SEASON'S WELLAND RESIDENTS SHOW SPIRIT OF 'SENIOROSITY'

GROUP GIVES BACK TO NUMEROUS LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS

What do you get when you have a group of seniors who have made it their mission to give back to the community?

Maybe it's a little something called Seniorosity.

That's the case at Seasons Retirement Communities in Welland, where a group of 15 residents have been hosting events and raising funds for various community organizations, including the Niagara SPCA and Humane Society (NSPCAHS), Birchway Niagara (formerly Women's Place of South Niagara), The Hope Centre and more.

Seniorosity — a combination of the words, seniors and generosity — is an ongoing initiative that has been a part of life at Seasons locations in Ontario and Alberta since 2018. In total. 200 residents are involved across the two provinces, said Amanda Clarke, business manager at the Welland location.

"The program gives residents an opportunity to help others," Clarke said. "It provides a sense of purpose."

It also helps residents, many of whom may not originally be from Welland, learn about the community

and build social relationships with fellow residents, she added.

"It really gives them an opportunity to connect to the community," Clarke said. "It also encourages friendships with one another."

Recently, the group collected donations of nonperishable food items and cash for the Hope Centre. In total the group managed to raise $800.

For the NSPCAHS, the group has donated items such as blankets, dog and cat food as well as cat litter.

"The residents took in the donations and got to play with the animals and take the dogs for a walk," Clarke said. "They had a great time."

Currently, the group is conducting a used book sale with all funds going to

the Walker Family Cancer Centre at Niagara Health's St. Catharines site. The sale is being done in honour of Louis Goulet, a resident who maintained the library at Seasons in Welland and who passed away in January of this year. He was a longtime community volunteer and was awarded Welland's Outstanding Sport Volunteer Award in 2012.

"He was one of our volunteers," Clarke said. "He kept that library in pristine condition."

And in April, the group will be baking and selling cookies and brownies with funds going to Niagara Health's Welland site.

In addition to collecting donations for various groups, residents also take part in the annual Alzheimer's walk, Clarke said.