President's Report
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to us! We are just starting our 3rd year.
We are pleased to report our 2025 membership campaign is successful and we have almost 100 paid members, 7 Super Members, and nearly 150 subscribers to our newsletter. Welcome to all new members and subscibers. And thank you to all ongoing members for their continued support. Our birthday also marks our year end. Ted is preparing our 2024 Financial Report and the board is setting a date for our AGM this spring.
Did you know we are entirely self-funded through membership fees and volunteer support?
SW55+ Connect board and volunteers are working hard to bring you opportunities to socialize, learn, and stay physically healthy. We estimate our volunteers have in the first two years invested 4000 hours of time which has an economic labour value of $120,000.
For example, Peter loves golf and coaching, so he organizes, advertises and hosts Get Ready for Golf. Debra enjoys hosting Pub Night and has done so since we began. Similarly, Sonja enjoys hosting the monthly Out To Lunch gatherings. Kevin and Chandar love hosting Trivia at Lougheed House. Linda is hosting the upcoming 80'sTrivia Night. Cheryl has introduced arts and culture to our offerings. Mae organized Bridge Lessons for Beginner to Intermediate. And a whole team hosts Wednesday Afternoon Coffee and Friday Coffee & Talk get-togethers. What what would you like to do? Simply pitch your idea to a board member and we will help you.
Your membership fees help us pay for office supplies, our website, insurance, Meetup and other administrative expenses. Our annual operating costs are about $5,000 and it is easy to see that our financial position is tenuous. We need to recruit more paid members and/or seek grants. As of Feb 1, we are raising our activity fees for non-members, and Friday coffee will now cost $3 for non-members. We will be recruiting board members with non-profit management leadership experience, and/or individuals with computer, web/ management/digital marketing skills. Keep in mind that the SW quadrant of Calgary does not have a senior’s centre so we are serving an important need in the community.
Cheers to the end of long dark nights and hello to longer days, sun and growth.
Take care,
Julie Kearns on behalf of your board Debra, Sonja, Cheryl, Mae, Tova, Kevin, Chandar and Ted
New Event - Learning Cafe "UnHappy Valentines Day: Grief and Loss" February 14, 11 am - 12 noon Oak Park Church, 11263 Oakfield Dr SW |
Valentines Day can be a lonely day for some people. As we age we experience losses more frequently. Experiencing grief is not limited to the death of a loved one; it can also be caused by a loved one's diagnosis of dementia; our own feelings of loss and grief as we begin to have a diminished ability in activities of daily living; the loss of a sense of purpose; and the feeling of losing our friends and relatives.
This month’s Learning Cafe will begin by exploring this powerful emotion. We will look at what grief is, how individuals experience grief, its mental and physical effects; and identify coping mechanisms. We will also explore strategies for how we can provide the right support to help friends and family through a difficult journey. This Learning Cafe will be an introduction to understanding the grieving process, the facilitator will engage participants in active discussion and participants will be provided with links to additional resources and counselling services. Our facilitator is Heather Ansari MC, a Family Counsellor/Older Adult Counsellor with CARYA.
Get Ready for Golf
Tuesdays, February 4, 11, 18, 25 202511:00 AM to 12:00 PM MST
50 - 50th Avenue SW
Practice your swing and share a morning coffee. We can help you with your swing or you can help others if you have tips to share. We will be sharing booths so you don’t have to swing for the full hour. We will be upstairs so just bring one or two clubs and be prepared to climb stairs. You can also rent clubs for an additional $5 charge.The cost is $12 per session. Pre-registration is required
80’s Trivia Night
Feb 6 from 6 to 8 pm at
Rozzini's, 11440 Braeside Dr. SW.
Test your memory of the 80's, 90'S and Y2K and have fun with other SW55+ Connect friends and members. Pre-registration is required
Trivia Night at Lougheed House
Test Your Trivia Knowledge of the 90's and Y2K
February 27 at 7:00 PM
Peter Lougheed House
707 13th Avenue SW
Join us for coffee and good company!
Wednesday Afternoon Coffee
February 5, 12, 18, 25 2025
2:00 PM to 3:00 PM MST
Social Grounds 3109 Palliser Drive SW, #11
Friday Coffee & Talk
February 7, 14, 21, 28 2025
10-11:30 am
Cost: Members $2, Non-members $3
Oak Park Church, 11263 Oakfield Dr SW
Comments