The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, July 24, 2009 · 10 Building bridges to reach seniors of all cultures Continued from page 8 "Oakville is becoming so diverse," said McBride. "We want to meet the needs. We want to tell families that it's okay to take a break and it's also really important that the client seniors feel good about themselves," said McBride. With 16 staff members, student interns and 100 community volunteers, S.E.N.A.C.A. is well positioned to provide both care and daily activity for the seniors. Seniors can choose activities to suit their interest, ability and culture from a long list of daily, themed events ranging from baking and badminton, to special guests, visiting therapy pets, high tea, shuffleboard, even reminiscing -- to name but a few. There is gardening, both indoor and out -- program assistant Elizabeth Mazurek said, "If they can't get to the garden, we'll get it to them," -- as well as special events like barbecues, Robbie Burns Day, Chinese New Year and more. Some attend five days a week, others, just one day. Most hail from Oakville as interregional transportation is almost non-existent and makes coming from further afield difficult. S.E.N.A.C.A. staff members work with clients as groups and one-on-one with art therapy and more. McBride offers information and support groups for families. "It's like family," said McBride. Over the years, S.E.N.A.C.A. has and continues to pick up "fans" in the community. For 21-year-old Cynthia Egelton of Glen Abbey, working summers at S.E.N.A.C.A. has steered her toward a social work degree at Laurier University. For Ruth Brown, whose daughters Emily and Nicole grew up with S.E.N.A.C.A. part of their family life, it's gratifying to see both daughters return nearly two decades later from university pursuits -- and when they are in town, still visit or volunteer at S.E.N.A.C.A. Oakville United Taxi operates near S.E.N.A.C.A. and often will bring meals to the north site if McBride is tied up. It has sponsored S.E.N.A.C.A. T-shirts, which will be worn as S.E.N.A.C.A. celebrates its 30th anniversary next fall. The party will follow S.E.N.A.C.A.'s annual general meeting on Thursday, Sept. 24, and will take place from 5-7 p.m. at the 53 Bond St. location (Kerr and Rebecca) with a country fair theme, barbecue and entertainment. McBride said S.E.N.A.C.A. tries to cater to all needs -- and noted, it is becoming more diverse by the day. Clients come from birth countries such as South Africa, India, Portugal, Venezuela, China, Ireland, Jamaica, Croatia, Poland, Ukraine, Japan, Holland and Germany. All cultural nuances, from diet to customs, activities to taboos, are researched and respected, she said. As S.E.N.A.C.A. opens its doors to others, the surrounding community is welcoming S.E.N.A.C.A. Last summer, the nearby Vaishno Devi Temple and the Halton Sikh Cultural Association organized a walk-a-thon to benefit S.E.N.A.C.A. As S.E.N.A.C.A. is welcomed in its newest community, as it was by Palermo United Church, the church is also welcoming others to join its congregation or use its facility, according to its administrator Marion Ferguson. Today, both S.E.N.A.C.A. and the church are watching as new homes and neighbourhoods are built in the village that once was a stagecoach stop between Toronto and Hamilton and a farming community. It is estimated that, in about two years, 8,000 new households or 20,000 people -- and not just those of European descent, but others hailing from African, Caribbean, Indian, and Asian heritage -- will have moved into the immediate area -- and just off to the west the new Oakville hospital will be making its home at Third Line and Dundas. THE BEST KEPT FURNITURE SECRET FOR OVER 30 YEARS The Drape Lady: Customized design and service to suit your needs INCREDIBLE SAVINGS 50% 100% Solid Wood Canadian Made Dining Room Table (extends to 121") and 6 Genuine Leather Chairs $ Up To H The Drape Lady 5499 Reg. $ 3799 NOW IN STOCK aving dressed thousands of windows over the past 20 years, Elisabeth knows the secrets of the trade and draws from a wealth of experience. Keeping looks and practicality in mind, Elisabeth will develop the perfect design for your window. She offers a wide variety of fabrics and stylish hardware to enhance the atmosphere of your living space. Be it traditional, formal, casually elegant, or updated traditional, Elisabeth will create the style that best enhances a well balanced flow throughout your home. Beautiful Solid Wood Reclaimed Timber TV Unit Special Instock Offer Now Reg. $799 $ 499 Great Selection of Quality Top Grain Leather Sofa, Loveseats & Recliners FROM 2 PC SOFA & LOVESEAT $ 2599 DON'T MISS OUT ON THESE INCREDIBLE SAVINGS! Once again Elisabeth would like to thank all of her loyal customers for working with her and passing "the word" on to friends and neighbours. 4205 Fairview Street, Burlington · 905.634.5298 Heritage Furniture She can be reached at "The Drape Lady Interior" at 905-847-3287 www.drapelady.ca EXPERIENCE THE BEST PATRICK MAGUIRE MANAGER CHADD LOCKWOOD DEALER "The only deal we can't beat y is the one we don't see." oakvilledodge.com VIEW PHOTOS & VIDEO OF OUR ENTIRE INVENTORY ONLINE @ OAKVILLE DODGE CHRYSLER JEEP & 270 Oak Park Blvd. T R A FA L G A R D U N D A S 905-845-4211