Province kicks off Seniors’ Week

By Trevor Busch - Lethbridge Herald on June 7, 2022.

Herald photo by Al Beeber Doug Youngren performs along with Gordon Kryway and Dean Oseen (unseen) at a Nord-Bridge Seniors Centre jam session Monday morning. Monday marked the start of Seniors Week, with events scheduled at centres in Lethbridge and area.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDtbusch@lethbridgeherald.com

Taber had the honour of hosting the opening event for Seniors’ Week this year on Monday.
With this week celebrating seniors within the community and province, Josephine Pon, Minister of Seniors and Housing, came to Taber along with Taber-Warner MLA Grant Hunter to speak at the kick-off event – and to present Burns Wood, a local senior living in the town, with a delegation to commemorate Seniors’ Week.
Seniors enjoyed a pancake breakfast and live music as part of the celebration.
After the presentation, Pon spoke about why the provincial government chose to hold the kick-off event in Taber.
“Because it is a beautiful town, and also because of MLA Hunter, too,” said Pon. “MLA Hunter is a very good friend of mine and we talked about somewhere we’ve never been before. At Taber, I want to get some corn because it is famous. Besides that, it is very important and what the process is, usually we open bids, open to any city or town that would like to help us co-host this launch event for Seniors’ Week. We got a number of applications that want to co-host it with us and Taber was one of those applications that would co-host with us. We pulled out funding of over $5,000 to host this event.”
Hunter chimed in afterwards saying why Taber was a great place to kick off the week.
“Why not in Taber? This is God’s country down here,” said Hunter. “This is a great place to be able to show what rural Alberta looks like. Senior needs in rural Alberta versus urban is very different. The minister has been gracious enough to be able to come down, to be able to see and listen to – I think she was actually shaking hands at the beginning here with every person that’s been here. She wants to hear directly from our seniors in smaller communities to know where are those funding gaps and what are some things we can do. I really do appreciate her coming down here to be with all of you.”
Seniors’ Week, which continues through June 12, recognizes and celebrates all that older Albertans have contributed to making families, communities and the province stronger. In recognition of the importance of this event to seniors and older adults, the Alberta government has proclaimed, in perpetuity, the first full week of June as Seniors’ Week in Alberta.
Provincial museums are offering free admission to all seniors during Seniors’ Week.
More information on events happening in Lethbridge can be found at alberta.ca/seniors-week.aspx.

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