Frankly, he's a Hall of a guy

The guy is 91, and he runs circles around some 19-year-olds we know.

He's always going somewhere and getting things done along the way.

Rep. Frank Henderson's induction yesterday into the Idaho Hall of Fame was celebrated by throngs of friends and fans at the American Legion in Post Falls. Henderson's accomplishments through the years have been documented on the pages of this newspaper. Well, as much as space would allow, anyway. What Henderson has done in his life would likely fill an encyclopedia.

As much as we admire the man, today's editorial isn't a further rehashing of a life well-lived, a life dedicated largely to improving the condition of his fellow man. Our aim is to remind you that age need not be a barrier to your becoming a bigger part of the solution.

With respect to younger senior citizens who hang up their work clothes for the last time and devote their attention to wandering grandkids and elusive fish, we implore them not to mothball a lifetime of experience and, hopefully, the wisdom painfully won over those years. By all means, go fish and spoil the grandkids, but aim for more. Decide to Be Like Frank.

Outside the comfort of many of our homes, abject poverty resides. We have serious drug problems and patchwork fixes for mental illness in our communities. Barely more than half of our kids graduate from high school and then go on to improve themselves through a certificate program, a two-year degree or a four-year degree.

Working stiffs, God bless us all, bend our backs to the daily duties necessary to feed our families. If there's a little left over for eventual retirement and assisting local nonprofits, we're due for a self-inflicted pat on the back. And of course, some of the people who do the very most to help others accomplish that in the hours beyond their 40-, 50- or even 60-hour work weeks. Frank Henderson has always been one of those rare and enviable people.

But what's not fully realized is the almost limitless amount of good that could be done locally by our communities' elder statesmen. If you're in your 50s, 60s, 70s, even 80s, chances are you still have something to offer - maybe a lot to offer. (And no, writing a letter to the editor telling others how stupid they are does not count.) Figure out how you can help, and do it.

If Frank Henderson can kick butt and take names in his 90s, the rest of us kids should at least try to keep up.