Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) gave an impassioned speech to over 300 Vermonters on a rainy Saturday afternoon on June 25, 2011. The Senator told the crowd that Vermont seniors need help and support and that he is attempting to address those needs by strengthening Social Security benefits and reducing the federal budget without sacrificing senior support service programs.

At Senator Bernie Sanders’ June 25 town meeting on senior citizen issues, Rick Bugbee of Vermont Associates invited seniors to join the ONE AWAY campaign by sharing their stories of economic struggle.

As a partner in the One Away campaign, I was fortunate to be able to participate in the town meeting, where the Senator’s staff allowed Vermont Associates for Training and Development, Inc. to have a table. At our table, seniors could view the One Away website, pick up materials about the campaign and leave with a pen and pin (they were hot items!). But most importantly, being at the table allowed me the opportunity to talk to Vermont seniors about their economic struggles. I spent over an hour telling Vermont seniors about the One Away campaign, giving them valuable information to leave with, and asking them to share their stories.

I listened as one woman told me she had moved to VT about 8 years ago to retire and now she was having to move because she couldn’t afford the states property taxes, stating to me “if I stay in VT, I will have to sell my house and where will I live?”

Another gentleman talked about his mother being in a nursing home because she has Alzheimer’s disease. He tearfully said he cannot find any services to help him pay for his mother’s care. He figures in two months, he will have to sell his house and become homeless to pay his mothers expenses. He is willing to make that sacrifice.

Before long, I was mentally exhausted from the stories I heard from Vermonters who are literally One Away. I urged seniors to share their stories on the One Away website and to talk with Senator Sanders and other legislators about their struggles. I told them that those are the people that can bring change.

I was also very fortunate to also get two Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) participants to give video testimonials about their experiences with SCSEP. They clearly stated that without that program, they’d be in dire straits economically and socially. Ah, clear testimony stating that SCSEP is helping Vermont seniors. The Older Americans Act must be reauthorized!

After hearing stories of struggle from older adults, the Senator took to the stage for a Q&A session with a panel of distinguished guests. On the Senator’s panel was Kathleen Otte, Region 1 Administrator of AoA, who spoke about the importance of reauthorizing the Older Americans Act, the country’s premier legislation for senior services.

Pat Elmer, President of Vermont Associates, and I also spoke briefly. Pat discussed the value of SCSEP and described how it helps seniors get back into the workforce. I discussed our efforts in the One Away campaign, educating the crowd and panelists that this campaign gives seniors a chance to tell their stories of economic struggle and help bring about policy change. I urged them, if they hadn’t already, to find me after the town meeting to see if I could help them. The Senator thanked Pat and I for our comments.

It was a busy and productive day. By the time I left, I had educated individuals about the campaign, collected written and video testimonials, heard many stories of Vermont seniors who need help, and together with my Vermont Associates colleagues, made important comments to the Senator about SCSEP and the One Away campaign. A good day, indeed!

Rick Bugbee is the Director of Training and Program Operations at Vermont Associates for Training and Development, Inc.