Published: April 22, 2008 12:30 am            

Award raises awareness of contributions of older workers

Nominations will be accepted until June 1

Nominations will be accepted until June 1 for Indiana’s outstanding older worker for 2008.

The award is part of Experience Works Prime Time Awards program, in Experience Works’ national effort to raise awareness of the contributions made by older individuals and to break down barriers associated with the hiring of all older workers.

This year’s search is being sponsored by Home Instead Senior Care, an outstanding employer of older workers in 2006.

Outstanding older workers from every state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico will be honored in Washington, D.C., and in their home states for their contributions to the work force and local communities.

Nominees or applicants must be age 65 or older, a resident of Indiana, currently employed, and working at least 20 hours each week for pay.

The honoree must be willing and able to travel to Washington, D.C. the week of Sept. 22-26 for the Prime Time Award events.

The visit will include meetings with congressional representatives, a tour of the city’s landmarks, and the awards banquet and ceremony.

Honorees have an opportunity to meet, share their stories and celebrate their accomplishments.

Family, friends or colleagues can send in a nomination, or older workers can nominate themselves.

Indiana’s outstanding older worker in 2007 was 80-year-old Doreen Squire-Ficara.

Considered by many to be “The Queen Mother” of Carmel, Ms. Squire-Ficara is executive director of the Carmel Arts Council. Seven years ago, she started the council’s biggest fundraising event, the “English Silver Tea.” Last year, the event raised $6,000 for scholarships and $1,000 to support local students involved in art competitions. Her Children’s Art Gallery was recognized as “The World’s Smallest Children’s Art Gallery” by the Guinness Book of World Records. The gallery features children’s art from local schools. More than 3,200 visitors attended gallery exhibits in 2006. In 2005, at age 77, she learned to use a computer to produce Word documents and to access the Internet. When a hip replacement and two knee replacements kept her from getting out as much, she stayed on top of projects by using a tray table on wheels as a temporary desk. A board member of the Carmel Clay Veterans Memorial Corp., she was instrumental in designing the memorial and raising $350,000 for the monument.

The search for America’s Oldest Worker for 2008 is under way, as is the search for outstanding employers of older workers. Last year, 101-year-old Ray Jenkins, maintenance coordinator from Colchester, Verm., was named America’s Oldest Worker.

Experience Works is a national, not-for-profit organization that provides training and employment services for mature workers. Established in 1965, Experience Works reaches more than 125,000 mature individuals in all 50 states and Puerto Rico each year.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.