More than 100 seniors from all over Simcoe County gathered at the Best Western Plus Mariposa Inn & Conference Centre Wednesday for the Annual Seniors Day event.
The event was hosted by Simcoe North MP Adam Chambers and MPP Jill Dunlop, whose father started the event in 2001 when he was the region's MPP.
Today's gathering brought vendors, politicians, and community groups together under one roof to share resources, safety tips, and information about recreational activities, all geared toward seniors.
“We want to raise awareness and educate seniors on some of the resources and supports that are in the community for them,” Dunlop said. “It’s a chance to celebrate seniors and have a fun day together.”
The event was also intended to encourage local seniors to get back into volunteering after being isolated by the pandemic.
“One of the best ways to live a long successful life is building relationships,” Chambers said. “If you are out volunteering, you are also meeting people which is the way to do it.”
Chambers hopes the event will result in local seniors getting more physically and mentally active.
“Today has been an absolute success, for sure,” Chambers said.
“There is a great energy and excitement,” Dunlop added.
OPP Const. Derek Tilley was on hand at the event to educate seniors on fraud protection and to talk about the Seniors and Law Enforcement Together (SALT) volunteer program, which was missing in the community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We meet regularly with our volunteer group to talk about the biggest things we see occurring safety-wise in our community,” he said. “It’s a great program that has proven to work. It educates a lot of our community, and that’s what we are hoping to bring back.”
The program is currently need of volunteer committee members, Tilley explained.
“We want there to be a group of peers that seniors can respect, look to, and take direction from,” he said. “Seniors will help each other with our guidance and knowledge of what’s going on.”
To join or for more information about the SALT program, click here.
Tilley says there are currently a lot of frauds and scams circulating in the area.
“We want to educate seniors on how they are trying to attack you and how they are trying to get information from you,” he said. “There are a lot of money scams going around where people are being scammed out of a significant amount of money.”
Tilley says seniors should rely on family doctors, caregivers, and family members when it comes to potential scams.
“If there is something new you haven’t seen before, or someone is calling you, don’t give any information out or talk to anyone about anything,” he said. “I would rely on your support system first.”
Cecile Courvoisier-Storey, a local senior who attended the event, said it was helpful.
“The speakers were good,” she said. “I enjoyed seeing (Raymond Cho), our Minister for Seniors and Accessibility here today.”
Courvoisier-Storey said she learned a lot of new information at Wednesday's forum.
“There are a lot of services in our community for seniors,” she said. “As you get old, your memory gets shorter. So, it’s nice to get out again to learn about what’s offered.”
June Rath, who is also a local senior, says the event was a “great success.”
“The speakers were excellent,” she said. “All the vendors were appreciated."
Rath says the event is "absolutely necessary" for local seniors.
“We need this sort of thing,” she said. “It’s important for us to know what’s out there and what’s available.”
Rath’s favourite part of the event was seeing local politicians and friends who she hadn’t seen in a while.
“I really enjoyed it,” she said. “I think it was a really nice day for everybody.”
