Come visit AARP at the Las Cruces Farmers Market!

With warm temperatures arriving and more things returning to normal, the AARP Las Cruces Chapter will once again be visiting the Las Cruces Farmer’s Market the first Saturday of the Month.

“While we won’t have any plants or vegetables on hand to offer people, we will be providing a wide variety of resources and information that can help people in different areas of life,” said Dave Lynch, AARP New Mexico State President.

“At our first table on May 7, we had 42 visitors. We were so excited to finally be able to get our booth reinstated. It was so nice to be out with people and able to visit with folks,” Lynch said.

While the Farmers and Crafts Market of Las Cruces began in 1971 as a way for farmers to sell their produce, it quickly became more of a community gathering space adding other items for sale such as baked goods and eventually arts and crafts and other information.

Lynch said the market provides a unique opportunity to visit with neighbors and visitors to the city.

“Many of visitors come from out of town and are looking for information on Las Cruces.  As the Las Cruces Visitor Center is closed on Saturday, the tabling event offers the Las Cruces Visitor Guide and a chance to provide answers to questions about Las Cruces,” he said.

AARP’s table has a wide variety of information on topics such as Medicare, Social Security, caregiving, and fraud to name a few as well as information on issues and upcoming events AARP is conducting locally.

One priority area that Chapter members will be highlighting is resources on Livable Communities and the age-friendly network.

AARP is working with local leaders to make our towns and cities more livable and better able to support people of all ages. In particular, having services in place so people can age at home and in their communities rather than having to be placed in a facility in later years.

Starting in June, AARP volunteers each month will highlight one of the “Eight Domains of Livability” -- key components in making a community more livable.  What are the Eight Domains?  Visit the table to learn what they are and what they mean.

“The Market is a great place to visit on Saturday mornings.  Lots of fresh produce, crafts, and food trucks are located along the entire downtown Main Street of Las Cruces.  The AARP table is normally at the south 100 block of Main Street. I hope people will stop by and say hello,” Lynch said.