commercial Retail Space Available
your neighbourhood. your newspaper.
Second annual 12 Days of Giving
downtown
z | Page 2
642 sq. ft. $850 per month 240 Lansdowne St
Debt Sentences and the Roaring Twenties z | Page 5 Volume 15 Number 47 | 50¢
November 24, 2016
Call Derek at 250-682-5980 for more information
Light tour brightens holiday season for seniors The 42nd annual Senior Light Tour is set for Thursday, December 8. A well-established, heartwarming event, each year sees approximately 600 people, 22 city buses and a whole lot of volunteers. A tour of the Kamloops’ best Christmas lights and a visit to the Sandman Centre for a lot of singing, a bit of dancing, a spot of tea and a heaping cup of Christmas cheer— what could be better? Alex De Chantal, Community and Wellness Events coordinator, refers to the Kamloops Transit System as “the real Christmas miracle that makes this event possible.” “It’s a nice outing, people get dressed up, visit with friends, have a laugh.” said volunteer organizer Kelly MacDonald. There are 22 designated bus stops across the city and each stop requires one or more volunteers who will be assigned to a bus stop. The organizers are still in need of volunteers. The mission is simple: help seniors onto the bus safely and then pump up the bus with a whole lot of festive enthusiasm. Get jazzed about the lights, keep the merriment up-tempo and encourage caroling. After the tour comes the tea. Gather your guests and usher them into the Sandman Centre. Everyone enjoys the festivities and then heads back to the bus. Doesn’t that sound like the most fun? Frankly, it sounds heart-burstingly marvel-
lous. That sense of Christmas joy would be like the end of It’s a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol all wrapped up into one. For many seniors, this is a special and rare outing. Why not throw on an ugly Christmas
a shop. Consider volunteering at a seniors centre. Host a tea party for your grandmother and her friends. Check in or drop by. Make a date—there are lots of ways to brighten someone’s day. The holiday season can be a terribly lonely time for seniors. Social isolation is a leading cause of depression and causes other serious health concerns; it can be made worse during the celebration-centered time. It might bring up feelings of loss and loneliness; maybe they’re missing their children, parents, friends and spouses. Feeling disheartened by the cold weather and lack of sunlight; suffering from financial strain. Without fresh air, exercise and good company, one can swiftly lose one’s zest for life. It might lead to improperly taken medication or poorly balanced nutrition. These are meant to be the golden years, but for some seniors, they aren’t receiving enough nourishment, support and companionship. How can we help? Socialization is key. Sometimes all you need is a good friend. Re-watch Fried Green Tomatoes if you need a refresher course on why having elders for friends is awesome and life affirming. They have a wealth of knowledge and life experience at their fingertips—ask quessweater and some jing- tions, get advice, learn about their family history. ly antlers and show them a good time? Take them to the library or museum; go Even if you can’t volunteer for this event, do window-shopping downtown and stop for think of senior citizens, especially around the lunch or tea. Enjoy the great outdoors, talk holiday season. Stop and say hello to someone in a stroll through a park and go for a drive
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