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Minka and Jake Vr/end are ‘se‘en on a rebent trip tovéolivia whege they visited the tallest active volcano near the Uyun_i Salt Flats. ' ' -~ " This would not matter buffer the fact that it is illustrative of a series of important problems. What. if anything, does a 55-year-old have in common There is an irony. isn't there. in a group founded to serve the ‘elderly' subsequently seeking younger members? Isn’t that a' bit like the organizers of a play group becoming concerned that the age zero to five- yearâ€"old demographic is too dominant and that really what is needed.are some toys to entertain the 20 to 30-yearâ€"olds? Our hone" wlll brlng gift: and greeting, along with helpful community Informal-m. ‘ NEW TO YOUR COMMUNITY? CALL 1 Karen 905-64046” Sheryl “6- 895-4770 Joln- 81 Welcome 905- 641vfl74l l have heard different explanations about how the club came to change its name to the 55 Plus Club. One credible account suggests that there was .a group within the club that considered it important to attract younger members. An excerpt from a 1999 commemorative booklet on the club‘s history notes that, “The 'club was inaugurated on February 7. 1977, when four ladies. concerned that StoufiviIle offered no recreation tor the elderly. decided to speak up about using the old post office on Main Street for this purpose". Note the unapologetic use of the word “elderly". Changes ln an organization's name can be very significant. reflecting a change in how It sees itself and wants to be seen by others. "Flebranding" is no longer a preserve of the corporate world, but has crept over into other areas of our lives. This brings me to the 55 Plus Club. Until quite recently. the club was known as the "Whltchurch-Stoufiville Seniors“ Club" or more fully as the “Whltchurch-Stouffville Silver Jubilee Senior Citizens‘ Club". By Ben Embiricos What's In A Name? Bolivian Odyssey - A club for all seniors London @Lfle Serying Smuflvil/e Area Res/don” Sim‘e [9% FOR SALES 8. SERVICE INFORMATION CALL 905-640-4588 TIM ROCHACEWICH Different views about town facilities for seniors have circulated on council. within the club and elsewhere for years. with some favouring a new facility in the current town building and others The name change to the 55 Plus Club underlines the risk of forgetting that the club was lounded to help the “elderly". In recent years the club has been housed in a temporary home at Latcham Hall. and the'town renovated the building before the club moved in. Unfortunately the floor plan is such that only one program or activity can be provided at a time in most situations. So, for example. a seniors“ yoga or dance class will mean that space Is not available for cards and coffee. And many of the older and/or more infirm seniors cannot partiCIpate in yoga,'dance or even chair yoga. In recent years. a number of older and/or more inlirm seniors have expressed serious concerns that their needs are not being adequately met by the town or the club. Being a bit bored if you are a healthy, retired 65-year-old Is a bit diflerent from being an 88-year-old widow With a bad hip and an increasingly shrinking social life. There are some seniors of all ages who. not unreasonably, resent being defined by their age. It is also not uncommon to find people well into their eighties being healthy and active enough to enjoy a Wide variety of activities,_ and no doubt they would like the club and the town to provide some of them. We can all respect this. with the important caveat that those who need significant help as a result of their age should be the priority. with a 96-year-old? In tact the terms! could be the grandchild of the latter! 8‘ COMM, CLU, CHKFC‘. CFP lnsurancé Company Representative Talk 01 Th The town and the club should remember that the priority should be to help seniors who need it by Virtue of their age. That is why the club was lormed and that is where the most pressing need remains. Telling a 90-year-old to wait a lew years for something as basic as a dedicated place to go for a coflee is not reasonable Other towns provide this and so should we. seeking a dedicated seniors' unit within the planned. but now seemingly on hold, library-leisure centre expansion, The perfect solution may take time; big. publicly-funded building projects do..But in the meantime. older seniors shoflld be given a dedicated space they can use as a simple drop-in tacvlity for a coffee and a chat lor at least a lew hours every week day. 530w DEERE ’018‘ m. 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