Green Acres rolls out Seniors Week with wheelchair races

By Alejandra Pulido-Guzman - Lethbridge Herald on June 4, 2024.

Herald photo by Alejandra Pulido-Guzman A pair of seniors, with a helpful push from behind, take part in the Green Acres Foundation wheelchair race event Monday at the Garden View Lodge.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDapulido@lethbridgeherald.com

The Green Acres Foundation kicked off Seniors Week with a wheelchair race at the Garden View Lodge Monday, where participants from various Green Acres Foundation lodges raced each other.

Donna Coslovi, CEO of the Green Acres Foundation spoke to media about the event.

“We’re really proud of the fact that this province recognizes seniors. The contributions that seniors have made over the years, one week might not be enough,” said Coslovi.

She added that even though a week is not long enough to celebrate seniors of the community, the first week of June is recognized as Seniors’ Week.

“Today we’re having a lot of fun, the weather has been very kind to us. We are having our wheelchair races outside. This is our second year doing the races,” said Coslovi.

She said this is an opportunity to have residents race each other, as well as visitors and staff members.

Two visitors who took the opportunity to race each other on wheelchairs were Mayor Blaine Hyggen and Lethbridge East MLA Nathan Neudorf. Those in attendance cheered them on and at the end Hyggen won.

Coslovi mentioned each seniors facility will have their own celebrations during Seniors’ Week but the kickoff involved multiple facilities to allow members to interact with each other and have fun together.

“We really enjoy being able to do this anytime we can bring the seniors together, have them try something different because this is totally different for them, let them meet friends maybe friends from another facility that they haven’t seen for a long time,” said Coslovi.

She said the wheelchair race event was not only beneficial in a recreational way, but also allowed residents to be outdoors taking in some fresh air.

Even though the sun was a bit shy, the temperature was in the double digits and the wind cooperated and remained calm so everyone could enjoy the event.

“We will be doing other things like a banana split this week, other facilities will have other activities as well and I think it would be really nice if all citizens just gave a nod to the seniors of this province and especially of this municipality this week,” said Coslovi.

She said the seniors of this municipality have really helped make it a great place to live and we should thank them.