The AARP Foundation Senior Community Service Employment Program will celebrate its 30th year of service to Humboldt County in January.

The local program originally covered the First Congressional District from the Oregon border to Sonoma County and had funding for 120 enrollees. Since that time, many changes have taken place, including trading "slots" to another contractor in Lake and Mendocino counties, establishing another full project site in Sonoma County, trading Del Norte to another contractor after the first year and then back to the AARP-SCSEP in 1989.

Our original office was two desks at the Employment Development Department and my car trunk. Then we moved to the Cal Trans building for 11 years, then to the Jacoby Storehouse for seven years and finally to the Stewart Elementary School historical building at 1125 16th St. in Arcata.

From the beginning and through all of the gerrymandering and Department of Labor requirements and changes, I have either been the project director or, for the second through the fifth year, the area manager for California, Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada, setting up new sites with the increase of the Title V Older Americans Act monies.

Locally we have served more than 5,500 participants. But most noteworthy, from the inception of this site, Humboldt County has been the top placer of participants in permanent jobs for all 30 years. It is the ultimate goal and mission of the program, and I am so very proud of the accomplishments of the enrollee staff who make it all possible.

A fact little known to the general public, the Title V Senior Community Service Employment Program is the longest running and most successful federally funded training program in the United States. It has been providing service for 36 years nationwide and was started in one of the southern states by a congressman who begged Congress to help his older rural people transition to other jobs after they could no longer farm and log.

There are now 12 national contractors that administer this program, the AARP Foundation being one. They alone serve more than 10,000 participants each day nationally and more than 50,000 per year. It was quite a leap from one site and one contractor to a national, successful program for those 55-plus who are on a limited income.

So in looking back over our 30 years, it has been a pleasure to serve you, Humboldt and Del Norte, as we continue to remain Number One.

Ginger Campbell is director of the Senior Community Employment Program. Contact 822-7027 for more information.