December 2022 Newsletter
Our WEBSITE ADDRESS IS: rainyriverseniordepot.ca
The calendar pages are flipping way faster than they used to and it is nearly a new year! Since our last newsletter, the Senior Fair is complete and all agree it was an exciting and very informative 3 days. There is enthusiasm already to plan another fair in 2023.
We have been discussing having a Community Kitchen start up in the new year, and we are quite sure that it is a go. Stay tuned in January for more information on this.
Our members have recently enjoyed a wonderful Christmas dinner with all the trimmings prepared by Vicki and Heidi. Dinner was followed by Christmas carols led by Theresa and Norma. A few people had to get their dinner to take out due to illness. We missed them, but appreciate their show of respect and care for the health of those who were eating together at the depot. We hope they are now feeling better and may we all stay healthy in the days to come.
We have requested permission from the town of Rainy River to install an automatic accessible door at our entrance. They have just held their first meeting of new counsellors and so I’m sure we will have an answer soon. When we have permission, we will be talking to suppliers and our town building inspector for guidance. The town office is holding our Senior Active Living Centre (SALC) Special grant until the door is installed. We are requesting 2 members to attend the open Town Council meetings on the second Monday of each month so we are aware of what is new in our town. Two members have volunteered for January.
We have received most of our SALC OPERATIONAL GRANT this year. Planning and spending has begun. This is the first grant (above our rent amount) that we have received in a number of years. There was a misunderstanding that the town funds the Senior Activity Depot. In actuality, the province provides the funding for the SALC grants which it sends to the town for us.
For the past few years the members have personally paid for all craft supplies, food, coffee, stationery supplies, audit, and extra weekly cleaning costs above what is covered by our rent. The town covers some of our expenses as “in-kind” expenses, such as filing the annual operational and special grant applications and reports, snow removal and printing some colour posters and dinner tickets. We have now purchased a colour printer so the town will no longer have to make copies for us.
One of the criteria for our new grant is to provide more activities that might be of interest to the senior men in the area. Some people have thought the Senior Active Living Centre was only for women. Not so! We would love to have our facility fully used. In the new year we are hoping to have a men’s coffee and snack drop-in day.
We have recently installed a beautiful curling game. Although it is similar to shuffleboard, it is a 10-foot-long curling board that has the “house” circles, hog-lines, and hack. The board is manufactured so that you can curl around your guard rocks to land your shot rocks. Speaking of rocks, they are small metal rocks with blue or red handles, just not as heavy as the real thing. After we have had a chance to practice a bit, I’m thinking we will need to have some bonspiels! We also have a set of shuffleboard rocks if you prefer.
We have purchased a lighter weight bocce set which will provide some competition out on the lawn this spring. The lighter weight will make the game more accessible for seniors. Although Smear is still popular, we realize that not everyone plays cards. We now have some different game boards out on the tables.
The big screen smart tv is available for those who want to watch sporting events, movies or learn from the many online instructional courses. We also have a few ipads and Chromebooks to catch up on your emails or to surf the web.
Please come out to our monthly meetings and luncheons on the first Wednesday of each month. Coffee is on at 10, and the meeting starts at 11, followed by a lunch prepared by 2 of our volunteer members.
Become a member for 2023 in the new year for $20.00.
Our internet connection information is on the bulletin board.
Our WEBSITE ADDRESS IS: rainyriverseniordepot.ca
We hope you all had a beautiful holiday season and wish for peace in 2023!
