I hope that when I become an “older adult,” I will still be going strong. Stronger than ever, perhaps, launching into a second chapter full of adventure and new insights.
Many people are doing just that nowadays, and there’s an award to honor the most remarkable among them. The Purpose Prize, whose 2009 winners have just been announced, is dedicated to supporting those who “are taking matters into their own hands and fashioning a new vision of the second half of life.” The Prize is an initiative of Civic Ventures, a think tank addressing the subjects of boomers, work and social purpose.
The winners are people who are putting their lifetimes of experience and skills to good and noble uses. As the Prize Web site puts it: “Unwilling to stuff envelopes or go off quietly to the sidelines, thousands of innovators in their 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond are combining their creativity and experience to address big social problems.”
Here’s a peek at the big winners, who will each receive $100,000:
- Elizabeth and Stephen Alderman, both 68, from Bedford, NY, who travel the world treating victims of terrorism in memory of their son who was killed in the September 11 attacks.
- Judith Broder, 69, from Studio City, Calif., who rallies psychiatrists like herself to offer free counseling to soldiers, veterans and military families.
- Don Coyhis, 66, of Colorado Springs, Colo., who built on Native American traditions to build a nationwide substance abuse recovery program.
- Henry Liu, 73, of Columbia, Miss., who uses his engineering skills to make bricks out of a by-product of coal-fired power generation.
- Tim Will, 61, of Rutherfordton, NC, who brought broadband Internet access to Rutherford County and founded a Web site that connects local farmers with restaurants in Charlotte.
Another group of five winners receive $50,000. Do you know someone over 60 who deserves this kind of honor? Nominations are being accepted for the 2010 prize.