The BESTOGETHER seniors' conference returned to Stettler for a second time on April 23.
Organized by the eight-member BESTOGETHER committee, the day had 75 participants from around the region descend on Stettler to take in a variety of different panels and activities.
"It was very, very successful," said Barbara-Lynn Goodwin, one of the committee members.
According to Goodwin, 75 participants seem to be the optimum amount for a community the size of Stettler – the numbers are very similar to the first conference held in 2024.
Participants started the day taking part in registration and coffee from 8-8:30 a.m., then everyone participated in chair yoga from 8:30-9:15 a.m.
Following chair yoga, seniors could register for one of several sessions. In total, 25 different sessions were offered throughout the day, hosted by 22 different facilitators.
Sessions offered throughout the day included raised bed vegetable gardening, senior psychology, line dancing, leather craft, bird watching, knitting, using the e-library, and senior fitness.
Lunch was catered by a local vendor.
Goodwin says that participants attended from as far away as Alliance and Coronation.
The BESTOGETHER committee is made up of representatives from the Big Valley, Erskine and Stettler United Churches.
Funding for the conference is supplied through the New Horizons Seniors Grant, funding from the Stettler Rotary, Superfluity, United Church Women's Group, and other grant sources, with a total budget of around $6,000.
According to Goodwin, the feedback from the seniors in attendance has been universally positive, with more than 70 per cent of participants indicating that they would return for another one.
The 2025 conference sessions were held across two venues: the Stettler United Church and St. George's Anglican Church.
