November 2012 Senior Living Magazine by INSPIRED 55+ Lifestyle Magazine

SPECIAL PLANNED GIVING EDITION TM

NOVEMBER 2012

50+ Active Living Magazine

Flying Adventures Captain Russ Lamb

A Canadian Visit to Vimy Ridge Hail & Hearty Holland Canadian Letters & Images Project

The Ardent Environmentalist

Robert Bateman www.seniorlivingmag.com WWW.SENIORLIVINGMAG.COM

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FEATURES

24 Heart of Gold

Heart and Stroke Foundation volunteer Al Vogt.

6 Flying Adventures

27 Give with Conﬁdence

Near-death and hair-raising experiences come with the territory for a career pilot.

Due diligence eases fears around giving.

30 Letters and Images Project

8 Vimy Memorial

Wartime stories of ordinary Canadians are being transcribed and preserved for future generations.

A First World War buff is awed and humbled by the memorial at Vimy Ridge.

10 A Cowherd in Paradise

DEPARTMENTS

Author May Q. Wong writes of her parents’ experiences in two countries, worlds apart.

34 Travel 38 Classiﬁeds 41 BBB Scam Alert

PLANNED GIVING SECTION 12 The Ardent Environmentalist Artist and philanthropist Robert Bateman.

16 Giving from the Heart

COLUMNS

BC SPCA donors Bruce and Nikki MacKenzie.

18 Passionate About Volunteering Variety volunteer Barbara Stewart.

20 Family Matters

Discussions during estate planning avoid rifts later.

22 Simple Wisdom

Peace Arch Hospital donor Theo Miller.

4 The Family Caregiver by Barbara Small

39 Bygone Treasures by Michael Rice

40 Ask Goldie

by Goldie Carlow

44 Reﬂections Then & Now by Gipp Forster

Cover Photo: Robert Bateman enjoys the natural surroundings near his Salt Spring Island home. Photo: Naomi Grindlay

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NOVEMBER 2012

THE FAMILY CAREGIVER

BY BARBARA SMALL

Communication Tips for Family Caregiver

ffective communication is the foundation of healthy relationships. As a family caregiver, you will be communicating with many people, including the care recipient, other family members and healthcare professionals. People do not always communicate clearly and effectively, especially when dealing with the stress of poor health or caregiving. Communication takes time, effort and the willingness to understand different perspectives. Family caregivers play a major role in ensuring the care recipient receives the healthcare they need. Your experience and knowledge is invaluable to others, many of whom will not know the care recipient as well as you do. Being able to communicate this knowledge clearly will benefit everyone. Below are some tips to help enhance your communication: • Identify your intention. What is it that you want to say and why? What is your desired outcome from this encounter? • Focus on responding rather than reacting. When you react to what someone else has said, it is usually based on past experiences and clouded by emotions. When you respond, you are listening to what is being said and can interact in an appropriate way. Ask yourself: “Does the strength of my reaction and emotions fit with this current situation?” and “How would I like to respond?” • Being clear, concise and direct is important. Not coming right out and asking for what you need, hinting or hoping others read your mind does not make good use of anybody’s time.

• Active listening is a key component of communication. To listen effectively, you need to avoid distraction, limit your own talking, focus on the other person and demonstrate listening through body language, such as eye contact and nodding. • You may find yourself in situations where you have no experience or the knowledge or skills needed. You may feel like you are solely responsible for figuring out what needs to be done or what the person you are caring for needs. Trying to read the care recipient’s mind, making assumptions and second-guessing can be exhausting. When their health allows, ask them directly what they need from you and how you can best help them. Work as a team. • Before meeting with healthcare professionals, prepare a list of questions to ask or information you want to give them. This will save time and you won’t be distracted trying to remember what you want to ask. Be concise and focus on the SL key issues. Next month: Is it time to develop new holiday traditions? Barbara Small is the Program Development Coordinator for Family Caregivers’ Network Society located in Victoria, BC. www.familycaregiversnetwork.org

The Family Caregiver column is brought to you by the generous sponsorship of Saint Elizabeth

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Giving feels so good “Creevey” is one of dozens of baby harbour seals found sick or abandoned each year on BC’s coastline. A grant from Vancouver Foundation donors has helped the Vancouver Aquarium rescue these adorable mammals, nurse them back to health, and return them to their ocean home.

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Retirement

FLYING ADVENTURES

BY ROBERT L. RAMSAY

n a lazy Manitoba afternoon, when heat waves create mirages on the pavement and hawks circle lazily over hay fields, 22year-old pilot Russ Lamb was cruising south at low altitude, inspecting one of Manitoba Hydro’s rural power lines for signs of damage or vandalism. It may have been the hypnotic effect of hydro poles passing below his wing or the heat of the summer afternoon that caused him to fall asleep for a few seconds. When he awoke he saw straight ahead the thick transmission cables of another line, which would cross the one he was inspecting at right angles. With no time to turn or climb, he aimed the plane between the high voltage cables and the lightning arrester cables, and miraculously skimmed unscathed between them. Unsettled by his near-death experience, he turned towards Brandon airport for a time out. His hands were shaking too much to trust landing on the tarmac, so he set down on the grassy verge beside the runway, stumbled out of the plane and fell backward onto the grass where he lay until he’d caught his breath. “That’s the closest I came to ending my career,” says Russ, retired Air Canada Captain. “There were other incidents, like landing a Lockheed L-188 on its belly at Namao Airbase north of Edmonton, which proves the saying that flying is 90 per cent boredom, 10 per cent sheer terror.” “Today’s aircraft almost fly themselves,” he says. “Where airports are properly equipped, the plane will land itself and come to a stop on the runway. In heavy fog, the pilot may not know he is down until he feels the wheels touch the tarmac.” Russ grew up on a farm in Manito68

SENIOR LIVING

Captain Russ Lamb in a Boeing 767-300 on his retirement ﬂight from Toronto to Vancouver.

ba’s Tarbolton district. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Cadet program at the Canadian Joint Air Training Centre Rivers when he was 12. His first job was apprentice mechanic at the Brandon, Manitoba airport for $115 per month. In 1963, he was hired by the Piper Aircraft dealer in Winnipeg at $250 per month. One of his assignments was being sent to the States to fly back a Bell 205 helicopter, the type used by the US military during the Vietnam War. The machine would be used to supply remote camps in the high Arctic where oil and gas exploration was underway. “The Americans had never tested these helicopters in cold weather,” says Russ, “and when we arrived at Hay River, another 205 helicopter was sitting in a pool of oil. The extreme cold caused a seal from the transmission to contract and move, resulting in loss of oil. Engineers had to be flown in from the US to address the problem.” Russ began flying crews and supplies to the isolated camps where seisWWW.SENIORLIVINGMAG.COM

mic surveyors were drilling holes, loading them with explosives, and recording the reflected shock waves to get a picture of the underground rock structure. Following lines laid out by surveyors, Russ would fly low over the ground while the swamper dropped boxes of explosives out the side door. Fortunately, fresh explosives are stable and no mishaps occurred. On a day off work, Russ experienced another moment of terror. The pilot who flew a Twin Beechcraft 18 supplying their exploration camp with groceries invited Russ to accompany him on his route to Inuvik and back. While doing a visual check of the plane at Sachs Harbour, Russ advised the pilot that his brakes appeared worn and recommended they be replaced. Later that day, while Russ was taking a nap on top of the pile of groceries in the back, the pilot came in for a landing, tried to steer with the brakes, and lost control. The plane pirouetted across the snow banks, tossing the groceries, a fuel drum and Russ about as though they were ingredients in a deadly salad.

Photos: Russ Lamb Collection

“I remember thinking, ‘So this is the way I’m going to die,’” says Russ, but he was able to walk away from the wreckage without serious injury. Shortly after this incident, he was hired by Pacific Western to fly fixed wing aircraft to supply northern outposts. Over the years, he flew aircraft ranging from DC-4s with their piston-powered propellers to 727 jets. “Drilling was carried out in the winter months. Once the ocean had frozen, a runway was cleared, and a harrow-like machine was dragged down the ice to striate it. This made a good runway, so there I was landing Hercules and 727 transports on the ice. Dogs were kept at the camps to warn of approaching bears. The dog at Rea Point would bound onto the aircraft the moment it landed, greet everyone, then fly from camp to camp, greeting other dogs and marking his territory.”

Russ beside his Honda Gold Wing in New Mexico.

As one of the few private carriers with Hercules aircraft, Pacific Western hauled some unusual loads. “Before President Nixon visited China in 1972, we hauled over electronic communications equipment to keep him in touch with the world. About the same time oil revenues gushed into the Middle East, and those anxious for luxury goods would have us fly in cars and horses. Horses were good travellers. We’d box them off in plywood stalls, give them water and hay and they were happy.” Following the civil war in Angola, Pacific Western was contracted to fly sup-

plies of food and fuel to the diamond miners in the country’s interior. “It was sad to see how the country had been gutted following independence,” says Russ. “Luanda, the capital, has a beautiful location on the Atlantic coast, but the shops were empty. Many business people had returned to Portugal, and the civil war all but halted the economy. Flying could be risky too.” After one landing, the loadmaster had opened the rear door to roll out supplies when Russ heard him yell. He climbed down from the flight deck to find two Kalishnokov machine guns in his face. “Cuban soldiers were providing security,” says Russ, “and they couldn’t speak English and we couldn’t speak Spanish. We led them around the Herc, showing them the Canadian maple leaf and making them understand that we were not hauling weapons. Finally they let us go.” After several airline mergers, Russ retired at age 60 from flying B767s for Air Canada in 2003. “I flew long haul routes to all continents in DC-10s, B747s and B767s, but one favoured route was the afternoon B737 Vancouver to Los Angeles and return flight, which let me sleep in my own bed every night.” Today, Russ flies low to the ground, enjoying his 6-cylinder Honda Gold Wing motorcycle. “Every June, a group of Air Canada pilots go on a trip,” he says, “and in the fall I travel with another group of enthusiasts. We head south, sometimes as far as the Mexican border.” In storage, he has two old Honda motorcycles he plans to restore. “I’m glad I avoided running into that power line when I was starting out,” says Russ, “or I’d have missed many wonderful flying adventures.” SL CORRECTION NOTICE In the article “The Zen of Bonsai and Ikebana” in the October issue, it was incorrectly stated that Yuki Kato’s mother was an expert in the 400-year-old style of Koryu. In fact, the oldest school of Ikebana is Ikenobo, at which his mother was an expert. We apologize for the error. WWW.SENIORLIVINGMAG.COM

NOVEMBER 2012

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or as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated by the First World War. Perhaps, in part, this is because my grandfather headed to France with the British Expeditionary Force at the start of the engagement. Mostly though, I think it is because such tremendous loss of life in appalling battle conditions wrought so much social change. As I ploughed through history books, watched documentaries, absorbed period dramas then, more recently, was lured (along with millions of others) into the TV world of Downton Abbey, WWI took on greater clarity. From a muddled and confusing series of political interactions and reactions that took place in the then-countries of Europe, to the involvement of nations thousands of miles away, on to Canada’s role in the 1914-1918 war, it is all laced with horror, pity and sheer disbelief at what happened. Sadly, a death in our family took us to Europe last Christmas, and with the somber occasion behind us, we decided to drive to Normandy, France, and visit some of the memorials that I had always longed to see – in particular our nation’s grand Memorial at Vimy Ridge. Of course, I had read about the monument, and seen pictures of it, and I expected something quite spectacular. In actuality, that turned out to be an understatement. Some 8km north of Arras, we wound our way through verdant green fields, small quiet villages seeing well sign-posted battle fields, war graves, monuments and dedications to fallen soldiers and local people at every turn. The Vimy Memorial’s twin pylons, representing France and Canada, partners in arms, rise above the ridge and can be seen from miles away. It was very windy, wet, huge dark clouds scudded across the landscape, and it was bonechillingly cold. The vast monument gleamed, wet and shiny, stark and frigid; it was very quiet walking towards it. I felt in awe of this magnificent place; I felt pride in its sheer beauty; I felt shame

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and sadness, and a deep sense of loss. Atop the front wall, a female figure, carved from a single 30-tonne block, Canada Bereft or Mother Canada faces out over the Douai Plains. The expression on her face and her stance ooze sadness and despair, and it was not easy to look at her. Equally steeped in despair are the figures representing Canada’s mourning parents; grief is shown in the bowed heads and the

hands restlessly gripping at fabric. Anguish is etched in every line of the figures gracing the monument as they symbolize the breaking of swords, Canada’s sympathy for the helpless, the defenders, truth, justice, peace, charity, honour, knowledge, and the spirit of sacrifice. Presented in a seamless list are the names of 11,285 Canadians killed in France and whose final resting place is unknown. The monument is vast and leaves one in no doubt as to the intense continuing solemnity and sadness that it represents. Opened in 1936, the monument was designed by Canadian sculptor Walter Seymour Allard and it was about 11 years in the making. The 30-metre pylons and figures contain almost 6,000 tonnes of limestone. But first, it took almost three years to clear the 107 hect-

are site of unexploded bombs, shells and grenades. Indeed, there are signs posted throughout the area warning of the dangers still to be found in the turbulently undulating landscape the result of artillery bombardment and mine craters. Now, visitors can take guided tours and walk through restored trenches, including the Grange Subway, which is about 800 metres and took the reserve lines to the front line. Sticking to the marked pathways, it is possible to walk quite extensively through the grassy mounds surrounding the monument. Canadian students are employed to work during opening season at the Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada, but on that wet, windy December day, the office was closed. Another place, fairly close by, is a further tribute to our lost soldiers, albeit that at the time Newfoundland was not a part of Canada. The 30-hectare site of the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial is about 9 km north of the town of Albert. A bronze caribou, emblem of the regiment, stands atop a rocky knoll that features rock and shrubs native to Newfoundland. This is one of the few sites where the trench lines of a WWI battlefield can be clearly seen. The steel uprights that supported some of the entrenchments are still sticking up out of the ground above the grass, which now covers the churned-up terrain. There is simply too much to say about the memorials in France to Canadians in and of the Great War. It is comforting to know that thousands visit the battlefields every year, and pay homage at the monuments. It is an honour to see the Canadian flag aloft in the great cathedral at Amiens and read another country’s thanks to those Canadians who gave their lives in the war. It is a wonder that anyone who had an ancestor fight in that war is here today. SL

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“To the valour of their countrymen in the Great War and in memory of their sixty thousand dead this monument is raised by the people of Canada” (inscription on the monument at Vimy Ridge) For more information, visit www.seniorlivingmag.com/articles/vimymemorial WWW.SENIORLIVINGMAG.COM

NOVEMBER 2012

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Author Proﬁle

A Cowherd in Paradise BY VERNICE SHOSTAL

Chinese, she found herself in a different world. She could not understand the conversations between her mother and adult sister, a medical doctor, married with a three-year-old child. In addition to the language barrier, the family experienced “all kinds of shortages,” says May. “No pre-packaged foods – everything was bought fresh. No refrigeration, no hot running water except during the once-a-week communal shower, no TV, few cars and

Photo: Dr. Bing J. Guan

ay Q. Wong met her older sister for the first time when she was 10. Born in Montreal to parents who lived in separate countries for over 25 years because of Canada’s immigration laws at the time, May knew her older sister in China only by grainy photos, letters she could not understand and stories her mother told her. When May flew to China with her mother and older brother in 1966 to be united with relatives and educated in

Author May Q. Wong at a book signing. 12 10

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even bikes were a luxury. Everyone, men and women alike, wore the same dull colours and styles.” Just as she did growing up in Montreal, May began to learn Mandarin Chinese, the common language, by playing with the neighbour’s children. However, after seven months, their visit was cut short by the Cultural Revolution. Staying in China would have been perilous. “I had been the target of over-zealousness in a small, rural village, which showed us how dangerous it could be for us if we stayed,” says May. “I was mobbed by children who didn’t approve of my attire – sleeveless blouses and pointy-toed patent leather shoes – which were too ‘Western and corrupt’ by their standards. They threatened to cut off the toes of my shoes while I was wearing them.” As a child, May didn’t understand the ramifications of the Cultural Revolution, but, seeing the destruction of artefacts, even at her young age, made her indignant about the loss of art and history. She did not see her sibling again until 30 years later when her sister came to Canada. A first-generation Canadian, born of immigrant parents impacted by Canada’s head tax laws and raised in Montreal’s diverse cultures, May developed a strong social conscience, which led her to many volunteering jobs in her adult life. Her 17-year career in the British Columbia Public Service and long-time volunteer activities centre on improving the lives of those in need. For approximately 20 years, while working full time and acting as a caregiver to her mother, May was a volunteer member of the YM-YWCA system, chairing the Board of the Victoria Y. She stepped down to lead the 1994 Capital Campaign in which she raised 10 per cent of the $300K goal. “My proudest achievement was the

creation of a Women of Distinction Legacy conference for Young Women (ages 19-29), which supported leadership development through mentoring and networking,” says May. Although she played a minor role with the Minerva Foundation of BC, a foundation that supports women’s leadership development and economic security, May and her husband Michael gave a “founding member” donation in memory of her mother. Also a member of the Saanich Police Board from 1999 to 2002, May worked with Chief Egan to help develop leadership succession plans. She spoke on behalf of the board to Neighbourhood Watch volunteers and presented the Police Budget to Saanich Council. Having been simultaneously involved at local, national and international levels, May has been awarded a Canada 125 Medal for her volunteer work. In 1996, she was given a Promotion Plus Leadership Award for Gender Equity in Sports and Recreation. May has been a self-described bookworm since elementary school. “I was the girl with the largest pile of Scholastic Books every month. My parents supported my reading.” A love of reading led to an urge to write. Her professional writing as a policy and program analyst and later as a project manager in government gave her ample professional writing practice. May recorded her parents’ stories with the intent of someday writing a book. May’s mother, Jiang Tew Thloo (1911-2002) was born on the dying edge of Imperial China. As a cowherd at the age of six, she became responsible for her family’s fortune – their water buffalo. At 18, she married Wong in a “blind marriage.” May’s father, Wong Guey Dang (1902-1983) was born into an impoverished family and sold as a child. In 1921, his adoptive father paid a $500 head tax to enable his son to find a better life in Canada. May made A Cowherd in Paradise an “after work” project when she retired in 2004. After taking Continuing Education Courses at UVic on memoir and travel

writing, editing and publishing, she began to write. Her first published writing appeared in Senior Living magazine in 2006. Since then, she has published articles in Mazatlan’s Pacific Pearl Magazine, Vancouver’s Rice Paper Magazine and Toronto’s e-zine Ginger Post. Besides writing, May dabbles in crafts like sewing, pottery and knitting. “I have sewn since I was eight years old – made most of my work clothes, including suits and formal wear,” she says. “I embellish with beads to create unique pieces.” Recently, May took up knitting. She creates sweaters with complex colour changes or stitch variations and is working on blankets for the Linus Project, an American volunteer initiative that supplies blankets for children who are in hospital or care facilities. May and Michael travel extensively. After her first trip to China in 1966, May visited the country again in 2009. “My husband and I are curious about the world and its cultures and are both adventurous,” she says. “I try to learn a bit of the languages of the countries we visit, so I had to brush up on my Mandarin and French, and learned Greek; we both learned Spanish when we spent winters from 2004 to 2010 in Mexico. One good reason to travel is that we like to meet and keep in touch with the extended family that live all around the world.” Author, traveller and creator of beautiful things, May continues to write, looking to turn her current research into a novel that will focus on an historical human rights issue, set in different SL countries. For information on where to purchase A Cowherd in Paradise or to book May Q. Wong for a reading, go online to www.seniorlivingmag.com/articles/cowherd-in-paradise WWW.SENIORLIVINGMAG.COM

NOVEMBER 2012

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Planned Giving

The Ardent Environmentalist

BY ENISE OLDING

14 12

SENIOR LIVING

Robert Bateman near his property.

Photo: Naomi Grindlay

hen one publisher suggested to Robert Bateman that it was time for publication of a retrospective, the world renowned artist and naturalist said, “I’ll save that for when I get old,” and promptly went to another publisher. At 82, the Salt Spring Island resident follows a disciplined daily schedule: up at 7 a.m. to do the dishes and clean the kitchen; hike or bike for half an hour; business – he works at his paintings and talks at the same time; a healthy lunch; a half-hour hike into the natural surroundings; a nap; some meditation followed by some aerobic exercise on a stationary bike; a little selected TV viewing then painting to about 10 p.m.; finally reading for about an hour before sleep. He shuns sugar and carbs, but will eat some bread when out visiting with others. “I might grow old someday,” he grins, “but it beats the alternative.” Born and raised in the Toronto area, his home near a ravine, the young Bob and his pals would head out to hide and play at forts, and knew the large back properties of their neighbours better than they did themselves. For eight years, his family had a cottage in the Haliburton region where he’d enjoy the freedom of exploring and having adventures, and, “doing art all the time.” Admittedly, a serious youngster he devoured books from the North Toronto public library. “I read every book that had anything to do with wildlife, and Ernest Thompson Seton, Mark Twain, and Dickens,” says Bob. The positive influence of the museum staff of the Royal Ontario Museum fueled the junior naturalist’s passion for the outdoors, wildlife and its habitat. Later, he attended the University of Toronto and realized that if he wanted to get out into the more remote regions to study and paint, he might best do that by becoming a geologist. In so doing, he was able to venture into the wilderness and visit such places as Algonquin Park, Newfoundland, and the Arctic. The chance to travel around the world in a Land Rover came when Bob was teaching. “It was easy to get teaching jobs in the ’50s, so I took a year off. I’ve always been intrigued by other cultures from my early reading, and in other eco systems,” he says. “This trip gave me the opportunity to look at these,” he says, “although I’ve never had itchy feet or seen travel as an escape.” He took in several countries, while his companion made movies for the National Audubon Society, including India, Burma, Thailand, Australia and Malaya. But it was Africa

that got into Bob’s blood. Somehow, the savannah and quality of the light appealed to him, and he was destined to visit that country more times in his future. When he returned to Ontario, Bob decided that, although he loved visiting cities, he wanted to live in the country. The Niagara escarpment was the closest real country to Toronto (where his family was and where his roots are) and he set out to select the perfect area for him. “I’m quite a planner,” he points out, “I think and plan. I act quite quickly.” In no time, Bob had his topographical map in hand and, along with his brother and the then local weed control officer (who was familiar with the owners of land the three would explore), he set out in a 12-mile circle traipsing through woods and streams. He found his 10 acres and purchased it in 1958 for $4,500.

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Bob was back to teaching when he applied for a teaching post in West Africa, and was sent to East Africa. During the two years of teaching there, Bob learned a lot. “It was quite a humbling experience,” he says. His students wanted to focus on study in order to pass their exams to get into Oxford or Cambridge, and didn’t respond to his efforts to broaden their horizons. The family travelled extensively during the school holidays and on one visit to Nairobi, Bob saw an advertisement for an East African Esso Company art contest. He had two pictures he thought he’d enter; a Thompson’s gazelle and starlings. He didn’t win. But, he did get the popular vote on both pictures. “I was discovered by an American woman at the New Stanley Hotel, Nairobi,” says Bob. The woman eventually tracked down who she knew to be the “high school teacher” in Nigeria and told him she could sell his paintings in both America and Africa; and she did. Eventually, the gallery was purchased by the prestigious London-based Tryon Gallery, and Robert Bateman was put on the international map. Having returned to Canada, Bob recalls a time in 1967, Centennial year, when he lived in Halton County in Ontario, and was teaching at Nelson High School in Burlington. He could see the natural and home heritage around him disappearing and thought it would be an excellent centennial project to depict them before it was too late. He says, “Of all the

home heritage things I have painted, where they had made it for 100 years, in 10 years they were all gone.” Wanting to share the results with others, he approached the Alice Peck Gallery in Burlington to display his paintings. The show was sold out in the first night, and he felt that his career in painting was truly launched. “I told myself, when I pay more income tax on my paintings than I do on my teaching, I will make that change,” says Bob. It was at the age of 46 that Bob made the switch and left teaching. An ardent environmentalist, Bob admits he can rant about what governments and corporations might be doing, or not doing. “I say to myself; I do what I can, I don’t do what I can’t do, and I hope I have the wisdom to know the difference between them,” he affirms. He then puts it out of his mind and “enjoys the fantastic world we have been given.” Over the years, Bob believes that people have become more aware of the environment and nature, citing the many societies and organizations, such as the Sierra Club, that are now evident. He chuckles when he recalls a time when he was part of one of the original environmental movements. It was about 1958, when the shy and introverted Bob, aware that nature was disappearing, was asked to be on the board of the Federation of Ontario Naturalists. Deciding they needed a louder voice and more clout, they wanted to bring their concerns about littering to government. They printed up address labels and whenever they found cans and garbage scattered

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and a gift shop. At work in his studio, Bob occasionally slides his chair back to view his work but, every once in a while, he’ll get up and look at it in a mirror. He studies the mirror image of the painting upon which he is working to reveal different aspects that his artist’s eye seeks. Outside, water trickles over the mountain-top inspired rocky front garden; a heron boldly stands outside the African carved wood front door eyeing the fish in the pond, hummingbirds hover near the window, sunlight dances on the nearby lake and SL filters through the mature evergreens. Says Bob, “I like to feel

Photo: Enise Olding

Robert Bateman in his studio.

in the countryside they’d slap a label on it and mail it (no fee required) to government. Several bags of garbage later, a change in the law requiring return deposits on cans and bottles was enacted. Bob is concerned that children today are not playing outside, missing out on exploring and discovering nature, and he says his raison d’être is to raise consciousness in the planet. He wants to encourage both the parents and the children to “get out there” with his art going a long way towards giving him a voice. During the official announcement made by the Bateman Foundation that the historic Rattenbury designed CPR Steamship Terminal in Victoria would be the new home of the Robert Bateman Centre, Bob said that he and his wife were leaving a visual legacy. “But, perhaps more important will be the ideas and thoughts created here about humanity’s connection to nature. This connection is more important now than it ever has been.” The opening is scheduled to take place on April 1st, 2013 and will feature a gallery of originals and reproductions,

Robert Bateman’s most recent action in support of the environment and nature was by giving the opening address to this October’s second annual Artists for Conservation Festival at Grouse Mountain, Vancouver; he also supported the event with a new original painting. As well, he is afﬁliated with, or a member of, over 40 organizations ranging from the Jane Goodall Institute, Niska Wildlife Foundation, Sierra Club to the Brant Wildlife Festival. Being involved with nature, recording it, working towards its preservation, and introducing it to everyone has always been a signiﬁcant part of Bob’s life both through his art and his efforts. Apart from their public involvement, over the years Robert Bateman and his wife, photographer, Birgit Freybe Bateman, have given hundreds of thousands of [private] dollars to many conservation and humanitarian issues. Bob’s prints, through his publisher Mill Pond Press, have raised well over $10M across North America for charitable conservation/preservation purposes. Of course, now, their focus is on the Bateman Foundation and its future works toward getting people realigned with nature. For more information about Robert and Birgit Bateman and the Bateman Foundation, visit www.seniorlivingmag.com/articles/ robert-bateman

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North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre

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A lifelong music lover, Maria never missed a classical concert. The works of the old masters made her heart soar. Other hearts will soar because Maria included a bequest to the symphony in her will.

Thanks to Maria, her beloved orchestra wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss a beat. Include your favourite cause in your will or estate plan. Contact a charitable organization, lawyer, financial advisor or local LEAVE A LEGACYâ&#x201E;˘ program to learn how.

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NOVEMBER 2012

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Planned Giving

GIVING FROM THE HEART

BY JUDEE FONG

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Nikki and Bruce MacKenzie with their mini-horses Sheba and Shanti.

who had animals and didn’t intend to keep them would abandon them at the terminal.” “People do it here too. There’s a campground/trailer park near Island View Beach and it’s where a number of the feral cats come from,” says Bruce. “Sometimes, when people move on, they deliberately leave their pets behind; thinking someone else will look after the abandoned animals. I guess that’s how we started donating to the SPCA. We have two neighbours who trap feral cats, and we help financially for spaying and neutering. The cats are returned to this area afterwards. Being farm country, they “work” and are fed by the neighbours.” Bruce chuckles as he tells about one of their family cats. “After the last cat died, we said to each other, we’re not going to have any more cats. And, wouldn’t you know, the next day a feral cat showed up on our doorstep. We named him “Never-Never”; he lived with us until he died of old age.” WWW.SENIORLIVINGMAG.COM

Photo: Julianna Luttmann

n their 63rd wedding anniversary, Bruce MacKenzie looked affectionately at his wife Nikki and asked, “What should we do to celebrate this special occasion?” Nikki promptly replied, “Today’s paper has this article about a little 10-year-old Shih-Tzu found wandering the streets of Victoria, badly neglected and seriously injured. Let’s donate the money to the Victoria SPCA to pay for her surgery.” Today, “Tiny” (nicknamed “Monkey”) is learning to love and trust again as she recovers at her devoted BC SPCA foster mom’s home. Despite supporting other animal groups, the MacKenzies decided their main support would be the BC SPCA, an organization that embodies their philosophy of caring, compassion and concern for animals in distress. Over the last 30 years, they have contributed much needed funds and 2012 is no exception. Their generous donations have helped with the medical expenses of seriously injured animals like Tiny. The MacKenzies have also donated significantly to the SPCA building fund in Nanaimo, and contributed generously to the Campbell River and Port Alberni branches for the community spay/neutering programs. Bruce and Nikki were raised with animals around them. While still in high school, they both worked on farms. It felt natural to them to support an organization dedicated to the care and wellbeing of animals. “Both of us like animals,” says Bruce. “Our children were raised the same way, seeing that animals can’t look after themselves, so we should help look after them.” “My son worked at the ferry terminal to put himself through university and dental school,” adds Nikki. “The one thing that upset him terribly was that people

Growing up in Luseland, Saskatchewan, Nikki remembers the annual rodeo events. “I enjoyed it for a while, until I realized it was entertainment for the people at the cost of animal abuse. Calf roping competitions, steer wrestling and broncobucking competitions are cruel animal treatment. It just isn’t kosher.” Over the years, Nikki has written letters to various politicians and numerous rodeo events condemning this form of animal abuse. Bruce knows that animal cruelty can be thoughtlessly practiced anywhere in the world. He recalls that, at one time, they had an interest in a working ranch in Australia, where Nikki witnessed dogs treated cruelly. After working, the dogs would be forgotten in the trunk of the car or often tied up to chains for days on end. Even when travelling in Mexico, Nepal, Vietnam, Romania and several other countries, Bruce and Nikki are aware of the plight of the homeless and injured animals. “We like to contribute to the Humane Society wherever we go because we know

these organizations have a very low budget and are mostly volunteers,” says Bruce. “They do an excellent job with what they have and are very appreciative for any donations.” With their love of travel and a busy at-home schedule of golf, duplicate bridge, tennis, dancing and supporters of Langham Court Theatre, the MacKenzies no longer have pets, but they do have a grand-dog, Kodo, who visits often. Originally from the Yukon, Kodo is a combination of Newfoundlander, Border Collie and Retriever. After his mother was shot, Kodo and his siblings survived in the bush, existing on roots and vegetation until they were rescued. Bruce and Nikki also have two mini-horses, Sheba and Shanti, which are boarded nearby with a friend. “Bruce is a retired pediatric dentist and I’m a retired public health nurse,” says Nikki. “We’re in a fortunate position and our children are doing well. We wanted to help the BC SPCA now.” “We requested that our donations stay on Vancouver Island,” Bruce adds. “Then we were given a list of areas that needed help and we chose the ones we wanted.” Laughing, Nikki says, “It’s far more gratifying this way because we enjoy seeing what’s being done now, instead of pushSL ing up the daisies and not knowing what’s happening!” For information about BC SPCA donating, volunteering or adoption, visit www.seniorlivingmag.com/articles/giving-fromthe-heart

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ach year the British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals helps more than 32,000 abused, sick, homeless, injured, lost and neglected animals across the province. Your support enables the BC SPCA to be there for them, giving them a second chance at life. Please help by making a donation or leaving a gift to the animals in your Will. Visit us at spca.bc.ca or contact: Dave Roberts, Gift Planning E: droberts@spca.bc.ca P: 778.327.6821

Tiny is recovering �� after being found�� wandering Victoria streets, injured and neglected.

BCSPCA SPEAKING FOR ANIMALS

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The BC SPCA is a non-proﬁt organization that helps 37,000 injured, abused, neglected and homeless domestic, farm and wild animals in British Columbia annually. They receive no government funding, relying entirely on public support and philanthropic gifts/legacies. Legacies provide approximately one-third of the annual operating costs. Donations provide needed medical/surgical/dental care to Shelter animals in distress. Donations maintain the facilities, investigate acts of cruelty, expand educational outreach and provide needed supplies, food, equipment and toys.

�� Please donate to this important marine conservation initiative! www.indiegogo.com/CetusSociety For more information about the Cetus Society and our activities, visit www.cetussociety.org or feel free to call directors Leah and Megan for a chat! 250-590-7723.

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NOVEMBER 2012

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Passionate About Volunteering BY BEV YAWORSKI

Gift that keeps

This Holiday Season, make a monetary donation to giving back to the WIN to support women in transforming their lives. Find out how: womeninneed.ca/donate 250-480-4006 x203 The

Imagine how your legacy can shape the future. Imagine unlocking potential in generations to come. For 50 years University of Victoria students have made a positive impact on their communities and the world. From discovering new ways to fight diseases, to creating art that moves generations, to inventing new businesses that employ thousands of people, UVic students can achieve change. And they have you to thank for making it possible. Your gift. Your legacy. A planned gift to UVic can open a world of possibilities for future generations. Contact Natasha to start the conversation about creating a lasting legacy in your will or estate plan. Natasha Benn | 250-721-6001 | nbenn@uvic.ca

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Barbara Stewart with husband Bob held captive by pirates at the Variety Boat for Hope kids’ event in Kelowna.

Photo: Variety, The Children’s Charity

Community

arbara Stewart has been a dedicated volunteer at Variety, The Children’s Charity, for almost 40 years. “When I got involved with Variety, it was very, very heart-warming because you’re with the children,” says Barbara. “You go to events with them, and I learned so much about their needs. I just love the work. One of the other wonderful things about it is that I’ve met so many fabulous people and made many great friends.” Barbara is on the Variety Board of Directors – a charitable organization disbursing funding to needy children and their families throughout BC, through individual grants and an Emergency Response Fund. Medical emergencies, therapies, specialized equipment, drug prescriptions, out-of-town accommodation and travel costs, along with grants to children’s organizations for construction, renovations and equipment, and program costs are part of their mandate. Barbara has worked on just about every Variety committee and she volunteers on major annual fundraisers including the Febru-

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ary Show of Hearts Telethon. She first got to know about Variety from their Annual Show of Hearts Telethon when she would take her own children on a Saturday to the Vancouver Queen Elizabeth Theatre to watch the exciting event entertainment. One of her pet projects is chairing the Variety Gold Heart Day Campaign and working with a dedicated team of volunteers since its inception 22 years ago. The Gold Heart program has raised over $100 million worldwide. Each year, the Gold Heart Day pin features a new design. The collectible pins are available through the Variety office and at various retail locations around the province. Barbara sits on about five community boards, including Spinal Cord Injury BC, posAbilities (Mainstream Association for Proactive Community Living) and the Vancouver Tap Dance Society. She was on the Board of Crimestoppers for many years and now is an honorary board member. A number of recognitions have come her way including a Variety Heart, Angel and Pioneer award – although she gets embarrassed when she receives awards for her volunteer work – preferring to shift the conversation to her charities, even though she admits, “it’s nice to be recognized.” “When my children were young,” says Barbara, “I did a lot of volunteer work at their school and at church bingos. I have made many friends over the years that I keep in touch with and meet for lunch. Volunteering is very rewarding, especially if you’re working with people who have the passion that you do. And I am passionate about my volunteering.” People who have worked with Barbara describe her as “an absolute power house of a woman and a dynamic member of many organizations who just won’t quit, while also displaying an ability to get everyone around her involved in having a good time.” Some may say Barbara is the ultimate multi-tasker. Along with her hundreds of hours of volunteer work, she and husband Bob, while living in Burnaby, have also raised a family of six children, including one adopted son, and many grandchildren have since followed. The Stewarts were married 60 years ago as high school

sweethearts. Bob was a former police chief and, after retiring, he too became a Variety volunteer and is now an International Vice President. “My other passion besides volunteering is tap dancing,” says Barbara. “It’s so much fun and it’s good for you.” Keeping in shape with activities such as the Vancouver Sun Run or tap dancing are part of this multi-tasker’s regime. Along with taking regular tap dancing lessons, Barbara is on the Board and Past Chair of the Vancouver Tap Dance Society – an organization that also delivers outreach programs to elementary and secondary schools. She has been involved in the Vancouver Tap Dance Society for over 10 years, in the capacity as a student dedicated to honing her tap skills in their tap program designed for seniors. “As her commitment to the art form grew, so did her willingness to volunteer to the organization,” says Sas Selfjord, Executive Director, Vancouver Tap Dance Society. “Barbara has been a steadfast advocate for Vancouver Tap Dance Society and for many years she

has provided valuable governance leadership as Chair of the Board. It is her high energy spirit fused with her wisdom and experience that has contributed to the organization’s successes.” Barbara continues to rhythmically step, kick, shuffle and tap out lively routines showing technical prowess and stylish art in her community. She even has aspirations of entering next year’s BC Seniors Games to dust off her badminton skills. How does she keep such a busy life together? “You have to stay active in your community – even if it’s only one day a week,” says Barbara. “It’s also about attitude! You have to have the right attitude. Don’t be a moaner or groaner. You’ve got to get yourself off the chair. Get out, walk around the block. I also enjoy spending time going out for lunch with girlfriends SL and we keep each other going.” For more information or to volunteer for Variety, The Children’s Charity, go online to www.seniorlivingmag.com/articles/passionate-about-volunteering

Leave a legacy in your Will to Variety - The Children’s Charity and help children who have special needs in the province. Your generosity will help us continue to provide hope, enrich lives, and build a better future for children like Xander. For more information on how to leave a legacy: Call 604 320 0505 or Toll-free 1 800 310-KIDS (5437) or visit our website at www.variety.bc.ca/legacy.htm WWW.SENIORLIVINGMAG.COM

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Family Matters O

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BY BARBARA RISTO

ne of the most stressful times in a family can be following the death of a parent who has left an estate over which siblings have differing thoughts or opinions. In many cases, this can be avoided through clear, effective communication. It’s not uncommon for parents to never discuss money with their children. And often children don’t communicate well with their parents. Family dynamics are not always on the level that evokes understanding between the two generations. However, if you want to avoid some of the heartaches that can arise around an estate, the time to talk is during the planning of it. It’s at this time that parents can explain the “fairness” of their decisions and talk it through until all the cards are on the table and the expectations of each family member are heard and understood, even if not agreed with. For example, one family member’s sense of what’s fair or equitable may differ from another’s. A parent may, unwittingly, create barriers when all they wanted to do was help out certain family members that are in difficulty, not realizing this can be seen as favouritism by the other members.

Your Legacy Is Their Future Ensure insightful, inspiring, commercial-free programming continues for generations to come. Please remember Knowledge Network in your will and trusts. For more information contact: Donna Robinson 604.431.3136 Toll Free 1.877.456.6988 plannedgiving@knowledge.ca www.knowledge.ca/partners

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For instance, they may have set aside finances to pay for the education of all their grandchildren. But one sibling who does not have children may feel disadvantaged by this. Parents often try to help the child that is struggling most, who may be unmarried, recovering from a nasty divorce, or who may be in some way physically or mentally disadvantaged. Not everyone will see this as a fair way to divide up an estate.

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If matters don’t seem to be resolving, or conversations are spiraling out of control, this is the time when calling upon the services of an objective third party to moderate the discussion can save countless heartache at a later date. A family counsellor or legal advisor can often facilitate such a meeting and help all parties work through their differences. Another communication challenge can be a parent who, instead of asserting themselves to ensure their voice is clearly heard, may sway in their opinion, depending on who they are talking to. This leads to everyone being told a different thing, when all the parent probably wanted was to keep the peace. If it appears that there is different information being disseminated to each family member, it may be wise to gather all members of the family together in a place where everything can be talked about, so that any ambiguity can be nipped in the bud. The final thing to consider when entering into these kinds of discussions is that family dynamics tend to put people into familiar roles that have likely played out from the time they were children. Siblings can revert to their childhood personas and parents can revert to their parental roles. Or, it may be the reverse. Siblings may start acting like parents, and parents may take a submissive role. Recognizing these patterns, participants should talk openly about how they see the roles evolving and how this makes them feel. In doing so, participants may find the empowerment to be their authentic self, not reliant on a role within the family dynamic. Once identified, it’s easier to catch yourself when you see yourself acting or feeling a certain way, and take steps to do things differently. Here are a few suggestions to keep in mind: • Take some time to put yourself in the shoes of your parents or your siblings or your children. Try to see things from their point of view. • Be kind to yourself and others. • Separate the person from the problem. • Try to solve issues without placing blame. • Look at how “we” can solve this together. • Take it one step at a time and congratulate yourself and others when you make progress. • Take time to get to know each other all over again – maybe over a potluck dinner or a campfire with hotdogs and marshmallows on a stick. • Keep in regular contact – phone or email to make sure everyone is in the loop about decisions and progress. • Lighten up – there’s always time to laugh, if not at the situation, then at yourself. • Remember the importance of living in the NOW. Forgive the past, don’t worry about the future – enjoy what you have today. In time, you will see just how precious every moment you have with someone is. As the tension of the past and future fades, you will discover an open mind and an open heart await. Conversations will be more productive and deciSL sions will be more effective.

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NOVEMBER 2012

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Simple Wisdom

GET TO KNOW... your legacy

Have you ever said, “I wish I could make more of a difference?” You may already be able to make a bigger difference than you think.

Photo: Febe Galvez Voth

heo Miller’s wisdom is exactly what you’d expect Contact Victoria Hospice to speak with planned giving from an almost 90specialist, and learn how a bequest, life insurance year-old matriarch gift, annuity, or other planned gift can let you care for of nine children, 29 your family and ensure more Victorians have access grandchildren and 26 to quality end-of-life care. Call Tom at 250-519-1749. great grandchildren – simple. “Invest in family www.VictoriaHospice.org and community because that’s who will walk beside you,” she offers, full of twinkle. VH-SrLiv-PlanGive1210.indd 1 10/19/12 11:56:12 AM Theo and her late husband Mike embodied those values while raising a family, building a business and finally settling in Four generations of the Miller family – (clockWhite Rock 26 years wise) son Leonard Miller, granddaughter ago. The Peach Arch Pamela Shah and Theo Miller holding greatgrandson Ethan Shah. Hospital became an anchor to them in their community. It was a beautiful love story. While she was still a teenager, Theo and Mike would marry, have their first child and be the proud owners of a dump truck. Over the next 20 years, they would be blessed with eight more children and juggle an always increasing debt load as they worked to build a contracting Building a community of and cartage business. neighbours helping neighbours Miller family life was rich. Song, celebration and laughter one client and one volunteer were hallmarks of their family life. The business would evenat a time since 1992. tually prosper as would their growing family and community. In 2006, Theo’s beloved Mike was diagnosed with demenCall 250.595.8008 or visit tia. From the day of diagnosis, Peace Arch Hospital and staff www.saanichvolunteers.org began a walk beside them, first through acute and later extendto find out how you can help ed care. “It was a loving environment,” says Theo. “The nurses were by donating, volunteering, or extraordinary. They took such good care of Mike. He would with a planned gift in your Will. 22 24

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Your Legacy

sing to them… they loved him.” Mike died in 2007, shortly after celebrating his 90th birthday, “It was our community… we knew they would be there for us,” adds Theo. The Millers traditionally supported the Peace Arch Hospital by writing an annual cheque. Since 2007, Theo found that gifts of securities were a tax-efficient way to provide support. “A gift that supports the work of the Peace Arch Hospital Foundation and gives back to me – I’d say that maximizes my dollar. Wouldn’t you?” says Theo, a characteristic smile sweeping across her face. “Donating securities has become an increasingly popular way to give,” says Clark Shewfelt, Investment Advisor at National Bank Financial Wealth Management. “It allows wins for both charity and donor, and it is the most tax-effective way to support a charitable organization. When a security is given in kind, the donor receives a two-part benefit: a tax receipt on the gift and no tax on the capital gain.” For the Millers, and donors like them, it makes good SL sense.

Is Her Future.

Since 1973, the Canadian Section of Amnesty International has promoted and protected human rights at home and abroad, through ongoing campaigning, outreach and education programs. By remembering Amnesty International in your will and estate planning, you will be helping to build a future where the fundamental dignity of every person is respected worldwide. For information and assistance, contact: Heather Warren, Gift Planning Associate (613) 744-7667 ext. 239 hwarren@amnesty.ca www.amnesty.ca/plannedgiving 1-800-AMNESTY

For more information about supporting the Peace Arch Hospital through Gifts of Securities, visit www.seniorlivingmag.com/articles/simple-wisdom

Charitable Reg. No. 11878 5914 RR 0001

BCIT matters. Wherever you are, a BCIT grad is making an impact. Support the future generation of BC’s workforce with a gift in your will to the BCIT Foundation. Contact Crystal Montecalvo at 604.453.4090.

bcit.ca/foundation

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1 Ad Name: Foundation

NOVEMBER 2012

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Heart of Gold

BY KEVIN MCKAY

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pains that were diagnosed as angina, doctors determined that Al had two blockages in his heart and he was scheduled for bypass surgery. “Whenever I exerted myself it sapped me of all my strength,” he says. “After I was diagnosed, it took about six months to get to the surgery.” Though he was about 60, at the time, Al proved he was a quick healer, returning to work about six weeks following the procedure.

Volunteer Al Vogt receives the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Heart of Gold award.

Photo: Gillian Yardley

ike many dedicated volunteers, 83-year-old Al Vogt is quick to downplay his contributions, and passes the credit on to others. Of his tremendous success and achievements as a volunteer for the Heart and Stroke Foundation, he says, “I get a lot of help and support from the organizations I volunteer for and we work hand-in-hand from there. Volunteering is a great thing for people to do, and I recommend it highly to absolutely anyone. No one accomplishes anything by themselves.” Al was born October 24, 1929, the day the stock market crashed, and he says with a laugh, “I cried all day long.” Though born in Rush Lake, Saskatchewan, he grew up in the Lethbridge, Alberta area with his parents, one sister and six brothers. After leaving school, he lead a nomadic existence criss-crossing Western Canada while working at a series of jobs and simultaneously wooing Betty, the young lady who would become his wife of nearly 60 years, along the way. In 1974, Al and Betty followed her elderly parents to Chilliwack to help with their care and to establish themselves in South Western British Columbia. Al had started his own business called Al’s Supply Company, so he moved that business to Chilliwack, where he owned and operated it until selling it in 1995. Even after retirement, he stayed on helping the new owners out until finally retiring for good six years ago. “I helped a lot of citizens of Chilliwack find what they were looking for over the years,” he says. “You could say I solved a lot of problems for a lot of people.” In 1988, everything changed in Al’s life when he was diagnosed with heart problems. After suffering some chest

Following his bypass surgery, Al knew he had to give something back. “That surgery saved my life, and I figured it would have cost at least 40 grand, so I felt I should give something back to the people who had given so much to me,” he says. “It was payback time, and I was pleased to be able to be in a position to help.” The first thing Al did for the Heart and Stroke Foundation was to go doorto-door in his neighbourhood, canvassing people for donations. Then, as time went on, he took on more responsibility, serving as a division leader, captain, and finally zone leader.

By 2008, 20 years after his surgery, Al was one of two people in charge of the Chilliwack Person-to-Person campaign, managing more than 100 volunteers. In addition to his work rapping on doors during Heart Month every February, Al also acts as co-captain on a Chilliwack Big Bike, usually leading his team in their efforts to raise funds to support the cause. Even before his heart issues Al was a responsible member of the community, joining the local Kiwanis organization in 1974. He is proud of all the good work that organization does, and says, “Despite my surgery and recovery, and despite everything else that has happened to me and my family, over the years, I have never missed a single weekly meeting of the Kiwanis group in nearly 40 years. I have the perfect attendance record.” In addition to fundraising, Al has also been instrumental in helping the Chilliwack Heart Support Group get started and keep going. “There were probably 25 of us attending meetings to orient us on issues we would be facing following surgery,” says Al. “It was scheduled to be an eight-week session, but instead we formed this support group for heart patients and their families, and it is still going strong.” Over the years, Al held the positions of Vice President and then President, where he conducted the monthly meetings and encouraged recent heart patients, and let them know they were not alone. In 2008, Al received one of the most pleasant surprises of

One in three Canadian deaths is caused by Heart Disease and Stroke Your Gift Will Save Lives Call or email for a free Legacy Planning Kit: Jane Westheuser

Advisor, Gift Planning jwestheuser@hsf.bc.ca (604)730-7370

www.heartandstroke.bc.ca/givingbywill

A good book lives on long after the last page is turned. As an avid reader and lifelong library user, you can help foster the love of reading in the next generation and enrich your community by including a bequest to the Greater Victoria Public Library in your will. Talk to your lawyer or ﬁnancial advisor to learn how to leave a gift that maximizes advantages for you and the Library. 735 Broughton Street, Victoria, BC V8W 3H2 Tel: 250-413-0356 Charitable Registration Number: BN 11894 6979 RR0001

gvpl.ca/leavealegacy WWW.SENIORLIVINGMAG.COM

NOVEMBER 2012

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his life. He was one of the many volunteers in attendance at the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s October conference when, out of the blue, he heard his name being called. “They hold this conference every year to rally the troops for the big February door-to-door campaign. They have this thing they call the Heart of Gold Award given each year to one of about 2,000 volunteers, and this year they called my name. It was quite an honour, let me tell you. I was absolutely astounded that they could pick me since there are so many volunteers that are completely deserving. No one gave me any advance notice that this was coming. I still have the plaque on the wall.” While working and raising his two sons, Al was too busy to worry much about exercise or eating right, but all that has changed since that fateful year of 1988. Al still attends the Chilliwack YMCA Cardiac Rehab Program three times a week, as he has done since his operation. He stays fit and active, working on one project or another, some-

times several at once. One project he really enjoyed was having the opportunity to participate in the Olympic torch run as it headed into Vancouver for the 2010 Games. “Carrying the torch was a real honour and something I will never forget,” he says. He has no intention of slowing down either. “My bypass surgery was nearly a quarter century ago and really everything with my health has been good since then,” says Al. “The way I look at the volunteering I do for the Heart and Stroke Foundation is that there is absolutely no use in quitting. It is not really an onerous job, and it is something I enjoy doing very much. It’s a people job more than anything and that is fine by me. I intend to do this for as long as my health permits.” For the man with a pacemaker in his heart of gold that should be a long time SL yet to come. For more information on how to volunteer for or donate to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, visit www.seniorlivingmag.com/articles/heart-of-gold

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It’s our hospital. Giving makes us all better The Goodricks danced all their lives… then they left a legacy of good health. Their Life Annuity supported Mr. Goodrick when he needed it most. Now it supports patients with the ﬁnest medical equipment. You can do the same. Talk to Beth Cairns at 250-519-1750 or visit www.victoriahf.ca

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JOB #V120-13905 PUBLICATION: SENIOR LIVING MAGAZINE

Planned giving When you want to do more for an organization you believe in and trust.

www.sphf.ca

When a parent or spouse, close friend or relative has received exceptional care at the Saanich Peninsula Hospital, leaving a legacy gift helps ensure that staff can continue to provide the same outstanding level of care to other patients into the future. All donations, whether annual, monthly, periodically, or a legacy gift planned for in your will, are deeply appreciated.

For more information please call Donna Randall at 250-652-7531 WWW.SENIORLIVINGMAG.COM

Give With Conﬁdence BY BARBARA RISTO

n a recent survey we conducted among our readers, we asked what makes them afraid to give to charities. The most prominent reasons revealed a belief that the money given would be squandered on administration rather than going to the real point of need. Donors often felt left in the dark as to where their donation was being applied. On the positive side, the vast majority of readers said they give consistently to charity. In fact, it would be safe to say, and is borne out by Canada Statistics, that seniors are among the most generous givers of any age group. If you are hesitant about giving, identify what it is that concerns you but then take some action steps to either validate your concerns or erase them. There are many needs in our communities, where your financial support could provide meaningful assistance. Don’t let fears or uncertainty stop you from doing some good. Choose a charity that is meaningful to you. Are you passionate about the plight of animals, the environment, people, or a social cause? Get to know the charity personally. Visit their offices, read their literature, check them out with the government to make sure they are properly registered and meet the established government standards. Find out who works in the office, what type of work they do, how many hours of labour it takes to keep the society running, who is on the board, when do they meet, what are their most recent decisions, what are their most immediate tasks at hand. You may come to realize that behind every non-profit organization are people who dedicate many hours, paid and unpaid, to see that the cause they believe in keeps moving forward. There is always an unavoidable administration cost that must be paid, or the organization would shut down. So it is justifiable that a portion of all donations must somehow be earmarked for this purpose. Many charities, especially small local groups, are stripped to their bare bones in the admin department. It may be harder to determine where every dollar goes in a larger charity. That doesn’t mean that they are squandering resources, but it will take more probing on your part to figure out whether a good job is being done with the expenditure of every dollar. There’s often a way to donate that ensures your charitable dollars are spent exactly where you want them to. Ask the organization what you could buy that would help it out – it

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• We believe in encouraging, informing, & supporting the independence & wellness of the older adult • We make sure that all older adults are well supported, adequately housed, and are contributing & valued in a healthy community • We offer customized training & workshops to increase awareness of senior housing issues

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You can help Seniors Services Society assist seniors in your community to live independently & safely in their home of choice! Volunteer with us, make a tax donation or leave a lasting Legacy. Call us Today!

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Here’s a great Island story. In 1922, Islanders changed from driving on the left hand side to the right hand side of the road. That same year, we began our unending service and dedication to improving the lives of children on the islands through the Queen Alexandra Solarium. You can ensure we help children for another 90 years — leave a gift in your will to the Children’s Health Foundation. Start the conversation about creating a legacy by calling Jane Bowers at 250-519-6955.

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NOVEMBER 2012

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Leaving a legacy to Covenant House is like being a Grandparent to over 1,400 kids a year. Your bequest to Covenant House ensures our young people a welcoming smile, a safe place, support and a chance for a new life. 575 Drake Street Vancouver, BC V6B 4K8 Phone: 604-638-GIFT (4438) www.covenanthousebc.org BN 89767 5625 RR 0001

Make Your Home Safe for Independent Living Are you a low-income senior or a person with a disability who wants to live safely and independently in the comfort of your home? Do you have difficulty performing day-to-day activities? Does your home need to be adapted to meet your changing needs? If so, you may be eligible for financial assistance under the Home Adaptations for Independence (HAFI) program. Find out today if you are eligible and if you meet all of the requirements as a low-income homeowner or as a landlord applying on behalf of an eligible tenant.

To apply or learn more, visit www.bchousing.org/HAFI You can also contact BC Housing: Phone: 604-646-7055 Toll-free: 1-800-407-7757 (ext. 7055)

H O U S I N G M AT T E R S

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might be a supply of dog food for a pet shelter, a supply of office stationery, some bedding for an agency that helps disadvantaged people get back on their feet, a piece of equipment... it may even be the salary of an assistant to help an overworked manager. It may be a supply of vegetables every week for a local food bank or soup kitchen. Every charity will welcome your interest and your donation – and will help calm any reservations by offering you ways to donate that make you confident your money is going where you intend it. But you need to take the first step, and that is to get to know the charity.

...behind every nonproﬁt organization are people who dedicate many hours, paid and unpaid, to see that the cause they believe in keeps moving forward. Often we have preconceptions about charities because we know so little about how they function. But stepping in their doors will help put things in perspective. You will see the people who are working hard to serve their cause in the best way they know how. Ask to see their board minutes, ask about their committees. Ask to be involved in some way – you will learn more by being part of the organization, even as a volunteer. This month, in Senior Living magazine, we offer you the opportunity to get to know some of the worthwhile causes in your community. Please take some time to consider your charitable giving in light of the needs expressed by each organization and if you can give, please do so. With government cutbacks, it’s become challenging for all the charities, especially the smaller ones, to survive. Your donation could make a world of SL difference.

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BERWICK ON THE PARK KAMLOOPS 250.377.7275 NOVEMBER 2012

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Lest We Forget

Letters and Images Project BY BARRY LOW

July 1917 1st Scottish Hospital Aberdeen, Scotland My Dear Betty & Kiddies, We had spent 8 days to the south of Lens [France] … German artillery fire had been growing more fierce … shells of all sizes … an incessant stream, night & day … the noise & din was beyond all description. We were relieved at midnight & began our journey back to reserve dugouts. It was dark 30 32

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Dr. Stephen Davies of Vancouver Island University pours over WWI correspondence.

Photo: Barry Low

n 2000, Dr. Stephen Davies, a full-time history professor at Vancouver Island University, Nanaimo Campus, initiated an undertaking unique in Canada – an online archive of Canadian wartime experiences depicted through personal letter collections written by Canadian soldiers serving in international conflicts. “I started the Canadian Letters and Images Project with 200 letters because I thought it would be useful to my history students,” says Dr. Davies. “Our collection is now over 12,000 and growing, likely exceeding 25,000 in another decade or less. These letters written by Canadian soldiers generations earlier, create a solid foundation of deeper understanding of Canada’s role in wartime.” “I had no idea the project would become so large, and to date, there is no evidence of this project style being duplicated in Canada or elsewhere,” he adds modestly. Dr. Davies says that the objective of the Canadian Letters and Images Project (CLIP) is to let Canadians tell their own story in their own words from the battlefields and from the home front, from any war. He adds that too often the story told of Canada at war has been one of great battles and great individuals, an approach that unfortunately misses the “ordinary” Canadian. Dr. Davies reiterates the importance of letters and images in preserving the stories of ordinary Canadians and the richness of their wartime experiences and that each piece of correspondence is a valuable artifact linking Canadians to their past. When seen in combination with many others, a single letter can help to tell a remarkable story of the unyielding spirit of a country at war. The following is an excerpt from a letter written by Will, an “ordinary” WWI Canadian soldier fighting in France, describing to his wife and family back home in Canada how he was wounded in battle:

& raining. We were in a single file … Pryor [a friend] just behind me….1 a.m. we are almost to the support trenches … Fritz then began to drop his shells pretty close when one dropped & burst 10 ft. away … I saw fireworks & felt myself lifted up & felt sharp stings in different places … we were under shell fire all the time … I got to my feet … I knew I was hit in both legs and arms & staggered along, I could hear Pryor groaning … then I must have fainted … when I came to I heard that Pryor was wounded badly … the Sergt carried me to the trench and laid me in the mud next to Pryor. The pain was bad & my wounds bleeding a lot…. When a shell bursts, every piece is practically red hot so you could imagine what it would be like … I did what I could to comfort Pryor poor fellow. If ever men went through Hell, we went through it & worse, that night. The stretcher [carriers] came about 2 a.m. … and began their journey – dark and rainy ground full of shell holes, crossing trenches – through scrub – over embankments all while shells dropping here & there – they carried us nearly 3 miles to the nearest dressing station … it was like getting into Heaven to get there … I pray that this awful war may soon end though it seems far off at present … Good night dear & God bless & keep you. Will Although the majority of letters are from soldiers like Will, there is, though much more rarely discovered in collections, return correspondence to soldiers from the home-front. Soldiers burned most letters after they had read them. This

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was a security action and lack of personal space to carry bundles of letters. The following is an example of these rare finds. It is the reply to Will’s letter from his wife, Betty, who has only just learned that her husband has been wounded and is recovering in a Scottish hospital:

Betty’s return letter between husband and wife, separated by thousands of miles, weeks of time, and the horrors of WWI, allow us the chance to experience the human emotions of war that link us to this important era in Canadian history.

Amica Mature Lifestyles HELPING HANDS Community Program Helping less fortunate seniors is this charity’s one and only mandate. Through the generous support of the residents who live in our luxurious retirement residences, our staff and local community fundraising events in British Columbia and Ontario, the Amica HELPING HANDS Community Program brings a little comfort and brightness to seniors who are living in poverty, are alone and often forgotten. Amica HELPING HANDS is a registered charity. For more information on what we do and how you can help us Lend a Hand, visit www.amica.ca/helpinghands or contact the community closes to you for more details.

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July 31, 1917 My poor Will, I just received the casualty message this morning – 10 days coming “severely wounded in arms and legs” if we could only know how badly … you must be still suffering … I hope and pray you will be spared to come back to us … tis so hard to think of you so far away … not a thing we can do but watch and wait and pray … Oh, Will, my heart is just breaking we want you back. Your poor broken body. We are loving and hugging you, but oh so far away. The kiddies are trying so hard to comfort me: they don’t like to see me crying. I shall keep on writing. It will be three weeks … before you get this [letter]. I will say good-night … and keep writing the [1st Scottish] hospital … now, dear Will. May God … spare you to come back home to us soon. Your Wife, Betty.

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“The authors of the letters deserve to be remembered. It is that sense of gratitude, almost awe at times, about what these people have done,” says Dr. Davies. “We are not targeting WWI specifically, everything is important; we’ll take whatever we can get. But it is that nature of what families will share with us is what we’re at the mercies of,” he says. One of the biggest surprises when he started his project, says Dr. Davies, was that he expected WWII to be the largest collection and that WWI would be difficult to get. The opposite was true. Second World War veterans are still very much connected to their families, and Korea is even more recent. Canadian soldiers’ correspondence from the Afghanistan war, for example, will be more difficult for future historians to accumulate due the nature of changes in communication. Emails stored in computers, cell phones, and texting contain the electronic personal correspondence essential to understanding the human element during wartime, but unfortunately, leave a minimal paper trail. In his determinative stride to preserve the written perspective of Canadians at war, Dr. Davies has participated in several CBC Radio interviews, appeared on television, given public discussions, and been the guest speaker at universities. The Canadian Letters Project is Dr. Davies own way of looking at history as a social historian. Through this effort, Dr. Davies has created a unique and concrete educational opportunity for his history students: “I do a three week field school every two years in France,” says Dr. Davies, “the next one is in May 2013. There are 20-25 students placing themselves on the First World War’s Western Front for three weeks of intensive, hands-on, in-thebattlefields learning. Students go to cemeteries to locate the final resting places of Canadian soldiers. They are assigned one soldier and must prepare a biography on that person, presenting their memoirs at that person’s gravesite, making that real correlation.” In the future, he hopes to install audio features on the Canadian Letters and Images website for the hearing impaired, and hire more students to expand the quantity of correspondence more quickly. The project is a community engagement; not an academic project. “I didn’t realize how deeply attached I was to these stories, to these people, until I started this project. There is an emotional impact about the project in as much as the amount of time it takes,” he says, “I cannot step back from it. If you owe a debt of gratitude then somebody has to do this or stories will SL be lost to future generations – for this generation.” For more information on how to submit wartime letters and photographs from your family’s collection or to make a cash donation to the project, go online to www.seniorlivingmag.com/articles/letters-and-images or call Dr. Stephen Davies directly at 250 753-3245 Ext. 2131.

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NOVEMBER 2012

Travel & Adventure

Hail & Hearty in Holland: Dutch Inspirations

BY RICK & CHRIS MILLIKAN

ather than taking the train from Schiphol airport into Amsterdam, we head south to three small Dutch cities offering huge legacies... intent on improving minds – and bodies – through vigorous explorations. Our Leiden hotel provides a perfect starting point. Named for Rembrandt, his replicated Night Watch covers its café wall. A historic site map helps us find Rembrandt Park, where his statue as a young painter stands near the site of his first home. Leiden encourages healthful activities. Sidewalks comfortably accommodate us as pedestrians, while cyclists zip easily along bikeways. One notable mom pedals along carrying an infant and double panniers heaped with groceries. A local explains, “Over 90 per cent of us commute by bicycle. Often businesses encourage this beneficial transport providing bikes to employees.” Stepped-gable roofed buildings line picturesque canals. Ram reliefs embellish one grand 17th century structure. A former hall for wool merchants, De Lakenhal now exhibits Dutch Renaissance to 20th century art, including a Rembrandt landscape depicting early Leiden… and further highlights local history with recreated meeting rooms, loom operation area and kitchen. A block away, Leidse Shouwburg retains a lively Baroque ambience though perennially renovated and expanded. This 1705 classically designed theatre remains Leiden’s beloved ‘old lady.’ Adorned with large emblems of weights and measures, Waag-house borders central canal. From 1659, early tradesmen sized products here to sell in an adjacent open market. In nearby city hall plaza, we enjoy lunch amid melodious carillon concerts ringing out from the lofty bell tower. Afterward, a narrow winding street leads us to the Burcht, Leiden’s oldest structure. 34 36

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Challenging our cardio, we climb atop its manmade knoll and into the stone fortress. Using storyboards, we identify key buildings from the circular wall, including early orphanages supplying smallfingered weavers for industrial looms. Enjoying perfect birds-eye views, we spot magnificent Church of Saint Peter, our next destination.

The authors stroll in the heart of The Hague.

Founded as a small chapel in 1122, protestant Pietskerk greatly expanded over the centuries and became the church of dissidents. Later, groups of its Huguenots and Pilgrims sailed to the New World. Two venerable buildings share the church square. The Latin School taught locals like Rembrandt, van Leyden and WWW.SENIORLIVINGMAG.COM

Steen their first art lessons. A 14th century prison, four-storied Gravensteen now serves as University of Leiden’s law faculty. William, Prince of Orange established Leiden’s renowned University in 1575. After Clusius became chief botanist, he introduced many flowering bulbs including the tulip, prompting the blossoming of this Dutch industry. We see reconstructed plots of his famed Hortus Botanicus within the oldest campus. For over four centuries, plants were collected worldwide and studied here. After three fascinating, active sightseeing days afoot, an express train carries us through countryside dotted with black and white dairy cows to Gouda. From its modern rail station, we stroll straight into Gouda’s historic centre where a seven-spired, red-shuttered 15th century city hall rises into blue sky. Beside the town square, medieval Waaghouse now sells rather than weighs delicious cheeses. Using toothpicks, we take a stab at delectably herbed, fruity and aged selections from 50-plus varieties of cheese. Decorative orange cheese-wheels dangle above two pedestrian-only streets that lead us past quaint shops and tall brick churches. Our ramble then parallels picturesque canals first dug to drain low-lying marshlands. Arriving next in the Netherland’s capital, an ambitious walking tour reveals The Hague’s lofty ideals, fine art… and delightful surprises! “Tsar Nicholas, King Willem II’s brother-in-law initiated the first international peace conference here,” says our guide Henrik. Continuing, he points to the Peace Palace, “His initiative inspired philanthropist Andrew Carnegie to fund that stately mansion, completed in 1913. It didn’t prevent World War I, but did lead to the World Court… and 150 international law organizations working to resolve future conflicts!” Near a wrought-iron gate,

an eternal flame burns amid a mosaic of minerals representing each nation. The classic Noordeinde Palace and public royal garden encompass one square block. In a small park, an imposing equestrian statue of Willem II faces the main entrance. Henrik notes, “Separated from his aristocratic Russian wife Anna, Willem never lived in that palace! Their great-granddaughter Juliana became queen, often leaving this regal home by bicycle, gaily waving to an admiring public!”

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Photos: Rick and Chris Millikan

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On another shop-lined street, a nondescript gate leads us into a floral courtyard surrounded by row houses. Chatting with friendly residents, we hear how wealthy employers first constructed these rectangles of cozy dwellings for elderly servants… and how similar almshouses had existed for the unfortunate since the Middle Ages. Departing with, “Dank u!” they hand us Koffees. Strolling into a shaded promenade,

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Join us for tea and scones Saturday November 17 1pm to 4 pm WWW.SENIORLIVINGMAG.COM

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Henrik explains these candies’ origin, “The elite once sipped… and spilled… coffee in their carriages while slowly circling the fashionable boulevard. These Koffees replaced the hot-drink custom. A nobleman accidentally invented these when his overboiled brew condensed into a toffee-like mass.” As early rulers disliked the aesthetics of walls, a canal-like moat surrounds the original city. Inside, baroque, neo-classic and art nouveau buildings reflect this imperial capital’s old world splendour. Gothic churches soar heavenward. Adorned with red shutters and step-gable roof, city hall stands in the centre. Stretching alongside a former court pond, the buildings of Netherlands’ parliament surround the city’s earliest structures: the count of Holland’s hunting lodge and adjoining 1248 palace. One courtyard gateway opens onto today’s glassy legislative building; another links to the grand three-story Mauritshuis. Prince John Maurice built Maurice-House in 1641 on the edge of the royal court. Evolving later into a prestigious art museum, it exhibits extraordinary masterpieces, a Dutch Golden Age collection typically conveying delightful, insightful stories. Rembrandt’s Simeon’s Song of Praise depicts an uplifting biblical tale, while Jan Steen humorously portrays ensembles of citizens receiving comeuppance for debaucheries. All admire Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring, considered northern Europe’s Mona Lisa. Yet, on the opposite wall his lesserknown View of Delft overwhelms us with his unsurpassed technique. Suspected of setting up a camera obscura inside a riverside pub, Vermeer captured Delft at a crystal clear moment amid white clouds, rippling cobalt blue water and golden shore. Another nearby museum contains a breathtaking, yet unfamiliar artistic achievement. Beyond the first floor array of Mesdag’s paintings, stairs lead us into a sunlit rotunda enclosing a 120-metre circumference, 14-metre-high panorama. In a swirl of activities, this magical masterwork presents an 1881 North Sea village in a swirl of activities, with The Hague rising in the distance. An electric tram whisks us back to our hotel. After extolling Dutch art, we chat with the desk clerk about The Hague’s spacious, green appearance. “Former noble estates provided land for large parks and greenways,” she smiles. “As well, buildings have gone green utilizing ‘eco-friendly’ designs… like our geothermal heating! And we also offer guests bicycles!” Soon riding bikeways through prim neighbourhoods and leafy parks, we pedal into Mesdag’s brilliantly depicted fishing village. The neo-classic royal pavilion and 1886 Hotel Kurhaus remain on the beachside knoll. Still one of The Hague’s two seaside resorts, millions come annually to frolic. Merrily rolling along the esplanade, we view open-air restaurants, kiosks and long, two-level pier. Off the golden 11-kilometre shoreline, families create sand castles, couples picnic and kite-boarders sail the surf. Holland supports and motivates lifestyles filled with exercise. Visits to these little Dutch cities build our stamina and stimulate SL our brains with new perspectives, insights and delights! For IF YOU GO information, go online to www.seniorlivingmag.com/articles/hail-and-hearty-holland

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To ﬁnd out more about each episode, including in-depth information about the businesses, activities and people showcased, please visit www.seniorlivingmag.com/episodes Want to purchase a DVD copy of one of our segments? WWW.SENIORLIVINGMAG.COM Order online at www.seniorlivingmag.com/episodes/order

Sponsored by: Coast to Coast, Provinces NOVEMBER 2012 Plan 39

CLASSIFIEDS

COLLECTOR SEEKING vintage/collectable cameras, binoculars and microscopes. Nikon, Leica, Contax, Rolleiﬂex, Zeiss, Canon, etc. Mike 250-383-6456 or e-mail: msymons6456@telus.net

RUTH M.P HAIRSTYLING for Seniors in Greater Victoria. In the convenience of your own home! Certiﬁed Hairdresser. Call - 250893-7082. SENIOR LADY WISHES to Home-seek and home-share. Also to form social group for Seniors without Children. 250-715-3744. DOG WALKING SERVICES Daily walks for small to medium dogs. 8 years of service. References. Greater Victoria Area. Mona 250-217-3662. SALTSPRING COMPUTER BASICS IN YOUR HOME. Will consider baking/food trades. Connect with faraway friends and family. Call Arlene at 250-653-4503 or send an email to richardson.aer@gmail.com HEALING FOOT CARE by Nurse Foot Care Specialist Marcia Goodwin R.N.,B.Sc.N. 35 yrs. Nsg. Experience • Caring • Comprehensive • Professional • Gentle 250-686-3081. (Victoria Area) FOOT, HAND AND BODY CARE for Seniors Offering professional foot, hand and body care services to men and women in the comfort of your own home or at the Flow Spa at Berwick Retirement Home - Royal Oak. Natural products for your important well-being. Honest, reliable and dedicated, call Shirley at 250-744-7530 to schedule your appointment. COMOX VALLEY FOOT CARE by Registered Nurse Foot Care Specialist. 35 yrs nrsg. experience Caring. Gentle. DVA approved. Valerie Desharnais 250-897-6998.

NORTH NANAIMO: WATERFRONT English home, elegant beautifully furnished apartment to rent, clean and very quiet. Suitable for active senior. Close to all amenities, Woodgrove Mall. No smoking home. Weekly cleaning and linen laundry services provided. References required. $1000/month or $250/ week inclusive. Please call for more information. 250-390-1805 mobile 250-616-2906. DRIVING MISS DAISY VANCOUVER ISLAND Accompanying you to a fuller life. Victoria 250-588-4638 - Sidney/Peninsula 250-5072336 - Westshore 250-813-0440 - Qualicum/ Parksville 250-937-8812 - Comox Valley 250-650-2010 - Nanaimo 250-667-1446. DEBI’S MOBILE HAIR SERVICES in the comfort of your home for everyone in your family. Serving the Victoria area. Please call Debi at 250-477-7505. HOW TO CHERISH, SUPPORT and Communicate with the Extreme Aged. A workshop by Ann Jacob & Stan Tomandl on Nov 17th, 10am-1pm, Yakimovich Centre, Victoria. Cost $30-$45. For Registration & Info Call: 250-383-5677 KEEPSAKE BOOKS: For the memories you hold dear, capture them forever in a professionally designed photo book for yourself, family and friends. Excellent for your special occasions, vacations and cherished mementos! Email: checkerhouse@shaw.ca or call 250.370.2687 Checkerhouse Studio NEW WORLD REPAIRS & RENOS. References. 35 years experience. Drywall, painting, ﬁnishing, decks, stairs, doors, blinds. Langley. Bob 778-772-2058. SAANICH VOLUNTEER SERVICES seeks volunteers to drive clients to medical appointments, visit and do minor home repairs. Call 250-595-8008.

TROUBLE FOLLOWING CONVERSATIONS?

250-479-4705 | 1-877-479-4705 ofﬁce@seniorlivingmag.com SUCCESSFUL AGING with Home Instead Senior Care: “You’ve lived in your home for years. With a little help, maybe you still can. We’re a little help! Call us for a free consultation at 250-382-6565 FOOT CARE NURSE JOHN PATTERSON LPN Providing mobile footcare in Nanaimo. 18 years of nursing experience. Home, facility, and hospital visits. Qualiﬁed nursing foot care for toenails corns and calluses. Direct billing for DVA clients. 250 390 9266.

WHEN YOUR LOVED ONE is in Forgetfulness, Dementia or Coma, we can help you reconnect. We provide family consultations and workshops. Call Ann Jacob & Stan Tomandl at 250-383-5677 or visit our website www.comacommunication.com ART LESSONS: Express yourself by creating art with acrylic paint. Experienced Visual Artist is offering tutoring for adults: Beginner and Intermediate Levels. Email: checkerhouse@shaw.ca or call 250.370.2687 Checkerhouse Studio SENIORS SAVE ON COMPUTER REPAIRS. Expert at Onex Computers on Quadra offers special rates, in-shop or at home. Call Kevin 250-382-6736 or e-mail me at onexcom@yahoo.ca PERSONALS BEAUTIFUL, INSIDE AND OUT! Young 58 year old, full ﬁgured, well built, white lady. Seeking a tall 70+ gentleman. 250-361-9214. ��

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OCTOBER 2009 39

View of Roatan from Valor

BYGONE Treasures

To the Lads Who Never Came Home

few weeks ago, I purchased a small group of old postcards, and among them chanced upon one mailed from the military post office in Rivers, Manitoba in 1942. Rivers had a military base used for training RCAF personnel during World War II, and, as I often do, I undertook a bit of research. The postcard was written from “Wally” to his Mom... December 4/42 (only 25 more days!) Dearest Mom...Have been asking favours of you all my 21 years haven’t I, and here’s another! Would you look around for the filter I used with my electric shaver? It’s probably in the upstairs medicine cabinet or in my room someplace. I’m fine and trust you are all likewise. Will be writing you this weekend. Your loving son, Wally Wally had almost completed his pilot’s training and was counting the days until he was shipped overseas. J/12340 F/O Walter McPhee was attached to 427 Squadron RCAF – RAF Bomber Command, and was part of a mission to Nurnberg on the night of March 30/31 1944. Wally and his crew of six were flying Handley Page – Halifax III LW-618

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coded ZL-E, when they were shot down by a Luftwaffe nightfighter, with the loss of all aboard. Wally was 23. Sometimes, it’s just a touching message on a simple postcard that stirs feelings we forget we have. I was born near the cutting edge of the Baby Boom generation, so was fortunate to have escaped the horrors of war. Life was stable. Everyone knew that a newspaper cost a dime, and it took a nickel to mail a letter. When I was 23, I was working in swinging London, with long hair and hippie glasses, enjoying a pint with friends and walking many a night across Clapham Common to the boarding house, a bag of scorching hot chips in hand and not a care in the world. Wally never had the chance to do that, but his sacrifice and that of so many others made it possible for me. A toast to your memory, Wally, and my gratitude to you and your comrades for SL making things right for us all. Comments and suggestions for future columns are welcome and can be sent to Michael Rice, PO Box 86, Saanichton, BC V8M 2C3 or via email to fenian@shaw.ca

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NOVEMBER 2012

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ASK Goldie

Photo: Jason van der Valk

Ask us how to Move For Free! Worry Free!

BY GOLDIE CARLOW, M.ED

Dear Goldie: Christmas is looming ahead and, with it, are a few family problems. We are a large family and take turns hosting this celebration. However, one sister-in-law always has a reason to change her turn at the last minute and, as you can imagine, this creates confusion. This happens to be her turn, so we are waiting. Have you any suggestions to change this problem? –R.N.

For more information or to arrange a personal tour, call Leah at 250.331.4104

4640 Headquarters Rd. Courtenay casalomaseniorsvillage.com comoxvalleyseniorsvillage.com

Look Closer… What do you see people, what do you see? Is it just an old woman when you look at me? In our fast paced world, we often don’t take the time to see individuals. This is particularly true of the elderly within our facilities and our community. And when we don’t see, we don’t recognize needs. Please look closer...

See Me. The Greater Victoria Eldercare Foundation supports community programs and education for seniors and their caregivers, purchases specialized equipment, upgrades care facilities with home-like enhancements and funds valuable research to improve the way the elderly are cared for. Your legacy will help us enhance quality of life for the elderly for generations to come.

Please contact us:

(250) 370-5664 or www.gvef.org

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Dear R.N.: On the bright side, you seem to be prepared for it. I suspect, by now, you have an alternate plan in mind. I would suggest you take the situation in hand and discuss it with your sister-in-law early. Let her know you are prepared with an alternative and this might take the spark out of the game. Insecurity can create problems, so, in fairness to her, an open discussion can ease worries she may have about the celebration. Dear Goldie: We are a large family of six children and now that our father has died, we are worried about our mother and her future. She is in good health and active in her 76th year. She wants to remain in her home, which is fairly large with a garden and lawn to care for, and she will not listen to any suggestion of change. I realize her independence is important to her, but we are concerned for her health and well-being. Can you suggest any way to get through to her? –W.H. Dear W.H.: It sounds like you are having misgivings about your mother living alone. If her health remains in its present state, perhaps change is not necessary. You could discuss her situation with her doctor. If she’s healthy, there is probably no reason to make a change. It is wonderful that you are concerned about her, but it is good to leave her the opportunity to make her own decisions. She will SL need your love and support as life goes on as usual. Goldie Carlow is a retired registered nurse, clinical counsellor and senior peer counselling trainer. Send letters to Senior Living, Box 153, 1581-H Hillside Ave., Victoria, BC V8T 2C1. Senior Peer Counselling Centres – Island

Senior Peer Counselling Centres – Mainland

Campbell River 250-287-3044 Courtenay/Comox 250-890-0099 Duncan 250-748-2133 Nanaimo 250-754-3331 Port Hardy 250-949-5110 Salt Spring Island 250-537-4607 Sidney 250-656-5537 Victoria 250-382-4331

Burnaby 604-291-2258 Coquitlam – Tri-Cities 604-945-4480 New Westminster 604-519-1064 North Vancouver 604-987-8138 Richmond 604-279-7034 Vancouver West End 604-669-7339 Vancouver Westside 604-736-3588

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GVEF Senior Living Magazine

SCAM ALERT

Beware of Charitable Giving Scams

ith the holiday season approaching, many charities will be hitting the “streets” collecting donations for a variety of important causes. Unfortunately, this is also the same time of year we receive an influx of reports related to charitable giving scams. Protecting yourself from becoming a victim of charitable donation scams often requires a thoughtful planned approach to giving. How to Identify Charitable Giving Scams Frauds under the guise of “charity” come in a variety of forms, but many contain similar elements. Beware of solicitations for donations that involve the following: • Claims that 100 per cent of donations assist victims. All charities have fundraising and administrative costs. Even a credit card or text donation will involve at least a processing fee. • High-pressure “sales/closing” tactics. Don’t succumb to pressure to give money on the spot or allow a “runner” to pick up a contribution; the charity that needs your money today will welcome it just as much tomorrow. • Requirements to pay by cash or to have cheques made payable to the individual rather than an organization. Legitimate charities will want to have a paper trail under their name for tax purposes.

• Use names that look impressive or that closely resemble the name of a well-known organization. Many fake or unethical charities will use names similar to those of legitimate ones to trick people into thinking they are dealing with a reputable organization. • Failure to provide adequate information or documentation. Legitimate charities will be able to provide you with contact information, detailed explanations of how your funds will be used, financial statements, annual reports and answers to all your questions. Beware of appeals that bring tears to your eyes, but tell you nothing about the charity or what it’s doing about the problem it describes so well. How to Protect Yourself • Be sure to check out the organization with both the Canadian Revenue Agency (www.cra-arc.gc.ca/chrtsgvng/lstngs/menu-eng.html) and with your BBB (vi.bbb.org/Find-BusinessReviews/) • Do your research to make sure you understand what percentage of your donation will actually go to the cause versus administrative costs. One of BBB’s standards for charitable accountability states that at least 65 per cent should go towards the intended cause. • Keep records of your donations (receipts, cancelled cheques, and bank statements), so you can document your

For more information, contact BBB Mainland BC at 604-682-2711 and mbc.bbb.org or BBB Vancouver Island at 250-386-6348 and vi.bbb.org WWW.SENIORLIVINGMAG.COM

charitable giving at tax time. • Be wary of spam emails that claim to be from a charity. Many fraudulent websites and organizations are created overnight by scammers after disasters and during the holiday season. • Focus on causes you care and know the most about. Donors would do well to plan their giving in advance of being solicited for donations, and to demand accountability of the organizations soliciting their SL support.

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Health & Wellness

Drink Tea: To Your Health! BY MELISSA MARTZ

love tea. One of the top beverages I grab, tea has several amazing benefits for body and mind. I’ve enjoyed comforting cups of tea long before stores like The Urban Tea Merchant, David’s Tea, Shaktea, and Granville Island Tea, catering to everything tea related, began popping up everywhere. Today, these specialty stores are filling a need for the increasing popularity of drinking tea. Tea is no longer only “Grandma’s beverage,” even though my tea drinking days were initiated by my Grandma, and I have been referred to as a tea Granny and a tea totaller: tea attracts and benefits people of all ages – even kids. When you hear the word “antioxidants,” what do you think of first? Fruits and vegetables. However, tea is bursting with antioxidants and, in fact, more than fruits and vegetables combined. Tea, according to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, is one of the best sources of antioxidants in any diet. Antioxidants are the compounds that neutralize harmful and damaging free radicals, which, over time, are believed to contribute to the development of diseases like cancer and cardiovascular disease. Additional research has shown that even though the consumption of fruits

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and vegetables are important, loose leaves contain very high levels of antioxidants. In only two cups (coffee mugs, that is) of tea, there is the equivalent of seven glasses of orange juice or (make sure you’re sitting down for this) 20 glasses of apple juice. And just as there are numerous varieties of coffee available, the same goes for tea. Black tea is what most people would think of when it comes to tea, but consider the rich and luscious green, white, oolong, roobios (pronounced RoyBoss), matcha or yerba mate and Darjeeling. As for its particular health benefits, next to water, tea is the healthiest beverage you can consume. To demystify a popular misapprehension that tea has more caffeine than coffee, tea, in fact, has only one-third to one-half the amount of caffeine in an equivalent amount of coffee. What about your grandchildren or great nieces and nephews? There has been controversy in and around children consuming tea and the caffeine it contains as impeding growth and development. Rooibos tea and fruit teas are both caffeine-free and can offer positive health benefits that assist with digestive problems, headaches, nausea, insomnia,

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allergies and colic. Incidentally, iced tea (homemade is better) has the same benefits as your favourite cup of hot tea. Health Beneﬁts of Tea: • Reduces risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure • Improves circulation • Improves concentration, focus and increases alertness • Lowers cholesterol and increases metabolism • Eliminates indigestion • Fights fatigue • Improves both urinary and brain functions • Helps reduce the risk of arthritis, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s • Boosts immune system and burns calories • Relaxes the mind and reduces stress • Therapeutic effect on gastric or intestine illness • Helps with weight loss Who would like to come over for SL tea?

Community Pages

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Reﬂections THEN & NOW SNOW

rinks to rest. Determination is exhausting! I wasn’t even any good at snowball fighting. By the time I had made one snowball, a half BY GIPP FORSTER dozen had hit me… compliments of the other group who bragged about their kills. In those days, all we had for winter cold and sometimes snow are discovering footwear were rubber boots. Two or three it now. Every year, it seems, those little pairs of socks before the boots went on snowflakes are bringing more and more of kept my feet comparatively warm, ex- their little friends. Invasion can be subtle, if cept when I jumped into deep snow and we are not paying attention! would leave one boot held fast in its froI think we should carry placards that zen prison. I would hop home on the one read: “Snow Not Welcome Here!” remaining boot, while my other snow-enOf course, I should take into considercrusted foot did its best not to descend to ation those who like snow, like the skiers the cold ground. and snowboarders and bob sled racers. And For some reason, when I got home, in- I mustn’t forget hockey players and hockey stead of a sympathetic mom, I was greet- lovers, competitive ice skaters, leisure skated by a very upset woman who sent me, ers, snowballers and professional Santas. along with my older brother, back to dig So, I apologize if I have offended snow lovout my rubber boot from its encasement ers, snow entrepreneurs and snowmen. in the snow that sought to claim it. FootIt’s too late for me to change now, but wear was far from cheap, at the time. then again, I don’t want to. But I have to adAs I mentioned before, I hate snow! mit, on occasion, I have liked snow…well, Not only snow, but I hate the cold cli- maybe not “liked” but tolerated: like on a mate it insists on living in. I think I’d cold frosty night when the snowflakes blow be quite happy living in Hawaii or San about like a billion tiny soldiers in search of Diego, if I could take Victoria with me. a home just outside the window. My only problem these days is, just as I The part of that scenario I like best is discovered Victoria almost 50 years ago, standing in a warm living room with hearth ablaze knowing I don’t have to go outside. That’s the kind of snow I tolerate because it “Reﬂections” MAIL-IN ORDER FORM Reﬂections, Rejections, frolics on the other side of the glass. and Other Breakfast Foods Name_____________________________________ By the grace of God, I hope to go to by Gipp Forster heaven when I graduate from this life. A Address___________________________________ A collection of Gipp’s humorous place where the sun forever shines and light City______________________________ Prov ____ and nostalgic columns. A wonderbanishes all darkness. A place where peace Postal Code____________ Ph _________________ ful read for Reflections, reigns and the word “hate” is exiled forever. �� yourself, and a and Other Breakfast Foods ____ BOOKS @ $14.92 each = $_______ (incl. $3.95 shipping & taxes) But, while I’m here, I think I’ll continue to thoughtful gift “hate” snow. Never could warm up to it! for friends and Make cheque payable to Senior Living family members. Someone said to me recently: “If you MAIL TO: 128 pages end up in heaven, that’s going to be the Senior Living 153, 1581-H Hillside Ave., Victoria BC V8T 2C1 REDUCED PRICE day hell freezes over.” Oh, I do hope for $10.00 Please allow two weeks for shipping. SL heaven. I truly do! Photo: Krystle Wiseman

’ve never been a skier or a tobogganist or an ice skater. I guess that’s because I hate snow! Like most people, I love a white Christmas, as long as the snow is gone the day after Boxing Day. I spent the first seven years of my life in Greenville, South Carolina. Greenville didn’t get much snow, if I remember correctly. Then, I suddenly found myself living in Ottawa. My first winter there, it dropped to 30 below and I thought I’d never make it to spring. There were outdoor rinks in a big circle around the hockey rink in the centre. There were “get warm” shacks: one for the girls and one for the boys. Woodburning stoves sat in the middle of each shack, enclosed in heavy wire fencing over metal bars. It was cold and we’d get as close to the stove as we dared. Many jackets and mitts got scorched from leaning too close. In that regard, I think I was the leader of the pack. The blades on my skates lasted and needed little sharpening. I learned to skate on my ankles. I was good at it too: leather helmet askew on my head; runny nose singing “Cry Me a River”; and fierce determination to circle the whole rink on my ankles. And, of course, I would fall into the snow banks surrounding the

Limited Edition

MAGAZINE

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A Collection of Published & Unpublished Writings by Senior Living Columnist Gipp Forster

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Retirement Community

Call 250-478-4888 753 Station Avenue, Victoria www.hayworth.ca NOVEMBER 2012

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