AARP event to hit town

Vegas@50+ set for Oct. 22-24 at Sands Expo

AARP is so entrenched in the American lexicon that it doesn't have to be identified anymore as the American Association of Retired Persons, the world's largest member organization for people 50-plus. And many of those 50-plus members, around 25,000, will be coming to Las Vegas, Oct. 22-24, for Vegas@50+ -- AARP's annual, national event and expo. The three-day social networking event at the Sands Expo Center is for AARP members, their friends and families.

CB Wismar, vice president of events for AARP, said the organization has been around for 50 years and is reflective of a group that has evolved as members have evolved.

"AARP doesn't have a yearly convention, doesn't have any delegates, and there are no elections or representatives," he said. "We're strictly a membership organization, and this national event is open to members and those who want to become members. Right now, attendees are coming from all 50 states, Puerto Rico and Guam."

And when they get here, attendees will find an interactive, 360,000-square-foot exhibit floor with vendors offering information, products and services targeting the 50-plus demographic with new and future technologies, appliances, and travel and leisure destinations, along with lifestyle and education sessions, entertainment, and health and fitness classes. Among the speakers scheduled will be poet and historian Maya Angelou; television icons Norman Lear, Penny Marshall and George Takei; "TODAY Show" host Al Roker; CNN personality Soledad O'Brien; AARP Ambassadors James Brown, Martina Navratilova and Gail Sheehy; fashion designer Carmen Marc Valvo; and the founding mother of breast cancer advocacy, Dr. Susan Love. CBS News Travel Editor Peter Greenberg will discuss volunteering abroad in Peace Corp and AmeriCorps, and Navratilova will lead a Friday-morning exercise class.

Wismar said a variety of these themes are geared to help people get information that might assist them in making the right decisions as they redefine life after 50.

"We have a number of educational sessions, actually 64 of them," he said. "Attendees can become versed on a variety of topics, such as health and fitness, healthcare policy, financial security and care-giving just to name a few. The more we educate our members, the easier it is for them to make solid and strong decisions as they go through life. They need to know what's available to them and how they might choose to live their life or what opportunities there are during retirement."

Las Vegas continues to show a strong population base geared toward AARP membership. Deborah Jaquith, director of communications for the AARP Nevada state office in Las Vegas, said she had no trouble recruiting volunteers for the show.

"I needed 1,000 AARP members to work the event and I got them right away once the word got out," she said. "This is a strong market for us. I work with many of them on issues in the state legislature, such as the protection of senior services during budget cuts. There was also a 50-plus work force initiative discussed in Carson City that helps members take advantage of opportunities in the 21st-century job market."

One of the major scheduled entertainment events is Friday night when The Duke Ellington Orchestra, The Tito Puente Jr. Orchestra, The Zippers and Kool & The Gang all will perform during a giant dance party.

"It starts at 7 p.m. and the music is going to be non-stop," said Wismar. "Our folks want to have a good time, and there will be wall-to-wall music until the last person decides it's time to go home."

Admission to Vegas@50+ for AARP members is $25; $35 for nonmembers. The entry fee includes access to the exhibit floor, the exhibit floor performance stage, opening and closing shows, and educational sessions for all three days.

Tickets for the dance party and concerts are an additional fee. For information, visit www.aarp.org/events.

About AARP

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50-plus have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to political campaigns. AARP The Magazine is the voice for 50-plus Americans and is the world's largest-circulation magazine with more than 35.5 million readers, while AARP Segunda Juventud is the only bilingual U.S. publication dedicated exclusively to the 50-plus Hispanic community. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity with support from thousands of volunteers, donors and sponsors. AARP has staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.