Commission proposes intergenerational conference in Carmel for mid-October; keynote invitation extended

The Carmel Commission on Senior Living proposed an intergenerational conference for mid-October and has tentatively invited Rabbi Steve Leder to serve as keynote, the commission chair said at the June 24 meeting.

The chair described the event—working title “intergenerational connection conference”—as a mix of keynote presentations, breakout sessions that pair seniors with younger participants, hands-on demonstrations and evaluation activities. “I’d like to have a lot of our young people,” the chair said, explaining the aim of two-way learning and engagement.

Logistics discussed included registration, marketing and volunteer coordination. The chair said Dave Sanders will lead registration and marketing activities using last year’s attendee lists; she told members that last year’s attendance was about 175 and that sponsorships covered much of the cost. Proposed dates are Oct. 16 or Oct. 23, but the final date depends on a yet-to-be-confirmed partner organization and the speaker’s availability.

The commission discussed keeping the conference free for seniors; the chair said the group typically provides coffee and lunch at no charge and maintains a small sponsorship fund carried over from previous years. The chair also proposed participating with a parade float on the Fourth of July as outreach to raise awareness of the conference and the commission’s work.

Next steps: The chair said she will notify members by email if the partner and speaker are confirmed and asked commissioners to sign up for marketing, volunteer coordination, contract review and on-site planning. No formal commitments or contractual approvals were recorded at the meeting.

Context: The proposal is part of the commission’s broader AARP-aligned action plan and is intended to increase cross-generational engagement and awareness of local senior services.