Seniors For Seniors not closing, despite rumours

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This article was published 05/07/2022 (1530 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Brandon Seniors For Seniors is reassuring clients that, despite rumours, it remains open and will continue to offer programming after the announced closure of Prairie Oasis Senior Centre.

Since Prairie Oasis announced it intends to shutter all activities and programs on July 15 and officially close its doors permanently on July 22, Seniors For Seniors has been fielding calls, emails and pop-ins from concerned clients, said executive director Rob Lavin.

Staff want to focus on transitioning as many programs as possible from Prairie Oasis to Seniors For Seniors, he said, but this has been a challenge given the rumours circulating that the non-profit will also be closing.

“They’re very worried because, I think, there are some mixed messages on [social] media and some of the information being shared around by word-of-mouth. They’re really worried that both organizations are closing, and that’s not the case,” Lavin said.

“We’re trying to encourage them to share with other people that Seniors For Seniors is not going anywhere and we’re going to try and incorporate and accommodate as much as we can on the existing programs and services that are offered at Prairie Oasis.”

The Prairie Oasis board of directors voted to dissolve the non-profit as of July 22, according to a letter released last week. As part of the closure, the centre’s Meals on Wheels service will end on July 15.

It has been an “extremely busy” time at Seniors For Seniors — between learning how to accommodate the needs of clients and reassuring the community the non-profit is not going anywhere.

The key concern moving forward at Seniors For Seniors has been seeing if there are opportunities to transition any programs or services from Prairie Oasis to its facility, Lavin said. Staff have found in most cases, Seniors For Seniors can most likely accommodate existing daily activities at Prairie Oasis, outside of Meals on Wheels.

He considers the non-profit fortunate and sees a long future for Seniors For Seniors in Brandon, Lavin said. The current focus is on reassuring the community the non-profit is in place while expanding its current membership numbers.

“I can’t really predict the entire future, but I think at this point we’re in a really good position,” Lavin said. “We’ve been very successful in finding grant funding and alternative things to do during COVID, so we managed to get through that.”

If Seniors For Seniors can secure former Prairie Oasis members, it can provide support to clients while ensuring the future of the centre.

For those looking for more information, updates and insights into programming and activities about Seniors For Seniors, visit the organization’s social media, call the centre at 204-571-2050 or drop by the organization in person.

“Don’t be spreading messages that are not true because that actually hurts everybody at the end of the day,” Lavin said. “For us, we’re spending a lot more time on responding to it versus trying to spend a majority of our resources on working with Prairie Oasis to appropriately move those programs and services.”

Seniors For Seniors has been reaching out to different organizations that Prairie Oasis has worked with in the past to build its programming capacity. Growing the volunteer base for the non-profit will be essential, Lavin said, given the influx of clients expected when Prairie Oasis officially closes.

“We’re definitely going to need more volunteers to not only help with the meal program, but we’re also going to need additional support and volunteerism for the other activities.”

He cautioned that it may be a while before the organization arranges space and a schedule for some programs, such as bridge, Scrabble and other games.

One program that will take time to adapt is the Dinner is Served program, which is the nearest comparable service to Meals on Wheels.

Dinner is Served is a fresh-meal program available on Fridays, and clients have the option of picking up enough meals to last a week. The meals are prepared and packaged Thursday and include protein, starch, vegetables and dessert with a bun. The meals are delivered for free by volunteers into the community the next day.

Seniors For Seniors is celebrating its 40th anniversary in Brandon with several upcoming activities.

On Aug. 13, it will host a small yard sale and a barbecue as a fundraiser. The event will also include guided tours of the facility along with information on the programs and services available.

Seniors For Seniors also has summer students on hand who will help host a fundraising barbecue each Wednesday at noon.

The official 40th anniversary celebrations will take place in November, marking the day Seniors For Seniors was officially incorporated.

» ckemp@brandonsun.com

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