Photo by Vince Fedoroff
FUNDING APPRECIATED – Yukon MP Larry Bagnell, centre, announced $18,000 in federal funding to the Golden Age Society on Monday afternoon at the society’s premises on Fourth Avenue. Also seen are Ranjit Sarin (left), the society’s treasurer, and Deborah Bastien, its manager.
The Golden Age Society will receive $18,000 in federal money for its Enhancing the Lives of Seniors project.
The Golden Age Society will receive $18,000 in federal money for its Enhancing the Lives of Seniors project.
Yukon MP Larry Bagnell made the announcement late Monday afternoon on behalf Jean-Yves Duclos, the minister of Families, Children and Social Development.
The federal government is providing approximately $35 million in New Horizons for Seniors Program funding for close to 1,850 community-based projects approved through the program’s 2016-2017 call for proposals.
The Golden Age Society provides various recreational activities and a clean, safe place for Yukon seniors to socialize.
It will use the grant to buy new chairs, commercial-grade kitchen equipment, a popcorn machine, a television, a monitor sound system, a mixer cable box, sergers, crib boards, larger print cards, and other supplies to help keep activities running at the centre.
“The Golden Age Society would like to thank the New Horizons for Seniors projects for this grant,” said Deborah Bastien, the society’s manager.
“The Golden Age Society was organized in 1976 and has nearly 300 members. The activities at the centre include billiards, cribbage, bingo, quilting, needlecraft, floor curling, shuffleboard, and line dancing, and it provides space for tai chi, lunches, dinners, potlucks, and celebrations.
“This grant will be used to purchase equipment and help keep the centre a vibrant and healthy place for Yukon seniors,” Bastien added.
Since 2004, the program has funded close to 19,700 projects in hundreds of communities across Canada, with a total government investment of approximately $417 million.
“The Government of Canada is dedicated to ensuring Canadian seniors can get involved in community activities that meet their needs and interests, tap their collective resources and experiences, and promote their participation,” said Bagnell.
“We support New Horizons for Seniors Program projects like this one so that seniors across Canada can lead and participate in local activities beneficial to many.”
Investing in Canada’s communities is not only about creating good jobs and encouraging clean economic growth, but about building stronger communities, the government said in a statement.
“Through the many community-based projects we support each year, the Government of Canada helps seniors across Canada share their knowledge, skills and lived experiences in unique ways,” added Duclos.
“(The program’s) projects reflect our ongoing commitment to ensure that seniors from coast to coast can be active and prosperous members of their communities.”
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Comments (2)
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June Jackson on Mar 3, 2017 at 7:47 pm
JC.. i loved your comment.. there are 600,000 seniors living in poverty in Canada.
In the Yukon it's poor or rich..if your in the middle you are hooped and having a hard time making it from pension check to pension check.
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jc on Feb 28, 2017 at 9:18 pm
Wow! a whole $18,000 bucks to seniors. Kind of wonder what the Palestinians in the Gaza did to get a cheque for over 60 million last year from the seniors taxes they paid out over the years. Hope it didn't come out of the Veterans budget money that I was denied for my old Army injuries (and thousands of others). Way to go Larry. We will remember you on next election day for your ahem, generosity.