News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
The community room at The Lodge Retirement Community in Sisters was packed on Tuesday, October 13, as one of the strongest advocates for the needs of seniors in Sisters was honored for her work.
AARP Oregon has named Chris Laing of Sisters the recipient of the 2026 AARP Oregon Andrus Award for Community Service, the organization's highest volunteer honor. Named for AARP founder Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus, the award recognizes Oregonians age 50 and older who use their experience, talent, and leadership to enrich lives and inspire community service.
Kris Bergstrom of Citizens4Community (C4C) welcomed the community, saying, "It's so nice to be together (to) do what Sisters does so well: Shine a light on what makes a difference."
Judy Smith, who has worked closely with Laing on many initiatives, and nominated her for the award, praised her friend for devoting herself to projects that help people stay in Sisters, bringing people of diverse backgrounds together to come up with practical solutions to challenges facing seniors as they seek to age in place in Sisters.
In accepting the award, Laing said, "All of you are to be credited with this award as well... Sisters is known for coming up with solutions for difficult problems."
A founder of Age-Friendly Sisters Country and a longtime advocate for older adults, Laing is being recognized for leading a community-wide effort to help older residents remain safe, connected, and independent. Through the volunteer-driven Serving Our Seniors (SOS) initiative, she has united residents, nonprofit leaders, local experts, and community organizations around a shared goal: helping people stay in the place they call home as they age.
What began as a grassroots effort to understand older adults' needs grew into a community-wide initiative. Under Laing's leadership, volunteers conducted surveys and listening sessions, consulted health and aging experts, and studied successful models across Oregon. The work culminated in a Senior Resource Fair and community forum that identified practical ways to support aging in place and improve quality of life.
SOS has formed volunteer-led teams focused on services, social connection, transportation, health care, caregiver support, and neighbor-to-neighbor assistance. Working with nonprofits, public agencies, businesses, and community leaders, the initiative is turning local input into coordinated action on rural challenges such as isolation, caregiving demands, home maintenance, and limited access to nearby services.
"Chris Laing exemplifies the spirit and purpose of the Andrus Award," said Bandana Shrestha, AARP Oregon state director. "She identified a critical need in her community and brought people together to create meaningful solutions. Her leadership, vision, and ability to inspire others have helped build a stronger support network for older adults in Central Oregon and demonstrated the tremendous impact volunteers can have when they work together to improve their communities."
Beyond SOS, Laing serves as a state-licensed long-term care ombudsman and advances age-friendly policies and practices. Colleagues describe her as an exceptional organizer, collaborator, and mentor who inspires others to serve. Her ability to engage volunteers across generations has strengthened civic involvement and community care in Sisters.
Laing recounted discovering Sisters when her long-time friend Kathy Deggendorfer invited her to visit for the Sisters Folk Festival.
She thought, "Oh, I could live here."
The natural beauty of the place was, of course, an important draw. But Laing has particular values that Sisters seemed to exemplify.
"Having a sense of community - that was important to me," she said.
Her approach to organizing volunteer efforts is to identify the issue that needs to be solved, identify the players who are involved or should be involved in taking an issue on, then deciding what to do. Several people attested to her effectiveness in rallying people to take on difficult challenges effectively.
She said she finds her sense of community in such work.
"I find my people in community-building activities," she said. "I also think that volunteerism is part of being an American. I mean, barn raisings were of getting together to solve a problem.... So many people have said yes when they've been approached, because they know they're needed. They know they're valued."
AARP Oregon is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works to strengthen communities and improve quality of life for Oregonians age 50 and older and their families. For more information visit aarp.org/or.