Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, May 26, 1995 TAG: 9505260039
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-18 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Not when the jobless are retired senior citizens who, contrary to old notions, are increasingly not sickly, not poor and not likely to put a drain on local resources by demanding more in taxpayer-supported services than they're willing to pay taxes to support.
The reality is that a new generation of retirees - healthier, wealthier, better-educated - can enrich and help stabilize a community. And they're a growth industry. By 2030, the U.S. Census Bureau projects, there will be 70 million Americans 65 or older, compared with 33 million today.
No surprise, then, that Blacksburg is hoping to become a retirement mecca. Make that: even more of a retirement mecca than it is today.
Next month, the town, the local Chamber of Commerce and Virginia Tech will stage a four-day Retire Blacksburg Expo at which they hope to convince prospective retirees from around the country, including some of Tech's old grads, to choose Blacksburg for their retirement home. It shouldn't be too tough a sell, given trends:
Florida is no longer the No. 1 retirement-destination choice. It's the mountains. (Blacksburg checklist: got it.)
College towns have a special appeal when they offer cultural events, good health-care facilities, low crime rates, relatively few traffic hassles and an attractive cost of living. (Blacksburg: got it.)
Magnificent scenery and other natural resources are important to the growing number of retirees who lead active, outdoorsy lifestyles, and not just on the golf course. (Blacksburg: OK.)
Like 82-year old Ed Eitelberg, who graduated from UVa last weekend with a bachelor's in art history, many seniors want to return to class and hit the textbooks when they can get free from their jobs. They want educational opportunities. (Blacksburg: check)
Blacksburg's success in attracting seniors to fill its dance card shouldn't be hurt by the fact that it is already top-ranked by Your Money magazine and Rand McNally as one of the nation's best retirement communities. Anyway, the Expo, June 8-11, is a fine idea. It will include seminars, social and recreational activities and tours, but no plastic pink flamingos.
by CNB