As leaders and pioneers of local communities, seniors will be honoured during Seniors’ Week from June 4 to 10.
“Today’s seniors have seen more change in their lifetime than any generation before, literally from horse and carriage to the Internet, and they have taught and mentored us with no desire for personal recognition,” said County of Stettler Reeve Wayne Nixon.
“On behalf of the County of Stettler, I would like to take time to recognize our seniors and thank them for encouraging us to keep family and friends a priority and not take ourselves too seriously.”
Those words were echoed by the Town of Stettler representative.
“The senior citizens of Stettler provide a significant role in community events, volunteering and embracing the history of our home,” said Mayor Dick Richards.
“These unsung heroes deserve an enormous shout-out throughout the year, and specifically during seniors’ week.”
The mayor said he joins council in saluting the local seniors.
Next week, town and county representatives will recognize and thank seniors with lunch at Paragon Place on Monday, Heart Haven Lodge on Tuesday and Willow Creek Lodge on Wednesday.
For seniors not in lodges, the town and county will co-host a seniors’ social next Thursday at 3 p.m. at the Stettler Recreation Centre in the conference room, which might become the new home of a seniors’ centre.
As the town, county, Stettler and District Senior Citizens Drop-In Centre Society and seniors’ groups work together to create a new modern activity centre, municipal leaders admire the concerted and co-operative community spirit of all partners.
“We have seen a strong binding with the seniors’ groups,” Richards said.
“They want to get all seniors’ groups together.”
This unified spirit has quickly become a great building block to the community.
“For better programming, you need one group,” Richards said.
“Seniors: A New Energy” is the provincial theme for this year’s campaign.
“Seniors make a difference in our communities every day,” reads a news release from the province. “From supporting family members and friends to assisting charities and volunteering, seniors are deeply involved in our communities and their contributions benefit Albertans of all ages.
“All Albertans are encouraged to join the festivities by attending one of the many local seniors’ week events.”
RICHARD FROESE, Independent reporter