INSPIRED 55+ lifestyle magazine
DECEMBER 2018
SONGWRITER DAN HILL GREAT GRAND MASTER LASER SAILOR DEIRDRE WEBSTER THE TALENTED AND INTREPID TAP DANCING TROUPE RAZZMATAP TWO ENCHANTING DAYS IN VENICE
Inspiration for people over 55
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Dan Hill: A Craving for Real Songs by Kate Robertson Tapping into Magic by Diana Wing My Personal Olympian Experience by Kate Robertson Blind Golf by Gary & Pamela Baker “Just Do It!” by Callie Martin Spices: Scents of the Season by Nancy J. Schaaf A Very Strange Fisherman by Thelma Fayle Two Days in Venice by Marilyn Jones
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INSPIRED 55+ lifestyle magazine
Cover DAN HILL Canadian songwriting legend Dan Hill has had his songs recorded by Celine Dion, Britney Spears, Rod Stewart and Tina Turner, to name a few. Photo by Don Dixon 4 2
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Publisher Barbara Risto Managing Editor Bobbie Jo Reid editor@seniorlivingmag.com Office Assistant Shannon Nichols 250-479-4705 office@seniorlivingmag.com Advertising Sales Kathie Wagner 250-479-4705 x 103 Head Office 3354 Tennyson Ave., Victoria, BC V8Z 3P6 | 250-479-4705 Subscriptions (12 issues): $33.60 includes GST, S&H. Canadian residents only. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. INSPIRED Magazine is an independent publication and its articles imply no endorsement of any products or services. The views expressed herein are not necessarily those of the publisher. Advertisers and advertising agencies assume liability for compliance with all copyright laws related to materials they submit for publication. INSPIRED Magazine is distributed free throughout British Columbia by Stratis Publishing Ltd. 12 issues per year. ISSN 2562-1041 (Print) ISSN 2562-105X (Online)
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Though he had opportunities to relocate to Nashville or LA, Dan chose to stay in Canada, close to his roots. Photo: Don Dixon 6 4
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DAN HILL: A CRAVING FOR REAL SONGS by KATE RORERTSON “If I had to pick between songwriting or performing, I think I would pick the songwriting,” says Canadian music legend Dan Hill. “I find it to be more mentally, intellectually and creatively challenging. With the performing, you just have to make sure you’re physically really healthy, your voice is in shape, and that you’ve been practising a lot of piano and guitar so that your reflexes and playing are strong.” Dan knows what he’s talking about – he’s been writing songs and performing music since the early ’70s. It was his hit song “Sometimes When We Touch” that put him on the map as an international star. That song rose to No. 3 on the Hot 100 Billboard list and led to appearances on acclaimed television programs like the Merv Griffin Show. Since then, Dan has had other artists, including Celine Dion, Britney Spears, Rod Stewart and Tina Turner, record at least 50 of his songs, but “Sometimes When We Touch” is still his most recorded song. Even as a young child, Dan was singing and playing instruments. The music his parents listened to was really influential for him – artists like Harry Belafonte, Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald. “Those kinds of artists I fell in love with when I was 4 or 5, so they strike close to the heart,” he shares. You can especially find that influence in the jazz songs Dan wrote with Joe Sealy, a well-known jazz writer and performer. “We wrote songs about Africville, a little village in Nova Scotia that was sort of black-run until it was expropriated and run into the ground in the ’60s.” It’s no surprise that Dan has ventured into the politi-
cal realm – both his mother and father, an interracial couple, were activists. Dan’s often been involved in projects with the Civil Liberties Association and will perform for certain black causes or celebrations. “My parents made me really aware of the underdog and the vulnerable,” he says. “I was reminded to never take things for granted and of how fortunate I am that things have come together so easily for me in terms of my life and career.” But his parents weren’t always supportive of Dan’s musical endeavours – or at least not when he told them he wanted to make a living at it. “That’s when my father and I had a falling out, and when I left home. We didn’t really talk for a couple of years. The next thing you know, I was on the radio and that was the thing that convinced him – to use his words – that he’d underestimated me.” His father’s skepticism didn’t stop Dan from being recognized for his talent and, over the years, he’s been the recipient of many awards, including several Junos and a Harold Moon Award for Canadian lifetime songwriting achievement. The award Dan covets the most, though, is the Grammy he won in 1997 for his co-production of the song “Seduces Me” for Celine Dion’s award-winning “Falling Into You” album. “At the time, she was a really hard person to get to work with,” says Dan. “She was the biggest star in the world and everybody wanted to write for her or produce for her. I was extremely fortunate I’d written a song that really spoke to her spirit and her heart.” “The experience of recording the song so thoroughly myself,” he continues, “then sending it to her, so she could learn the singing parts, and then going to New York with the recorded track and recording her vocal at the Hit Factory in New York was just thrilling for me.” INSPIRED | DECEMBER 2018
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Snapshot with Dan Hill If you were to meet your 20-year-old self, what advice would you give him? “I would say spend more time writing. Because it’s ultimately the songs that dictate your career. When it’s all said and done, it’s your songs that are still out there ticking, getting air time, getting people to record them and producing income for you, more than anything else.” Who or what has influenced you the most and why? “I was influenced very much by writers, book writers as well. My brother’s a very successful novelist, and I’ve always been really impressed and moved by novelists at their ability to tell riveting tales. I’m impressed at how they can put thoughts so succinctly to the written word.” What are you most grateful for? “I’m really grateful for the gift that I was born with. I think I was certainly blessed with certain natural gifts that dictated to me as a young child what I was going do.” What does success mean to you? “Success means that you can lead the life you want to lead. You don’t need to follow anybody else’s rules but your own. And it gives you the freedom to experiment creatively and branch out even more.” |
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For Dan, changes in the music industry over the years haven’t affected his songwriting. “There’s still a craving for real songs. That hasn’t changed in the pop marketplace. People still want to have old-fashioned songs with stories, strong melodies and relatable lyrics.” When an artist comes looking to Dan for a song, he will help them with the vocals or produce the record himself. “Sometimes the way I produce the demo of the song gives them an idea of how they should produce the song,” he says, “and it’s always interesting to hear another person’s vocals. The song can almost totally change based on who’s singing it.” Dan writes on his own timelines, unless someone has a recording schedule deadline. But that doesn’t mean he’s not working every day – he is – and not just Monday to Friday, but seven days a week. “I play guitar or work on songs. There’re always parts of songs that I need to re-write or improve. Then I have to kind of train myself to remember how to play the songs. Sometimes the songs are very advanced, so I have to practise for a long time in order to memorize those songs. It takes me awhile to memorize the lyrics because I have so many songs now.” Dan still lives in Toronto, the city he grew up in, where he stays in touch with close friends, many whom he grew up with, and family. “It really keeps me grounded,” he says, “that I can communicate with people I really love. Those connections are so important.” In fact, Dan’s never had the desire to move to a songwriting hub like Nashville or Los Angeles. “I’ve always found that it’s been better for me to come in from the outside. People look at you in a fresh way because you don’t belong there. So, I’ll go to Nashville or LA, set up a bunch of appointments with other songwriters or artists, then busy myself writing or recording them.” Does Dan have any secrets for those
wanting to get into the songwriting business? “Not really,” he says, “you just have to do it. Every day just go to your piano or guitar and start playing. There are times a doctor may not want to go and work with his/her patients, but they still do it. This is a lifetime job, so you approach it just as anybody would with a lifetime job.” What about his formula for writing hit songs? Amazingly, Dan says he can bang out a new song in an hour. But then the process of re-writing and editing to perfect it happens over the period of a few days. If he’s writing a song for a movie or TV show, he has to get into the characters and their relationships, and the song unfolds around that theme. “Sometimes I just start fiddling around on the guitar or piano and I get a chord progression that I like. Sometimes words just kind of float out of my brain and I don’t even know where they came from. I write them down and just kind of follow suit on the first couple of words that come out of my mouth. I then realize this is the direction where the song needs to go, and then I write the song.”
Dan writes and practises seven days a week. Photo: Lisa MacIntosh
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“Other times, it’s when I’m tired and emotional that the songs come, because you’re closer to your creative unconscious then. But there are times when I go to the piano or guitar and everything just feels flat, boring and uninspiring,” Dan continues, “so I just have to work through those days and get to the next day where the words do unfold before my eyes. Or sometimes I’ll move over to other business things I have to take – there’s always songs you have to register or promoters you have to get back to about touring dates.” All this time spent writing doesn’t mean Dan’s not still going strong with his live performances. This last year he played at several venues in Canada and the US, and he goes to Asia once or twice a year. He generally tours with a female singer named Wendy Irvine and says his duets with her are a big hit with audiences. The Asian market loves beautiful melodies and strong, relatable lyrics, and there, Dan’s known as the King of Romance. “I think that’s kind of cute,” he says, “as I never really thought of myself as especially romantic, but I guess people can interpret my songs that way. My profile is a bit bigger in Asia, so I play to larger audiences there. I kind of feel like it’s a throw-back to the ’70s and I’m a pop star all over again! It’s really quite an experience playing in the Philippines and Malaysia.” Generally, Dan’s audience demographics have changed since the ’70s. “A lot of people are older,” he says, “maybe in their 60s and 70s, who have grown up with my music. There are also a lot of couples who have come together through my songs, had their first date, had their first child, got married to my songs.” “Now they pretty much sit and listen attentively,” Dan continues, “which I like because it shows they’ve been really moved by the song. Whether I’m playing to 50 or 50,000, I’m pretty similarly focused on what I’m doing. There’s a lot of memory work, trying to sing a song I wrote a week ago to remembering a song I wrote 45 years ago. Keeps the mind sharp, but I find it more physically tiring now. I find after two hours of singing my body is more exhausted than when I was in my 20s. Part of the aging process.” Usually people want to hear the old songs the way they’ve heard them on the radio or record, so Dan keeps them pretty much the same. But they also get the new songs that he maybe hasn’t even recorded yet. “I know they’re coming for the songs they’ve fallen in love with, so what I try to do with the new songs is give them stories about what’s been going on with my life to inspire me to write these new songs,” Dan shares. “Sometimes I talk for five minutes or so before I sing – that kind of invites the audience into the slipstream of the song, so they can relate to it more when I sing it. People say they really like my stories.” Dan has also written a couple of books and sometimes thinks he might stop music for awhile to write another. “I’d like to write about mental illness because that’s something that’s cut like a knife through several members of my family. I feel like my experience and knowledge could help a lot of people. But right now, the music is coming pretty quickly, so I’m just sort of going with that.” |
Richard is leaving a gift to Oxfam in his will, and says “ I can buy the food I need. But I’m aware that many people in the world do go to bed hungry. We who have so much shouldn’t forget that there are many who have so little. ” If you share Oxfam and Richard’s belief in a world without poverty, contact Rowena.Griffiths@oxfam.org or phone 613-237-5236 ext 2209
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TAPPING INTO MAGIC by DIANA WING Lights dim, curtains rise. Out of the darkness, we are suddenly dazzled by a glamorous, exuberant tap dancing troupe. Synchronized, happy, high energy, their silvertinged locks and sparkling smiles highlight their magical, action-packed performance. They are award-winning tap dancing group Razzmatap. DESTINED TO DANCE TOGETHER Creator and choreographer Jan Kainer began teaching tap classes in the late ’80s. Starting with a class for children at Kerrisdale Community Centre, Jan soon discovered that the centre could accommodate an adult class in the daytime. As destiny would have it, Jan’s class was the right thing at the right time for many of her dancers, and Razzmatap was born. Kathi Ward, one of the original tappers says, “I had been part of a contemporary jazz group in my twenties and had always wanted to get back to dance. Then my kids started dancing with Jan. When I found out she was starting an adult tap group, I knew this was fate.” Before long, the group grew to 12 enthusiastic tappers. And though, at first, the women were reluctant to perform, once they tasted the thrill of dancing before a live audience, they were hooked.
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THE MAGIC OF COMPETITION For Jan, attending dance festivals as a youth and playing college basketball for several years, taught her the magical motivation of competition. So, to keep her dancers challenged, she entered Razzmatap into dance contests. “Competition encourages the dancers to work harder,” says Jan, “and they can learn from what others are doing and what the adjudicators tell them.” Dancer Dell Catherall heartily agrees, “Competition is a great motivator. Jan is a perfectionist and abhors sloppy sounding taps, droopy arms and crooked lines. We, in turn, are dancing her creations and feel a responsibility to dance the very best we can and bring home the gold!” And so they do. These talented and intrepid women have travelled throughout the province and to the USA and Germany, winning prestigious awards and placing at various competitions among the best amateur dancers on the continent. They are also popular guest performers and sell out local shows. DEDICATED DANCERS Razzmatap’s achievements are remarkable as the 16 tap dancers range in age from 48 to 79 and come from a variety of vocations: from accountant to merchandiser, artist, retired educators and business women. Though some have danced since childhood, others had limited experience until they joined the group. But
ABOVE | (back row): Zanna Downes, Brenda Bryan, Kathi Ward, ChoreographerJan Kainer, Catherine LeCornu, Valerie Mignault, Diane Anthony. (middle row): Danielle Bradley, Dell Catherall, Lena Morissette, Donna Martinson, Missy Browne. (front row): Mary Lynn Baum, Gwen Epstein, Fay Son-Hing, Liz Fenby, Lynette Son-Hing. Photo: Tim Matheson DECEMBER 2018 | WWW.SENIORLIVINGMAG.COM
they all share their dedication to dance and each other. Tapper Zanna Downes says, “I organize my life around Razzmatap; I try to make sure nothing interferes with the tap practices or rehearsals.” Tap classes are a physically demanding one-hour practice twice a week. Jan observes that most of the dancers come to class early to practise the dance steps and help each other. Dell shares, “My biggest challenge is learning the individual steps and remembering the sequencing. Luckily, Lynette, our most senior member, also has one of the best brains and patiently holds practices between our two weekly classes.” To stay fit for dancing, the tappers include other physical activities into their routines. Zanna enjoys swimming, golf and tennis. She adds, “I have started hip-hop classes and will get back to the ballet/barre exercises to tone up my core.” Dell takes total body conditioning and stretch classes and works out at the gym on the elliptical trainer and recumbent bike. “Basically, I exercise to dance!” she declares. INSPIRED STORIES The Razzmatappers have good reason to be passionate about their craft as Jan creates and choreographs compelling dance stories inspired by personal experiences. In 2015, Jan and her family were shocked and saddened when her husband suddenly suffered a heart attack, requiring triple bypass surgery. During his recovery, Jan says, “I was supposed to start teaching tap again in September, but I needed to be home to take my husband and I didn’t have any inspiration to choreograph. When I finally started back to Razzmatap, I was inspired by our experience to think about how our friends help us in times of trouble, and eventually things get better.” Jan then created the award-winning two-part story: Time Heals Everything and Tap Your Troubles Away. In this uplifting dance number, the women support each other through loss and then celebrate overcoming sadness and adversity together.
THE RAZZMATAP FAMILY Reflective of their dance stories, there is magic in the group’s connectedness with each other. Zanna recalls that about three years ago, she suddenly could hardly walk or lift her arms. Shortly afterwards, she was diagnosed with Polymyalgia, an inflammatory disorder that causes muscle pain and stiffness, and was put on steroids to treat the condition. “The steroids affected my memory but at least I was able to move again. I feel inspired when I am with my tappers. The classes give me energy. I never gave up when I was sick. I am now healthy and happy because of the kindness shown to me by my Razzmatappers. They are my family. We support each other unconditionally.” “There is so much more than the dancing,” says Dell. “The women in our group have grown very close over the years, sharing birthdays, academic and workplace accomplishments, family issues and the inevitable disappointments and losses. I have great admiration for my fellow tappers and our choreographer.” EVERY YEAR A SURPRISE After nearly three decades, Razzmatap continues to delight and surprise with their joyous vibe and dynamic dance numbers. Sprinkled in with musical theatre styles is popular music by The Spice Girls, Lady Gaga and LMFAO, showcasing that these dancers can tap to classics and get funky to upbeat modern tunes. And, of course, Jan still masterfully keeps the women literally on their toes with new dance steps, and styles. “This year I was inspired by watching a show put on by Flamenco Mosaico,” says Jan. “I loved the music, the costumes and the castanets. I was inspired and thought that a flamenco-style tap routine would be fun, especially if we could learn to play castanets.” Tap, twirl, flourish and the magic of Razzmatap continues. | To learn more, visit http://razzmatap.com/
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MY PERSONAL OLYMPIAN EXPERIENCE by KATE ROBERTSON Each step takes substantial energy, my legs starting to feel like lead. My stride’s more like a waddle – these snowshoes are men’s size and too big. Without poles (they’d disappeared this morning with my showshoes), I can’t get into my usual rhythm. There are over 100 of us crossing the snowy, frozen trail single file, like ants. I can see our destination, the small town of Gaspé, inviting me, but the endless whiteness of the bay makes the distance deceiving. Are we getting closer? I knew when I signed up for this event, the Traversées de la Gaspésie (TDLG), a six-day cross-country ski or snowshoe, it would be hard. I’m a weekend warrior, so not at peak fitness level. The days immediately before my departure had me glued to the Pyeongchang Olympics on TV. This, I thought, will be my personal Olympics. Six days earlier, I arrived in Matane, known for its northern shrimp and windmill energy, and where the TDLG will begin this year. We would spend two nights here before moving on to Gîte du Mont-Albert in Gaspésie National Park, then a finish in the small town of Gaspé. It gets so cold here in the winter that even the salty St. Lawrence freezes, waves frozen mid-action, like they are caught off-guard by the temperature. But I’m told there’s no such thing as too cold in the Gaspésie – only improper clothes. I pull the hood of my Helly Hansen parka closer – thankful that I’ve packed good winter gear. At the Riôtel Hotel, there’s a reunion-camaraderie in the air (many participants are regular attendees; this is the 16th 10 12
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annual TDLG event founded by the sparkly Claudine Roy, a local businesswoman who vowed to build tourism in the region). Most are from Quebec, but some people are from as far away as California. There’s a group of six from Salmon Arm. Amazingly, they’d heard about the TDLG when participating in a multi-day cross-country ski event in Scandinavia. At 58, I was afraid that most participants would be much younger and fitter, and some are. But many are my age, and some significantly older. The next morning as we board the bus, Sylvie, a brightlydressed accordion player, energizes us with lively Québécois folk tunes. Nearby Matane Wildlife Reserve is our destination for the day, where we quickly shoe-up and set-off, raring to go, on our 11.6-kilometre route. The Reserve boasts the most moose per square kilometre in all of Quebec, and there is regular evidence of where their long, gangly legs have post-holed through the deep snow. With each snowshoe group there are guides and sweeps, so there’s no danger of getting lost, even when we veer off on the International Appalachian Trail.
ABOVE | Day 5 at the summit of our ascent , the author (right) and a new snowshoeing buddy. PAGE 12 | (Top) Guide Jacque Bouffard on the trails at Montagne des ChicChocs. (Bottom) Traditional accordion player entertains snowshoers. TOC | Day 6 from the trail overlooking the Gaspé Bay. Photos: Kate Robertson
At Mont-Charles-Édouard Vézina, a 390-metre summit with gorgeous views of the Chic Choc mountain range in the distance, we stop for lunch, ravenously devouring chicken sandwiches made with thick slabs of bread and homemade pastries. After, we re-trace our steps to the bus, where volunteers welcome us with friendly smiles and shot glasses filled with hot vodka caesars. I toast myself – I can do this, I think. I want to learn as much as I can about Gaspésie culture while I’m here, so the next day I veer off program for a dogsledding adventure at Aventure Pattes Blanches. Under lovely fat, wet snowflakes, we’re greeted by 40 happily yapping dogs and their owner Pascal Paquet, who grew up driving sleds. He deftly harnesses a team and takes us one-by-one for a spin. “Do you want to drive?” he asks. I nod my head, and we trade places, him sitting on the sled while I stand at the back, excited to be in the musher position, in control (hopefully) of such amazing animals. I’m off program again the following day (can I still say I completed the TDLG?) when I’m invited on a special snowshoe outing with guide Jacques Bouffard, to visit Auberge de Montagne des Chic-Chocs. A 20-minute ride in a tracked van takes us up through mountain wilderness to 615 metres, where this four-star provincial park lodge is nestled. We view a moose along the way, but Bouffard says what’s really special about this area is that it’s home to a herd of atrisk woodland caribou. Over the days, people often stop to chat with me. When I answer with a poorly accented, “je ne parle pas français,” those not confident in their English smile and continue on their way. Others easily switch to English. Really, this experience transcends the language barrier. The multi-day epic-ness of it all connects us with the common thread of a love for personal challenge and the outdoors. Day five is my favourite, only partly because that’s when the sun decides to shine. A steady ascent up Mont Pesaq, just outside of Gaspé, takes us through naked deciduous groves, with intermittent views of the valley and river below. Lunch is at a modern alpine warming hut,
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where two musicians entertain – one on guitar and the other wearing a jaunty French beret and playing harmonica, singing, and tapping his feet, his own percussion for these happy Québécois tunes. The feeling of festivity in the air is palpable, and I start my descent with a spring in my showshoed-step. The sun also graces us on our final day as we start our long slog up some steep, rocky cliffs at Forillon National Park. It was this morning that my snowshoes and poles had disappeared, and these larger snowshoes are affecting my agility. I’m like a teen boy whose lost body awareness when his feet have grown significantly overnight, and as I climb, my snowshoes ram into trees and get stuck in the brushy undergrowth. But I persevere and, at the summit, as I gaze out over Gaspé Bay, I’m struck with intense nostalgia. You see, there’s more to this story – my great grandfather and his father both lived in Gaspé before moving further west to Ontario and, at this moment, I feel an intense connection to my roots. Their ship from Scotland would have arrived in Canada through the mouth of this very bay in the 1800s. Back on my final trudge across the frozen bay, I think of my ancestors often, and I swear they give me strength. At the finish line, enthusiastic locals greet us with high fives and cheers. I take off my snowshoes for the last time and join in the celebration. This is Olympic gold. | For IF YOU GO information, visit www.seniorlivingmag.com/ gaspe
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BLIND GOLF by GARY BAKER
TOP | The author instructing a player on how to line up his shot. BOTTOM | Volunteer golfers Bob, Michael, Michael and Gary. Photos: Pam Baker 16 14
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I couldn’t believe it when shortly after I retired, I got a call from a friend I’d known for 45 years, Michael, asking me if I’d like to play golf every week for free. I said, “Sure, what’s the catch?” “It’s blind golf,” he replied, “and it’s fun.” For the past 30 years, a group in my community has teamed blind people with local, sighted volunteers for the joy of playing the game. Meeting weekly in the fall and spring, each member of the blind group is paired with a volunteer who helps with every shot and drives the golf cart. Before the players head out on the course, a golf professional from the pro shop provides an hourlong lesson, covering putting, chipping, pitching and driving. The dozen men and women in the program are young and old, all wanting to learn to play golf despite their obvious handicap. Some are blind from birth. Others have played golf for years, but due to injuries, accidents or disease, have lost some ability to see, and don’t want to give up the game. On a typical day, before the lessons, players and volunteers assemble on the patio of the clubhouse to greet one another as each arrives. The comradery is immediate and genuine. The warm greetings, handshakes and hugs, are like they haven’t seen one another in a long time – although it may have been just last week. Then, the club coordinator assigns each blind player to a volunteer for the morning round and each pair is assigned to a group to tee off in an assigned order. Volunteers load the blind players and clubs into the carts, and drive to the practice range for an hour-long lesson. The players and volunteers warm up on the practice range before teeing off, practicing what they’ve learned in the morning’s lesson. Some will go to the putting green for practice, before teeing off. The sharp clank of a putter repeatedly hitting the base of the flag pin commands the attention of all players on the green. The pin is in the hole, manned by a volunteer steadily making a tapping noise, ready to pull the pin. Set in position by another volunteer, one player, Joe, leans over his ball and asks how far to the hole. Macular degeneration took Joe’s sight years ago, but not his will to play golf. Listening intently to the clanking sound, he putts with a confident stroke and the ball rolls straight into the hole. “Joe,” I ask, “how did you do that?” “It’s easy,” he says. “Just close your eyes.” Once on the tee, blind players hit first. The banter between the instructors and the volunteers, while technically encouraging, can be comically chiding as nerves mount for the first swing of the round. They know each other well enough to kid around, sometimes unmercifully. Blind jokes abound! A favourite is “If you can’t see the ball, why don’t you play at night?” The groups play a 9-hole round on shortened fairways. Each blind player needs personalized help depending on their skill level and visual acuity. For example, out on the fairway, each visually impaired player has a volunteer to drive the cart, help with club selection, set up the ball for each tee shot, and locate the ball after each hit.
Our bonding intensifies as we become increasingly aware of the close coordination and communication required for success on the course. Most players own a set of clubs. If they don’t, the pro shop provides them. If necessary, the volunteers share their own clubs. One player, blind from birth, has a fascination with all things Star Wars. When I’m paired with her, she loves using a lightweight, large-headed club, the length of the shaft fitting her height perfectly. She calls it the “Millennium Falcon.” The “Falcon” makes a loud, hollow “pop” or “ping” when she connects well with the ball. When she hears this sound, she says, “That felt good.” For blind golfers, hearing the club connect with the ball is especially rewarding. The players’ abilities range from beginner to advanced. An 18-year-old player, Travis, whose mum drove him to the course for many years, learned to play from a local high school coach who took a guiding interest in him for several seasons. Now Travis plays regularly with his uncle, a volunteer with the Club. While playing on the course, volunteers and players rotate hitting the ball with every other stroke to ensure the game moves along at a fast pace. Rotating their shots like this ensures a dynamic dialogue between player and volunteer. Hitting out of the trees or from a sand trap requires the blind players and volunteers to work as a team and to listen to each other. This close teamwork forms a bond that makes each participant look forward to the following week. The round concludes back at the clubhouse with refreshments served on the patio,
typically ice-cold lemonade, potato chips and biscuits. Here the real results of their rounds are revealed. One good shot or solid stroke on the putting green fulfills each player emotionally enough to proudly share his or her experience. This rewarding feeling encourages them to return, week after week. New blind players are always welcome and, likewise, new volunteers with golf knowledge or skill. The volunteers receive training before the program begins in spring and fall. This training familiarizes the new and veteran volunteers with what they can expect and what they need to do when playing with vision-impaired golfers. The training, ironically, is best done by the blind players, who candidly describe what they need from volunteers on the course. This is one instance when “the blind leading the blind” – and the sighted – actually works. Over the years, the players and volunteers have developed great comradery. Our combined sense of humour and relentless kidding of each other makes playing nine holes tremendous fun. A volunteer with the program for eight years, I continue to find each outing rewarding and enjoyable. Yes, it’s free, but it’s fun, and I thank my friend, Michael, every year for introducing me to “Blind Golf.” | To find more information about Blind Golf in your area, visit www.seniorlivingmag.com/blind-golf
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Forever Fit SNOW SHOVELING SHAPE-UP
by EVE LEES Snow shoveling can be an intense workout, particularly for those less fit. Back and shoulder injuries are common occurrences, and unfit or unhealthy individuals could be risking a heart attack. However, snow shoveling can be considered an effective exercise for the fit and the not-so-fit, as long as it’s done right. And there’s another benefit: A 150 lb person can burn approximately 200 calories in 30 minutes of snow shoveling. Warm up first, indoors or outside. Spend a few minutes doing arm circles, shoulder rotations, marching on the spot or light jumping jacks. Your circulation must be increased to warm your muscles and prepare them for more intense
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work. Non-stop movement is the only way to achieve this; stretching won’t. It’s a common fitness myth to stretch before activity. Doing stretches won’t prepare your body for more intense work, as it doesn’t increase your body temperature or blood circulation. Stretching should always be done at the end of a workout, to help your tense and overworked muscles relax. And this, in turn, helps maintain or improve the range of motion of your joints (your flexibility). Use the right tools when shoveling snow. Lighter, sturdier blades reduce the overall weight you’re lifting. Make sure the handle is the right length. It should be long enough to allow your back to remain as straight as possible while shoveling. To determine the right length, grab the shovel with one hand where the blade meets the shaft. With the other hand, grasp the handhold. Your hand spacing should be slightly wider than your shoulder width. Use the right technique. Push the blade directly ahead of you into the snow (twisting to the left or right as you shovel will strain the back). Lift the load using leg muscles, not your back. When dumping snow off the blade, take small steps to pivot your entire body. Position yourself so you are dumping the snow directly in front of you. Remember, twisting at the waist will strain your back, and “throwing” the load of snow as you twist may also injure your shoulder muscles. Work slowly, especially if you are unfit. Take frequent breaks. Always remember to stretch your tense muscles afterward. And keep in mind, staying regularly active all year is the best way to prevent soreness or injury when you suddenly have to exert yourself. No matter the activity, winter or summer, staying regularly active all year is the best way to prevent soreness or injury when you suddenly have to exert yourself. |
Eve Lees has been active in the health & fitness industry since 1979. Currently, she is a Freelance Health Writer for several publications and speaks to business and private groups on various health topics. www.artnews-healthnews.com
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“JUST DO IT!” by CALLIE MARTIN Many of us have a fear of missing out – a fear that once we reach a certain age, we are “too old” to try anything new. Instead, we watch from the sidelines as the younger generation takes part in activities we think we are simply no longer able to do. Deirdre Webster thinks differently. Born in 1939, this petit phenom and Great Grand Master (a sailing category for those aged 65+) has taken the Canadian laser sailing scene by storm. A cheerful, grad-school-educated woman originally from England (who enjoys listening to classical music while she gardens and who calls herself a “fantastic procrastinator”) talks about her career, her passion for her sport, and some of the stories and lessons she’s picked up along the way. Deirdre proves the adage: age ain’t nothing but a number. “I came to Vancouver to ski,” says Deirdre on how she first discovered her craft at age 24. Laser sailing, which is standard sailing with a smaller boat and only crewed by one, maybe two people at most, was not part of Deirdre’s original plan when coming to Canada. “My friend wanted to go to New Zealand, I said ‘I can’t afford to go to New Zealand, I’m going to Canada.’ It was the idea of skiing that attracted me because I’d never done it,” she says, showing her desire from a young age to learn new skills. She started with larger boats, even crewing with a friend on a Flying Dutchman, which “is a big boat, very fast” as she puts it, lamenting that she was “far too small” for the vessel, despite the experience being “fantastic.” 20 18
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Though the adventure was memorable, Deirdre ending up having to return to England and did not sail again for 30 years, choosing instead to go to graduate school and start a career. It wasn’t until, once again in Vancouver, a member of her church took her out to the Jericho Sailing Club, causing Deirdre to ask herself, “Why haven’t I done this for 30 years?” She exuberantly recalls that she “rang UBC and I said, ‘Well, can I join?’ and they said, ‘Do you want to test or to take lessons?’ And I sort of muttered to myself, ‘I’ll take the test and if I fail, I’ll take lessons.’” The lessons never happened. Given a key to the club, Deirdre passed, though she is humble about the experience. Whatever faults she may have had, at the time, Deirdre views them as a critical part of the experience. “What attracted me to the laser was it’s one person and, therefore, in order to learn fast, you’re making all the mistakes.” Making mistakes wasn’t something that intimidated or upset Deirdre (she mentioned having to flip her capsized boat back over and climb in), and instead was looked upon positively as a learning experience. The more mistakes she made, the faster she learned to sail. As she put it, when she “crewed, I wasn’t actually in charge of the boat, and so that’s why I fell in love with the laser and that’s the only boat I’ve sailed more-or-less ever since.” At nearly 80, she now has been laser sailing for around 20 years, due to her absolute passion for the sport. “You just strive to improve,” she
ABOVE | Great Grand Master laser sailor Deirdre Webster lays flat out during a race – a race she won! Photo: Sean Trew
says, highlighting her focus on individual progress rather than comparison to others. In fact, Deirdre’s progress started capturing the attention of other sailors. She’s not quite sure why the curiosity exists but does note that many fellow sailors will say to her, “We just hope we can sail when we reach your age.” Modestly, Deirdre says she will typically “bring up the age I started [sailing] because, you know, it might sound very good but I’m really not very good, I just love it, and I’m very fortunate that I’ve been healthy enough to do it.” The number of races she’s placed in would imply she is, in fact, quite good, but she understands the fascination with her to be in relation to her age. Once, upon meeting an Australian couple, she recalls them saying to her, “Well we used to play tennis, but stopped when we were 40.” And so, they were amazed that Deirdre was sailing – a sport she didn’t pick up fully until age 60. Though she laments that most women feel the need to hide their ages, regarding her own, Deirdre says, “I’ve never been sensitive, certainly with grey hair.” When meeting a man in Spain once, she recalls him asking her, “I have two questions: how old are you and how much do you weigh?” The questions were posed because, she says, “I was such an anomaly” being a mature woman in a sport filled with teens, 20 and 30-somethings (and weight, of course, being important in sailing a boat). Despite being older in the sport, however, Deirdre’s drive to succeed and improve was “always there.” During one of her first times out, she “attacked” the wind head on with her
boat, only to have people comment to her, “Most people don’t do that on their first day out,” given the difficulty of the maneuver. In discussing her memorable moments on the water, she smiles. During a race in Spain a photographer snapped a photo of her as she almost “T-boned” another racer and only ended up missing him “by half an inch” (though she does report she and her competitor were both laughing). Her determination came in handy during a competition near Hayling Island in England. She recalls the wind being so strong, a fellow sailor reported to her that he had been “vertical going down a wave”, as though on a rollercoaster ride. The “very big and chunky waves” were daunting – especially during the competition she was racing in – and eventually a rescue boat had reached her, informing her she was off course. Going off-course is grounds for disqualification, so Deirdre insisted that they “tell her where the mark was” to get her back on the course since she could no longer place. “But they wouldn’t, so I just set off ’til I found it!” The following day, in another race, she was coming up towards the finish, and noticed no one else from her division was around (boats have “coloured tubes,” so each racer knows who is in their fleet). Deirdre’s category of Great Grand Masters was all yellow, and she noticed, “I’m surrounded by reds and greens – what are all these people doing in my way? I round the mark, and I go over the finish and there’s a horn, and then I think we had hired a coach who was giving us advice about the weather or something, and so [the coach] came up and he said, ‘You just won! That’s what the horn was!’
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and I said, ‘Oh, no no no, I obviously missed a mark.’ And so, what had happened was I’d had the day before [sailing on rough water with the rescue boat] going, ‘Okay, oh, there’s the mark!’” she laughs. “I’d missed out an angle. I swear I’m taking binoculars this year.” A 2010 event was one of her favourite moments from her career. Unlike the Hayling Island race, “where the waves were very different, and I was torn between terrified and exhilarated, this was sheer exhilaration, in the fact I was on the top of a wave, going faster than I’d ever gone before.” Despite being a woman among male sailors, that didn’t stop Deirdre’s competitive spirit: “I’m in a radial, and I’m sailing against a guy who’s in a full rig. Coming down towards the finish, we’re sort of neck and neck, and he’s crouched in his boat because it’s a little windy for him. I am height fully [leaning] out [of the boat], and so I’m flat as a pancake, and the boat is super flat, and I beat him.” A photographer, enthralled by the fact that she was a woman and a senior, snapped a great photo. “It became the advert part of the laser sailor website for North American Master Sailing,” making Deirdre a poster child for the sport she loves so much, one that hopefully inspired other mature women to follow their own passions, regardless of age. As for those who feel they are “too old” to pick up an activity or sport or have something holding them back from following a dream or passion, Deirdre’s advice is simple: “Just do it.” |
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SPICES: THE SCENTS OF THE SEASON by NANCY J. SCHAAF, RN, BSN, M ED Snickerdoodle cookies, gingerbread houses and cookies, pumpkin pie and hot apple cider give rise to some of the scents of the holiday season. Our memories are profoundly infused with the tastes and smells swirling all around us during this magical time of year and are attached to the holiday traditions that we celebrate. The holidays wouldn’t be as merry without them. During the season, we spend many hours in the kitchen preparing dishes with the traditional spices such as nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon and ginger. They add flavour and aromas to our everyday dishes. These fragrant spices not only fill our homes with enticing aromas, but they also have proven health benefits. Allspice is a staple in many kitchens as a variety of foods benefit from this seasoning. Ground allspice features a sharp spicy bite and an aroma that closely resembles a mixture of black-pepper, nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon. The seasoning shines in desserts such as apple or pumpkin pie, fruit compotes, cookies, gingerbread and spice cake. Allspice’s delicious flavour boasts health benefits as it is rich in health promoting and disease preventing features due to its antioxidants and anti-inflammatory elements. This spice is a powerhouse of vitamin A, vitamin B6, riboflavin, niacin and vitamin C. By consuming foods rich in vitamins, the body develops resistance against infectious agents and harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals. Allspice contains iron, which is essential for red blood 24 22
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cell production in the bone marrow, and potassium, which regulates heart rate and blood pressure. Other active compounds in allspice are known to be anti-inflammatory and have anti-flatulent properties. These active ingredients increase the motility of the gastrointestinal tract and aid in digestion. Pimento, another component of allspice, contains health promoting essential oils such as eugenol, which gives the pleasant, sweet aromatic fragrance to this spice. Eugenol has local anesthetic and antiseptic properties, which have been in therapeutic use in dentistry as a local anesthetic and as antiseptic for teeth and gums. The essential volatile oils in the spice work as a rubefacient, which means that the oil irritates the skin expanding blood vessels resulting in increased blood flow that makes the skin feel warmer. This oil is a popular home remedy for arthritis and sore muscles when used as a poultice. Of all the holiday spices, cinnamon is the most familiar and most widely used. The scent, according to a research study, is the most strongly associated with Christmas. It is no coincidence that coffee houses and cafĂŠs across Canada begin selling drinks heavily infused with cinnamon around the holidays. This spice seems more enjoyable when it is cold outside, and the magic of the holidays is in the air. Cinnamon is a light-brown spice with a fragrant aroma and a sweet flavour. Cinnamon is widely used in various holiday baked goods such as cookies, especially snickerdoodles. The spice is also found in applesauce and in warm drinks like teas and cider.
Cinnamon has been studied for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic and anticancer medicinal benefits. Cinnamon is a nutritional powerhouse with antioxidant properties that keep cells from deteriorating fighting diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes and Parkinson’s. According to scientific research, cinnamon helps the hormone insulin work more efficiently, which reduces blood sugar levels. Due to its antifungal properties, the spice is utilized in the natural treatment of yeast infections and athlete’s foot. And cinnamon tea calms an upset stomach. More than any other time of year, the holidays are about flavours. Ginger is one traditional spice that truly represents this special time of year. This spice has a unique flavour profile and has one of the most exceptional aromas, making it a holiday favourite. Ginger is a traditional ingredient in cookies, breads and candy. The spice is used at Christmas to make gingerbread cookies or to build little gingerbread houses that can be decorated with icing and candy. Ginger is also used in holiday beverages like ginger ale and ginger beer. The spice is popular also because of its medicinal properties. Studies have consistently shown that one gram or more of ginger can successfully treat nausea caused by morning sickness, chemotherapy, indigestion or sea sickness. Ginger also appears to have strong anti-inflammatory properties and can help with pain management by blocking inflammation pathways in the body. Some studies have shown ginger can reduce osteoarthritis symptoms. The scent of nutmeg evokes images of fall, pumpkin pie, and hot apple cider. Whether sprinkled on top of a cup of eggnog or as ingredient in pumpkin pie, fragrant nutmeg is a familiar holiday spice and is available ground or whole. The nutmeg has a sweet, warm, nutty flavour and scent. Ground nutmeg is an ideal baking spice and is complimentary in sweet breads, spice cakes, muffins, cookies, fruit pies, custards and puddings. It combines well with many cheeses and is included in soufflés and sauces. Nutmeg is indispensable to eggnog and numerous mulled wines and punches. Nutmeg possesses strong antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. The spice has been used for years in traditional Chinese medicine to treat gastrointestinal illnesses. The flavour and therapeutic actions are believed to be due to its oil. Used in small dosages, nutmeg can reduce flatulence, aid digestion, improve the appetite, and treat diarrhea, vomiting and nausea. It contains phytonutrients including beta-carotene, which benefits eyesight. Adding to its long list of curative properties is improvement in blood circulation to the brain and sleep enhancement. For a memorable holiday of amazing tasting food and festive smelling kitchens, add a pinch of several fragrant seasonings. Our food will taste scrumptious and our homes will smell cheerful. Spices not only fill the air with their mesmerizing aromas, but as a bonus, these seasonings provide an abundance of antioxidant properties, minerals and vitamins that enhance health. Just add a little dash of this, and a pinch of that. |
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March 22-April 3rd, 2019 | 13 Days This relaxed tour is just what you need after a wet, cold winter. Head South to Palm Springs, and soak up the warmth of the California Sun. Highlights include; 4 nights in the heart of Palm Springs, 2 nights in San Francisco, guided city tours, Living Desert Park. San Francisco here we come! Step outside your hotel in the heart of Fisherman’s Wharf. Return on Hwy 101 through the giants of California Redwoods. A coach tour with everything for everyone! $3,095 Cdn pp dble occ. No GST. Book by Jan 22 and save $50 pp.
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A VERY STRANGE FISHERMAN by THELMA FAYLE A one-hour horticultural tour in Maui changed the way I saw the tropical landscape. Joe Ahpuck, a Hawaiian fisherman known locally for his abundance of fishing derby awards, took a detour in high school when a teacher gave each of his classmates 10 hibiscus cuttings with instructions: “to make them grow.” At the end of the term, Joe was the only student who still had 10 healthy plants. He became president of the Ag club for the next four years. “I was the teacher’s pet,” he says with a prankish grin, “that’s how I learned about gardening in the tropics.” Joe has been tending the grounds at Napili Kai Beach Resort for 33 years. Every Thursday morning, anywhere from two to 20 interested resort guests trail him around the 11-acre property for a one-hour Horticultural tour guaranteed to alert all senses to the staggering abundance of the tropics. Even non-gardening vacationers are charmed by Joe’s chain of vibrant stories laced with hints of Hawaiian legend grafted onto modern-day gardening lore. “Everything behind me in this section is edible, and likely found in most people’s yards here on Maui,” he says as he begins the tour. He introduces a mountain apple about the size of a tennis ball; red skin on the outside and white crunchy meat on the inside. The only difference between this one and the regular variety of apples is the single pit. “These are the trees you find fruiting in July or August along the side of the Road to Hana,” he continues. Each guest accumulates a brilliantly coloured bouquet of just-picked, transient blooms – fragrant white ginger, grape26 24
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fruit hibiscus, waxy plumeria usually found in Hawaiian leis, and occasionally, Joe slaps a hefty fresh green lime straight off the tree into each palm of a popeyed guest. There are other trees with edible fruit: lychee, sugar cane, avocado, tangerine, vanilla bean, orange and papaya. Joe pulls out a scary big knife, halves an overripe, juicy Hawaiian orange and passes it around. I hold it close to my face, close my eyes and inhale. Tangy aroma seeps into my nostrils and makes my mouth water. “These are watermelon papayas,” he says as he quickly moves us through his surfside garden. “I used to have trees that were 14 feet tall, but when we started to get 10-pound papayas, I removed the trees and replaced them with shorter, safer plants. As a family resort, we have young children playing in the area, so I remove anything I think might be a liability.” “When I started working here, I was told we might not have much growing at ocean level, so I put these fruit plants behind the buildings to protect them from the salt spray.” Dominant trade winds normally come from the northeast, but three or four times a year, the southerlies blow the salt from the ocean right onto the property. On those days, Joe and his helpers shift their agenda. They come in early, rinse everything, soak all the soil, flush the salt and fertilize – otherwise the non-native plants die. ABOVE | Napili Kai Beach. PAGE 26 | Fisherman and horticulturalist Joe Ahpuck offers guests slowroasted meat during a luau. Photos: Daryl Jones
In our tour, he moves from one super-healthy plant to the next and describes the world of native and introduced varieties of tropical flora under his care. The club-like clusters of vivid red ginger are not edible, just eye candy, without a scent. “You can’t eat it, you can’t smoke it, and you can’t make medicine out of it,” Joe says; “it’s introduced flora. If you look into the history, most native Hawaiian plants are purposeful.” Connect Hearing, with hearing researcher Professor Pichora-Fuller and her team are He shows us splashy spreads of raspProfessor Kathy Pichora-Fuller at the trying to find out how people learn to live berry-ice bougainvillea, a hybrid often University of Toronto, seeks participants who with hearing loss and how new solutions are over 50 years of age and have never worn could help these people take action sooner planted in highway mediums because it hearing aids for a hearing study investigating and live life more fully. is beautiful, requires little care, and was factors that can influence better hearing. All It is estimated that 46% of people aged bred to handle carbon monoxide. participants will have a hearing test provided 45 to 87 have some degree of hearing loss1, After being told by friends that it at no charge and if appropriate, the clinician but most do not seek treatment right away. may discuss hearing rehabilitation options wouldn’t work, Joe started tying orchids In fact, the average person with hearing including hearing aids. Qualifying participants to trees. We witness the success of a loss will wait ten years before seeking help2. may also receive a demo of the latest hearing This is because at the beginning stages of variety of his grafting efforts. Orchids technology. The data collected from this study hearing loss people often find they can “get abound, and exquisite plants are placed will be used to further our understanding of by” without help, however as the problem hearing loss and improve life-changing hearing in every guest room. worsens this becomes increasingly harder healthcare across Canada. “If you look up at this tree you will to do. For some people this loss of clarity is Why participate in the hearing study? only a problem at noisy restaurants or in the see half red flowers and half white,” he Hearing problems typically result from car, but for others it makes listening a struggle says; “I grafted this together 30 years damage to the ear and researchers have spent throughout the entire day. By studying ago. Both were plumeria, so it worked. decades trying to understand the biology people who have difficulty hearing in noise You can’t graft macadamia to waterbehind hearing loss. More importantly, or with television, we hope to identify key researchers now realize the need to better factors impacting these difficulties and melon.” understand how hearing loss affects your further understand their influence on the I tell Joe I think he is a very strange everyday life*. In this new hearing study, treatment process. fisherman. He laughs. My hands are full of tropical garden If you are over 50 years of age and have never worn hearing aids, you can register to be a part of creations that were invisible to me bethis new hearing study† by calling: 1.888.242.4892 or visiting connecthearing.ca/hearing-study. fore the tour. We sniff our way through the hour, swamped with delicate and powerful scents. The bird-of-paradise, the spiral ginger, and the fragrant ylang* Pichora-Fuller, M. K. (2016). How social psychological factors may modulate auditory and cognitive functioning during listening. Ear and Hearing, 37, 92S-100S. † Study participants must be over 50 years of age and have never worn hearing aids. No fees and no purchase necessary. Registered ylang, used in cosmetics, all overwhelm under the College of Speech and Hearing Health Professionals of BC. VAC, WCB accepted. 1. Cruickshanks, K. L., Wiley, T. L., Tweed, T. S., Klein, B. E. K., Klein, R, Mares-Perlman, J. A., & Nondahl, D. M. (1998). Prevalence of Hearing Loss in Older Adults in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin: The Epidemiology us with their fantastical beauty. of Hearing Loss Study. Am. J. Epidemiol. 148 (9), 879-886. 2. National Institutes of Health. (2010). Joe put in Crown flowers about eight months ago to try to attract Monarch butterflies. Caterpillars have appeared. yy����y���y�yyyyy���y��y���� CREATION DATE: 10/20/17 MODIFICATION DATE: August 17, 2018 2:54 PM OUTPUT DATE: 08/20/18 PROOF # 1 Joe is hopeful. APPROVALS yy�y���y���yy�y���y��y��y Prod Mgr.: CG DOCKET #: 111150561-23 He tells us the genetic makeup ofCLIENT: a CHCA DESCRIPTION: Hearing Study Ad - September Producer: �y�y�yy����y x 7.25_COL 2.indd FILE NAME: 111150561-23_CHCA_Study_Ad_September_4.75 Acct Exec.: CK banana tree is air and water. “Feel this,” Accounts: TRIM: 4.75” BLEED: of 0" he says. He offers each of xus7.25” a piece Art Director: Burns Bog -- Copywriter: plant that looks solid IMAGEbut RES: is 300light-weight dpi Copywriter: -- Society Conservation Senior Copywriter: and has little substance – sort of like NOTES: yy��y����y���yy��y�y Assoc. Creative Dir.: -Art Director: Software: InDesign the plant equivalent of a bubble-filled C M Y K SPOT yy-Creative Dir: Version: CC yyyyyyyyyy yyyy ACD/CD: Aero chocolate bar. He sticks his knife #600 – 1085 Homer Street, Vancouver BC, V6B 1J4 | p: 604 647 2727 | f: 604 647 6299 | www.cossette.com Operator: SK yyyyyyyyyyy PLEASE DOUBLE CHECK FOR ACCURACY. in the tree and it pierces easily as though PLEASE NOTE: Colour lasers do not accurately represent the colours in the yyyyyyy �yy�yy�y����y��y���yyyy������y finished product. This proof is strictly for layout purposes only. the woody plant were non-solid. When yyyyyyyyyyyy he pulls his knife out, the tree instantly �yy�yyyyyy�y��yy yyyyyyyyyyyyyy seals itself, as if bewitched.
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“This 12-year-old tree is called ulu or breadfruit and will need to be cut down. See how the roots are rotten? This is the third tree I have needed to cut down in 30 years,” he says. Joe’s sensitive his breadfruit tree makes me wonder if our fisherman guide is channeling the horticultural skills of an ancient Polynesian gardener. Joe has to cut spaces through the overhead foliage, so the sun reaches the underplants and the PV panels on the roofs of the two-story buildings. No high-rises on this sandy cove. He helps us distinguish between the Triangle palms, Fishtail palms, the false palms, the Traveler’s palms, the Foxtail palms and the Manila palms from the Philippines. As an aside, he points out one of the trees he planted 12 years ago in the decaying remains of an old coconut tree. The new growth has never needed fertilizer. I recognize a 15-foot tall version of the poinsettia plant we have in little pots at home. Joe directs a pointed finger across the landscape to Spa-
ghetti, Cup and Saucer, Prince Edward, and Indian Blanket – all 40-year-old hedges that were in the ground before he started to work at Napili Kai Beach Resort. He regards the sturdy bushes kindly, almost as if they are respected elders. Flowers are arranged by colour all over the property. You can bring Joe a flower from anywhere and he can tell you where it is from and the history of the plant. Joe claims to have 65 of the 70 colour-combinations varieties of hibiscus. The biggest brilliant yellow hibiscus on the property is called the Hula Girl – nearly 2.5-metres tall. He plants things and if they don’t do well within two weeks, he moves them. His plants invariably turn into champions. He takes us past the “breast cancer shuffleboard area” where all the hibiscus flowers are pink. We ogle hanging heliconias, snowflake hibiscus, and a lace hibiscus – with a wash of tiny little holes in all the leaves. Joe’s appreciation for the artistry of horticulture is inspiring. You cannot help but soak up his love of flora and fauna. His garden forms the heart of a business started 60 years ago by three Canadians. A preponderance of magnificent patches of skunk cabbage with luxurious clumps of leaves and large yellow blossoms lit up a peaceful ocean-side landscape and beckoned the trio to dream of creating a Maui resort. The resort is still 25 per cent Canadian-owned today. I chatted with a young mother of three boys who told me she was a landscape developer and has come here with her family since she was a child. She says her holiday is never complete without a long, plant-based chat with Joe. At sunset, I run into Joe as he is preparing for a private luau for one of the staff who is retiring after 30 years. He has offered to cook the feast to honour his colleague. Joe’s wife joins him under the breadfruit tree, to help with the overnight task of steaming meat in a modern day imu (earth oven). I ask how she found a husband who could excel at fishing, gardening and cooking such a feast. She tells me her husband of 32 years is a “good provider.” Joe Ahpuck’s diversity of skills are rooted in a primal Hawaiian past, where resourcefulness was king. Joe places banana and ti leaves on the bottom of the outdoor cooker. He explains they are for “aromatic effect.” By 8:30 the next morning, some 12 hours later, the meat is cooked, and Joe and two colleagues open the heavy tinfoil parcels. Juice runs. The smell of cooked roasts permeates the warm morning air. Meat falls away from the bones and the large serving trays fill up under deft hands. Joe extends a plate of meat, offering samples, and looks at me with a face full of satisfaction. “It doesn’t get any better than this,” he says. |
How would you like to be remembered? Be a celebrated guardian of Canadian wildlife. We have a special title for those who name us in their will or estate plans: Wilderness Guardians. But we can only give benefits if you let us know your intent. Join today. Notify us. See the benefits.* *Benefits: personalized updates, guided field trips and more...
Learn more at: WildernessCommittee.org/legacy
Michelle Johnson Victoria (250) 388-9292 Vancouver (778) 708-9179
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46 E. 6th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V5T 1J4 1-800-661-9453 (toll free) plan@wildernesscommittee.org
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Thelma Fayle is a Canadian freelance writer. She was a paying guest at Napili Kai Beach Resort. thelma.fayle@shaw.ca
12 AIN Y L M ON S RE E M HO
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TWO DAYS IN VENICE by MARILYN JONES I sat with my friend, Cacinda, at a sidewalk café enjoying a Margherita pizza. The pizza was good, but my surroundings were divine. Before me stood ancient buildings, including a church and apartment buildings, and a gondolier in a red-and-white striped shirt talked on his cell phone waiting for his next passenger. I am in Venice. This moment is forever etched in my memory as is my entire visit to the city of canals; a destination I’ve waited decades to visit. Luckily, I am travelling with a woman who has visited Venice several times and is an excellent guide. Venice is situated across a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by some 400 bridges. The islands are in the shallow Venetian Lagoon that lies between the mouths of the Po and Piave Rivers. Renowned for its beauty, architecture and artwork, portions of the city are listed as a UNESCO Heritage Site. In charge of booking the hotel, I made the mistake of finding a hotel in neighbouring Mestre across the Venetian Lagoon. Although it wasn’t in Venice, it was only a bus ride away; not idyllic, but certainly doable. After arriving by train in the afternoon, we took the bus to Venice and began our exploration. Over the first bridge Cacinda asked, “Which way?” I chose right. As it turned out we found ourselves in a more residential area and one she had not been in before. I would soon learn that Venice 30 28
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is a big city and confusing with its twists and turns. Our destination this afternoon was San Marco Square, but we stopped often to take photos of gondoliers piloting their gondolas along canals, interesting architectural details and the city’s ornate bridges. Past street performers making giant bubbles, violin and flute players, and singers, we wandered. Cacinda spotted signs pointing towards the square high up on buildings, and we stopped in little shops to ask directions when we temporarily lost our way. HISTORY The city’s beginning point came when refugees fled to the marshlands from the surrounding Roman cities to escape marauding barbarians in the 2nd century. Three hundred years later more arrived to escape the Visigoths and the Hun. In the 6th century others sought safety from the Lombards. At the same time, with the Western Roman Empire destroyed and Lombardy threatening from across the lagoon, Venice welcomed help from the Eastern Roman (Byzantine)
ABOVE | (Left) The Bridge of Sighs connects New Prison to the interrogation rooms in Doge’s Palace. (Right) The view of the Grand Canal from the Rialto Bridge. TOC | Burano is famous for its colourfully painted buildings. Photos: Marilyn Jones
Empire. But because of the distance and isolation of the islands, the Venetians sought autonomy. In 726, a rebellion broke out, and the Byzantine exarch was murdered. Elections were held. The Venetians resubmitted themselves to the Byzantines under this new leadership, perhaps to avoid Papal or Lombard domination. In order to have their buildings on a solid foundation, the Venetians first drove wooden stakes into the sandy ground. Then, wooden platforms were constructed on top of these stakes. Finally, the buildings were constructed on these platforms. For example, when the Santa Maria Della Salute church was built, 1,106,657 wooden stakes, each measuring four metres, were driven underwater. The wood was obtained from Slovenia, Croatia and Montenegro, and transported to Venice. When the wooden supports are submerged under water, they are not exposed to oxygen, an element needed by microorganisms to survive. In addition, the constant flow of salt water around and through the wood petrifies the wood over time, turning the wood into a hardened stone-like substance. SAN MARCO SQUARE The sun was beginning to turn everything a golden red as we entered San Marco Square. Saint Mark’s Basilica dominates the square as well as the grand 98-metre-tall Bell tower of St. Mark and the Clock Tower completed in 1499. All around us were musicians playing at outdoor restaurants, children playing and tourists taking photos; it was a festive atmosphere as the sun began to set.
Close by is the Bridge of Sighs connecting New Prison to the interrogation rooms in Doge’s Palace. Built in 1600, legend has it that prisoners would sigh as they walked to their cells because it was their last look at Venice. As the sky darkened, we started our long walk back to the bus terminal. Here is where things got tricky. It is very easy to get lost. The sidewalks twist and turn around centuriesold buildings and over bridges. Between the two of us we fortunately only took one wrong turn, but quickly realized our mistake and carried on. THE GRAND CANAL One of the best bargains in Venice is the vaporetto (water bus) down the Grand Canal. For a few euros we had a magnificent view. Before us in panoramic beauty was the busy canal alive with gondolas and small boats framed by amazing architecture. We got off at the Rialto Bridge. Except for in the centre of the bridge, the rest of it is a market lined with all manner of souvenir shops including high-end jewellery. Today’s Rialto Bridge was completed in 1591. From the bridge we wandered through neighbourhoods and stopped at an out-of-the-way restaurant for lunch. We decided to forgo Murano Island that is famous for its art glass. Instead we took a water taxi across the Venetian Lagoon to Burano. Here we found brightly painted houses and businesses without the crowds. Historians believe the island was settled by the Romans in the 6th century. Most agree the houses were painted brilliant
INSPIRED | DECEMBER 2018
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Make a Testament to your Faith Focusing on the future together with The United Church of Canada Having wisely stewarded your resources, you’re now seeking to invest in your church long after you’re gone. Please know that we offer a full spectrum of planned giving opportunities that will enable you to fulfill your philanthropic goals and support the ongoing work of your beloved church. —————
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colours, so fishermen could see their homes when they were far out to sea. From the dock we wandered past several open-air booths selling traditional souvenirs. Along a narrow alleyway we came to a shop specializing in lacework. Burano is famous for its needle lace. A woman sat in the centre of La Perla Gallery surrounded by elegant lace tablecloths, lace-trimmed linens and other finery. She meticulously created a piece of lace artwork. Handmade lace is labour intensive and very expensive. It was in the 16th century that women began making lace here. The lace was exported across Europe. Although the trade began to decline in the 18th century, in 1872 a school of lacemaking was opened. Lacemaking on the island boomed once again. After watching the lace maker for several minutes and admiring her talent, we headed out along the canals and into neighbourhoods to photograph the pink, red, blue, plum, yellow, peach and golden buildings; many trimmed in contrasting colours with flower boxes adding to their charm. We ambled along boardwalks lining the canals and stopped for gelato before heading back to the dock to take the water taxi back to Venice and make our way back to our hotel. Venice is an enchanting destination. With only two days, the always present crowds and exploring on foot, I saw only a fraction of what Venice has to offer. I will definitely be back. | For IF YOU GO information, visit www.seniorlivingmag.com/ venice
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Don’t Miss this Once-A-Decade Experience! Nestled in the foothills of the Bavarian Alps, less than 2 hours from Munich, is the quaint village of Oberammergau. Every ten years, this town draws visitors from across the globe to what is regarded as the most important Passion Play in the world, an epic event that traces Jesus’ life, death and resurrection in a moving feast of drama and music. In 1633, in the midst of the Black Plague, the village leaders of Oberammergau pledged to hold a play honouring the life of Christ every ten years. From that day forward, no additional villagers perished from the plague and the event continues today with performers all native to the village. This powerful play is not to be missed. INSPIRED Magazine has partnered with Collette, one of the best tour companies in the world, to reserve a block of Category 1 seats to this amazing event, combining it with an equally exciting 11day tour of the Imperial cities of Budapest, Vienna, Prague and Munich. Imagine a visit to the fairy-tale town of Cesky Krumlov, exploring Prague’s majestic Hradcany Castle, visiting the
magnificent Shoenbrunn Palace in Vienna and finishing the evening with an unforgettable classic music concert featuring Mozart and Strauss. Led by local experts, this tour of Europe’s Imperial cities, with the Oberammergau play included, make it a once in a lifetime experience. You will stay in an Oberammergau hotel near the auditorium which offers comfortable seats on an incline, providing everyone a good view. During the break in the performance you will join your fellow travellers for dinner before returning for the remainder of the performance. Come join us on January 17th for an information session. This tour must be booked by Feb 12, 2019. Call Vision Travel for pricing and reservations.|
PRAGUE
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INFORMATION PRESENTATION Thursday, Jan 17
Find out more about these amazing tours: Oberammergau
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Costa Rica
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Victoria, BC
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Australia & New Zealand
Refreshments • Bring your questions • RSVP visionyyj@visiontravel.ca or call (250)412-1888 Book Now & Save
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Costa Rica
Departure Oct 26, 2019 9 Days • 14 Meals
Discover the magic of this natural tropical paradise. Highlights: San Jose, Coffee Plantation, Guanacaste, Monteverde Cloud Forest, Arenal Volcano & Cruise, Cano Negro Refuge, Zarcero. Hosted by INSPIRED Columnist Pat Nichol*.
Australia & New Zealand
Departure February 25, 2020 15 Days • 21 Meals Join the Publisher of INSPIRED Magazine* on this spectacular trip down under. Highlights: Cairns, Great Barrier Reef, Sydney Opera House, Auckland, Rotorua, Christchurch, Queenstown, Arrowtown, Milford Sound, Merino Sheep Farm.
Oberammergau 2020 Passion Play Departure July 8, 2020
LIMITED SEATS.
11 Days • 16 Meals
Performed once a decade in the Bavarian hamlet of Oberammergau. Combined with an Imperial Cities Tour to Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna, Cesky Krumlov, Prague & Munich, this is an epic travel experience you don’t want to miss. Must book before Feb 12, 2019.
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For more about INSPIRED Magazine sponsored tours, visit www.seniorlivingmag.com/tours
For Pricing and Reservations, call Vision Travel Victoria 250-412-1888 • Vancouver 604-687-8836 • Richmond 604-273-1811 INSPIRED | DECEMBER 2018 33 Vernon 250-542-5371 • Kamloops 250-851-0211
REBOOT by VERENA FOXX BETTY-LOU CAHOON took up photography after 35 years of waitressing in her hometown of Lillooet. “My wrists were shot,” she says, admitting that her best effort was to carry five plates on one arm. “Three is more usual. We didn’t use trays back then.” A self-taught photographer, she now uses her Canon EOS Rebel to capture the indigenous osprey, bears, cougars, bucks and mountain goats that roam her stunning desert landscapes. “I hike into the mountains and then I wait, and I look,” says the fearless wildlife photographer. “My grandfather lost his eyesight when he aged, so I’m out there seeing as much as I can,” she adds. “You go out over and over again, and then you see something worth photographing.” Betty-Lou sells her wildlife and scenic photo cards and calendars in the Lillooet Museum, where she works during the summer months. “There’s a lot of rubber tire traffic coming through here,” she says, referring to the tourist buses, campers, trucks and cars passing through her town, especially between April and September.
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DEBBIE & STEVE NEIL retired to Saltair, near Ladysmith, from Toronto nine years ago. “We liked the lifestyle and the weather out here,” says Debbie, a former Child & Youth Counsellor in Ontario schools. “We wanted to get to know our community,” she adds, “so we started, first co-hosting and then becoming the hosts in our community for Home Routes/Chemin Chez Nous, a crossCanada not-for-profit arts organization that co-ordinates 11 different Canadian home concert routes for musicians. There are six annual concerts per region, at $20/head, with all proceeds going directly to the musicians. The Neils accommodate about 30-40 community members in their home. Debbie and Steve, a former fibre optics engineer, added a potluck component to their events, so that neighbours and friends can eat together prior to the 90-minute performance. “It’s friends and friends of friends who come. For us, it’s our community service,” they say, adding that, as hosts, they also give one-night accommodation and breakfast to the performers before they leave for their next gig on their 12-day trek. The Ladysmith concerts are on the Red Cedar/Southern BC route, which originates in Vancouver and ends in Victoria. “Food and music bring people together,” concludes Debbie, “and being up close to the musicians is a bonus.” |
A TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS WITH THE VSO
The Lower Mainland’s most beloved Holiday music tradition, the VSO’s Traditional Christmas concerts, feature heartwarming music associated with Christmas, carols, and plenty of audience sing-alongs. SOUTH DELTA BAPTIST CHURCH Wed, Dec 12 at 7:30PM KAY MEEK CENTRE, WEST VANCOUVER Thurs, Dec 13 at 4PM and 7:30PM CENTENNIAL THEATRE, NORTH VANCOUVER Fri, Dec 14 at 4PM and 7:30PM BELL PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE, SURREY Sat, Dec 15 at 4PM and 7:30PM MICHAEL J FOX THEATRE, BURNABY Sun, Dec 16 at 7:30PM ST. ANDREW’S-WESLEY CHURCH, DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER Thurs, Dec 20 at 7:30PM Fri, Dec 21 at 4PM and 7:30PM Sat, Dec 22 at 4PM and 7:30PM
.ca
William Rowson conductor Christopher Gaze host EnChor: Morna Edmundson director UBC Opera Ensemble: Nancy Hermiston director
CHRISTOPHER GAZE
The VSO’s Traditional Christmas Concerts have been endowed by a generous gift from Sheahan and Gerald McGavin, C.M., O.B.C.
WILLIAM ROWSON
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Help keep the Vancouver Symphony playing! CONSIDER LEAVING A LEGACY GIFT When you include a legacy gift to the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, you become a member of the Stradivarius Legacy Circle, and help to keep glorious, symphonic music playing for generations to come. Call Mary Butterfield, Director, Individual & Legacy Giving for more information about Legacy gifts and benefits to you, or to join the Stradivarius Legacy Circle if you have already included the VSO in your estate plans. 604.684.9100 ext. 238 or mary@vancouversymphony.ca INSPIRED | DECEMBER 2018 33 35
Reducing Holiday Stress
By Wendy Johnstone
For many of us, December marks the start of holiday gatherings and festivities, making it feel like “the most wonderful time of the year.” Some family caregivers, however, may find themselves singing a different tune (think: “He’s a mean one, Mr. Grinch”). While holidays bring opportunities for joy, traditions and new experiences, they can also bring feelings of being overwhelmed with caregiving tasks. Stressed-out caregivers may view traditional holiday preparations as more of an energy drain than a joy. Some caregivers are not be able to participate as fully as they would like in activities they cherish. If notions of the holiday season are zapping your merriment, read on. Know Your Holiday Hot Buttons Are there holiday activities or toxic relationships that trigger stress or unhappy memories? Are you feeling grief or loss that overcomes you at certain times of the day? Do unhelpful relatives arrive for the holidays and criticize your caregiving? Consider the following strategies: • Avoid thorny conversation topics when family gathers • Limit your exposure to – or even avoid – certain places, events or people. If this isn’t possible, give yourself extra time to get into the right headspace and always have an exit strategy. • Find a place, group or person where you feel safe sharing your grief and anger, and other ways to dispel stress.
Share Your Wish List Make sure you are on the receiving end of some joy, too, by sharing your wish list. What’s important is finding a way to relish the holidays without burning the candle at both ends. A little R&R can go long way. Ask family or friends to provide respite care or give the person you are caring for a change of scenery. Making time for you can be as simple as enjoying holiday decorations with family or taking a tour of the neighbourhood lights. Be Like the Elf on the Shelf There’s a reason the Elf on the Shelf is always smiling… she doesn’t do anything! Perhaps you can’t sit on the sidelines with a smile pasted on your face, but you can evaluate which holiday traditions you can realistically take on, which ones you want to continue and which ones you can live without. Sometimes we do things simply because we always have. Or because traditions are tied with warm and special memories. If you’re hosting the holiday gathering, give yourself permission to ask for help with your to do list. Alternatively, suggest a new tradition or ask someone else to host. Be kind to yourself. Even the happiest elves have moments when it all feels like too much to handle. Holidays can be emotionally and physically draining. The tendency can be to draw inward. Instead, try reaching out to your trusted circle of support for a little extra TLC. The balance scale is going to swing between caring for those in need and caring for yourself; between loving memories of past holidays and some sadness in remembering the loss of loved ones. Enjoy some of your holiday favourites and, above all, be kind to yourself this season. | Wendy Johnstone is a Gerontologist and a consultant with Family Caregivers of British Columbia in Victoria, BC.
Join Us For Our Caregiver Webinars Anger, Guilt, and the Family Caregiver - Dec 6, 2018 Let us help you find more resources.We’re here to help. www.familycaregiversbc.ca Caregiver Support Line 1-877-520-3267 Office: 250-384-0408 Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm 36 34
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Marketplace 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 Victoria MEDICAL FOOTCARE - corns,calluses, lesions, nail cutting & debridement. Offered at Ross Bay Health Centre. Colette Polard RN, BSN - call 250-477-5433. WANTED: Old stereo/audio equipment. Any condition. Amplifiers, turntables, speakers, receivers etc. Honest/friendly. Victoria and V.I. Call Bob, 250-896-2268, northtowns26@gmail.com EARN WHILE CARING. Become a CAREgiver with Home Instead Senior Care. Truly a job that nurtures your soul. Take the lead, share your heart, and join our team. To apply visit: www.HomeInstead.com/victoriabc ANSWERS WITHIN ~ It’s time to heal the wounds & move forward with confidence & fulfillment. Certified Hypnotherapist & Sex Therapist (individuals & couples). Mimi ~ a n s w e r s w i t h i n h y p n o t h e r a p y. c o m 250-858-5899 DOWNSIZING & ESTATE ORGANIZING: Less clutter = more serenity,
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UPCOMING EVENTS December 5 - Plowshare Cafe December 12 - Silver Threads December 19 - Christmas Party at the Kensington!
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INSPIRED senior living FOOTCARE: Happy, Healthy Feet make Happy, Healthy People. The more the merrier. Call FootNurse Marcia R.N.,B.Sc.N. 250-686-3081. VALLEY VIEW SURREY For sale SXS plot Heritage Garden, $16500.00. And Ocean View, Vancouver: Double Crypt south mausoleum $21,000.00. Call Teresa 604-436-4208. PERSONALS BEAUTIFUL, 60, full-figured, voluptuous lady, 5’6, long blond hair, big brown eyes & heart of gold. Romantic, intelligent, funloving. Seeking tall, emotionally & financially secure gentleman who loves road-trips & me! 778-433-5544. DF, ATTRACTIVE, fit, NS, ND, seeks kind, intelligent M. Enjoys music, art, gardening, reading, travel. amaryllistara@hotmail.com. SENIOR GENTLEMAN wishes to correspond with a lady perhaps 75 or so. Seeking an affectionate companion to live with me in beautiful & healthful setting in Gulf Islands. Aware, educated, even-tempered & live a holistic lifestyle. Interests: organic gardening, health, spiritual growth. I am financially secure. Please include phone number: Box 4, All Secure Storage, Christie Pkwy, Courtenay V9N 9T6.
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Courageous
IF I COULD SAVE TIME IN A BOTTLE “If I could save time in a bottle… If I could make days last forever If words could make wishes come true I’d save every day like a treasure and then…” As we move once again through the last month of this year, through the exciting chaos of the Christmas season, we begin to look seriously at time, at those we love and what we want to do to make each day a treasure. There is something about the shortened days and the darker evenings that bring home the chorus of the song that Jim Croce wrote as a love song for his wife many years ago. “But there never seems to be enough time To do the things you want to do.” Make a promise to yourself and those around you to save that time to do the things you want to do, to do them with those who bring you joy and then share that joy with as many people as you can. When we hit 50, time seems to slip away so smoothly, so quickly, that days, weeks, months and even years vanish in
Outrageous
Pat Nichol is a speaker and published author. Reach her by email at mpatnichol@gmail.com or visit Pat’s website at patnichol.ca
55+ Lifestyle Show PRESENTED BY
&
an instant. So, it is up to each of us to make the moments and the years matter, to share the treasure of time that we have been by PAT NICHOL given. Right now, get a piece of paper and a pen and write five things you are going to do in this last month of 2018. Write who you are going to share time with and what you can do to make a difference in the lives of those around you. I would love for you to share them with me. I am choosing to be grateful for the opportunity to share my ideas with you for the past 14 years, for my editor who checks my work, and for my publisher who is always open to ideas and willing to share her own. To each of you, I wish you all good things during this last month of the year. May you find the time to do and be everything that you wish for as we wind up 2018. |
INSPIRED Magazine
Inspiration for people over 55
EXHIBITORS!
RESERVE YOUR SPACE NOW CALL Kathie 250-479-4705, ext 103 EMAIL vicshow@seniorlivingmag.com
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Tuesday, March 12, 2019 9am - 3pm • Pearkes Recreation Centre, Victoria BC
125+ EXHIBITORS | ALL DAY ENTERTAINMENT | MAKEOVERS | FASHION SHOW Book a seat on these buses coming from Up Island. DEPARTURES: 6:30am - Campbell River 7:30am - Courtenay 7:45am - Port Alberni 8:10am - Buckley Bay $50 pp 8:15am - Coombs includes show 8:30am - Qualicum admission 8:50am - Parksville & taxes 10:00am - Ladysmith CALL BILL • 250-724-0037
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DECEMBER 2018 | WWW.SENIORLIVINGMAG.COM
Senior Living... The Berwick Way™ At Berwick Retirement Communities, you will enjoy an unparalleled standard of living at a superior value. Creating a wonderful environment where residents enjoy exceptional services from friendly staff is The Berwick Way. Find out more about The Berwick Way™ – Ask one of our Senior Living Experts Today!
www.BerwickRetirement.com V I C TO R I A | N A N A I M O | C O M OX | K A M LO O P S | C A M P B E L L R I V E R Proud to be BC owned and operated JOB BRC-17779 CLIENT: BERWICK RETIREMENT COMMUNITY PUBLICATION: SENIOR LIVING MAGAZINE INSERTION DATE: TBD TRIM: 7.25X4.75 PREPARED BY: ECLIPSE CREATIVE INC. @ 250-382-1103
Celebrating 50 years of mentoring “My mentor taught me not to be afraid” Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Fraser Valley / 200-2445 West Railway Street / Abbotsford 604-852-3331 www.mentoringworks.ca INSPIRED | DECEMBER 2018
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The Harrisons, Langley’s Premier Retirement Living Communities
Independent & Assisted Living
MESSAGE FROM THE OWNERS,
Glenn Bell & Ralph Giuriato.
“A big Thank You to our staff, the residents, families and volunteers for another wonderful year at The Harrisons! We enjoy meeting you all and appreciate the new friends we have made along the way. We wish you and yours the very best in 2019! Our wish for you this holiday season is to have some good old fashioned FUN! Friends, family, music, dancing, good food, parties and more, take time to enjoy it all!
Merry Christmas!
The Harrisons Offer; Complete Condo-style Suites, Chef Prepared Meals, Active Lifestyle Options, Assistance 24/7 if needed, Outstanding Essentials, Amazing Amenities, Wonderful Optional Services and so much more! Harrison Landing 20899 Douglas Crescent Langley, BC V3A 9L3 604.530.7075 www.harrisonlanding.com 40
DECEMBER 2018 | WWW.SENIORLIVINGMAG.COM
Come for a TOUR & A FREE LUNCH anytime and see Why The Harrisons Really Do Offer A Better Way of Life! Harrison Pointe 21616 -52 Avenue Langley, BC V2Y 1L7 604.530.1101 www.harrisonpointe.ca
The Harrisons