New Jersey’s older residents may be able to provide a unique perspective when it comes to dealing with the stress and anxieties surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Senior Strong” is a campaign created by Green Mountain Tours – a North Jersey-based company that runs bus tours for senior citizens to tourist destinations.

Many of these seniors have lived through the 1918 influenza pandemic, World War I, the Great Depression and World War II – learning important lessons along the way.

“How they learned it from their grandparents. Or they saw them get through the difficult times before. Or that was just the way they were raised,” says Brooke Lawer with Green Mountain Tours.

The social media campaign is an attempt to connect the public with these older New Jerseyans to help them draw on that wisdom and fortitude to get through the current pandemic. It uses photos and videos and a network of people to exchange ideas and examples of how the seniors can make it through.

“And when we were hearing from our customers on the phone or on email…we were amazed by their grace, their kindness – just their incredible reaction to the situation. And we were just saying how strong they were,” Lawer says. “We created this idea of ‘Senior Strong’ and how at every age we all need to be senior strong right now. The seniors know better than anyone that this too will pass.”

The public is invited to contribute their own examples of “Senior Strong” at the Green Mountain Tours Facebook page.