Joe and Judy Woelfel, residents at Cedar Lake Village, have been married for almost 60 years. In preparing to meet and interview the couple, Alawna Simmons from Olathe North had specific questions planned out ahead of time. The conversation organically flowed in its own direction as they all got to know each other.

In his interview, Joe talked about living with polio. He was diagnosed with the childhood disease when he was 10 months old. Back then, polio was still referred to as “infantile paralysis.” He never allowed that reference to define him. He helped his father on the farm in many ways.

“There was nothing like somebody telling me there was something I couldn’t do. That was a huge driver for me,” Joe explained. “So, I learned how to get up on the combine and the tractor, how to drive the truck. I did everything a son was supposed to do.”

He also talked about how he was fortunate enough as a 6-year-old boy in Georgia to benefit from President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “March of Dimes” campaign. He was treated for polio, received leg braces and crutches and was shown how to use the equipment at no cost to his family. That, in turn, allowed him to live a fulfilling life, even with the challenges he still faced.

Referring to his battle with polio, he said, “I hope she (Alawna) saw that being disabled doesn’t end your life. It’s what you do with it. She seemed to be the type of person to see that.”

When later asked about what aspects of the interview stood out the most to her, Alawna cited Joe’s experience with polio particularly touched her.

Joe and Judy also shared their experiences after becoming pilots in their adulthood. They said they have enjoyed many adventures together through the years.

Judy, who spent her life as a teacher, emphasized the importance of educating future generations to what life was like years ago. She said she fondly remembered the interview with Alawna as being a trip down memory lane, and the experience gave the couple a chance to reminisce about all the wonderful times they shared together.

“It’s nice to have someone to listen, frankly,” Judy said. “It’s not that we think we know better. But we had a different life, and we are part of history. Having those different perspectives is valuable.” Alawna agreed.

“I feel that this program is an amazing opportunity for people my age to get pertinent advice and mentorship from those before us. My generation is entering young adulthood, so being able to connect with those wiser than us and get guidance is so important,” she said.

“It was moving to hear about the unique experiences of Judy and Joe’s life and the extravagant adventures they went on. As someone who lost a close grandparent only a few years back, it feels very healing to be able to talk to these people about their lives and make genuine connections.”

Calling her first interview with the Woelfels as “very insightful,” Alawna continued participation in the Bridging the Gap program and interviewed another resident. With that interview, she was able to listen to another unique personal life story.

The interviews are part of her senior capstone project at the Olathe School District’s 21st Century Academy. The project involves putting together a collection of short stories, all taken from real-life stories from local aging adults.

“I want to create stories that will outlast the people who they come from, creating an impact in not only my life, but hopefully the lives of others,” Alawna said.

In another interview, Kaleah McClure, a student from Olathe West, talked with Cedar Lake Village resident Bob South about growing up during the Great Depression.

“The Depression days were kind of funny because as kids, we didn’t realize what a tough time our parents really had,” he said.

He also shared his experiences being a Navy pilot in World War II, celebrating his 100th birthday and managing to still stay young at heart.

Bob said he likes spending time with younger generations because they accept him, keep him mentally and physically active and help him have fun. He said that he knows and values the importance of having friends all your life, especially as people to turn to and lean on during difficult times.

With many of his family and friends gone, Bob has had to make connections with younger people, including Kaleah. She has participated multiple times in the Bridging the Gap program and has learned much from the conversations.

“They had such amazing stories. I’m someone who really loves history, and I think the tangible engagement with all these different concepts and time periods and how they’ve impacted people is so interesting. Like when Bob was talking about the Great Depression, I’m just like ‘wow’ because we have so few people alive who remember it,” she said. “And to have survived that and then still live in our modern world is incredible.”

According to a study by Stanford University, relationships are a critical component in well-being, particularly in aging. As people age, they crave interpersonal connection more than before. The study suggests that when older adults are able to connect with a younger generation, including children and grandchildren, they tend to experience more mental and physical health benefits ranging from increased feelings of usefulness to emotional support to happiness.

Kaleah said she views the social connection in Bridging the Gap as an important component in helping people feel like they belong within a community.

“I think it’s very easy to tell someone that you’re there for them, but it’s an entirely different thing to actually show them and listen to them. And I think that is something you have to emphasize in helping people feel welcome,” she said.

Wilma Clark Haney, also residing at Cedar Lake Village, was interviewed by Kaylee Rider from Olathe North.

“I wanted to do this interview because I really love to hear other peoples’ life stories,” Kaylee said.

During their meeting, Wilma spoke about her family she is so proud of and her hobbies she continues to enjoy, including gardening and baking. She also told Kaylee about overcoming knee replacement complications that eventually led to an amputation.

Kaylee was incredibly sympathetic to Wilma’s experience as well as her healing journey with physical therapy and exercise. She is a high school senior planning to major in biochemistry and currently interning at the Olathe Medical Center on her way to becoming a future doctor.

When asked about advice she has for young folks, Wilma said, “Listen to a lot of people. And don’t be judgmental. Just listen to people before you decide what your relationship with them is going to be.”

Evelyn Dubey is community resilience coordinator at the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment and facilitator of the Bridging the Gap program.