The Thorold Seniors' Centre was hustling and bustling with activity on Friday morning as the Seniors Active Living Fair took place.
“We’ve invited all different types of vendors to come,” explains Brenda Bator, who is the president of the Thorold Senior Citizens Association (TSCA). “We have presentations on wills and on scams. We have the Trillium College massage therapy students in there giving massages, taking blood pressures for anyone who needs it.”
The event was made possible through a grant from the The Older Adult Centres’ Association of Ontario. Organizations such as the Thorold Heritage Committee, Service Canada, March of Dimes and many others set up booths to share their information with seniors.
A few local teens also came down to help run the fair.
“All these wonderful kids from Thorold High School have come to help me,” Bator says. “Every time I’ve asked them to come they’ve been here for me. It’s just been fantastic.”
So what makes for an active senior?
“They need to be involved,” says Bator. “Social isolation is the worst thing. People aren’t getting out so we’re encouraging them to get out all the time.”
The days of the pandemic, when the TSCA was struggling to keep their head above water, are long in the rear view mirror.
“Last year we had 12,000 people come through this facility,” says Bator. “This year, January and February, we had 1,800 and this month we’re off with a 400 start. We keep having functions in here and it brings all sorts of people out.”
The TSCA has strengthened their position in the community by collaborating with the TCAG, the Thorold Public Library, and the Thorold Garden Club.
“We have so many partners now,” Bator says. “It's been a lot of hard work, getting the news out to all the seniors: don’t stay at home. Come on in. We’ll help you deal with anything you have to deal with. Lots of things we can do for you here. Just helping out is amazing.”
Bator’s work at the centre is personal.
“My husband died January 2022 and I didn’t know what I was going to do with myself,” she says. “I came in here and this is where I am right now. This has been life-saving. It’s just an amazing place to come.”
So what’s next for the TSCA?
“We’re very excited because we’re in negotiations for our lease with the City of Thorold,” says Bator. “They’ve been so far fantastic with us. We’ve asked for a couple of things. It looks very positive so we’re keeping our fingers crossed. If it all goes through well, then we’re going to have some exciting news.”
