultivated 75 personalized letters sent to the Council members in support of public transportation. A recording of the City Council meeting can be found <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://acpl.viebit.com/watch?hash=9FzeEkvGcJsEDndY" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a></span></span>.<br><br>As a strong proponent of access to public transportation, AARP Indiana has been a longstanding partner with Citilink. Thanks to the Fort Wayne team’s hard work, Citilink and the Fort Wayne City Council were able to come to an agreement on a stopgap measure to help them avoid cutting services in 2025.<br><br>Emily spoke with John Metzinger (General Manager/CEO) and Casey Claypool (Marketing & Development Director) of Citilink to discuss their recent successes on This is IN. You can watch the episode below or on the AARP Indiana <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel. You can also learn more about Citilink's efforts on their <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://fwcitilink.com/join-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">website</a></span></span>. <br><br>Even with this success, it is imperative that Fort Wayne, the City Council, and Citilink continue to work together to secure additional funding. The current plan, while approved unanimously, is only a temporary solution.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" data-video-id="L_RsQRSa4hw" data-video-title="This is IN - Citilink"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L_RsQRSa4hw?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Citilink</div> </span> </div> </div><p></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/4a/87/e17d09214f9fbdb30575ddc3b61b/city-council-meeting-3.jpg" alt="City Council Meeting 3.jpg" width="1600" height="1204"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Standing room only at the City Council Hearing on October 8th. </figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/01/c2/7b1cac674818a5ddf2fc1346e850/rosa-bus.jpg" alt="Rosa Bus.jpg" width="1705" height="960"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Rosa Parks Citilink bus</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/cb/93/c14596db44fea955225d1868dd4c/southgate-plaza-shelter.jpg" alt="Southgate Plaza Shelter.jpg" width="2048" height="1468"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Southgate Plaza Shelter</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><p><b><u>Urban Trail</u></b><br>The Fort Wayne team’s second October win comes in the form of the City’s <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://engage.cityoffortwayne.org/urban-trail" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Urban Trail</a></span></span> Project. This project aims to significantly enhance the walkability and accessibility of downtown Fort Wayne, particularly for older adults and differently-abled individuals. AARP Indiana submitted a letter of support to the City Council, mayor, and deputy mayor before the October 8<sup>th</sup> meeting.<br><br>Efforts were rewarded when the Council unanimously voted to pass the ordinance allocating American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the improvement of the Urban Trail. Specifically, the funds will be used to connect the existing trail to Electric Works along Washington Street. The only stipulation of the ordinance is that traffic studies will be conducted on a regular basis and reported to the Council to ensure there’s no major negative impact on Washington Street traffic.<br><br>On a follow-up episode of This is IN, Emily spoke with Joe Giant, Community Development Administrator for the City of Fort Wayne about their success with the Urban Trail project. You can watch the episode below or on AARP Indiana's <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" data-video-id="Rqb_qNuJ63o" data-video-title="This is IN - Joe Giant"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rqb_qNuJ63o?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Joe Giant</div> </span> </div> </div><p>Congratulations to Fort Wayne residents on these two critical wins that will make the community more livable for people of all ages!<br><br>Be sure to follow AARP Indiana on <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook</a></span></span>, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span>, and <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://x.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">X</a></span></span> for continued updates from the Fort Wayne area.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; 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} </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-FORTWAYNE-IN">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-FORTWAYNE-IN">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Indiana Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Indiana Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Fort Wayne</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:INAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">INAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/indiana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Indiana</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/aarp-indiana/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-FORTWAYNE-IN" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aarp.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Instagram"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/icon-ig.png" alt="Instagram icon" title="Instagram icon" style="height: 49px;"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); 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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Fort Wayne Advocacy Update - October 2024</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 10/30/24 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/d4/15/1b6fa246490ebf1e92b1078b537e/image-20241008-212446-90cd22a6-1.jpeg" alt="image-20241008-212446-90cd22a6 (1).jpeg" width="4032" height="3024"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Vicki Builta (Volunteer), Deb Baumert (Volunteer), Linda Dunno (State President), and Emily Gorman (Director of Community Engagement) at the October 8th Fort Wayne City Council Meeting</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div><p>AARP Indiana volunteers and staff had a successful October in Fort Wayne with two important wins! Read more about their accomplishments at the October 22<sup>nd</sup> Fort Wayne City Council Meeting!<br><br><b><u>Citilink</u></b><br>AARP Indiana supported Citilink’, the city's transit provider, in its efforts to avoid service cuts. Volunteers Vicki Builta, Deb Baumert, State President Linda Dunno, and Director of Community Engagement Emily Gorman (pictured above) attended the City Council meeting on October 8<sup>th</sup> and Gorman testified on behalf of AARP Indiana at a standing-room-only, Fort Wayne City Council meeting. In addition to testimony, AARP Indiana cultivated 75 personalized letters sent to the Council members in support of public transportation. A recording of the City Council meeting can be found <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://acpl.viebit.com/watch?hash=9FzeEkvGcJsEDndY" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a></span></span>.<br><br>As a strong proponent of access to public transportation, AARP Indiana has been a longstanding partner with Citilink. Thanks to the Fort Wayne team’s hard work, Citilink and the Fort Wayne City Council were able to come to an agreement on a stopgap measure to help them avoid cutting services in 2025.<br><br>Emily spoke with John Metzinger (General Manager/CEO) and Casey Claypool (Marketing & Development Director) of Citilink to discuss their recent successes on This is IN. You can watch the episode below or on the AARP Indiana <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel. You can also learn more about Citilink's efforts on their <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://fwcitilink.com/join-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">website</a></span></span>. <br><br>Even with this success, it is imperative that Fort Wayne, the City Council, and Citilink continue to work together to secure additional funding. The current plan, while approved unanimously, is only a temporary solution.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" data-video-id="L_RsQRSa4hw" data-video-title="This is IN - Citilink"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L_RsQRSa4hw?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Citilink</div> </span> </div> </div><p></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/4a/87/e17d09214f9fbdb30575ddc3b61b/city-council-meeting-3.jpg" alt="City Council Meeting 3.jpg" width="1600" height="1204"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Standing room only at the City Council Hearing on October 8th. </figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/01/c2/7b1cac674818a5ddf2fc1346e850/rosa-bus.jpg" alt="Rosa Bus.jpg" width="1705" height="960"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Rosa Parks Citilink bus</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/cb/93/c14596db44fea955225d1868dd4c/southgate-plaza-shelter.jpg" alt="Southgate Plaza Shelter.jpg" width="2048" height="1468"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Southgate Plaza Shelter</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><p><b><u>Urban Trail</u></b><br>The Fort Wayne team’s second October win comes in the form of the City’s <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://engage.cityoffortwayne.org/urban-trail" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Urban Trail</a></span></span> Project. This project aims to significantly enhance the walkability and accessibility of downtown Fort Wayne, particularly for older adults and differently-abled individuals. AARP Indiana submitted a letter of support to the City Council, mayor, and deputy mayor before the October 8<sup>th</sup> meeting.<br><br>Efforts were rewarded when the Council unanimously voted to pass the ordinance allocating American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the improvement of the Urban Trail. Specifically, the funds will be used to connect the existing trail to Electric Works along Washington Street. The only stipulation of the ordinance is that traffic studies will be conducted on a regular basis and reported to the Council to ensure there’s no major negative impact on Washington Street traffic.<br><br>On a follow-up episode of This is IN, Emily spoke with Joe Giant, Community Development Administrator for the City of Fort Wayne about their success with the Urban Trail project. You can watch the episode below or on AARP Indiana's <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" data-video-id="Rqb_qNuJ63o" data-video-title="This is IN - Joe Giant"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rqb_qNuJ63o?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Joe Giant</div> </span> </div> </div><p>Congratulations to Fort Wayne residents on these two critical wins that will make the community more livable for people of all ages!<br><br>Be sure to follow AARP Indiana on <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook</a></span></span>, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span>, and <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://x.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">X</a></span></span> for continued updates from the Fort Wayne area.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; 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} [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/fort-wayne-in/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/fort-wayne-in/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Fort Wayne</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Fort Wayne</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/walk-and-roll-advocating-for-pedestrians-and-cyclists-in-communities-across-maine-fcndq8hr4vk.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-WALK-AND-ROLL-ADVOCATING-FOR-PEDESTRIANS-AND-CYCLISTS">Walk and Roll: Advocating for Pedestrians and Cyclists</a></h2> <p class="time">Thursday, Nov 21, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-il-holiday-healing-tools-for-seniors-to-overcome-isolation-112124-virtual-ljnyqcqg8cb.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-HOLIDAY-HEALING-TOOLS-TO-HELP-OVERCOME-SOCIAL-ISOLATION">Holiday Healing: Tools to Help Overcome Social Isolation</a></h2> <p class="time">Thursday, Nov 21, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Facebook</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-co-virtual-low-impact-cardiostrength-training-class-online-co-1031-12122024-28n3l8vmx3d.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-LOW-IMPACT-CARDIOSTRENGTH-BUILDING-SERIES">Low Impact Cardio/Strength Building Series</a></h2> <p class="time">Thursday, Nov 21, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/fort-wayne-in/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-FORTWAYNE-IN">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-FORTWAYNE-IN">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; 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Read more about their accomplishments at the October 22<sup>nd</sup> Fort Wayne City Council Meeting!<br><br><b><u>Citilink</u></b><br>AARP Indiana supported Citilink’, the city's transit provider, in its efforts to avoid service cuts. Volunteers Vicki Builta, Deb Baumert, State President Linda Dunno, and Director of Community Engagement Emily Gorman (pictured above) attended the City Council meeting on October 8<sup>th</sup> and Gorman testified on behalf of AARP Indiana at a standing-room-only, Fort Wayne City Council meeting. In addition to testimony, AARP Indiana cultivated 75 personalized letters sent to the Council members in support of public transportation. A recording of the City Council meeting can be found <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://acpl.viebit.com/watch?hash=9FzeEkvGcJsEDndY" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a></span></span>.<br><br>As a strong proponent of access to public transportation, AARP Indiana has been a longstanding partner with Citilink. Thanks to the Fort Wayne team’s hard work, Citilink and the Fort Wayne City Council were able to come to an agreement on a stopgap measure to help them avoid cutting services in 2025.<br><br>Emily spoke with John Metzinger (General Manager/CEO) and Casey Claypool (Marketing & Development Director) of Citilink to discuss their recent successes on This is IN. You can watch the episode below or on the AARP Indiana <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel. You can also learn more about Citilink's efforts on their <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://fwcitilink.com/join-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">website</a></span></span>. <br><br>Even with this success, it is imperative that Fort Wayne, the City Council, and Citilink continue to work together to secure additional funding. The current plan, while approved unanimously, is only a temporary solution.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" data-video-id="L_RsQRSa4hw" data-video-title="This is IN - Citilink"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L_RsQRSa4hw?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Citilink</div> </span> </div> </div><p></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/4a/87/e17d09214f9fbdb30575ddc3b61b/city-council-meeting-3.jpg" alt="City Council Meeting 3.jpg" width="1600" height="1204"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Standing room only at the City Council Hearing on October 8th. </figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/01/c2/7b1cac674818a5ddf2fc1346e850/rosa-bus.jpg" alt="Rosa Bus.jpg" width="1705" height="960"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Rosa Parks Citilink bus</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/cb/93/c14596db44fea955225d1868dd4c/southgate-plaza-shelter.jpg" alt="Southgate Plaza Shelter.jpg" width="2048" height="1468"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Southgate Plaza Shelter</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><p><b><u>Urban Trail</u></b><br>The Fort Wayne team’s second October win comes in the form of the City’s <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://engage.cityoffortwayne.org/urban-trail" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Urban Trail</a></span></span> Project. This project aims to significantly enhance the walkability and accessibility of downtown Fort Wayne, particularly for older adults and differently-abled individuals. AARP Indiana submitted a letter of support to the City Council, mayor, and deputy mayor before the October 8<sup>th</sup> meeting.<br><br>Efforts were rewarded when the Council unanimously voted to pass the ordinance allocating American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the improvement of the Urban Trail. Specifically, the funds will be used to connect the existing trail to Electric Works along Washington Street. The only stipulation of the ordinance is that traffic studies will be conducted on a regular basis and reported to the Council to ensure there’s no major negative impact on Washington Street traffic.<br><br>On a follow-up episode of This is IN, Emily spoke with Joe Giant, Community Development Administrator for the City of Fort Wayne about their success with the Urban Trail project. You can watch the episode below or on AARP Indiana's <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" data-video-id="Rqb_qNuJ63o" data-video-title="This is IN - Joe Giant"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rqb_qNuJ63o?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Joe Giant</div> </span> </div> </div><p>Congratulations to Fort Wayne residents on these two critical wins that will make the community more livable for people of all ages!<br><br>Be sure to follow AARP Indiana on <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook</a></span></span>, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span>, and <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://x.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">X</a></span></span> for continued updates from the Fort Wayne area.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; 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} </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-FORTWAYNE-IN">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-FORTWAYNE-IN">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Indiana Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Indiana Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Fort Wayne</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:INAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">INAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/indiana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Indiana</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/aarp-indiana/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-FORTWAYNE-IN" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aarp.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Instagram"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/icon-ig.png" alt="Instagram icon" title="Instagram icon" style="height: 49px;"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); 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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Fort Wayne Advocacy Update - October 2024</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 10/30/24 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/d4/15/1b6fa246490ebf1e92b1078b537e/image-20241008-212446-90cd22a6-1.jpeg" alt="image-20241008-212446-90cd22a6 (1).jpeg" width="4032" height="3024"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Vicki Builta (Volunteer), Deb Baumert (Volunteer), Linda Dunno (State President), and Emily Gorman (Director of Community Engagement) at the October 8th Fort Wayne City Council Meeting</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div><p>AARP Indiana volunteers and staff had a successful October in Fort Wayne with two important wins! Read more about their accomplishments at the October 22<sup>nd</sup> Fort Wayne City Council Meeting!<br><br><b><u>Citilink</u></b><br>AARP Indiana supported Citilink’, the city's transit provider, in its efforts to avoid service cuts. Volunteers Vicki Builta, Deb Baumert, State President Linda Dunno, and Director of Community Engagement Emily Gorman (pictured above) attended the City Council meeting on October 8<sup>th</sup> and Gorman testified on behalf of AARP Indiana at a standing-room-only, Fort Wayne City Council meeting. In addition to testimony, AARP Indiana cultivated 75 personalized letters sent to the Council members in support of public transportation. A recording of the City Council meeting can be found <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://acpl.viebit.com/watch?hash=9FzeEkvGcJsEDndY" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a></span></span>.<br><br>As a strong proponent of access to public transportation, AARP Indiana has been a longstanding partner with Citilink. Thanks to the Fort Wayne team’s hard work, Citilink and the Fort Wayne City Council were able to come to an agreement on a stopgap measure to help them avoid cutting services in 2025.<br><br>Emily spoke with John Metzinger (General Manager/CEO) and Casey Claypool (Marketing & Development Director) of Citilink to discuss their recent successes on This is IN. You can watch the episode below or on the AARP Indiana <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel. You can also learn more about Citilink's efforts on their <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://fwcitilink.com/join-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">website</a></span></span>. <br><br>Even with this success, it is imperative that Fort Wayne, the City Council, and Citilink continue to work together to secure additional funding. The current plan, while approved unanimously, is only a temporary solution.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" data-video-id="L_RsQRSa4hw" data-video-title="This is IN - Citilink"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L_RsQRSa4hw?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Citilink</div> </span> </div> </div><p></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/4a/87/e17d09214f9fbdb30575ddc3b61b/city-council-meeting-3.jpg" alt="City Council Meeting 3.jpg" width="1600" height="1204"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Standing room only at the City Council Hearing on October 8th. </figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/01/c2/7b1cac674818a5ddf2fc1346e850/rosa-bus.jpg" alt="Rosa Bus.jpg" width="1705" height="960"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Rosa Parks Citilink bus</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/cb/93/c14596db44fea955225d1868dd4c/southgate-plaza-shelter.jpg" alt="Southgate Plaza Shelter.jpg" width="2048" height="1468"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Southgate Plaza Shelter</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><p><b><u>Urban Trail</u></b><br>The Fort Wayne team’s second October win comes in the form of the City’s <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://engage.cityoffortwayne.org/urban-trail" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Urban Trail</a></span></span> Project. This project aims to significantly enhance the walkability and accessibility of downtown Fort Wayne, particularly for older adults and differently-abled individuals. AARP Indiana submitted a letter of support to the City Council, mayor, and deputy mayor before the October 8<sup>th</sup> meeting.<br><br>Efforts were rewarded when the Council unanimously voted to pass the ordinance allocating American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the improvement of the Urban Trail. Specifically, the funds will be used to connect the existing trail to Electric Works along Washington Street. The only stipulation of the ordinance is that traffic studies will be conducted on a regular basis and reported to the Council to ensure there’s no major negative impact on Washington Street traffic.<br><br>On a follow-up episode of This is IN, Emily spoke with Joe Giant, Community Development Administrator for the City of Fort Wayne about their success with the Urban Trail project. You can watch the episode below or on AARP Indiana's <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" data-video-id="Rqb_qNuJ63o" data-video-title="This is IN - Joe Giant"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rqb_qNuJ63o?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Joe Giant</div> </span> </div> </div><p>Congratulations to Fort Wayne residents on these two critical wins that will make the community more livable for people of all ages!<br><br>Be sure to follow AARP Indiana on <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook</a></span></span>, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span>, and <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://x.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">X</a></span></span> for continued updates from the Fort Wayne area.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; 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} [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/fort-wayne-in/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/fort-wayne-in/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Fort Wayne</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Fort Wayne</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/walk-and-roll-advocating-for-pedestrians-and-cyclists-in-communities-across-maine-fcndq8hr4vk.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-WALK-AND-ROLL-ADVOCATING-FOR-PEDESTRIANS-AND-CYCLISTS">Walk and Roll: Advocating for Pedestrians and Cyclists</a></h2> <p class="time">Thursday, Nov 21, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-il-holiday-healing-tools-for-seniors-to-overcome-isolation-112124-virtual-ljnyqcqg8cb.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-HOLIDAY-HEALING-TOOLS-TO-HELP-OVERCOME-SOCIAL-ISOLATION">Holiday Healing: Tools to Help Overcome Social Isolation</a></h2> <p class="time">Thursday, Nov 21, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Facebook</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-co-virtual-low-impact-cardiostrength-training-class-online-co-1031-12122024-28n3l8vmx3d.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-LOW-IMPACT-CARDIOSTRENGTH-BUILDING-SERIES">Low Impact Cardio/Strength Building Series</a></h2> <p class="time">Thursday, Nov 21, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/fort-wayne-in/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-FORTWAYNE-IN">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-FORTWAYNE-IN">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; 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Read more about their accomplishments at the October 22<sup>nd</sup> Fort Wayne City Council Meeting!<br><br><b><u>Citilink</u></b><br>AARP Indiana supported Citilink’, the city's transit provider, in its efforts to avoid service cuts. Volunteers Vicki Builta, Deb Baumert, State President Linda Dunno, and Director of Community Engagement Emily Gorman (pictured above) attended the City Council meeting on October 8<sup>th</sup> and Gorman testified on behalf of AARP Indiana at a standing-room-only, Fort Wayne City Council meeting. In addition to testimony, AARP Indiana cultivated 75 personalized letters sent to the Council members in support of public transportation. A recording of the City Council meeting can be found <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://acpl.viebit.com/watch?hash=9FzeEkvGcJsEDndY" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a></span></span>.<br><br>As a strong proponent of access to public transportation, AARP Indiana has been a longstanding partner with Citilink. Thanks to the Fort Wayne team’s hard work, Citilink and the Fort Wayne City Council were able to come to an agreement on a stopgap measure to help them avoid cutting services in 2025.<br><br>Emily spoke with John Metzinger (General Manager/CEO) and Casey Claypool (Marketing & Development Director) of Citilink to discuss their recent successes on This is IN. You can watch the episode below or on the AARP Indiana <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel. You can also learn more about Citilink's efforts on their <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://fwcitilink.com/join-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">website</a></span></span>. <br><br>Even with this success, it is imperative that Fort Wayne, the City Council, and Citilink continue to work together to secure additional funding. The current plan, while approved unanimously, is only a temporary solution.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" data-video-id="L_RsQRSa4hw" data-video-title="This is IN - Citilink"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L_RsQRSa4hw?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Citilink</div> </span> </div> </div><p></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/4a/87/e17d09214f9fbdb30575ddc3b61b/city-council-meeting-3.jpg" alt="City Council Meeting 3.jpg" width="1600" height="1204"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Standing room only at the City Council Hearing on October 8th. </figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/01/c2/7b1cac674818a5ddf2fc1346e850/rosa-bus.jpg" alt="Rosa Bus.jpg" width="1705" height="960"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Rosa Parks Citilink bus</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/cb/93/c14596db44fea955225d1868dd4c/southgate-plaza-shelter.jpg" alt="Southgate Plaza Shelter.jpg" width="2048" height="1468"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Southgate Plaza Shelter</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><p><b><u>Urban Trail</u></b><br>The Fort Wayne team’s second October win comes in the form of the City’s <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://engage.cityoffortwayne.org/urban-trail" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Urban Trail</a></span></span> Project. This project aims to significantly enhance the walkability and accessibility of downtown Fort Wayne, particularly for older adults and differently-abled individuals. AARP Indiana submitted a letter of support to the City Council, mayor, and deputy mayor before the October 8<sup>th</sup> meeting.<br><br>Efforts were rewarded when the Council unanimously voted to pass the ordinance allocating American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the improvement of the Urban Trail. Specifically, the funds will be used to connect the existing trail to Electric Works along Washington Street. The only stipulation of the ordinance is that traffic studies will be conducted on a regular basis and reported to the Council to ensure there’s no major negative impact on Washington Street traffic.<br><br>On a follow-up episode of This is IN, Emily spoke with Joe Giant, Community Development Administrator for the City of Fort Wayne about their success with the Urban Trail project. You can watch the episode below or on AARP Indiana's <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" data-video-id="Rqb_qNuJ63o" data-video-title="This is IN - Joe Giant"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rqb_qNuJ63o?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Joe Giant</div> </span> </div> </div><p>Congratulations to Fort Wayne residents on these two critical wins that will make the community more livable for people of all ages!<br><br>Be sure to follow AARP Indiana on <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook</a></span></span>, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span>, and <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://x.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">X</a></span></span> for continued updates from the Fort Wayne area.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; 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} </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-FORTWAYNE-IN">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-FORTWAYNE-IN">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Indiana Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Indiana Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Fort Wayne</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:INAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">INAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/indiana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Indiana</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/aarp-indiana/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-FORTWAYNE-IN" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aarp.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Instagram"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/icon-ig.png" alt="Instagram icon" title="Instagram icon" style="height: 49px;"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); 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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Fort Wayne Advocacy Update - October 2024</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 10/30/24 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/d4/15/1b6fa246490ebf1e92b1078b537e/image-20241008-212446-90cd22a6-1.jpeg" alt="image-20241008-212446-90cd22a6 (1).jpeg" width="4032" height="3024"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Vicki Builta (Volunteer), Deb Baumert (Volunteer), Linda Dunno (State President), and Emily Gorman (Director of Community Engagement) at the October 8th Fort Wayne City Council Meeting</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div><p>AARP Indiana volunteers and staff had a successful October in Fort Wayne with two important wins! Read more about their accomplishments at the October 22<sup>nd</sup> Fort Wayne City Council Meeting!<br><br><b><u>Citilink</u></b><br>AARP Indiana supported Citilink’, the city's transit provider, in its efforts to avoid service cuts. Volunteers Vicki Builta, Deb Baumert, State President Linda Dunno, and Director of Community Engagement Emily Gorman (pictured above) attended the City Council meeting on October 8<sup>th</sup> and Gorman testified on behalf of AARP Indiana at a standing-room-only, Fort Wayne City Council meeting. In addition to testimony, AARP Indiana cultivated 75 personalized letters sent to the Council members in support of public transportation. A recording of the City Council meeting can be found <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://acpl.viebit.com/watch?hash=9FzeEkvGcJsEDndY" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a></span></span>.<br><br>As a strong proponent of access to public transportation, AARP Indiana has been a longstanding partner with Citilink. Thanks to the Fort Wayne team’s hard work, Citilink and the Fort Wayne City Council were able to come to an agreement on a stopgap measure to help them avoid cutting services in 2025.<br><br>Emily spoke with John Metzinger (General Manager/CEO) and Casey Claypool (Marketing & Development Director) of Citilink to discuss their recent successes on This is IN. You can watch the episode below or on the AARP Indiana <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel. You can also learn more about Citilink's efforts on their <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://fwcitilink.com/join-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">website</a></span></span>. <br><br>Even with this success, it is imperative that Fort Wayne, the City Council, and Citilink continue to work together to secure additional funding. The current plan, while approved unanimously, is only a temporary solution.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" data-video-id="L_RsQRSa4hw" data-video-title="This is IN - Citilink"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L_RsQRSa4hw?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Citilink</div> </span> </div> </div><p></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/4a/87/e17d09214f9fbdb30575ddc3b61b/city-council-meeting-3.jpg" alt="City Council Meeting 3.jpg" width="1600" height="1204"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Standing room only at the City Council Hearing on October 8th. </figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/01/c2/7b1cac674818a5ddf2fc1346e850/rosa-bus.jpg" alt="Rosa Bus.jpg" width="1705" height="960"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Rosa Parks Citilink bus</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/cb/93/c14596db44fea955225d1868dd4c/southgate-plaza-shelter.jpg" alt="Southgate Plaza Shelter.jpg" width="2048" height="1468"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Southgate Plaza Shelter</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><p><b><u>Urban Trail</u></b><br>The Fort Wayne team’s second October win comes in the form of the City’s <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://engage.cityoffortwayne.org/urban-trail" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Urban Trail</a></span></span> Project. This project aims to significantly enhance the walkability and accessibility of downtown Fort Wayne, particularly for older adults and differently-abled individuals. AARP Indiana submitted a letter of support to the City Council, mayor, and deputy mayor before the October 8<sup>th</sup> meeting.<br><br>Efforts were rewarded when the Council unanimously voted to pass the ordinance allocating American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the improvement of the Urban Trail. Specifically, the funds will be used to connect the existing trail to Electric Works along Washington Street. The only stipulation of the ordinance is that traffic studies will be conducted on a regular basis and reported to the Council to ensure there’s no major negative impact on Washington Street traffic.<br><br>On a follow-up episode of This is IN, Emily spoke with Joe Giant, Community Development Administrator for the City of Fort Wayne about their success with the Urban Trail project. You can watch the episode below or on AARP Indiana's <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" data-video-id="Rqb_qNuJ63o" data-video-title="This is IN - Joe Giant"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rqb_qNuJ63o?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Joe Giant</div> </span> </div> </div><p>Congratulations to Fort Wayne residents on these two critical wins that will make the community more livable for people of all ages!<br><br>Be sure to follow AARP Indiana on <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook</a></span></span>, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span>, and <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://x.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">X</a></span></span> for continued updates from the Fort Wayne area.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; 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} [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/fort-wayne-in/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/fort-wayne-in/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Fort Wayne</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Fort Wayne</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/walk-and-roll-advocating-for-pedestrians-and-cyclists-in-communities-across-maine-fcndq8hr4vk.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-WALK-AND-ROLL-ADVOCATING-FOR-PEDESTRIANS-AND-CYCLISTS">Walk and Roll: Advocating for Pedestrians and Cyclists</a></h2> <p class="time">Thursday, Nov 21, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-il-holiday-healing-tools-for-seniors-to-overcome-isolation-112124-virtual-ljnyqcqg8cb.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-HOLIDAY-HEALING-TOOLS-TO-HELP-OVERCOME-SOCIAL-ISOLATION">Holiday Healing: Tools to Help Overcome Social Isolation</a></h2> <p class="time">Thursday, Nov 21, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Facebook</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-co-virtual-low-impact-cardiostrength-training-class-online-co-1031-12122024-28n3l8vmx3d.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-LOW-IMPACT-CARDIOSTRENGTH-BUILDING-SERIES">Low Impact Cardio/Strength Building Series</a></h2> <p class="time">Thursday, Nov 21, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/fort-wayne-in/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-FORTWAYNE-IN">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-FORTWAYNE-IN">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; 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Read more about their accomplishments at the October 22<sup>nd</sup> Fort Wayne City Council Meeting!<br><br><b><u>Citilink</u></b><br>AARP Indiana supported Citilink’, the city's transit provider, in its efforts to avoid service cuts. Volunteers Vicki Builta, Deb Baumert, State President Linda Dunno, and Director of Community Engagement Emily Gorman (pictured above) attended the City Council meeting on October 8<sup>th</sup> and Gorman testified on behalf of AARP Indiana at a standing-room-only, Fort Wayne City Council meeting. In addition to testimony, AARP Indiana cultivated 75 personalized letters sent to the Council members in support of public transportation. A recording of the City Council meeting can be found <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://acpl.viebit.com/watch?hash=9FzeEkvGcJsEDndY" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a></span></span>.<br><br>As a strong proponent of access to public transportation, AARP Indiana has been a longstanding partner with Citilink. Thanks to the Fort Wayne team’s hard work, Citilink and the Fort Wayne City Council were able to come to an agreement on a stopgap measure to help them avoid cutting services in 2025.<br><br>Emily spoke with John Metzinger (General Manager/CEO) and Casey Claypool (Marketing & Development Director) of Citilink to discuss their recent successes on This is IN. You can watch the episode below or on the AARP Indiana <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel. You can also learn more about Citilink's efforts on their <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://fwcitilink.com/join-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">website</a></span></span>. <br><br>Even with this success, it is imperative that Fort Wayne, the City Council, and Citilink continue to work together to secure additional funding. The current plan, while approved unanimously, is only a temporary solution.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" data-video-id="L_RsQRSa4hw" data-video-title="This is IN - Citilink"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-fb4dacfde6af5427fb3d172b0d62b1f37" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L_RsQRSa4hw?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Citilink</div> </span> </div> </div><p></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/4a/87/e17d09214f9fbdb30575ddc3b61b/city-council-meeting-3.jpg" alt="City Council Meeting 3.jpg" width="1600" height="1204"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Standing room only at the City Council Hearing on October 8th. </figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/01/c2/7b1cac674818a5ddf2fc1346e850/rosa-bus.jpg" alt="Rosa Bus.jpg" width="1705" height="960"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Rosa Parks Citilink bus</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/cb/93/c14596db44fea955225d1868dd4c/southgate-plaza-shelter.jpg" alt="Southgate Plaza Shelter.jpg" width="2048" height="1468"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Southgate Plaza Shelter</figcaption> <div class="Figure-credit">Casey Claypool</div> </figure> </div> </div><p><b><u>Urban Trail</u></b><br>The Fort Wayne team’s second October win comes in the form of the City’s <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://engage.cityoffortwayne.org/urban-trail" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Urban Trail</a></span></span> Project. This project aims to significantly enhance the walkability and accessibility of downtown Fort Wayne, particularly for older adults and differently-abled individuals. AARP Indiana submitted a letter of support to the City Council, mayor, and deputy mayor before the October 8<sup>th</sup> meeting.<br><br>Efforts were rewarded when the Council unanimously voted to pass the ordinance allocating American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the improvement of the Urban Trail. Specifically, the funds will be used to connect the existing trail to Electric Works along Washington Street. The only stipulation of the ordinance is that traffic studies will be conducted on a regular basis and reported to the Council to ensure there’s no major negative impact on Washington Street traffic.<br><br>On a follow-up episode of This is IN, Emily spoke with Joe Giant, Community Development Administrator for the City of Fort Wayne about their success with the Urban Trail project. You can watch the episode below or on AARP Indiana's <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span> channel.<br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-youtubeplayer data-video-player class="YouTubeVideoPlayer" data-player-id="f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" data-video-id="Rqb_qNuJ63o" data-video-title="This is IN - Joe Giant"> <iframe id="YouTubeVideoPlayer-f33e099b2f60145babcc15b07270c628c" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rqb_qNuJ63o?enablejsapi=1"></iframe> </bsp-youtubeplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">This is IN - Joe Giant</div> </span> </div> </div><p>Congratulations to Fort Wayne residents on these two critical wins that will make the community more livable for people of all ages!<br><br>Be sure to follow AARP Indiana on <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook</a></span></span>, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.youtube.com/@aarpindiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></span></span>, and <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://x.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">X</a></span></span> for continued updates from the Fort Wayne area.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; 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} [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/fort-wayne-in/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/fort-wayne-in/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Fort Wayne</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Fort Wayne</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/walk-and-roll-advocating-for-pedestrians-and-cyclists-in-communities-across-maine-fcndq8hr4vk.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-WALK-AND-ROLL-ADVOCATING-FOR-PEDESTRIANS-AND-CYCLISTS">Walk and Roll: Advocating for Pedestrians and Cyclists</a></h2> <p class="time">Thursday, Nov 21, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-il-holiday-healing-tools-for-seniors-to-overcome-isolation-112124-virtual-ljnyqcqg8cb.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-HOLIDAY-HEALING-TOOLS-TO-HELP-OVERCOME-SOCIAL-ISOLATION">Holiday Healing: Tools to Help Overcome Social Isolation</a></h2> <p class="time">Thursday, Nov 21, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Facebook</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-co-virtual-low-impact-cardiostrength-training-class-online-co-1031-12122024-28n3l8vmx3d.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-LOW-IMPACT-CARDIOSTRENGTH-BUILDING-SERIES">Low Impact Cardio/Strength Building Series</a></h2> <p class="time">Thursday, Nov 21, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/fort-wayne-in/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-FORTWAYNE-IN">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-FORTWAYNE-IN">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Indiana Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Indiana Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Fort Wayne</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:INAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">INAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/indiana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Indiana</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/aarp-indiana/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-FORTWAYNE-IN" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPIndiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aarp.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Instagram"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/icon-ig.png" alt="Instagram icon" title="Instagram icon" style="height: 49px;"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); 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