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Villa Park senior commission tables senior fair, approves directory project and commits to community outreach
Summary
Commission members agreed to table the senior fair for further planning, approved creating a senior concerns directory as a 2026 project, and voted to host a Senior Concerns Commission table at Villa Park Fest; staff liaison Janet will coordinate outreach and vendor contacts.
At the Village of Villa Park Senior Concerns Commission meeting Feb. 2, commissioners reviewed several old‑business items and set next steps: they tabled the senior fair to permit staff to check facility availability and return with proposed dates, approved a senior concerns directory as a prioritized 2026 project, and approved having a commission table at the annual Villa Park Fest.
One commissioner reported contact with Willowbrook District 88 and said a planning meeting to discuss an 'adopt a grandparent' or 'adopt a senior' program is scheduled this week at Willowbrook High School and that the group is exploring youth partnerships (Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts) and recognition ideas such as tassels or patches for participants.
On the senior volunteer recognition item, staff liaison Janet said the commission has not actively run a 'Senior Volunteer of the Year' program in her six to seven years on the job and that past occurrences appeared to have been organized by outside groups. Commissioners agreed it may take time to build a nomination base if the commission were to run it and decided to keep the idea under consideration.
The senior fair — last held approximately five to six years ago and traditionally in May — was discussed in detail (vendors, senior living facility participation, typical weekday morning schedule). Commissioners determined that organizing a May fair on short notice would be difficult; they voted to table agenda item 5C to the March meeting (March 2) so staff can present available facility dates and vendor outreach results.
Commissioners also agreed to place a Senior Concerns Commission table at Villa Park Fest when the festival date is announced and discussed options for a senior spot in village communications (the quarter‑mailed Village Matters newsletter versus a monthly manager 'village roundup' email). Staff (Riley referenced) will follow up with details on newsletter schedules and options for a blurb about the commission’s activities.
A motion to make the senior concerns directory a formal project for 2026 passed on a roll call vote. Janet said she maintains a newsletter database of roughly 328 contacts that could be used to solicit opt‑in entries for the directory and suggested using SALT meetings and other events as outreach opportunities.
