Out East Neighborhood Network Hosting Informational Session At South Fork Natural History Museum

As we get older, it can become more challenging to meet new people.

South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO) is hosting an introduction to Out East Neighborhood Network (OENN), “a virtual community of older adults supporting one another in leading active, interesting lives as they ‘age-in-place’ in their own home and in their own communities at the eastern end of Long Island New York,” on Saturday, January 11 at 11 a.m. Dr. Nancy Peppard, Ph.D., Forensic Gerontologist and Founder of Out East Neighborhood Network, as well as members of the South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO) team will lead the program.

The membership organization was created to connect those that want to make new acquaintances and experience enriching activities such as educational lectures and workshops, volunteering opportunities, foodie outings and wine tastings, exceptional theater productions, museums, and amazing restaurants, and even travel adventures – locally, regionally, and abroad. Members also gather to take part in games, fitness regiments, writing exercises, book groups, fishing, participate in reading programs for children in local schools and libraries, and much more.

“We are very pleased to have a wonderful volunteer, who decided, after retirement, that he wanted to learn more about his interest in marine aquaculture, so he volunteers each Wednesday with our marine tanks and is a great help to us,” Carol Crasson, SOFOs Director of Education and Communications, explained.

The event at SoFo will cover ways to champion intergenerational interaction and program-development, volunteerism, and more.

OENN, a 501(c)(3), was established by Dr. Peppard in 2018. It is part of the international Village-to-Village movement. The organization’s mission is “to assist people to actively age-in-place in their own home free of the fear of eventually being placed in a congregate care facility, i.e., assisted living or nursing home, as they become less active with advanced age or chronic illness,” while its goal “is to support people with a wide array of community and volunteer-based services to age-in-place, in their own homes and in the community they value and love surrounded by family and friends, their cherished belongings, as well as the comfort of their beloved pets.”

“It would be great to have more seniors involved doing things they can enjoy, while contributing to the community,” Crasson added.

There is no fee to attend this event, however advance registration is requested.

The South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO) is located at 377 Bridgehampton/Sag Harbor Turnpike in Bridgehampton. For more information about the event, call 631-537-9735 or visit sofo.org. For more information about Out East Neighborhood Network, visit www.outeastneighborhoodnetwork.org.