June 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 10

EDITOR' S LETTER
The Need for Human Interaction
Transcends Age
Yoshiko Tanaka Miwa was barely 4 years old living with her family in
a small town in California when the 1918 influenza pandemic infected
nearly 33 percent of the global population (tinyurl.com/4bt5hvf8). By
the time the coronavirus (COVID-19) spiraled into a full-fledged global
health crisis in March 2020, Miwa was well into her centenarian years.
As a second-generation Japanese American who has overcome
her share of adversity and struggles throughout the decades, including
losing her mother at an early age, being sent to a Japanese internment
camp during World War II and surviving two worldwide
pandemics, Miwa finds resolve and perseverance in gaman - a
Japanese term meaning " enduring the seemingly unbearable with patience
and dignity, " according to her son, Alan Miwa, in an interview
with TODAY.com (tinyurl.com/24xuecze).
On February 28, 2024, Miwa's family and friends celebrated her
110th birthday. What's her secret to a long life? She maintains strong connections to her family,
friends and church - along with an active lifestyle. In fact, when " ...Miwa retired, she'd walk
four miles each morning, " according to TODAY.com (tinyurl.com/24xuecze). These days, however,
she prefers reading, flower arranging, sewing and engaging in Japanese ink art, called sumi-e.
" I've been fortunate that my sons, my grandchildren, my great-grandchildren and relatives have
always been there for me, " she told the news outlet. Miwa's lived experiences confirm what park
and recreation professionals learned from the COVID-19 pandemic: human interaction is critical
to our overall mental health and well-being no matter your age. What's more, cultivating and encouraging
intergenerational connections through recreation programming can help to minimize
social isolation and loneliness, especially among those who don't have family.
Authors Nancy Baum and Samantha Ochoa support this notion in the article, " From Gen
Alpha to the Greatest Generation, " on page 38. As they point out, " ...intergenerational programming
has helped to bridge a social gap and provide extremely positive benefits to all participants
involved. From tutoring students in schools to assisting with job readiness, creating cultural
awareness and connection, and, most importantly, finding common ground in personal experiences,
intergenerational programs are making headway in communities across the United States. "
Furthermore, park and recreation professionals are well-positioned to lead the way in combatting
isolation and loneliness by closing generational gaps and fostering social connections that
could result in healthier outcomes for all.
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Kristine Stratton
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AND ENGAGEMENT OFFICER
Clarissa Garcia
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Vitisia Paynich
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DEVELOPMENT OFFICER EASTERN
REGION AND EUROPE
Paul Semple
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Melissa Hunter
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PHOTOGRAPHY
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images) or NRPA
(unless otherwise noted)
VITISIA " VI " PAYNICH
Executive Editor
Director, Print and Online Content
MAGAZINE ADVISORY
BOARD MEMBERS
Roslyn Johnson, CPRP - Chair
Neelay Bhatt
Anthony-Paul Diaz
Ryan Eaker
Kathleen Gibi
Paul Gilbert, CPRP
Tim Herd, CPRE
Denise Johnson-Caldwell
Michele Lemons
Sarah Lisiecki
Sam Mendelsohn
Maria Nardi
Lisa Paradis, CPRP
Paula Sliefert
Shonnda Smith, CPRP, AFO
Ronnetta Spalding
Anne-Marie Spencer
Stephen Springs
Amelia Storer
10 Parks & Recreation | JUNE 2 0 2 4 | PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G
http://tinyurl.com/4bt5hvf8 http://www.CreativeByDesign.net http://www.TODAY.com http://tinyurl.com/24xuecze http://www.TODAY.com http://tinyurl.com/24xuecze
June 2024 – Parks & Recreation

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