Parksville Mayor Chris Burger has signed a proclamation that recognizes October 1 as
"National Seniors Day."
As the Parksville Qualicum Beach area boasts the oldest population in Canada, there will be many activities celebrating our community's seniors.
"We are proud to pay tribute to seniors on this day and thank them for the valuable contributions they have made and continue to make in our communities, workplaces and families," said Burger.
In recognition of this proclamation, Michelle Stilwell, MLA and Parliamentary Secretary for Healthy Living and Seniors will host a Seniors' Tea from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct. 1 at the Qualicum Beach Civic Centre.
Meanwhile, the Regional District of Nanaimo is hosting their second annual Active Aging Week. "With our population in the Oceanside area being mostly retired adults we (the RDN) thought it would be a great way to celebrate all the activities people can get involved in here," said recreation programmer Jennifer Hopewell.
Hopewell said the RDN has organized a number of events throughout the week of Sept. 22 to 27, all of which are free of charge and require no registration.
Hopewell said the activity line-up includes: gardening, yoga classes every day in Parksville and Qualicum Beach, mini golf, badminton, zumba, pickle ball, non-impact aerobics (NIA), an autobiography workshop and an intergenerational panel presentation.
"We're really excited about Active Aging Week," she said. "There will be lots of activities throughout the week encouraging people to be active."
Initiated by the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA), events are hosted during the last full week in September and the theme for 2014 is "Let the adventures begin".
For more information, or a full list of RDN events visit www.rdn.bc.ca/cms.asp?wpID=3328 or call Jennifer Hopewell at 250-248-3252.
National Seniors Day, which coincides with the United Nations International Day of Older Persons, is an occasion for Canadians to celebrate and appreciate seniors. Visit www.seniors.gc.ca to learn more about National Seniors Day, government services and benefits for seniors, or tips on staying active, engaged and informed.