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program is to get the participants out
into the world — on an emotional
plane as well as the social. "One of
the things I hope to do in the future
is be able to take people and not only
move them on but move them out .. .
It'd be nice if we'd move them out of
the SPACE office, if we continue to get
the support we have. If we continue to
have the involvement we have, I could
foresee down the road taking other
trips, such as to plays, museums, such
as perhaps, if we have enough involve-
ment, a weekend trip. Why not? These •
are all possibilities.
The Moving On program started
about six months ago, a joint effort of
Kellman and SPACE clients who re-
quested the program. The clients
formed a committee, brought ideas to
Kellman and the group was on its
way. One program attracted more
than 100 persons, others have at-
tracted 80 or 20. Kellman said finan-
cial programs seem to draw less than
programs dealing with emotional
health. "People want to be emotional-
ly connected, rather than financially
connected," he said.
Sol Kroll, Marianne Wildstrom
and Bluma Stark have all made con-
nections via Moving On. Kroll, a
widower with no children, has made
a few male friends and has met many
women. "I surprised myself," he said,
remarking that he found he could
talk to women on a variety of subjects.
Wildstrom, a widow with two
children and four grandchildren,
"met some lovely people in our
group." She said participating in the
group is a positive experience. "It
shows we can conduct our lives on our
own, that we have value in our lives
. . . There comes a time when you
have to move on, put the past behind
you and go on with other things."
For Stark, Moving On fulfilled a
need in her life. "We felt there was a
need for our age group especially on
weekends. Sometimes our children
are busy and we can't be with them
on weekends!' A widow and mother
of five and grandmother of four, Stark
said she too, had made many friends
through the group and would recom-
mend that others in the over-50 group
SPACE Executive Director Rick
Kellman addresses the audience.
who are without spouses join as well.
An activity that will happen this
Sunday is another program in the
Strategies for the Second Half of Life
series. Theme of the day's program is
"Risking Change;' and the guest
speaker will be Dr. Maxine Mays, ad-
junct professor of special education at
Oakland University and former direc-
tor of special education at the Oak
Park School District. The meeting
will be at 2:30 p.m. in the SPACE of-
fices, 30233 Southfield, Suite 100,
Southfield. Admission is nominal.
The "Strategies" program is the
brainchild of a SPACE "graduate;'
May Berkley, who now serves as a
facilitator for the service. Before
bringing the program to SPACE, she
had conducted it at Oakland Com-
munity College, where she was
employed.
Stark and Wildstrom would like
more people to come into the group to
help with arrangements and offer
ideas for programming. Kroll would
like to see more men get involved. So
would Kellman.
"In this age group the number of
women to men is greater;' Kellman
said, adding that SPACE is making a
concerted effort to bring more men in-
to the program. Men are getting per-
sonal invitations and the word is be-
ing spread through other organiza-
tions in which men hold membership.
According to Kellman, the
greatest need of people in this age
group is "to fill their time with things
that help them feel good" and he
hopes that that is what Moving On
will accomplish.
"I would like people to be able to
come to this program and leave at the -
end of the day and say 'I had fun, I
made a friend, I connected with
somebody, perhaps I grew a little bit,
but underlying all that I had a good
day, I feel better than I did when I
came in! Because that's really what
this whole helping field is all about
— people feeling better. If people walk
out feeling better they're going to
come back!"
According to Kellman the group is
not for airing complaints. He em-
phasizes over and over the objective
is fun. And as long as Moving On can
continue providing these programs,
there's no doubt that people will keep
coming back. 111
Dr. Marla Rowe Gorosh talks about "Wellness" at the April meeting.
85