Submitted by Martha Aitkin,
Bruce Peninsula Press
Thanks to the generous financial support of The Older Adult Centres’ Association of Ontario (OACO), a two-day Seniors Wellness and Volunteer Fair came to the Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula on October 4th (Tobermory) and October 5th (Lion’s Head). The full-day event in Tobermory began with a lively trade show featuring several service providers, including KCS Financial, Grey Bruce Community Legal Clinic, and Blackbear Psychotherapy.
In recognition of the fact that community service and volunteering offer enrichment to the lives of Seniors, community groups and organizations, including The Meeting Place, Bruce Men’s Shed, St. Edmunds Bruce Peninsula Museum, Bruce County Public Library and Tobermory Health Services Auxiliary, were present to offer information and highlight opportunities.
Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula (MNBP) staff, including Madie Barker and Mark Coleman, were on hand throughout the day, providing coffee and assisting with setup and cleanup. MNBP Councillors Aman Sohrab and Laurie Golden were also in attendance in Tobermory.
Following a generous free lunch, guest speaker Angela Yenssen of Grey Bruce Community Legal Services offered an enlightening and informative presentation on navigating ageism in Health Care and about laws that offer protection from age discrimination and the value of ensuring that we have the i’s dotted and t’s crossed on our Wills and Power of Attorney documents. This was followed by an opportunity to practice a bit of Chair Yoga under the gentle guidance of yoga teacher Shawn Radcliffe. Nancy Forgrave of Bruce Peninsula Hospice led a workshop designed to encourage and support us all in thinking about and engaging in conversations with our friends and families about what is important to us as we age.
In Lion’s Head on October 5th, the day began with an informative talk by Angela Yenssen on Wills, Power of Attorney and Aging in Place. Hooked on The Bruce provided a demonstration and answered questions about the beautiful textile art of rug hooking. Nancy Forgrave then offered a presentation about the Bruce Peninsula Hospice best-seller booklet Stepping Stones: A Personal Conversation Planning Guide. A bagged lunch was provided and followed by another lively opportunity for networking and learning about the many resources available in the MNBP.
The Municipality became a Seniors Active Living Centre (SALC) operator in April 2025. Participants at the Seniors Wellness and Volunteer Fair celebrated an important milestone in the development of support, connection, learning and living well in the Northern Bruce Peninsula communities.
