"Voices Of The Elders" Project Unmasks Creativity, Significance and Common Ground for DayElders...

MINNEAPOLIS -- In America today, older adults are not always respected and participants of the community and are often ignored, isolated and even victimized.

"Voices of the Elders" is a project that hopes to challenge common perceptions of aging and expose elders as viable, creative, contributing

members of the community. Funded by a COMPAS Community Art program grant from the McKnight Foundation, the program will engage a group of approximately twenty seniors from the Volunteers of America of Minnesota Hmong DayElders program and North DayElders program in both words and mixed media sculpture.

Visual artist, Jennifer Kunin, is responsible for guiding DayElders participants through the process of mask making, which involves sculpting in clay, plaster casting, painting and mixed media for decoration, to help seniors to reveal their inner essences. Additionally, participants will have an opportunity to rediscover the value of their backgrounds and share their experiences, hopes and dreams through composition of a poetic piece to accompany their masks guided by literary artist, Beth Kilde.

The "Voices of the Elders" workshop sessions take place on Mondays through May 7 from 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m. at the Hmong DayElders room located in North Oaks Assisted Living, 2929 Emerson Ave. N., Minneapolis, MN 55411. Between April 23 and May 7, DayElders seniors will be painting, decorating and putting the finishing touches on their masks.

An exhibition featuring "Voices of the Elders" artwork and composition begins on Tuesday, May 22 with an opening from noon to 2:00 p.m. at the Sumner Library, 611 Emerson Ave. N., Minneapolis, MN 55411.

"During the introductory workshop, the DayElders seniors shared stories of the past. They talked about their childhood struggles. Many grew up in countries experiencing war and violence. Many told how they lost family members and how greater responsibilities were put on them at a very young age," reported Laura Campbell, DayElders Manager for Volunteers of America of Minnesota. "When one woman described her experience as a refugee from Liberia, participants from Laos identified with her grief, as well as her determination to prevail. Through the use of a translator, these seniors were able to gain mutual understanding of one another's experiences and shared many tears. They found that even though they came from different cultures, spoke different languages and had different histories, they were alike in many ways," Campbell said.

About Volunteers of America of Minnesota

The Volunteers of America of America DayElders programs offer care and a variety of activities for older adults, age 55 or more, who typically have limitations of mobility, stamina and/or cognitive functioning. The program offers a safe, culturally appropriate environment to support the physical, emotional and spiritual well-being of participating seniors.

Volunteers of America of Minnesota is a non-profit organization that provides a wide variety of services for more than 35,000 children and their families, students, adults with special needs, youth and adult ex-offenders and seniors each year. As one of the oldest, largest and most comprehensive social service organizations in the state, Volunteers of America of Minnesota's mission is to provide opportunities that make a significant, lasting impact in the lives of its program participants. For more information, call (763) 225-4074, or visit http://www.voamn.org.