Alice Wong, the Minister of State (Seniors), visited Whitehorse last Thursday to announce new funding for six seniors' programs in the territory under the New Horizons for Seniors Program.

She toured some local retirement facilities and one of the organizations the government has scheduled for funding under the program.

The grant and contributions initiative funds projects led or inspired by seniors with a focus on seniors' community participation.

Wong represented Diane Finley, the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development. She spoke alongside Yukon MP Ryan Leef at a small gathering at the Yukon Literacy Coalition offices.

Leef opened the conference with his thoughts on Yukon seniors.

"Every time we go somewhere, across all age demographics, Yukoners don't just talk about themselves, and I think thats' commendable and refreshing.

"We heard that (last Wednesday) night when we talked to the seniors about what issues were concerning them the most.

They talked about what was important for Canada and what they wanted to see for the nation, not just what they wanted to see for themselves,” Leef said.

The department has allocated funding to 8,500 community projects across Canada, six of which are in the Yukon.

"One of the things I enjoy most is learning about all the wonderful community projects funded by new horizons,” said Wong. "This is an excellent program, not only for getting seniors out but also to keep contributing to the community.”

The projects being funded represent a variety of cultural and educational issues. All focus on the inclusion of seniors in community education and development.

The literacy coalition received $25,000 for it's Tales to be Told program, the maximum funding available to a single project.

Tales to be Told was led by family literacy director Christine Spinder and encourages elders and seniors to create storytelling and reading programs with local youth.

"All learning is about storytelling,” Spinder said.

"When we teach one another, we tell stories; when we tell stories, we teach one another. They are one of the main basis of learning, we learn between siblings, we learn between friends and we learn from our elders and mentors who have those experiences and life lessons,” Spinder said.

"It was really fantastic to see. I want to congratulate all the people in the program for being so courageous and brave to get up and start telling their stories with us.”

The New Horizons program has reserved $100,000 for the Yukon, $25,000 for the literacy coalition and a further $25,000 for the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation senior camp project.

The rest is divided amongst the Carcross Recreation Committee for its Caribou Crossing Footprints Through Time Program, the Ross River HOPE Society, the Mayo Seniors Advisory Association and the Seniors Learning and Teaching Arts Program at the Dawson City Arts Society.

"Some projects don't need all that money and some are sustainable and won't need annual funding,” said Wong.

"The programs are not similar to each other but they do have a common theme. Either we ask or encourage seniors to get out of their homes or institutes to really be socializing in the community, or we ask them to mentor our younger generation, because they are helping to build Canada, sharing their experiences and building community heritage, which is such an important element of the program, especially in the North.”

The meeting concluded with two spoken word presentations by local seniors June Cable and Sharone Maldaver.

Cable led the crowd in a retelling of the Yukon Quest sled dog race. She asked the audience to simulate the howls of the mushing dogs.

Maldaver recounted her experience overcoming breast cancer last summer with the help of close friends and the "vast, ever-changing landscape” of the Yukon.

"I was really impressed with the seniors here in Yukon,” said Wong.

"Because seniors can work a lot, you know today, they told wonderful stories. And they can mentor the younger generation and keep the Yukon spirit alive.”

The New Horizons program is accepting proposals for community-based projects which address one or more of the program's five objectives: promoting volunteerism, mentoring, elder abuse awareness, social participation, and providing capital assistance for new or existing projects and programs for seniors.

The application deadline is Sept. 16.

By MAX LEIGHTON

Star Reporter