BETHEL — Are you an older adult in the Bethel Area? Or maybe you have a loved one or friend who is committed to our community and wants to remain here as long as possible. And it’s likely you’re one of many community members who participated in the Heart & Soul Program and voiced your love of your community: the small-town feel, the way neighbors pull together, the richness of life in this beautiful environment.

Let’s carry all these sentiments a bit further.

The Bethel Area Nonprofit Collaborative and the Age-Friendly Community Initiative invite you to “Listen to your Elders” on Wednesday, May 15, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Crescent Park School. We want all voices at the table. We’ll celebrate our community and put our heads together to continue developing a community livable for all ages. We know that there are many players hard at work to create such a community, and we know their effectiveness will be increased if citizens support their efforts to collaborate.  Help us celebrate all that is already happening and the creation of new opportunities.

Join your fellow community members in this important conversation! We’ve arranged for free childcare with Mahoosuc Kids Association at the school. You must RSVP so the staff can prepare adequately; to do so and for more information, email mka@sad44.org.

To request a free AFCI ride for people over 60 from Bethel, Gilead, Greenwood, Hanover, Newry or Woodstock, call 824-4444 before May 10. Others may request a ride by calling 357-3189, or  email AmyScott@bethelmainenonprofits.org.

A free supper will be provided, and we also welcome additional potluck items. It is not required, but if you wish, bring a ready-to-serve dish to share (no oven or kitchen will be available). There will be a short sign-in process before we begin, so – especially if you are bringing children and/or a supper dish – plan to arrive a little early.

For more information, call Catherine Ingraham at 590-0541.