Senior’s Week returns to Strathmore

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Senior’s Week returned in Strathmore last week, with a host of different activities for local residents to participate in, with several things to do taking place each day. 

According to Audra Anderson, a resource navigator with the Strathmore Wheatland Wellness Resource Project, the events which took place during Senior’s Week were largely community organized.

“It is just a group – a community collaborative of people who get together who want to be a part of Senior’s Week and then everybody just asked to make up their own events,” she said. “We try to spread out the events so they are not overlapping, but anybody can join. Most of the activities are free, some of them require registration and some of them are paid events, but we try to have as many events as we can that have no fee attached to them.”

During the first day of Senior’s Week, for example, a drop-in shredding event was hosted in the parking lot of the Strathmore Municipal Library for seniors to recycle old documents and the like.

Simultaneously, coffee and snacks had been made available in the program room of the library. Seniors who attended were also able to interact with a variety of local organizations and initiatives who wanted to be a part of the event. 

Other activities which took place throughout the week included a zentangle class at the Wheatland Society of Arts, a suncatcher making class at the library, a strawberry tea at the Happy Gang, as well as free access to the walking track at the Strathmore Motor Products Sports Centre. 

According to Anderson, there has overall been an increase in attendance of Senior’s Week events as there are less concerns regarding COVID-19, and more people have become aware of the available activities.

Additionally, the amount of people and organizations hosting events for seniors to attend is also gradually increasing.

“We have seen a few increases in our senior events … (and) an increase in people attending events. I think it does have a little bit to do with not being COVID-19 related anymore,” said Anderson. “There were about five to six events happening each day … (and) there are so many different organizations being involved.”

She regarded that at the drop in for coffee and snacks, which took place June 5, the event was well attended pretty much as soon as the doors opened. 

“It has been quite busy,” she said. “It has been a steady stream of people coming and having coffee and chatting.”

Information and scheduling had been posted online for the duration of Senior’s Week, and is likely to be repeated next year.