Bridging the Gap through cooking and mentorship

Times Contributor

 

Whether it’s cooking foreign dishes together or talking baby stuff with new mothers, the local Bridging the Gap program serves as a means for 55+ seniors to volunteer and socialize.

In Strathmore, the Bridging the Gap program has two regular programs, a Cooking Together program and a mentorship program partnered with Growing Opportunities, which assists new mothers.

On May 22, local seniors prepared French dishes together as part of the Cooking Together program. They also had French dolls and information on display as part of the event. The program is held the first and third Mondays of the month from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Lord of All Lutheran Church in Strathmore. Typically, there will be a guest speaker, information booth or display related to the cooking at the event. The next Cooking Together takes place on June 4 and German food is on the menu. Travel to and from can be provided for seniors, said Marg Richardson, one of the organizers.

The mentorship program, meanwhile, connects knowledgeable seniors with new mothers on the second and fourth Mondays of the month at the Lutheran Church from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“It’s sort of like a rent a grandparent program,” joked Richardson.

There are usually under a dozen people at either event, but numbers have been increasing, she added.

The mentorship program is mostly social, but does feature some craft time.

Seniors and mothers connect outside of the program as well, Richardson said.

For more information about Bridging the Gap, visit bridgingthegapalberta.ca.