Myron Wollin, secretary for the group, said in a phone interview that the organization is working in coordination with other groups— such as the California Alliance for Retired Americans and the Senior Citizen Advisory Commission— to get more people involved in elderly issues.
“It’s one of the largest growing demographics in the country,” Wollin said about seniors— a population that consisted of 41.4 million people, according to July 2011 statistics from the United States Census Bureau.
The group is part of a larger chain known as the National Organization of Gray Panthers. Wollin said the Long Beach faction has been active for roughly 30 years, adding that there are multiple chapters of its kind throughout the country.
The Gray Panthers convene on the first Saturday of each month at the Long Beach Senior Center, 1150 E. 4th St., which features guest speakers and discussion on issues impacting seniors.
The group meets as part of its educational platform, according to Wollin.
Part of the “revitalization” process of the Long Beach Gray Panthers is to move beyond just being educational.
The group recently released a press release touting that the Gray Panthers are “back” — a sign of the new direction the organization is heading.
“The idea of us being ‘back’ is the idea of us moving toward being an activist organization instead of just an educational organization,” Wollin said. “There are new members. You could imagine, in the Gray Panthers, people leave— they become old, and they leave. And now new members come in, and I am part of that new movement of trying to reinvigorate.”
The Long Beach Gray Panthers work in coordination with other groups in the area to discuss senior problems, such as housing and Social Security.
The Gray Panthers collaborate with tenant organizations in order to host meetings and actively address the issues of housing, for example.
In October, the organization will host a representative of Social Security Works, a group involved in expanding and protecting Social Security on a national level, at its monthly meeting.
The Long Beach Gray Panthers also place an emphasis on baby boomers, a population in the country that age and become seniors every day, Wollin said.
Karen Reside, a community activist who is affiliated with the Long Beach Gray Panthers, said there is a need for elderly citizens to call for even more resources as a result of the ever-growing senior population.
“Seniors are active and engaged in what is going on in the community,” Reside said in an email interview. “We need to organize those that want to participate in advocating for their own needs.”
Reside focuses on educating seniors in the community in order to ensure they get adequate, healthful support. She said organizing collaborations with groups, such as the Senior Citizen Advisory Commission, makes a productive impact on the elderly population.
“Seniors have an untapped wealth of knowledge to share with the community,” Reside said. “Finding a way to capture that knowledge can move our city in a positive direction faster— more effectively and efficiently… By helping seniors, we help everyone in creating a more livable city.”
She added that seniors can receive more information by emailing longbeachgraypanthers@gmail.com. A website for the Long Beach Gray Panthers is still in the works, Reside said.
Wollin is also the liaison for the National Council of Gray Panther Networks, a coordinated system in which Gray Panther groups throughout the country exchange ideas and take positions on various issues.
He plans to run for president of the Long Beach Gray Panthers in November.
“My involvement— I find it very beneficial to me,” said Wollin, who has been with the group for four years. “I feel that I am trying to do something in the community, and I feel like the community will appreciate it.”
He encourages those who are interested in the group— of all ages— to join the Long Beach Gray Panthers and assist in addressing senior issues.
“The issues, the problems that you have, could be addressed,” Wollin said. “Collectively, we could achieve great things.”
