January 2024 issue GWSA Sentinel online

The Guelph/Wellington Seniors Association
A non-profit organization based at the
Evergreen Seniors Community Centre
http://www.gwsa-guelph.ca
A MESSAGE FROM
THE GWSA BOARD
3
Directors & Officers
Linda Jeffrey — Executive Director
Pat Gage — President
Donna Keating — Vice-President
Art Roelofsen — Treasurer
Directors
Charlie Bishop
Sam Montoya
Karen Kelly
Cathryn Corissoz
Elizabeth Steggles
Yvonne Thomas
Jeff Millard
The Sentinel Team
Carol Croft — Adminstrator, Printer
Linda Green — Editor, Printer
George Hughes — Printer
Bill Shephard, Ray Miller — Part-time
Assistants
All of the above GWSA members
are Volunteers.
City Staff
Matthew Maguire — Supervisor,
Senior Services
Jill Hunt — Customer Service Clerk
Jenn Bucci — Recreation Program
Co-ordinator — Senior Services
Becky MacDonald — Recreation
Co-ordinator — Volunteers
Mark Leeming — Chef
Joan Moynihan — Sous Chef
Kitchen & Dining Room Staff — Volunteers
Evergreen Seniors Community Centre
A City of Guelph Recreation Facility run in
partnership with the Community Services Department
of the City of Guelph and the Guelph/
Wellington Seniors Association
683 Woolwich St., Guelph, ON, N1H 3Y8
Tel.: 519-837-5699 / Fax: 519-823-8972
Hours: 8:30 am to 4:00 pm M-F
(closed Statutory Holidays)
Read The Sentinel on our website,
www.gwsa-guelph.ca
ISSN: 0383 817X
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!
Last year at this time, the Message From the Board focused on
safety relating to increasing your awareness in the area of Fraud
Prevention. Towards the end of this message, you will find some
reminder tips on “Preventing Falls”, taken from the WDG
Public Health website. We will also look at some reasons we
JUST LOVE A FRESH NEW YEAR!
Thanks to a tip from Executive Director Linda Jeffrey, I read in
the GuelphToday.com about the new “Canada-wide mental
health crisis line” that launched Nov. 30 with the help of two
local organizations.
“The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is
partnering with the Canadian Mental Health Association
Waterloo Wellington (CMHA WW) and Compass Community
Services to launch the 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline, a new threedigit
Canada-wide helpline aimed at diverting emergency mental
health calls to local service providers, offering urgent mental
health support in real time”. (https://cmhaww.ca/cmha-waterloowellington-and-compass-community-services-selected-aspartners-to-support-new-9-8-8-mental-health-crisis-helpline/)
“This was put into place ultimately because we know suicide
affects people of all ages and backgrounds across Canada,” Jeff
Stanlick, Director of Services with CMHA WW.
“Having an urgent, live support by phone and text across the
country will offer people the support they need to cope and find a
path to safety. It’s really for people who are thinking of suicide,
or for people who are worried about someone else,” he said.
The line is accessible by text and phone 24/7, and will offer
bilingual support from trained responders who can assess needs
and direct callers to resources and services in the community. It
includes 18 mental health providers in Ontario and a total of 40
providers across Canada including CAMH, nine CMHA
branches, distress call centres and single service agencies.
Callers in Guelph and Wellington County will be routed to
either Compass Community Services or CMHA WW, who will
have staff trained in suicide prevention answering phones. “The
staff are ordinary people, and they also will listen with
compassion, without judgement, and give people space to talk,”
Stanlick said.
When someone calls or texts the line, there will be an
automated message letting them know they’ve contacted the right
number, as well as some follow-up questions. For instance, it will
(Continued on page 4)
NOTE: Disclaimer—The Sentinel and the GWSA do not necessarily agree
with or support statements in the Sentinel made by advertisers, or submissions
by writers (no political or religious topics please).
The Sentinel - January 2024