For millions of Americans over 50, traditional retirement lacks appeal or simply isn’t an option. Here in Tampa Bay, keeping that sizable population of baby boomers and seniors engaged and contributing to the community is vital for our region’s economic future and quality of life.
That’s why the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay and Encore Tampa Bay have teamed up to host NGAGE 2.0, an Encore Tampa Bay Town Hall event to explore the ways people 50+ can redefine retirement, find new purpose, and do meaningful work that enriches their lives and strengthens their communities.
The event also will highlight how the time, talent and experience of people in midlife and beyond can be tapped by nonprofits, business and government organizations to help solve the nation’s biggest social problems.
“Tampa Bay has the potential to become a regional model for maximizing the talents of our 50+ population, attracting more motivated encore entrepreneurs, and showing people of all generations how they can make meaningful contributions to their community,” said Marlene Spalten, CEO of the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay. “This will increase our desirability as a relocation destination, enhance our economic competitiveness and strengthen our social fabric.”
The event will take place on October 21, 2014 from 4:00– 7:00 pm at the Feather Sound Country Club.
Bevan Rogel, founder and president of Encore Tampa Bay, said many people are excited and terrified at the prospect of reinventing themselves or launching a new career or business at midlife.
“We’ve been raised to think that our lives have three chapters: growing up and getting an education; working and raising families; and retiring to live out our golden years,” Rogel said. “Now those so-called golden years can go on for decades. Today, many boomers are trying to figure out how to leverage their skills and strengths in new ways that meet their needs at this stage of their lives. There really isn’t a road map for this, so our goal is to work together to create one.”
The Town Hall event, which is open to all, will feature a keynote speech from Marci Alboher, an acclaimed author and New York Times columnist. Her book, The Encore Career Handbook, was described as “a practical, energizing and essential guide to rebooting midlife to find meaning and social purpose in your working life” by USA Today.
Alboher will discuss how the world of work is changing and how people over 50 are making a living and making a difference in their second half of life. Her presentation will be followed by a panel discussion featuring local individuals who have launched successful encore careers and representatives from local businesses and nonprofits that have used that encore talent to strengthen their own organizations.
Following the presentations, guests will be invited to mingle and connect with local encore resources and opportunities to help them generate ideas for shaping their next chapter.
Bevan Rogel, who founded Encore Tampa Bay in 2012, epitomizes the Encore movement. After more than 30 years in her profession, she felt burnt out and had lost her passion. By reading the work of Marc Freedman, founder of Encore.org, she discovered there were many people just like her who were struggling with the same loss of their sense of purpose.
She rediscovered hers in helping others to identify, retool, and connect to their own encore careers – and launched Encore Tampa Bay and the Encore Academy at The Greenhouse in partnership with the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce and the City of St. Petersburg, Florida to foster and nurture older entrepreneurs. She hosts a series of workshops that assist encore careerists to manage transitions, discover their strengths, navigate multigenerational workforce settings, tap into the power of social media, remove psychological barriers, and customize their own path toward entrepreneurship.
“Encore Tampa Bay’s goal is to build interest among Tampa Bay businesses, educational institutions and community organizations to support boomers and seniors as they launch new careers as volunteers, part time employees, and/or entrepreneurs,” Rogel continued. “In so doing, our region can build an entrepreneurial ecosystem and a vibrant, diverse workforce that draws upon the talents of workers of all ages.”
The NGAGE 2.0 Town Hall is also supported by AARP’s Life Reimagined, Eckerd College’s Division of Executive and Continuing Education, and The Greenhouse.
To learn more about the Encore Town Hall and register, visit https://encoretampabay.com/tampa-bay-encore-town-hall/.
About the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay
The Community Foundation of Tampa Bay has been growing philanthropy in the Tampa Bay region for nearly a quarter of a century. Across Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando counties, the Foundation works with donors to identify and support those initiatives and organizations that improve the quality of life in our community. The Foundation has awarded more than $160 million in grants since inception and has assets (2014) of $188 million. To learn more, please visit http://www.cftampabay.org.
About Encore Tampa Bay
Encore Tampa Bay helps Baby Boomers understand this exciting new stage of life development where anything is possible- all we need to do is be open and find our passion and purpose for the greater good. Our goal is to build an interest by Tampa Bay businesses, educational institutions and community organizations to support baby boomers and seniors as they launch their “Encore” careers as volunteers, part time employees, and/or entrepreneurs. Encore Tampa Bay is dedicated to engage leaders and organizations in creating a vision for an Encore Tampa Bay that benefits the individuals and the community at large.
Encore Tampa Bay is making a difference in the Tampa Bay community by connecting passionate, experienced, talented older adults to organizations that are in need of this level of expertise and experience.