Celebrating Seniors
To promote positive images of aging, the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministers Responsible for Seniors have profiled noteworthy seniors from across Canada to celebrate their many achievements and the contributions they have made to their communities and to the country.
Lorne and Phyllis Anderson
Stony Plain, Alberta
Mr. and Mrs. Anderson, 82 and 79, volunteer over 600 hours annually with continuing care residents. They also bring residents to their home to enjoy homemade pies and to view their beautiful backyard garden, which is often featured in the Stony Plain Horticultural Society's annual garden tour. The Andersons, who have been married for 61 years, were nominated for a Minister's Seniors Service Award in 2007 and received a Stars of Alberta Volunteer Award in 2009.
Sharon Arnold
The Pas, Manitoba
Mrs. Arnold, 68, is active in her community as president of the local seniors' centre and chair for the 2008 Manitoba 55 Games. She is also a member of the Age-Friendly Advisory Committee, and she has served on the Manitoba Council on Aging. Mrs. Arnold received a gold medal for cribbage at the 2008 Canada 55 Games and received the 2005 Citizen of the Year award in the Pas.
G. Fred G. Bannister
Mount Pearl, Newfoundland and Labrador
Born in 1918, Mr. Bannister has made lifelong contributions in many areas of civic life, including serving in the Royal Navy and the Merchant Navy and holding a position as city councillor. He was also a school board member and was instrumental in establishing local branches of the Boy Scouts, the Royal Canadian Legion, the Lions club and a seniors' residence and club.
Margaret Barbour
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Ms. Barbour is a dedicated seniors' advocate who has participated on various federal, provincial and territorial committees on issues such as elder abuse and active living, and she is a founding member and past chair of the Active Living Coalition for Older Adults in Manitoba. Ms. Barbour was the 2008 recipient of the Manitoba Council on Aging's prestigious Murray Smith Award.
Percy Bird
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Mr. Bird, 76, a residential school survivor and respected Elder, visits schools and community gatherings to share healing through stories. He also volunteers helping seniors who are struggling with addiction. After retiring from the federal government, Mr. Bird served on the Manitoba Council on Aging for four years.
Blanche Black
Victoria, British Columbia
Ms. Black, 61, is a fitness nurse and exemplifies positive, healthy and vibrant aging. She teaches aquafit and yoga classes to people of all ages and abilities. Ms. Black also trains seniors as ActNow BC Senior Ambassadors, who provide information on healthy living to their peers and act as positive role models in the community.
Shirley Brazer
Toronto, Ontario
Ms. Brazer, 70, has a genuine interest in and passion for enhancing the independence and quality of life for seniors and stops at nothing to advocate for seniors in the community. She has been a volunteer with the Baycrest Seniors Support Program since 1977, assisting seniors and their families living in the community. Ms. Brazer was honoured with the 2009 Ontario Senior Achievement Award.
William (Bill) Cameron
Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia
Mr. Cameron is known for his dedication to volunteer work. He can be depended on for anything from raising funds, painting, organizing people or digging holes, to clearing brush, cleaning buildings, tidying a cemetery, going to meetings or carrying a flag. Mr. Cameron is always willing to step up when any need is identified by his community.
Elphège Chiasson
LamLamèque, New Brunswick
Mr. Chiasson, a prominent entrepreneur, is known for his proud sense of Acadian heritage. He has volunteered with and supported dozens of economic clubs, charity organizations, business associations and cultural festivals. Mr. Chiasson has received an honourary doctorate from the University of Moncton, the Order of New Brunswick and the Order of Canada.
Barbara Coneen
Bedford, Nova Scotia
Ms. Coneen has been involved in community service projects for 40 years, filling the role of everything from board member and president to cook and door-to-door canvasser. She coordinates volunteers, drives seniors to events and appointments, bakes, pours tea and holds special fundraisers for individuals and organizations too numerous to count.
Rita Mary Drake
Conception Bay South, Newfoundland and Labrador
Born in England in 1921, Mrs. Drake was a World War II nurse and head nurse at a St. John's hospital. She settled with her family in the Conception Bay region, where she helped establish a Girl Guides troupe, a ladies' auxiliary, a Sea Cadet Corps and a softball complex, and she served on the school board. Today, Mrs. Drake makes friendly visits to residents in long-term care homes.
Anna Duffy
Fort Augustus, Prince Edward Island
Mrs. Duffy is a former teacher, a mother of 10, and an active volunteer, touching the lives of community members of all ages. She is the current chairperson of the Seniors' Secretariat of Prince Edward Island and she has been recognized for her community work with an honourary doctorate from the University of Prince Edward Island and the Order of Prince Edward Island.
Margaret Gailing-Stepp
Weyburn, Saskatchewan
Mrs. Gailing-Stepp, 69, is a retired federal government employee. As provincial president of the Saskatchewan Senior Fitness Association, she strives to provide physical, mental and social opportunities for seniors. Whether she's organizing a 200-person walk, starting a slo-pitch league or assisting with the Canada 55 Games, she enjoys helping seniors engage in active living and improve their quality of life.
Elsie Gerdes
Armstrong, British Columbia
Ms. Gerdes is a community volunteer and an active technology user, embracing new technology to keep in contact with friends and family. As a member of the BC Old Age Pensioners Organization, she uses a webcam, online meeting forums, PowerPoint presentations, conference calling and online messaging to facilitate information sharing.
Doreen Gyorkos
Lethbridge, Alberta
Mrs. Gyorkos, 75, is President of the Lethbridge Branch of the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association and Vice President (Lethbridge) of the Alberta Committee of Citizens with Disabilities. Diagnosed in 1985 as severely hearing impaired, she has since been bettering the lives of hearing-impaired Albertans by working to educate the general public, local services and medical organizations on how to identify the needs of and communicate with hard-of-hearing people.
Freda Hannah
Toronto, Ontario
Ms. Hannah, 87, has been a tireless advocate for residents in long-term care homes in Ontario for more than 20 years. She was the driving force behind significant amendments to long-term care legislation and the introduction of family councils in long-term care homes. Ms. Hannah received the 2008 Ontario Senior Achievement Award for her community involvement.
John Howat
Sorrento, British Columbia
Mr. Howat, a mine surveyor by trade, is an active community volunteer. He is an avid swimmer and walker and wants to inspire others to be more physically active by setting a good example. Mr. Howat believes that having a positive outlook is the best contributor to healthy aging, an outlook he proves every day when he brightens the room with his big smile.
Alma Johnston
Cherry Brook, Nova Scotia
Ms. Johnston first became a Sunday school teacher at age 14 and continued for 40 years. She was the first teacher to graduate from the Cherry Brook–Preston area, where she started her 35-year teaching and counselling career in the local schools. Ms. Johnston also helped found and lead the Black Professional Women's Group, and she was the first African–Nova Scotian on the Nova Scotia Advisory Council on the Status of Women.
Won Kim
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Born in North Korea, Dr. Kim, 81, came to Winnipeg in the 1960s for his work as a molecular biologist. He became active in the Korean community, establishing the Korean Association of Manitoba and acting as principal of the Korean Language School. Dr. Kim remains involved, serving on several boards and committees and volunteering at the Korean Seniors School.
Pat Kohli
Regina, Saskatchewan
Ms. Kohli, 62, has been spending her retirement actively involved in athletics. She has taken up power walking, bike riding, swimming, and cross-country and downhill skiing. Ms. Kohli also fell in love with running and has entered triathlons and a half-Ironman, and, in 2009, she competed in Subaru Ironman Canada. Her next goal is to enter the 2011 Boston Marathon.
Milos Kostic
Regina, Saskatchewan
Mr. Kostic, 68, is a retired engineer. He is a Masters Athletics champion in numerous triathlon, marathon and Ironman competitions around the world, and he believes that age is irrelevant in the pursuit of athletic excellence. Mr. Kostic is also involved in local athletic clubs, returning to the community some of the support it has shown him throughout his athletic career.
Alex Krawec
Stonewall, Manitoba
Mr. Krawec, a former town councillor, has been a long-time volunteer with numerous organizations, and has worked with school boards as educator, volunteer, mediator and consultant. He is also the past president of Stonewall Senior Center and the Manitoba Association of Multi-Purpose Senior Centres. Mr. Krawec received the 2007 Manitoba Council on Aging's Murray Smith Award.
The Honourable Norman L. Kwong, former Lieutenant Governor of Alberta
Calgary, Alberta
Mr. Kwong, 80, was installed as Alberta's Lieutenant Governor in 2005. During his tenure as Lieutenant Governor, he was named as Chancellor of the Alberta Order of Excellence, appointed as Knight of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem by the Queen of England and received an honourary doctorate of laws from the University of Alberta. Mr. Kwong and his wife Mary have four grown sons and remain devoted grandparents to their 10 grandchildren
Flora MacDonald Dell
Riverview, New Brunswick
Ms. MacDonald Dell is a passionate community activist. A former town councillor in Riverview, she is known for her work in promoting culture and recreation, reading, physical activity, libraries and the arts, second language training and seniors' programs. Ms. MacDonald Dell has received the Order of New Brunswick, the Order of Canada and the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal.
John (Jack) MacDonald
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Mr. MacDonald has volunteered much of his time to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, touching the lives of countless people. He goes out into the community to offer financial, social and spiritual assistance, providing aid through home visits and deliveries, and he is always available for emergency needs.
Nancy MacDonald
Enfield, Nova Scotia
Ms. MacDonald volunteers every year to answer the letters to Santa that pass through her community's Canada Post outlet. Although she used templates at first, she found the letters were not believable. Since then, Ms. MacDonald has handwritten as many as 400 individual letters each Christmas, each one personally recognizing the child's hopes and dreams.
Wayne Mark
Vancouver, British Columbia
Mr. Mark, 97 has volunteered at the S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Simon K. Y. Lee Seniors Care Home since 2001, providing one-to-one visits and assisting in many activity programs. He is also the special events reporter for the Evergreen, a Chinese-language newspaper published by S.U.C.C.E.S.S., and vice chair of the Good Will Ambassador Council, which helps raise funds to enhance the physiotherapy program for residents.
Ellen McLean
Pictou County, Nova Scotia
Dr. McLean has travelled the world with her work, beginning in the United Nations library in Geneva, Switzerland, and later settling back at home in Nova Scotia with her family. Dr. McLean has focused her community involvement on advancing the issues of agriculture, rural churches, third world countries and women's rights.
Marie Norcott
Clarenville, Newfoundland and Labrador
Born in 1940, Mrs. Norcott has enriched her community for over half a century. A cancer survivor herself, she helped establish the Cancer Support Group in her town and volunteers with Cancer Connection, a national program that matches up cancer patients for peer support. Mrs. Norcott also volunteers with Canadian Blood Services and Random Age-Friendly Communities.
Eric Norman
Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador
Mr. Norman, an accomplished educator, school board administrator, writer and editor, was a strong advocate for people with disabilities. Having acquired a disability later in life, he assisted in filing a complaint with the Canadian Transportation Agency that has allowed people with disabilities to travel by air without having to pay for a second seat. Although Mr. Norman did not live to see this victory, his achievements continue to benefit others.
George Piers
Fredericton, New Brunswick
Mr. Piers, a teacher and a champion for those who struggle to meet the basic needs of life, has been an active volunteer since the 1970s. He has worked with many organizations, including the Fredericton Community Kitchen, the Fredericton Emergency Shelter and the Canadian Association of Food Banks. Mr. Piers received the Order of New Brunswick in recognition of his positive contribution to the community.
Dorothy Rosevear
Jacksontown, New Brunswick
Mrs. Rosevear has been a foster parent for over 50 years, caring for nearly 700 children who have passed through the Rosevear home. She also supported, mentored and coached many parents while working as a Parent Aid. Mrs. Rosevear has been recognized for her dedication to fostering by the Province of New Brunswick and several fostering associations, and she has received the Order of New Brunswick.
Mul Raj Sethi
Richmond Hill, Ontario
Mr. Sethi, 78, is involved in a wide range of community work, with emphasis on the integration and socialization of seniors of South Asian descent. He has founded several seniors' clubs and worked with agencies, clubs and organizations across the Greater Toronto Area to ensure seniors are treated with dignity and respect. Mr. Sethi received the Ontario Senior Achievement Award in 2007.
Jules Soetaert
Edmonton, Alberta
Mr. Soetaert, 79, has been bowling for over 48 years and, in 2008, made bowling history when he became the oldest person in North America to bowl two perfect games in a row. He participates in three leagues and shares his knowledge of the sport by helping to instruct junior bowlers. With age seemingly inconsequential, Mr. Soetaert says, "whether you have a competitive spirit or just for pleasure, this sport is good for young and old alike."
Alvena Strasbourg
Edmonton, Alberta
Mrs. Strasbourg, 89, continues to travel the province as a strong advocate for Métis people in Alberta. Mrs. Strasbourg is a Métis Elder, and, among her many achievements, has been honoured for her work in the community by Keyano College, receiving the Board of Governors Distinguished Citizen Award. Mrs. Strasbourg published her first book in 1998, Memories of a Métis Woman: Fort McMurray Yesterday and Today.
Dick Strayer
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Mr. Strayer, 82, is a retired professor of agricultural engineering. He is an active member of the Saskatoon Council on Aging, and he volunteers for Stensrud Lodge Special-Care Home and Saskatoon Home Care. Mr. Strayer received the 1995 Caregiver of the Year award from the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada and the 1985 Volunteer of the Year award from the Canadian Association of Exhibitions.
Minnie Vallis
Town of Meadows, Newfoundland and Labrador
Born in Ramea, Newfoundland and Labrador, in 1933, Mrs. Vallis has served as town councillor, deputy mayor and mayor. A mother of six, she also worked as a teacher and later as a counsellor to victims of violence. Mrs. Vallis is a lifelong social reformer, successfully challenging social practices that discriminate against women and people with disabilities and their caregivers.
Marjorie White
New Westminster, British Columbia
Ms. White (Na-cha-uks), 74, is a dedicated Elder and a role model to countless Aboriginal people. She is a founding member of several Aboriginal organizations in Vancouver, and a senator of the National Association of Friendship Centres. Ms. White has volunteered with various associations for over 50 years, working tirelessly to promote the cause of
Aboriginal and First Nations people
in British Columbia and throughout Canada.
Pamela Wray
Bamfield, British Columbia
Ms. Wray, 73, spent her working years as a caregiver and a teacher, keeping so busy taking care of others that she neglected to care for herself. Now she has started exercising, stopped smoking, learned to draw and taught herself to use Nintendo's Wii console. Ms. Wray sets a positive example in her community by defying stereotypes and beliefs about aging.
