Outside, October has flown by and November continues to darken and cool – even time itself took a fall back, but the number of learning and community events our CRNs hosted last month has certainly heated up. Here are a few highlights from around the province.
Lights of Hope and Beating Winter Doldrums
Hope CRN hosted their annual domestic violence awareness campaign, Purple Lights of Hope. Held on October 1st, the event began in Memorial Park with a welcome, a reading of statistics from the area, a musical presentation and drumming from indigenous partners as they lit up the park with purple lights. The CRN also promotes awareness and engages the community by organizing many activities: a wear purple and cookie fundraiser day at the local high school, hanging banners on the main streets, handing out posters and decals to businesses, and writing a weekly article for the local paper. This year they also commissioned a local indigenous artist to paint an outdoor wall mural on a commercial building, located at a busy intersection in the city’s core. Thanks to community partners: RCMP, Victim Services, Hope Community Services (host agency), Read Right Society, The District of Hope (maintenance and counselors), Chiwathil First Nations, Hope Community Corrections, and Grace Baptist Church.
Back by popular demand are the monthly Salmo CRN winter craft packages! The bundles are filled with craft supplies, recipe ingredients, snacks and warm instant coffees or teas. These are made available for pick up at the local library as an initiative to encourage seniors to stay active over the cold months. Included in each package is the Seniors Newsletter, containing important information such as: information on adult abuse and neglect, a community calendar, nutritious and inexpensive recipes, word puzzles to stimulate their minds and the monthly craft instructions. This year they will partner with Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy (CBAL) for a final in-person meet up in March; having a group lunch and activity with the opportunity to fill in the final feedback forms. Thanks to community partners: CBAL, Salmo Public Library, Salmo Foodbank, and Salmo Better at Home United Way.
Learning Events and Community Connection
Tri-Cities Seniors’ Action Society co-hosted a packed event with the Port Coquitlam CRN and other sponsors. Over 250 attendees visited the 20 exhibitors and received presentations from ICBC, Coquitlam RCMP and the CRN Regional Mentor, Ken Kuhn. Speakers covered topics ranging from road assessments, frauds and scams, and elder abuse awareness. The BC CRN information table was stocked with resource referral handouts and hosted by co-coordinators Gilda and El Tweedie. Thanks to additional sponsors: Glacier Media, The Tri-City News, and Inlet Hearing.
Image caption: Photos from Tri-Cities Seniors’ Action Society learning event. Top: attendees at Wilson Senior Centre in Port Coquitlam. Bottom left: Gilda and El Tweedie. Bottom right: Regional Mentor and event speaker Ken Kuhn. Photo credits: Ken Kuhn.
Williams Lake CRN held a workshop on extreme clutter to a small but significant group of women at the Women’s Contact Society, the CRN partner agency, who also provided the venue.
Image caption: Photos from Williams Lake CRN learning event. Left: Regional Mentor Eva Navrot presents An Introduction to Extreme Clutter. Photo Credit: Eva Navrot
The Smithers CRN hosted their first Smithers Health Fair. A number of community members were able to visit and learn more about a variety of private local wellness service providers and try some practices during the fair. Attendees participated in various kinds of mini treatments such as yoga, Qigong, sound therapy and reflexology. Wellness practitioners also benefited by the opportunity to network and connect. On the same day, the annual inter-agency event took place upstairs at the same venue, where over 50 participants enjoyed a BC CRN special presentation on abuse, neglect and self-neglect and then walked through the Smithers Health Fair after lunch. Melinda Alison visited from Prince George and made a special presentation on reporting abuse, neglect and self-neglect.
Image caption: Photos from Smithers Interagency Event and Health Fair. Left: Clara Donnelly and Smithers Regional Mentor Anjali Marshall. Photo credit: Anjali Marshall.
Terrace CRN hosted an open house in November to connect with the community and local resource providers to celebrate a new location at the Terrace Regional Hospice Network. Attendees were invited to participate in a food basket draw and take referral resources for abuse, neglect and self-neglect. Also underway this month is a memory tree to honour community members who have passed this year. The tree will be erected and decorated at the local branch and project partner; Northern Savings Bank. The CRN will be attending a small business event in early December to network with other service providers and promote awareness of their presence and role in the community.
Vancouver Mt Pleasant CRN has been busy creating and assembling 100 special information packages called My Life Kit for distribution at related events. The kits are meant to empower seniors to exercise autonomy over their own health, emergency preparedness and ultimately prevent abuse, neglect and self-neglect. Kits will contain blank forms for: personal and medical details, a do not resuscitate (DNR) form and a Representation Agreement. Pages with emergency numbers, and a list of community and government resources will also be included. The documents will come in a plastic folder, and each package will include a heavy-duty magnet and two decals. The My Life Kit project will be supported by a UBC School of Social Work student who will be mentored by the MPNH project coordinator. The student will help develop the workshop curriculum, co-facilitate the sessions and tailor the resource list for the Mount Pleasant community.
In Case You Missed It
On the first Tuesday of each month, BC CRN hosts an online workshop featuring one of our four main programs. Visit the events page to learn more and register for upcoming presentations. To request a presentation, see the Programs page or email programs@bccrns.ca.
From September through June, we also feature a monthly Provincial Learning Event (PLE) . We are always on the lookout for relevant topics and resources to help navigate current issues facing older and vulnerable adults and welcome your suggestions!
- November’s topic was Older Adults Staying Safe Online, a presentation on digital literacy with guest speakers from Connected Canadians. Watch all our past webinars on-demand.
- December 3rd: Our last online workshop for the year will be a presentation on An Introduction to Extreme Clutter. For more information or to register, visit the event page.
- There will be no PLE in December.
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Explore our website to learn more about BC CRN or connect with your local CRN for more information or resources.
