Now, if some organization of middle- aged people takes a liking to Mankato ...
AARP The Magazine announced Monday that Mankato is one of nine cities nationwide to be featured in its upcoming edition of best places to live for seniors.
That announcement comes of the heels of the city being cited the past two years as one of the 100 best communities in the nation for young people to live, according to the organization America’s Promise.
“It reinforces what a lot of us feel that live here, that it is a great place to live for a lot of reasons,” said Jerry Crest, chairman of the board of the Greater Mankato Chamber of Commerce.
The annual list doesn’t put Mankato in AARP’s top-five places to live for people age 50 and older. Those spots went to Atlanta, Ga.; Boston; Chandler, Ariz.; Milwaukee, Wis.; and Portland, Ore.
But the magazine also lists four “cities to watch,” and Mankato was on that list along with Austin, Texas; Traverse City, Mich.; and Burlington, Vt.
“The cities we chose are ahead of the curve in providing services for empty nesters, active retirees and everyone in between,” said Steve Slon, editor of AARP The Magazine, which has 30 million readers, according to the statement released by Slon.
The magazine focuses on such community characteristics including quality health care, a wide range of housing options, the presence of sidewalks and bike trails and a mass- transit system.
The news release had this explanation for Mankato’s inclusion:
“Mankato was noted for its efforts to make the community a place where people of all ages want to live. They have a partnership with many medical centers and specialty clinics — including Rochester’s Mayo Clinic — that have helped Mankato become a regional hub for medical services.
“They have also started to promote lifecycle housing — for people who want to age in place -- and they recently revitalized their senior center to make it a more vibrant place for recreation and wellness.
“Through partnerships with programs like Faith in Action, the community comes together to help seniors stay in their own homes. Plus, as the home to Minnesota State University, Mankato has advanced educational opportunities for people of all ages.”
That gave Crest a second reason to feel good about the announcement. Crest is also chief administrative officer of Immanuel St. Joseph’s-Mayo Health System.
Crest said Mankato has had demonstrable improvements in recent years in both the range of care available locally and in the outcomes for patients. And he said the hospital has recruited specialists because of the quality of life.
Pam Determan, the director of VINE Faith in Action, was also pleased with the recognition for the city and for her organization’s efforts.
“As I’ve said before, ‘Mankato is an amazing community in which to live,’” said Determan, whose organization uses volunteers to help people to remain in their homes longer.
VINE has also taken on the challenge of revitalizing the Summit Center, the local senior center that had been struggling to attract members and financial support. Determan praises the community’s willingness to volunteer, its generosity when donations are needed and its ability to form partnerships among various institutions ranging from MSU to churches to local governments.
As for the absence of national recognition for Mankato’s attractiveness for middle- aged people, Crest isn’t worried.
If Mankato’s a great place for kids and it’s a top city for older folks, he figures the middle group — the parents of the kids and the children of the senior citizens — are probably fairly satisfied as well.
For more Free Press news go to www.mankatofreepress.com.
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