Teen-agers are stepping up to the Y2K challenge by providing emergency information and a promise of assistance to elderly and more vulnerable citizens in communities from coast to coast.

This fall, 1,000 Florida teen-agers will leave informational fliers at the homes of Gulf Coast seniors in an effort to stem fears about the Y2K bug. In Santa Cruz, Calif., teens are warning retired residents about potential millennial scams and hope to visit their East Coast peers for tips on neighborhood organizing.

Members of the Manateen Club, a program of Volunteer Services of Manatee County in Bradenton, Fla., plan on posting emergency information along with their own names and phone numbers on the doors of elderly residents who live alone. They?ll encourage seniors to call them, or their parents, if they experience any problem or glitch in essential services at the turn of the century.

Manateen volunteers identified seniors living alone with the help of county government and Meals on Wheels. They chose to post information, rather than knocking on doors, to avoid scaring older citizens, who may be reticent to talk to strangers. To ensure their own safety, the young volunteers will be accompanied by family members and the local sheriff?s department.

In addition to giving seniors a level of comfort with the Y2K bug, the teens hope to encourage long-term relationships between neighbors. They also will refer people with a need for household repairs to the volunteer center that offers help with new door locks and safety rails in bathtubs.

The elderly population in Bradenton is large and their need for Y2K information and help around the house critical, says Adraine LaRoza, executive director of the volunteer agency. Many first came as winter residents and ended up staying after the death of a spouse, she said. Far from family members and increasingly frail, many are unable to make repairs and end up living in deplorable conditions.