Older Persons Action Group Holds First Annual Folk Festival at Anchorage Library

Hundreds of people enjoyed a performance by storyteller Jack Dalton and took in an Alaska Native fashion show, but the events weren’t limited to the library.

Tools

By Kirsten Swann

Story Created: Sep 26, 2011 at 9:17 AM AKDT

Story Updated: Sep 26, 2011 at 9:17 AM AKDT

They call themselves the Older Persons Action Group: an organization devoted to serving all of Alaska’s elderly, regardless of culture.

"We've had programs in Samoan and Spanish and Tagalong, Hmong, and computer classes being taught by bilingual instructors,” said Ray Clements, the group’s executive director.

The organization also publishes the award-winning newspaper Senior Voice, and provides services from social outreach to multilingual workshops on a variety of topics.

"We've also had Medicare outreach workers doing the same,” Clements said, “providing information for elders whose first language is not English.”

Saturday, they held their first annual Multicultural Folk Festival at the Z.J. Loussac Public Library.

It was a chance for Alaskans young and old to browse arts and crafts booths and enjoy music and dance demonstrations.

Hundreds of people enjoyed a performance by storyteller Jack Dalton and took in an Alaska Native fashion show, but the events weren’t limited to the library.

OPAG also spearheads a number of multilingual and other outreach programs throughout the year, because at the end of the day, Clements said it’s about honoring our elders, no matter what their culture.

Add a comment

Name:

Comment: 1000 Characters Left

KTVA CBS 11 | Anchorage, Alaska News and Weather and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the above comments or other interaction among the users. We reserve the right to screen, refuse to post, remove or edit user-generated content at any time and for any or no reason in our absolute and sole discretion without prior notice, although we have no duty to do so or to monitor any Public Forum.
This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.