There have been many famous faces to grace the cover and inside pages of AARP's monthly magazine.

Shirley MacLaine, Sally Field, Goldie Hawn, Donald Trump, Hulk Hogan, Kirk Douglas, Al Roker, Henry Winkler, Engelbert Humperdinck, Kathy Ireland, Isaac Hayes, Art Linkletter, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Vanna White, Eartha Kitt and the list goes on and on.

One of the most prominent indicators of society's "over-the-hill" age categories is by eligibility for membership in AARP, established in 1958 by Ethel Percy Andrus, as American Association for Retired Persons. Today, AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that is so well-known everyone knows what AARP, serving more than 35 million members who must be 50 or older, stands for.

"We are in a society that no longer uses age as a way to place limits on what we can accomplish," Cliff Willis, communications director for AARP's Indianapolis office, told me during an interview in 2004.

"You're only as old as you feel. And to be honest, people today are more active at most ages than what we saw in previous generations."

AARP Magazine, which describes itself as "American's Largest Circulation Magazine," frequently includes stories on celebrities, as well as providing information on health trends and financial and retirement advice.

I received some great news last week from AARP Publicist Emily O'Brien about a face from our own readership region who is in the running to become the face of AARP as part of an interesting contest.

"I thought you would be excited to know that John Klarich Jr., age 61, from East Chicago, Ind., was named a finalist in AARP The Magazine's Faces of 50+ Real People Model Search," O'Brien said.

"After combing through thousands of online submissions and entries gathered at the annual AARP The Magazine Road Show, the editors of AARP The Magazine have selected 16 finalists who are up for the coveted 'Reader's Choice' award. Now it's up to America to pick their favorite."

Congrats to John and, as you can see, I've included his contest photo right here for all to see. (I figure if he's going to try for this contest title, he'd better get used to having his face splashed all over the media, right?)

Now, it's up to you readers to support him by voting online at aarpmagazine.org/modelsearch/ to help him win.

According to O'Brien, the search looks for "vivacious, active men and women, in age groups 50-59, 60-69, and 70+, who reflect the magazine's belief that beauty and style don't expire as you age."

These finalists, chosen because the editors thought they truly embody the qualities of 50+ America, now have a chance to be flown to New York City for a photo shoot that will appear in an upcoming issue of AARP The Magazine.

Here's our complete list of finalists:

Lorraine Bachran, 79, Kaneohe, HI

Gale Bailey, 63, Emeryville, CA

David Barrett, 52, Old Bridge, NJ

Beth Bergstein, 54, Englewood Cliffs, NJ

Michael Buffa, 60, Dumont, NJ

Yvette Chin, 52, East Brunswick, NJ

Sue Dahman, 60, Oak Park, IL

Eliza Dalzell, 80, Murrells Inlet, SC

Renee Gunter, 55, Los Angeles, CA

Sheena Hicks, 50, San Jose, CA

John Klarich, Jr., 61, East Chicago, IN

Ed Letteri, 56, Pittsburgh, PA

Amy Gray Light, 50, Bigelow, AR

Phyllis Lovit, 65, Studio City, CA

Eve Michaels, 55, Beverly Hills, CA

Yolanda Rosenberg, 62, Laguna Niguel, CA

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at ppotempa@nwitimes.com or 219.852.4327.

celebBirthdays

Former Britian Prime Minster Margaret Thatcher is 83. Actress Melinda Dillon ("A Christmas Story") is 69. Musician Paul Simon is 67. Actress Pamela Tiffin is 66. Keyboardist Robert Lamm of Chicago is 64. Country singer Lacy J. Dalton and actor Demond Wilson ("Sanford and Son") are 62. Singer Sammy Hagar is 61. Actor John Lone ("Rush Hour 2") and model Beverly Johnson are 56. Singer-actress Marie Osmond is 49. Singer Joey Belladonna (Anthrax) is 48. Actresses T'Keyah Crystal Keymah ("That's So Raven") and Kelly Preston and country singer John Wiggins are 46. Actress Kate Walsh ("Grey's Anatomy") is 41. Musician Jeff Allen of Mint Condition and actress Tisha Campbell-Martin ("My Wife and Kids," "Martin") and singer Carlos Marin of Il Divo are 40. Country singer Rhett Akins is 39. Actor Sacha Baron Cohen ("Borat," "Da Ali G Show") is 37.

Guitarist Jan Van Sichem Jr. of K's Choice is 36. Singers Brandon and Brian Casey of Jagged Edge are 33. Singer Ashanti is 28.