Four new laptop computers will soon be arriving at the Sechelt Seniors Activity Centre, thanks to a donation by Telus’s community investment program.
Tony Stroud, the centre’s director charged with IT responsibility, says the computers “will improve security, compatibility and reliability.”
Stroud said the centre hopes to add central data storage to the system, which will also make it possible to configure data flow to users.
The Sechelt Seniors Activity Centre has been severely impacted by the pandemic, which has forced complete closures for extended periods during the past year, and has currently restricted programs to the frozen entrée and meal program.
The only other sources of revenue which have helped the not-for-profit society survive have been rentals to Elections BC during the provincial election last fall and the current rental to Vancouver Coastal Health, who are providing up to 800 vaccinations per day at the centre. No direct government funding supports the centre, which relies entirely on membership and activity fees together with room rentals to operate the 40-plus programs normally offered.
SSAC also receives occasional donations from other groups and individuals in the community. Most recently, the group 100+ Women Who Care made a generous cash donation greatly assisting the centre to survive these difficult months of closure.
Programs normally offered at the centre range from passive social activities such as contract bridge and “memory café” through to more active programs including dancing, fitness and pickleball.
“We have relied on the goodwill of our members to maintain and renew their memberships, even though we have been unable to offer the programs that so many have grown to enjoy over the years,” said society president Chris Kane. “I think they realize the only way to ensure we have a centre when the pandemic is behind us is to support it now. Even other community groups such as 100+ Women Who Care have stepped up to offer their support through generously donating funds.”
Once the centre is able to resume “regularly scheduled programming,” benefits of the Telus donation of computers will be fully realized.
