VAN e-Bulletin October 2026

October 2026

Celebrating 25 years of vital aging. Vital Aging Network. Spiral of people of all ages holding hands.

Ticket sales end November 2!

Join us for our celebration
Saturday, November 7
4:00 to 7:00 pm

It will be an evening of music, fun, connection and inspiration.

We are excited to present Jazz pianist, Peter Shu, and much more.

A Fabulous Silent Auction

Our silent auction has something for everyone, and you're going to want to take some of these great finds home:

Beautiful hand-turned wooden bowls - three bowls, each valued at $90 to $120
Faribault Woolen Mills Wool Blanket - valued at $99
Three-night stay at a condo on the north shore - valued at $750
Orginal artwork by Deb Taylor and Peggy Wright - with values of $170 to $320
Delta Air Lines gift card with coordinating travel accessories - valued at $150
Gift certificate from Rivers Coop Market - valued at $50
And much more!

Treat yourself or someone else!

Wine Pull

Pay $20 and pick a bottle of wine. With each pull, you get a chance at winning one of two very special bottles, each valued at $100+.

Saturday, November 7

4:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Fairview Community

Health and Wellness Hub

45 W Tenth St, Saint Paul

** FREE PARKING IN ATTACHED RAMP **

This is a great opportunity to show your support for the work of vital aging. Bring a friend!

Tickets: $25

Includes entertainment, opportunities to interact, delicious food and beverages

Download a flyer

Buy Tickets

Thank you to our sponsors!
(click to see them)

Every Vote Matters:
Consider Early Voting

By Sherri Weiss, VAN Contributor

“The vote is precious. It is almost sacred. It is the most powerful non-violent tool we have in a democracy.”

— the late John Lewis, champion of voting rights

Minnesotans will decide on some key races this election cycle, including the race for governor, state and federal congressional representatives, and a new U.S. senator. Besides voting on Election Day (November 3), a flexible and convenient voting option is available throughout Minnesota. Between now and Monday, November 2, you can vote early in person at a designated voting location.

Minnesota’s “Early Voting” process is new for 2026. It works in tandem with early absentee voting but opens a little later (this year October 16). At most locations, voters fill out a ballot and feed it directly into an electronic ballot tabulator (though in a few locations voters put ballots in envelopes instead of a machine).

Some reasons to vote early:

Choose a day and time that fits your schedule, including the option of evening, Saturday and Sunday hours

Enjoy shorter lines and wait times than on Election Day

Reduce the rush and lines for people who vote on Election Day

Take yourself off the get-out-the-vote call and text lists (less irritation for you and better use of resources)

Shaping the Future of Healthy Aging

Nichole Kain, with the State of Minnesota’s Healthy Aging project, joined the Vital Aging Network for an engaging discussion about Minnesota’s long-term planning on aging.

Nichole shared the following links as a follow up to the session:

AARP’s The Longevity Economy® Outlook 2026 for Minnesota
Minnesota Management and Budget's Healthy Aging website with opportunities for engagement
Want to share your story? Add it to the MN StoryCollective. Stories are shared with decisionmakers throughout the state government.

Upcoming VAN Events

Wellness 50+ Oakdale

Fraud Prevention

Friday, October 30 | 9 - 10:30 am

A Washington County assistant attorney will share strategies to identify common scams through phone calls, voicemails, text messages and email.

651-747-3860

Washington County Mental Health Outreach

Thursday, November 5 | 10:30 am - 12 pm

Learn about county mental health resources.

651-747-3860

Learn Mahjongg

Saturday, November 7 | 12:30 - 4 pm

Learn the basics of this popular game. Limited space.

651-747-3860

Find info about our regularly scheduled events on the Vital Aging Network calendar.

Wellness 50+ Twin Cities

Wellness 50+ Twin Cities bike leaders volunteered to lead the Bike Buddies ride for the Twin Cities Bike Tour. We rode a 24 mile route that included Minnehaha Parkway, West and East River Parkways. It was a gorgeous Fall Saturday for a nice bike ride in Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Adopt a Road Cleanup

Thursday, November 12 | 1 – 3 pm

This will be our last cleanup of our adopted road section in Oakdale/Lake Elmo. Safety vests and bags are provided. Bring your own sturdy gloves. Washington county will pick up all bags we fill.

November Game Night Social

Thursday, November 12 | 6 – 8 pm

Thanks to Susanna for hosting Game Night Socials in November and December at the Oakdale Library. We will also have socials in Janauary, February and March next year.

Stillwater Holiday Lights Walk

Tuesday, December 8 | 5 – 7 pm

We will walk downtown Stillwater enjoying the sites and lights of the season. Optional dinner after the walk for those interested.

December Game Night Social

Thursday, December 17 | 6 – 8 pm

Thanks to Susanna for hosting Game Night Socials in November and December at the Oakdale Library. We will also have socials in Janauary, February and March next year.

Good to Know

(Click the title to access the article.)

Why Minnesota Seniors Face the Nation’s Biggest Health Insurance Shake-up (Gift Link)

The Minnesota Star Tribune

An era of low costs and more generous benefits may be ending for hundreds of thousands enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans in Minnesota.

Universal Health Coverage Could Save $1 Trillion and 114,000 Lives Every Year, Yale Study Projects

Yale School of Public Health

A single-payer universal health care system could cover every American, save more than 100,000 lives a year, and still cost $1 trillion less than the system it would replace, according to a new preprint study led by researchers at the Yale School of Public Health.

Health-care Costs are Becoming Unsustainable

Time

Amber Kostka, who owns The Stockpot restaurant in Hampton Roads, Va., says she has tried to do right by her employees by offering them health insurance, alongside good wages and a 401k. But as costs have risen—premiums have roughly tripled since the company first started offering health insurance in 2018—her employees are increasingly telling her they can’t afford health insurance.

Help Sustain VAN's Work

Since 2001, the Vital Aging Network has been creating opportunities for older adults to gather and engage in the shared purpose of making our lives and our communities stronger and healthier.

Will you help put the Vital Aging Network on a path of stability for 2026 and beyond?

Donate today!