The United Way of Weld County is seeking participants to offer opinions on the next phase of the area's AARP Age-Friendly Community planning process.

The UWWC will host public listening sessions Oct. 26, 28, Nov. 1 and 4 at three locations in Greeley and one location in Evans. The Oct. 26 session will be presented in Spanish.

The schedule of the listening sessions are as follows:

6 p.m., Oct. 26 at CBOCES offices, 2020 Clubhouse Dr. in Greeley; 5:30 p.m., Oct. 28 at the Evans Recreation Center, 1100 37th St. in Evans; 10 a.m. Nov. 1 at the Greeley Family FunPlex, 1501 65th Ave. in Greeley; and 2 p.m., Nov. 4 at the Greeley Recreation Center, 651 10th Ave. in Greeley.

Recently the communities of Evans, Garden City, and Greeley joined the AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities. These cities have decided to make the needs of older adults a priority for strategic planning, neighborhood improvements, and when thinking about the goals of the community as a whole, according to a news release from the United Way of Weld County

While a recent survey provided a range of responses, hearing directly from community members of all ages is a key part of the becoming an age-friendly community.

"As a community becomes more welcoming and easier to access for older individuals, it becomes more accessible and welcoming for all ages," said Jim Riesberg, a Greeley resident and advocate for the well-being of older adults, in the news release. "The more we hear from the community, the more responsive we can be in addressing areas of need and making Weld County a place where everyone can live well as they age. Please come out to these sessions and share your thoughts on what makes a community a great place to live."

Registration is not required to attend. Meeting dates, times and locations are at www.unitedway-weld.org/age-friendly along with a way to let United Way staff know that you will be participating in a session.

If you would like to participate but are unable to attend a session, there is a link on the registration page to offer your thoughts. The survey results, other data sources, and a summary of the listening sessions will be provided to the community. The information learned will be used to write action plans to guide community efforts.

If you are interested in helping with the development of action plans, please contact Jazz Garrison at JGarrison@UnitedWay-Weld.org or 970-353-4300.