1 minute read
Spartanburg County
Solving a Puzzle
“Your partner in community wellness” is more than just a tagline for Spartanburg County Parks Department; it is our mission. The residents of Spartanburg County have so many interests and needs and we know that we cannot meet all of these requests alone. However, thanks to partnerships with other organizations and municipalities, we can bridge more gaps and meet more needs. A prime example of teamwork is the Spartanburg Council on Aging (SCOA). SCOA was formed in 2015 with the joint desire to help seniors in Spartanburg County. Spartanburg Regional Foundation serves as the grant holder, Spartanburg County Parks runs the day-to-day programs at eight community centers, Spartanburg Regional Transportation gets seniors to the community centers and back home, and Mobile Meals provides food for those who are homebound. The SCOA partnership is strong, but the partners still realize they need other community members to achieve the goal of reaching seniors’ needs. Intergenerational Connections Workshops came from a partnership with Wofford College. Students in a Gerontological Psychology class started leading activities at our community centers. The students were responsible for the lesson plan for that day’s activity. The students had dialogues with the seniors about historical events that they lived through. The students and seniors exchanged ideas; the seniors taught the students how to Jitterbug and the students taught the seniors The Wobble. Lifelong friendships were formed. Food insecurity and the need for transportation are two serious concerns for seniors. Through partnerships with Spartanburg Regional Transportation and CenterWell Senior Primary Care, we were able to transport participants at one community center to a food distribution event where they were able to leave with fresh fruit and vegetables that they could use immediately. Spartanburg County Parks Department realizes we cannot be the answer for everyone’s needs. Rather, we can be a resource and bring our skills to the table. Partnering with other organizations and/or municipalities is not about competing or overlapping opportunities, it is about filling our particular niche to solve problems. As Gary Busey pointed out, “TEAM: Together Everyone Achieves More.”
