Kitimat residents will have five days of intergenerational activities to look forward to as the Age-Friendly Committee leads a week-long celebration marking Intergenerational Day and BC Seniors Week.
“We’re hearing from the community at large that there needs to be more emphasis [on attention] paid to seniors... it’s important for me to uplift them and foster connections between the generations,” said Kitimat councillor Michelle Martins, who also sits on the Age-Friendly Committee.
The week of events begins June 1 with a bingo and barbecue at Delta King Place, and an intergenerational swim sponsored by the district. A bouncy castle event hosted by the Child Development Centre follows on June 4, with a Tree of Life planting scheduled for June 5. The Royal Canadian Legion will host “Pancakes for Dinner” on June 6, and the celebrations wrap up June 7 with a fashion show and tea at the 50+ Centre.
The initiative is a response to ongoing community feedback about the need for more intergenerational connection. Senior organizations on the committee are coordinating the activities in collaboration with other local groups and volunteers, including the Kitimat Girl Guides. Much of the event support will come from these volunteers, helping to offset overall costs and ensure the success of the programming.
To support the events, the Age-Friendly Committee requested a $2,000 grant from the District of Kitimat. Council unanimously approved the funding at its May 5 meeting.
"These events are designed to bring generations together in fun, meaningful ways and to strengthen the ties that connect our community," said Nanci Warren in her request to council.
Speaking to the motion, councillor Graham Pitzel said the grant represented "good bang for the buck."
“For the relatively small investment, we get five events for the community,” he said.
