AARP Bulletin - September 2011

State News ; Your AARP

; West Virginia Mark your calendar With West Virginians slated to elect a new governor in an Oct. 4 special election, AARP is urging voters to remember to show up at the polls in a nontraditional voting month. AARP is concerned about low voter turnout. Only 16 percent of voters cast ballots in the May 14 gubernatorial primary. ; Acting Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, D, and businessman Bill Maloney, R, hope to serve the remaining term of former Gov. Joe Manchin III, D, who is now a U.S. senator. Voters will again cast ballots in the 2012 primary and general election for a governor to serve a full, four-year term. ; Learn more at aarp.org/wv.

; North Carolina Eat and thrive AARP is promoting better nutrition among older state residents by encouraging individuals with annual income under $21,660 to enroll in SNAP— the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps. An estimated 15 percent of North Carolinians age 60-plus are eligible for SNAP, but many do not apply. ; To help with SNAP outreach, send an email to ncaarp@aarp .org. To help a friend or relative apply, go to createthegood.org/howto, scroll down to “Help Someone Get the Food They Need— It’s a SNAP!” and click on the link for a how-to guide.

; Pennsylvania
Fraud fighters Volunteers from AARP
Pennsylvania’s Consumer Issues Task Force
are fanning out across the state to help
people learn how to fight fraud. ; State
residents reported more than 47,000 com-
plaints of financial fraud, identity theft and
related crimes to the Federal Trade Com-
mission last year. A recent AARP national
survey found the average age of fraud
victims is about 61. Victims also are less
likely to have taken preventive steps, such
as registering with the national Do No Call
list to discourage telemarketers. ; AARP
volunteers can speak to community groups
on such topics as financial security and
consumer protection, and can offer tips on
how to avoid investment fraud and identity
theft. To schedule a program, email David
Kalinoski of AARP at dkalinoski@aarp.org
or call him at 1-866-389-5654 toll-free.

; Virginia Sculpt for a cause Students at Virginia Tech are holding a food sculpture contest to draw attention to the problem of hunger. Sponsored by the student organization Virginia Engage, the contest is scheduled for Sept. 24, the university’s Fall Day of Service. Students are collecting food all month, and the donations will be distributed to local food pantries. Groups of students are working with different food relief organizations in the Roanoke Valley. ; Meanwhile, at Richmond International Raceway on Sept. 10, NASCAR fans can cheer Sprint Cup champion Jeff Gordon in the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger car as he inspires the crowd to “help leave senior hunger in the dust.” ; More than 9 percent of Virginia residents are at risk of hunger, and 16 percent of Virginians age 60 and older are eligible for federal food assistance. Learn more at aarp.org/va and drivetoendhunger.org.

; Delaware
Radio babes To support and promote
Drive to End Hunger, the “2BoomerBabes”
radio hour will broadcast from Dover
Speedway on Oct. 2. AARP Delaware spon-
sors the program, which airs Saturdays and
Sundays on Delmarva Public Radio, WSCL
89.5 FM and WSDL 90.7 FM. ; The hosts
of “2BoomerBabes,” Barbara Kline and
Kathy Bernard, carry on lively conversa-
tions on a variety of topics. Hunger is a
problem in the state, with almost 10 percent
of residents struggling in recent years to put
enough food on the table. ; Learn more
at aarp.org/de, drivetoendhunger.org and
2boomerbabes.com.
—Reports by Donya Currie

aarp.org/states
For other state news, go to

SCULPTURES BY KAREN CALDICOT T

; DatabankUSA

Percentage of population age 65 and older in each state, D.C. and Puerto Rico.* Aging Population

Ala. 13.8% Alaska 7. 7 Ariz. 13. 8 Ark. 14. 4 Calif. 11. 4 Colo. 10. 9 Conn. 14. 2 Del. 14. 4 D.C. 11. 4 Fla. 17. 3 Ga. 10. 7 Hawaii 14. 3 Idaho 12. 4 Ill. 12. 5 Ind. 13.0 Iowa 14. 9 Kan. 13. 2 Ky. 13. 3 La. 12. 3