2015 In Review

Monthly Calendar of Events - We seniors continue to be kept busy with a great selection of activities and treats. October, November and now the December calendar have been full - highlights, other than the many regular activities have been: informative and "tasty" healthy cooking classes with Marnie the dietician and Diner's club - with an early Christmas celebration at the Duhb Linn Gate on November 26 th'. Art and bowling activity lunches continue to be a monthly treat and provide the opportunity to interact with our neighbours from Mt. Currie. A well attended and interesting workshop on estate planning and wills followed the November pot luck and a lecture on Fraud and Scams is to be held on the 9 th followed by lunch and the last board meeting for the year.

The Christmas festivities started early and will continue throughout December. Many of us enjoyed a wonderful Christmas dinner hosted by the Pemberton Lion's at the Legion last Saturday. The final celebration for PVSS will be our Christmas luncheon on the 16 th. I am disappointed that I will miss this exciting event - I will be there with you in spirit.

Thank you to Fran for organizing so many great activities for us and for all the folk who volunteer to help in so many ways. A special thanks to Chris who tirelessly keeps us informed and "on track."

Men's Shed and Tool Library - The Men's Shed and Tool Library are thriving with more members being signed up to use the Tool lending Library weekly. Outreach activities are planned with Whistler and Squamish and hopefully the PVMS can mentor the seniors in these communities as they seek to establish their own Men's Sheds. Derek will provide a full report on their activities.

We have made an application to the Pemberton Festival Community Foundation for $2,000 to continue to fund the popular Art & Bowling for life program. A decision is expected by the end of the year. The UBCM grant of $20,000 for the Men's shed has been reconciled and the VOP, as the grant applicant, have submitted the final report on our behalf.

Thanks to Richard and Derek for their help in completing the report on the grant. The final $6,000 in funding will be released to the VOP on UBCM's acceptance of the final report. The remaining grant of $12,000 (New Horizons for Seniors ) is due to be completed at the end of February.

Ongoing work to meet health and transportation and housing needs of corridor seniors - This work is progressing slowly on a number of fronts. Over the last couple of months representatives from the boards of the seniors groups in Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton have met to discuss developing an alliance between our three organizations (Sea to Sky Seniors Alliance group). This would enable us to advocate for seniors needs from a position of greater strength than as individual organizations. We will be meeting again in the new year to develop terms of reference for this new "umbrella" organization. Your input into how you envision this organization working will be sought and valued.

Seniors Resource Magazine PVSS has agreed to provide $250 towards the publication of this Sea to Sky Seniors Resource magazine. The proofs are ready for review and the publication should be available, free, to members of the Corridor by the beginning of 2016. Squamish has now agree to partner in the start up costs. This reduces our commitment from $500 to $250.

Thanks and Seasons Greetings. As I will be away over the holiday season I would like to wish you all early season's greetings. Thank you all for participating in your own ways to make the year 2015 a year full of fellowship, support and kindness for the lucky seniors of Pemberton and district. I look forward to an equally successful year in 2016.