Logan’s Summer Citizens discuss their love for adventure and Cache Valley
Phoenix natives Fred and Jan Coad are taking more than just lemon custard Aggie Ice cream back with them to their Arizona home.
The Coads are just two residents that have populated the city of Logan over the past four months for the annual summer citizens program.
The summer citizens program is a program where seniors in hot weather climates can escape the heat from May to August by moving to Logan, the opportunity also gives them the opportunity to see the world from a different perspective.
This program originally started in Rexburg at Ricks College, now known as Brigham Young University-Idaho.
At Rick’s College, senior citizens from Arizona, California and sometimes Texas would rent a student apartment for the summer months and explore all that the region had to offer. With an area rich in outdoor activities, Rexburg seemed like the perfect fit. That is, until disaster struck.
In 1976, the Teton Dam had just been dedicated for the beginning of construction. Fissures developed in the soil and leaked, eventually flooding. All the apartment complexes in student housing areas of Rexburg were destroyed and took time to rebuild them back to their original state
The summer residents were displaced, leaving them with nowhere to go. So Utah State stepped up to the plate. The summer residents were offered a place to stay and experienced what it is natives love about Logan.
“The community got behind it, the university got behind it, and it kind of just took off from there,” said Linda D’Addabbo, the summer citizens program coordinator.
From there, Utah State formed its own summer citizen program, and as Jan described, “They haven’t looked back.”
Jan used to get her thrill of adventure by sitting on the east coast for two weeks while Fred stayed at home. Now she says their new vacation spot is coming to Logan for the summer citizens program every year.
“It took two years for (Fred) to convince me to come and I’m sorry I waited,” Jan said. “It was an unusual experience last year, and we were thrilled to come back this year.”
Throughout their stay, Jan and Fred have enjoyed everything the valley of Logan has to offer and have experienced many exciting adventures.
“(Logan is) a hub of activity, “ Fred said. “It’s opened up a lot of avenues for outdoor things as well as indoor things. Jan and I like to summarize this experience by saying you don’t have to do everything and you don’t have to do anything.”
As ambassadors for this year’s summer citizen program, Jan and Fred have enjoyed a myriad of activities suited to the residents that were specifically housed in their summer suite, the Millennial Towers.
“For retired people, we are working awfully hard and enjoying it,” Jan said. “My biggest adventure this summer has been being involved with and helping shape the experience for the summer citizens program.”
Fred, on the other hand, has found enjoyment in taking the classes and visiting with the locals about their experiences.
“I like being able to see different things, such as the sock store here in Logan, watching the deer right outside the window in the mornings and just having a different experience than we have been able to have in our home communities,” Fred said.
This year, the summer citizens program had 815 registrants which is a record high according to D’ Addabbo. All of the apartment complexes that were apart of the program this year were filled.
While Logan has a lot to offer summer residents, D’Addabbo says the main thing that keeps people coming back year after year isn’t just the variety of activities available.
“The number one thing is the community, the feeling of welcome and the level of respect in the services that we have,” D’ Addabbo said. “We have such a friendly environment and the program is very affordable in comparison to the price of housing in other areas.”
For Jan and Fred, USU’s summer citizen program isn’t just an escape from the heat, it has become a summer livelihood.
With Jan’s degree in social work, she finds the people to be one of the joys of her experience.
“It’s a natural fit for me,” Jan said. “I love to be with the people.”
Fred enjoyed taking the classes and learning new things that he can apply later on.
“There are so many different things to explore, and things that you can do to stay mentally alert and active. There are chances to find something new, and many opportunities to meet other people,” Fred said. “It’s kind of clean slate you can paint any way you want to.”
Jan said this experience has been unlike any other she has had.
“I think it’s changed us,” Jan said. “It’s a no-brainer to come here. The program is fabulous and the town is fabulous. It’s that feeling like you’ve come home. That’s a treasure I like about Logan.”
D’Addabbo said while change is inevitable, the summer citizens program is always looking to up their game and keep people active and engaged in the program.
“It’s great that this program exists here,” D’ Addabbo said. “None of this would happen without the connections and partnerships we have with the university. It’s great that the community supports it, and it’s even better that it’s in Logan.”
—kortni.marie.wells@aggiemail.usu.edu
@kortniwells