Communities For A Lifetime

Walton County, Freeport, DeFuniak Springs, Paxton; all these are part of a local effort of a state initiative called Communities for a Lifetime. You might remember the reports on First News, but what is this initiative?

Communities for a Lifetime is a statewide initiative, begun in 1999, that assists Florida cities, towns and counties in planning and implementing improvements that benefit their residents, youthful or elder. Communities use existing resources and state technical assistance to make improvements in housing, health care, transportation, accessibility, business partnerships, community education, employment, volunteer opportunities and recreation.

The goal is to help Florida communities become better places for elders to live, providing all

residents the opportunity to contribute to the betterment of their communities. The ongoing process of self assessment and improvement can help a community achieve the following goals:

·        To create an inventory of services and opportunities that promote the independence and quality of life for older adults in the community.

·        To initiate partnerships to promote the development of senior friendly community amenities.

Communities for a Lifetime helps children grow and prosper and provides seniors an opportunity to remain independent in their communities. Caregivers for those of any age then receive the support they need and elders are enabled to age in place with dignity, security and purpose.

Individuals, communities, governments and businesses benefit by:

·        Coordination of transportation, community planning, universal home designs and neighborhood interaction

·        Improved physical and mental health of residents through better access to social interaction, recreation, increased activity levels

·        Effective community planning and design, encouraging mixed-use development and co-locating the places where people live, work, learn, shop and play.

·        Partnerships created during the evaluation process can maximize existing funding and resources.

The purpose of this initiative is to assist local elected officials, community leaders and residents in working together to plan the most effective use of existing funding to achieve Communities for a Lifetime goals and benefits.

Locally you can get more information about the Walton effort of the Communities For A Lifetime from their website, http://www.waltonseniors.com/ with a link on our website, http://www.wzep1460.com.

We have been updating you on the current Walton Habitat for Humanity home they are trying to complete before Christmas. They now report the sheetrock finishers have completed their work and the house looks great!

Habitat says the next two Saturdays will make or break their objective of getting the Hager's into their home for Christmas. 

By the 29th of November they need to the base painting completed with the cabinets installed so the plumbers, electricians, and HVAC folks can get in to finish the house.  They realize this is right in the middle of the Thanksgiving Holiday, but they need help.

SATURDAY 11/22/08 @ 8am

• Hang interior doors
• Install molding
• Install window sills
• Caulk to prepare for painting
• Clean the floor
• Cover windows for painting
• Install and prime finish molding on front porch

SATURDAY 11/29/08 @ 8am

• Install kitchen and bathroom cabinets
• Rehang interior doors
• Install wire shelves in storage and closet areas
• Finish molding work on front porch

The directions are based on the intersection of Highway 90 and Highway 331 in DeFuniak Springs FL.

From the DeFuniak Springs intersection of Highway 90 and U.S. 331 north, go north on 331, 2.4 miles to Oak Ridge Road, on your right. You will see a small brick wall on the edge of the road which has some lettering on it that once said "Juniper Lakes Estates". There will be a house on the left side of the road that has a blue tin roof and a small yellow house behind the brick wall. Turn right onto Oak Ridge Road and go 1.6 miles following the road around all the curves. You will see the tan storage container on the left side of the road.