Athletes and Elders Returns for Sixth Year

OMAHA - University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) student athletes have once again teamed with the UNO Department of Gerontology for “Athletes and Elders,” a service learning effort designed to expose college students to the city’s elder population.

A “lift-off” event for the program, which is now in its sixth year, will take place at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 22.

The event will be held in UNO’s HPER Building and will feature a greeting by Associate Athletic Director Mike Kemp and some partying with local elders, UNO coaches, student athletes and volunteers from the UNO Sigma Phi Omega honor society.

Back in 2008, UNO Athletes and Elders: A Community of Interest was the first program of its kind in the United States. It has since become a UNO tradition.

During the academic year, each UNO Athletic team is paired with local facilities with the help of Community 360, an Omaha nonprofit organization specializing in the recruiting, training and matching of volunteer visitors with institutionalized elders in Omaha facilitates.

The program is designed to combine the course work of students studying aging with opportunities for student-athletes to meet with our community elders. The program is supported by a College Initiative Grant for Intergenerational Programs, a DOROT Volunteer Project, funded in part by the Dorot Foundation, which is headquartered in New York City.

“This multifaceted partnership with Omaha’s Team at its heart, adds elders to the UNO circle of life experience and education, and is rewarding to all involved,” said Julie Masters, chair of the UNO Department of Gerontology.

During the last academic year, 10 UNO Athletic teams participated in events with 10 Omaha-area nursing facilities. Many of the seniors in return made it to UNO sporting events and the Clausen Leahy Walk to cheer on their Maverick partners.

For questions, please contact Charley Reed, UNO media relations coordinator, at 402.554.2129 or by email at unonews@unomaha.edu.

About the University of Nebraska at Omaha

Located in one of America’s best cities to live, work and learn, the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is Nebraska’s premier metropolitan university. With more than 15,000 students enrolled in 200-plus programs of study, UNO is recognized nationally for its online education, graduate education, military friendliness and community engagement efforts. Founded in 1908, UNO has served learners of all backgrounds for more than 100 years and is dedicated to another century of excellence both in the classroom and in the community.

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