Senior citizen tech, information event set for April 4-5 at FGCU

Wednesday, December 18, 2002

By MARCI ELLIOTT, mrelliott@naplesnews.com

April 4-5 are dates that could make a big difference for senior residents in Southwest Florida.

Those are the dates of HALO Expo 2003 — a symposium of information and technology that could give senior citizens more quality in their lives and improvements in their lifestyles.

The exposition will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days at the new Alico Arena at Florida Gulf Coast University.

It will be hosted by FGCU's Center for Assisted Living Innovation, or CALI, and will bring together resources in housing, technology, education and health care to create better communities for a lifetime, says its promotional literature and event manager Kathy Lantz, a consultant for senior-specific health-care marketing in Boca Raton.

"HALO Expo 2003 will offer two days of information and resources that could make a difference in the lives of senior adults," Lantz said Tuesday at the Collier County Council on Aging's annual holiday party at Cambier Park in Naples.

The expo is especially significant to the Center for Assisted Living Innovation because it's the center's first fund-raising event, said Gary Kluckhuhn, CALI director and the founder of HALO, a consortium of agencies and organizations that provide health-care services and other help to seniors.

"It's important because the proceeds can be used as seed money," Kluckhuhn said. "It will help qualify CALI for grants and, hopefully, more funding in the long term."

Funds will be raised from donations for exhibit booths: $1,250 for a single 8-by-10-foot booth or $2,200 for a double one measuring 8 by 20 feet or 10 by 16 feet.

HALO hopes to have 100 exhibitors demonstrating technologies to help make life easier for seniors, Kluckhuhn said. The expo also offers opportunities for $5,000 and $10,000 sponsors and for an event co-sponsor, or partner, for $20,000.

The expo will present unique exhibits, live demonstrations and ongoing seminars, Lantz said.

It will showcase assistive technologies and products, alternative housing building systems, lifestyle housing options, educational seminars, health and fitness programs, recreation and leisure activities, culture and arts, entertainment, food and fun.

The HALO Expo and conference is part of CALI's ongoing effort to address concerns of providers in the health-care and housing industries to create sustainable, accessible and elderly friendly lifetime communities and lifestyle options that meet the needs and desires of this burgeoning segment of the population, said Kluckhuhn.

"All of what's happening can bring change — to the whole state," he said. "The companies have been so supportive. We'll have 100 exhibitors with state-of-the-art technologies."

For more information on HALO Expo 2003, visit the Web site www.haloexpo.com, or call Gary Kluckhuhn at (239) 404-7481.