Seniors: Greater Together

Neighbourhoods Together - Quartiers main dans la main is a series of simple, COVID-safe neighbourhood-based activities to connect with your neighbours and do something positive together. Each time your neighbourhood participates in an activity, you’ll have fun together, and you will be entered into a draw for a neighbourhood prize to be awarded in summer 2021. Organized by Coalition for a Liveable Sudbury.

In partnership with Northern City of Heroes and supported by the Government of Canada, Science North is excited to host an interactive online webinar to learn and practice hands-only CPR. This FREE event is designed for seniors (55+) where they will learn what to do and how to react in a cardiac emergency at home.

Dates: Tuesday, January 19, 2021 – 11:00 a.m., le mardi 9 février 2021 – 11 h 00 (en français) and Tuesday, February 23, 2021 – 11:00 a.m.

What you need to participate: A computer, tablet or phone with internet connection. Two rolls of toilet paper. One jar lid that clicks (jam, pickle, spaghetti sauce, etc.)

To register participants can visit sciencenorth.ca/cpr. Once registered, a link to the webinar will be emailed to the participant a week prior to the event.

Lockerby Remembers is an expansion to the existing memorial paying tribute to the local Canadians who served. The expansion will include two memorial walls inscribed with the names of 220 members of Branch 564 who have served. There is room on the wall for up to 300 members. On an annual basis, the names of recently deceased veterans will be added to the wall and honoured during an act of remembrance. The memorial is not only symbolic in promoting remembrance, but serves as a gathering place for veterans, service personnel, members, civic leaders, the community and local cadet corps. Youth can also take inspiration. Engraved pavers are $75 each. For information contact project manager Eddie Thompson, Lockerby Legion 2200 Long Lake Road, 705-522-6060.

The 2S-LGBTQ+ older adults Book Club is run in partnership by Réseau ACCESS Network and the Greater Sudbury Public Library. This Book Club is intended for older adults (55+) who identify as 2S-LGBTQ+ members of community and their Allies. Sign up to receive handpicked books for the group! Then join us for a monthly discussion about the chosen books. The group will meet the first Wednesday of every month at 2:00 pm.

Interested? Join us on October 7th to meet the group and pick our first title! Meetings will be held virtually through Zoom (phone, tablet, computer with microphone and/or camera needed). A link for the group will be provided upon registry.

For more information, or to join: Email Adrienne at adriennem@reseauaccessnetwork.com, or call 705-688-0500, EXT 222

https://www.facebook.com/ReseauAccessNetworkSeniorsProgram/photos/a.108636510833652/170592624638040/?type=3&theater

CMHA will be hosting a 1 hour virtual yoga class in partnership with Unity Shapes Yoga. This will be a gentle yoga/meditation session called Listen to your Body. Expect to move, stretch, breathe and restore – providing a chance to calm down the nervous system during uncertain times. No previous yoga experience is required!

Date/Time: Tuesday, September 8, 2020, 12PM – 1PM

Location: Online via Zoom https://zoom.us/j/94751895810

Instructor: Sandra Mallette, certified Yoga Instructor and owner of Unity Shapes Yoga.

What should you bring?

All you need is some floor space and comfy clothes.

Cost: This is a free or donation-based session, depending on your means. If you can attend, please consider offering a little donation to CMHA-Sudbury/Manitoulin. The suggested donation amount for this virtual yoga session is $10. Donate here: https://sm.cmha.ca/get-involved/donate/

More information can be found on our website: https://sm.cmha.ca/events/online-yoga-listen-to-your-body/ and Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/893416327811514/.

See you on the mat!

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I was born in Timmins but moved to Azilda at the age of 12 and have lived here ever since. I married my wife Gisele in September 1969 and we have two children.

I earned a diploma in leisure studies from Fanshawe College and a diploma in public administration from Laurentian University

I’ve held a variety of positions over the years. I’ve worked at INCO in their geophysical exploration airborne division, in real estate, with the Town of Rayside-Balfour as Commissioner of Parks and Rec, with the Ministry of Culture and Recreation as a recreation consultant and nine years as CAO of the Town of Rayside-Balfour.

I’m currently president of Gary J. Michalak & Associates Inc. and executive director of Café Heritage (formerly Café-musique).

What volunteer experiences have you been most passionate about in your life?

I’ve been a member of the Azilda Lions Club for 49 years, am the founding president and still active with the Chelmsford Valley District Comp. School Alumni Association, am a member of the Chelmsford Legion and have volunteered for 10 years with Café-musique Productions now Café Heritage.

Altruism is my primary motivator in being involved in community development. I consider it payback for the salary received while employed by the community. I’m honouring my Mother who was a cub scout leader and my reward is the smiles on the faces of those we care for and serve.

What would you like people to know about you?

My passion for family, friends and community.

My passion for culture and heritage.

My passion in the belief we are all created equal and share Mother Earth.

My passion for those who raise their hands and take on leadership to serve.

My passion for those who give back to their community.

What would you want people to know about the process of aging?

I have never really taken the time to think about aging. Aging is yet another word for “journey” and my journey has been filled with incredible friendships who have contributed to my personal growth. Every day brings about new and interesting challenges in trying to make a difference in the lives of those who you encounter.

I define youth as someone who is one day younger than I am. We should not be critical of our youth and their lifestyles that may be different from yours. I can clearly remember when I was in my teens that many older adults were critical. When I hear my peers talking negatively about today’s youth, I sort of grin and say ah! not really that bad.

What advice would you share with future generations?

You can move mountains if you surround yourself with those who share the same vison in caring and serving our community.

Of what are you most proud?

I have truly tried to treat every person with dignity and respect. If we all followed the Seven Sacred Teachings of the Grandfather and Grandmother, this world would be incredible.

Can you share some early experiences?

I suppose I could start with my first job. In grade seven, I had the task of firing up the stove in our one-room schoolhouse and received $25. That was for the whole year and that made me aware of the reality of “working for every cent”.

Graduated from High School at age 17 (1958) and joined the RCAF two months later. I retired from the air force 37 years later at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Aerospace Engineering Occupation.

I was then engaged for the next nine years with the political process that led to the birth of the Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. At that point, I was selected as Interim National Director of the new party.

After retirement in 2004, my wife Jackie and I have made Sudbury our home and we are both very proud to be part of this wonderful community.

How did you get started in volunteering?

I first learned about helping others from being helped myself. I was born on a farm in New Brunswick and was brought up by my mother. Father passed when I was three years old. My mother, two brothers and I were provided with some of the basic needs by our neighbours, things like milk and eggs for example from nearby farmers. It was much like a big extended family. Later I found out some of them were actually related to us.

From that experience, I think one gets the attitude: if you have extra stuff or time, why not share with those who need “stuff” and are short on time?

During my time in the Air Force, I was involved with a lot of “secondary duties”. That was the military name for volunteering. Over the years I was involved with youth hockey and curling as a coach; as a president of curling clubs, officers and other ranks clubs; a member and Drum Major of Base Bands, and as a member and team leader of Land Search and Rescue Team.

This seems like a lot of volunteering but for the most part this was just a whole lot of fun, with the obvious exception of the Search and Rescue activity.

What have been some of your experiences as a volunteer?

During my five years with the Land Search and Rescue Team, we had a few serious military accidents that required search and rescue support. However, on the civilian side we were called upon quite often to help locate people lost in the extensive forest areas surrounding our Base location. Thankfully, most of our efforts produced successful results but there were those that had very disturbing outcomes. For me, and all of our team members, being able to rescue people from very difficult and dangerous situations was a reward above imagination. Seeing Mom and Dad holding their child we brought back to them gives an amazing feeling of relief and accomplishment.

As for volunteering post retirement, I have helped a few candidates during elections. Then I met a couple of amazing people from this area who told me about their Keeping Seniors Warm project they engineer every year for those in need of warm clothing.

The program they have in effect not only provides the needed clothing but includes a full day of personal contact with the recipients. That I found amazing and my wife and I have volunteered to help in any way we can.

I put Keeping Seniors Warm as one of the most effective and impactful community help programs. I would like to see programs like this spread across the whole country.

Recently I have been honored by a local organization with the agreement to include my personal views on life in their Magazine for the 50+ group in Northern Ontario.

When I pen these articles, I often think that I am talking to those who already know all the stuff I write about. But then I still feel a need to send them my thoughts in the hope that my views will help them to realize the importance they have in our community and in the lives of those youngsters that are trying to catch up to us.

Do you have any thoughts for us?

Most of the people I know, know me quite well so there is little I can say in regard to the question of what they don’t know. So how about I share what I want them to know instead:

“I want to see your smiles; all of you.”

As to my thoughts for young folks: The most important part in life is learning but keep in mind that there are many sources of learning. Schools, family, friends, workplace etc. But keep in mind – those who listen learn.

Part of the issue we face as older Canadians is our thinking that age means we are in a losing situation or part of our lives. We no longer work is an example that leads to this thought process. I believe that if we look at retirement from our job as the beginning of another phase of life, we are much more likely to advance with a more positive approach and therefore start looking for productive and satisfying things to take a part in.

Most of us have those things we always wanted to do or experience, so perhaps now is the time to investigate the possibilities. In short, we need to keep busy.

By staying more involved in society, we become much more the visible part of society that we truly deserve. This leads naturally to being more visible as a group to all the youngsters and therefore we will likely see more interest and response from them.

Stay up-to-date with events and happenings at The ParkSide Centre, Sudbury’s leader of programs and services for people over 50.

Finlandia Village has a fitness centre open to all older adults ages 55 plus for group classes, cardio and weight lifting equipment, pre-op joint replacement exercise classes, post-op joint replacement rehab, Trail Trekkers outdoor walking and more.

Since the closure of the fitness centre due to COVID-19, Keep Fit With Finlandia has been airing on YouTube. Keep Fit features exercise classes previously offered at the fitness centre and new exercise created for homebound seniors. There are also educational videos with Physio Jo’s Health Info.