Zion Park Manor
5939 180 St. V3S 4L2 Surrey, BC, Canada

"Speak your mind even if your voice shakes." -- Maggie Kuhn Today in Mighty Girl history, Maggie Kuhn, social activist and founder of the Gray Panthers, was bor...n in 1905. After being forced into retirement on her 65th birthday, Kuhn banded together with other retirees to form the Gray Panthers in 1970. The social action group focused on issues affecting older Americans including eliminating mandatory retirement ages, nursing home reform, and fighting ageism, as well as other pressing social issues such as poverty, peace and civil liberties. Born in Buffalo, New York, Kuhn was engaged in social activism throughout her life. In the 1930s and 40s, she taught classes to women on a variety of issues and caused controversy by addressing topics related to human sexuality including the mechanics of birth control, sex, and pregnancy. During the 1950s and 60s, she worked for the Presbyterian Church and her visits to Presbyterian retirement homes first sparked her interest in issues affecting the elderly. Through her work with the Gray Panthers, she countered the then-popular "disengagement theory," which argued old age involves a necessary separation from society, and often criticized nursing homes, calling them "glorified playpens." To provide an alternative model for elderly living, Kuhn founded the National Shared Housing Resource Center to help connect people interested in shared housing arrangements. Kuhn herself shared her home in Philadelphia with younger adults who paid lower rent in exchange for their help with chores and their companionship. She passed away at the age of 89 in 1995. To introduce tweens and teens to 26 feminists who transformed America, check out the new release "Rad American Women A-Z: Rebels, Trailblazers, and Visionaries Who Shaped Our History...And Our Future!" for ages 10 and up at http://www.amightygirl.com/rad-american-women-a-z For more stories of inspiring girls and women who worked to change the world, visit our Activist section in Biographies at http://www.amightygirl.com/boo/history-biography/biography For many Mighty Girls, the closest relationship with seniors is with their grandparents -- to discover Mighty Girl stories that celebrate this special bond, check out our blog post "Mighty Girls and their Grandparents: Stories for Celebrating Grandparents' Day" at http://www.amightygirl.com/blog/?p=4449 And, for Mighty Girl stories for children and teens that explore issues of justice, visit our "Fairness & Justice" section at http://www.amightygirl.com/boo/personal-development/values

Olivia de Havilland, 104 years old and still riding her bike to the store every day. today is her birthday. 104 years old.

When it comes to time, our culture wants us to believe that it has less value as the days go by, but that’s backwards! We aren’t made to withdraw from life as we get older. We’re made to lean into it. To be bold, to take risks and to contiually work to better ourselves and the world around us. Here’s more from Growing Bolder CEO Marc Middleton.

Our Zion Park Manor staff showing support for the staff at Langley Lodge during this difficult time.