Dear Editor:

It was refreshing to read Bill Kennedy’s article in your ‘Opinion’ page on March 3 (‘Much here to lift out spirits.” I also appreciated his invitation to add to his list of reasons for choosing to live in LaGrange.

During my 40-year career my wife and I lived in metropolitan areas such as Memphis, Atlanta and Dallas. We also had the interesting experience of living in central New Jersey, just 40 miles from New York City. We loved every location and still keep in touch with friends in those areas. Following retirement we had the opportunity to choose where to reside. We are pleased that we chose LaGrange for the reasons pointed out by Bill Kennedy, but there are others even more meaningful to us.

Church life is important to us and strong churches abound here. My wife and I found almost unlimited opportunities for fellowship and service through the Senior Adult Ministry of our church. In our community. She is a volunteer at our excellent Hospice facility and I have enjoyed my volunteer experience at Callaway Gardens as well as with the Chattahoochee Council, Boy Scouts of America. Currently I have the privilege of serving as a volunteer at our recently renovated Troup County Archives. The point of our mentioning this is that most retirees want to be actively involved in significant service and LaGrange offers a wide array of choices.

We prefer brief ‘Letters to the Editor’ so I close with this thought. As our city leaders continue to plan and prepare for the future it is my hope that they will make a concerted effort to attract retirees to our great community. Older adults now make up the fastest growing segment of population in our country. We have much to offer them now, but as we grow there will be a need for housing that is more suitable for older adults. This means more one-level homes, senior adult friendly homes and possibly a ‘gated’ community.

You are appreciated,

Jackson L. Grady

Village Drive