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What
Better Legacy to Leave Than as a Mentor for Kids?
January 20, 2005, L.A. News
By
DENNIS MCCARTHY
If
the Greatest Generation saved the world, what
are their kids -- the Baby Boom Generation --
going down in history for? Busting Social Security?
Not much of a legacy for a generation that was
better educated and had greater opportunities
than their parents. But there's still time to
change things.
The Greatest Generation earned its reputation
young. Maybe we'll earn ours as seniors. The first
wave of boomers are turning 60, and according
to the actuarial charts we've got a pretty good
shot at living to age 83.
Say most boomers retire at 65 or 66, that still
leaves 18 or 19 years of doing what? Playing golf
and tennis? Gardening, traveling, watching TV,
volunteering?
Sure,
why not. We earned it. But maybe we boomers should
be thinking about adding one more activity to
retirement that could make us known for something
besides being the generation that busted Social
Security.
How
about the generation that reached back to enrich
young minds?
In case you missed it, President George W. Bush
signed a proclamation on Jan. 12 designating January
as National Mentoring Month.
"One
mentor can change a life forever," the president
said.
Not a bad legacy to leave our grandkids. The generation
that retired and went back to work to change a
life forever.
Why not? We've got the experience and the smarts,
according to the Harvard School of Public Health.
It recently released a report saying there was
an "unprecedented opportunity" on the
horizon to mobilize millions of baby boomers as
community volunteers and mentors as the demands
of work and family they faced in mid-life recede.
That's millions of young lives the Baby Boom Generation
can touch and change for the better. Now that's
a legacy.
If you're interested in getting started in mentoring,
log on to www.mentoring.org
for a list of mentoring programs that need volunteers.
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