National Seniors Day is on Oct. 1. The Coast is synonymous with seniors, so we must have some big parade or community event planned to celebrate, right? Wrong. Unless I missed it while searching through dozens of Facebook groups, seniors centre activity calendars, municipal sites, event ads and community calendar listings, there’s no planned celebration anywhere on the Coast for National Seniors Day.
What a disappointment.
The only mention of Canada’s national day to pay tribute to seniors this week came from the Seniors Planning Table. While they didn’t have any events to announce, they did send in a press release asking Coasters to “consider what would change if seniors did not contribute to so many aspects of this community.”
Being one to listen to my elders, I took the request to heart this week. Here’s what would be different on the Coast without the support of seniors, from my point of view.
Our hospital would be severely lacking. Without the tireless volunteerism of the folks (who are predominantly seniors) at the Sunshine Coast Healthcare Auxiliary, we wouldn’t have nearly the level of care we take for granted here.
Our service clubs would suffer, and in turn our community would as well, because service clubs give time, money and support to events and activities for our youth and those less fortunate.
Seniors on the Coast also volunteer their time in schools, on boards of directors, as coaches and as mentors, passing on their lived knowledge, which is something that can’t be manufactured and I believe is invaluable.
Personally, I’d be screwed without the support of seniors. Both of my parents are seniors and they’ve helped my family immeasurably over the years.
Without the financial help of my mother, we never would have been able to purchase a home on the Coast. If we were still renting over this past year, we likely would have been forced out through the sale of our rental home and in a really tough spot.
When we purchased that house three years ago, my then 72-year-old father came to our aid and helped us replace all the single-pane windows, working faster, harder and longer than my husband and I, half his age.
Whenever I’m faced with a tough decision in life or if I just need to vent, my mom is only a phone call away and always willing to listen and offer advice. My dad would still come beat someone up for me if they made me cry.
I’ve also been supported and taught by many other seniors in my life – through cadets, church groups, clubs, teams and workplaces – and I know I’d be a different person without that guidance.
So on Oct. 1, think about and thank a senior for all they’ve done for you. I’ll be off-Coast celebrating my dad’s 75th birthday, so I’ll be sure to raise a glass!
