Sun Youth seniors shine

Sun Youth seniors club on Bingo Day

Nicolas Carpentier

It’s a well known fact that our country’s population is aging rapidly. In 2005, Statistics Canada indicated that senior citizens (65 and over) were representing 13.1% of the population. By 2036, they estimate that seniors will constitute 24.5% of the population.

For Sun Youth, senior citizens are esteemed members of our society. As a result, we work very hard each day to improve their quality of life. A multitude of services specifically catering to their needs are available to them. Emergency services such as our monthly food supplement programs and our medication program are aimed at assisting seniors in distress. Sun Youth also offers recreational acti­vities through its Seniors Club.

The Sun Youth Seniors Club has 136 members, all very active in the organization. People 55 years young and up are eligible to become members. Fees are $5 a calendar year (January to December). There are additional fees for organized outings but they are very moderate and vary between $15 and $25 depending on the event. The rest of the activities are free with the annual membership fees.

Every week, the Sun Youth Seniors Club offers a full schedule of activities with something for everyone to enjoy. Tai Chi classes are offered every Monday and Thursday afternoon and allow our seniors to stay in shape. On Tuesday mornings, a sewing and knitting group meets, where seniors share their techniques and work together on projects. On Wednesday afternoons, it’s bingo day, one of the most popular activities of the Seniors Club. On Fridays, outings are organized and bring our group to venues across Quebec, Ontario and the States. For a reasonable price, Sun Youth offers transportation and lunch.

Each year, the members get a chance to visit various locations such as Quebec City, Park Omega in Montebello (a wildlife park where animals roam free) and enjoy events such as the Tulip Festival in Ottawa and the Mondial des Cultures in Drummondville. They also go shopping in Vermont, apple-picking and sugaring-off in season and take cruises. Apart from these trips, theme-oriented parties are also organized throughout the year: Mothers’ and Fathers’ day, Hallowe’en, Valentine’s Day, Christmas, and Easter.

The Seniors Club is self-funded by its members. In addition to membership fees, events are also organized to help finance the club’s activities. One of the events is the Seniors Club Annual Bazaar. Each year, volunteers of the club invite bargain hunters to take advantage of incredible offers on new and used goods. The very popular Bingo activity and the theme-oriented parties also help to finance the Seniors Club’s activities.

The members of the Seniors Club are also very much involved Sun Youth through volunteer work. They are responsible for individually wrapping the 12,000 brand new toys distributed to families in need through our Holiday Baskets Campaign.

For more information on the Sun Youth Seniors Club, please contact Mr. Tom Stewart, President of the Club at 514-842-6356. We hope you will become part of our big family!