SSAC Echo | May 2024

SEASHELL 

ECHO 

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3 

4 

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MAY 2024 

In this Issue 

Moving Forward 

SOS: Seniors on Scams 

High Demand for Food Services 

Policies & Procedures 

Dancing at the SSAC 

May Menu 

Pickleball Schedule 

SSAC Bus Trips 

Activity Schedule 

HAPPY 

MOTHER’S 

AGM 

DAY 

SECHELT SENIORS ACTIVITY CENTRE NEWS 


BY RICHARD WARD 

It has been another exciting month at the SSAC. We have 

welcomed our new Board members and embarked on the pathway 

to strategic planning to ensure a sustainable future which involves 

offering appropriate activities and maintaining our economical 

food services whilst being financially viable. All of this is eminently 

attainable with the appropriate planning. To this end, all the new Board 

members as well as Centre manager Gill Smith and Food Services 

Manager Emily McPherson, attended a retreat on Saturday April 6 th at 

the new Silverstone Care Centre. 

Thanks go to Marg Penney, a SSAC member and Silverstone resident 

for her tremendous help in arranging this along with our Vice-president 

Bert Carswell. This was a 5-hour session facilitated by the vastly 

experienced paid facilitator, April Struthers. This is the first step 

towards our strategic planning process. It was also invaluable as an 

introduction of all the board members to each other. We now have a 

great feel for their past experiences, motivation to be a SSAC Board 

member, and how each of them wishes to contribute moving forward. 

April presented her report on the session this last week and provided a 

great template for us moving forward. As a result, we have a Strategic 

Planning committee headed by Bert Carswell along with Marg Penney 

that will advise the Board on the planning process. 

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 

5604 Trail Avenue, Sechelt, BC 

PO Box 564, V0N 3A0 

Reception: 604.885.3513 

Office: 604.885.8910 

Office Hours: 

Mon–Fri, 9 am–3 pm 

info@myssac.com 

www.myssac.com 

SEASHELL ECHO | SECHELT SENIORS ACTIVITY CENTRE NEWS 

May 2024

SEASHELL 

ECHO 

CENTRE INFORMATION 

2023-2024 Board Members 

President: Richard Ward 

Vice President: Bert Carswell 

Treasurer: Alison Kowalewski 

Secretary: Valerie Galat 

Maintenance Director: Bernd Behling 

2023-2024 Directors at Large 

Jay Alexov 

Lisa Brown 

Pam Demers 

Manager: Gillian Smith 

Gail Riddell 

Susan Grenville 

Christine Twaits 

Chefs: Emily McPherson, Liz Mathews 

Custodian: Jim Coffin 

USEFUL PHONE NUMBERS 

Emergency 911 

Sechelt Hospital 604.885.2224 

SC Community Services 604.885.5881 

Senior’s Advocate 877.952.3181 

(www.seniorsadvocatebc.ca) 

May 2024 

Seniors Crisis Line 604.872.1234 

Seniors Abuse and Information Line 1.866.437.1940 

Community Information and Help Line 211 

Healthlink BC 811 

Seashell Echo 

is the official newsletter 

of the Sechelt Seniors 

Activity Centre 

Community Resource Centre 604.885.4088 

Sunshine Coast Transit 604.885.6899 

HandyDART 604.885.6897 

Many thanks to the following sponsors 

for contributing to our weekly ad in the 

Coast Reporter. When out exercising your 

consumer vote, it is always good to be aware of 

those businesses that help our community to 

remain strong and vibrant. 


CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 

Usually there is one Board meeting each month. However, 

in May there will be the normal Board meeting plus another 

focussed purely on the strategic planning. 

The vast majority of our membership has embraced the 

MySeniorCenter (MSC) login and its “wallet”. On occasion, 

some of our greeter volunteers with the kiosk by the front 

door are reporting that they have little to do, because so many 

members are scanning in, checking in to their activity and 

moving on without any assistance needed. In the Fall we will 

be implementing the MyActiveCenter on-line system which 

will allow for on-line registration in activities and secure 

on-line payments into your wallet amongst other features. In 

the meantime, the MSC system is invaluable for our forward 

planning. In a few seconds, reports can be generated about 

all aspects of our membership activities. Treasurer Alison 

Kowalewski was looking into the reporting functions and 

found that we currently have over 1,700 MSC registered 

members and over 1,200 of them are regular users of the 

centre every week; 44% of our members are in the 70 – 

79-year-old age range. 

How to plan for our increasing membership numbers is 

probably our most pressing issue to address. How this affects 

Food Services is highlighted in another article in this issue. 

Be assured that we are in a good financial position and are 

committed to providing a large range of fun and stimulating 

activities, and continuation of offering economical food 

services supported by the Affordable Lunch program. So 

please come and enjoy “Your Home Away from Home” as 

often as you can. If you know someone who doesn’t get out 

much, bring them as a guest for lunch and let them enjoy our 

uplifting environment. 

Please note that on Wednesday, May 1 st we will be moving to 

our summer hours of operation: Monday to Friday 9 am – 3 

pm. Note also that the kitchen will be open in the Summer 

during Chef Emily’s well-earned vacation. 

2 

| May 2024 

SEASHELL ECHO | SECHELT SENIORS ACTIVITY CENTRE NEWS

SOS: Seniors on Scams 

Cute Puppy 

Swindle 

Seniors can be particularly vulnerable to 

pet scams, especially if they’ve lost a loved 

one and are looking for a companion. A 

scammer will post a picture of an adorable 

puppy that’s available for an unbelievably 

low price. There’s usually a heartbreaking 

background story about why the animal 

needs a new home ASAP. 

Once the older person contacts the seller 

(scammer), they must pay a number of 

fees—up-front adoption charges, shipping 

costs—via wire transfer or prepaid debit card. 

Then, after paying those fees, multiple delays 

and additional fees arise, including insurance 

costs, specialized veterinary care, and 

quarantine costs. In reality, there was never a 

puppy and the victim’s money is gone. 

Fraud Seminar 

for Seniors 

Don’t fall for a financial scam! Attend the Fraud 

Seminar for Seniors by TD Canada on 

Friday, May 31 st at 2 pm in the Lunch Room. 

SEASHELL ECHO | SECHELT SENIORS ACTIVITY CENTRE NEWS May 2024 | 3

From The Kitchen 

High Demand for Food Services 

Because we have a large and ever-increasing 

number of members, we are faced with an 

issue of how to provide convenient, efficient 

food service to those who require it. 

Fortunately, we have a great committee of volunteers 

comprising the Food Services Committee (formerly 

named the Kitchen Committee). This group advises 

the Board on not only kitchen matters but also overall 

service, volunteer co-ordination and frozen entrée 

supply. The change in name better reflects the range 

of their concerns. 

Emily assures us that we can adequately meet the 

demand for frozen entrées, and the freezer now at the 

back of the main office has streamlined their sale. 

Where we have the biggest issue is at times of high 

demand for in-dining room service. Emily does an 

incredible job of estimating numbers of hot entrée 

portions required on any given day. Demand seems to 

vary based upon the day of the week, what the entrée 

of the day is and other unknown factors. Even then it 

is hard to predict. 

As an example, Fish and Chip Friday is always 

popular, except two weeks ago when Friday was 

unusually quiet for some reason. However, last Friday 

I was informed that a new record of 100 pieces of fish 

were served. 

One frustration that came up last month was that 

when an entrée ran out, there was a complaint that 

office volunteers were jumping the queue and going 

straight to the serving hatch without a number. What 

is happening here is some of those office volunteers 

have been working since 8:30 am. The reward for 

their service is a $12 lunch voucher. They often tend 

to fetch their lunch and eat it at their desks. They 

don’t have a lunch time as such so sitting with a 

number in the dining room is not feasible. But we do 

need to ensure they get their lunch. Hopefully you 

understand the situation, and we are striving to serve 

all of you. 

The other issue is providing enough seating at times 

of high demand, which we are currently making plans 

to address. 

As stated in the President’s report we are strongly 

committed to keeping the prices of our food down, 

supplemented by the generosity of our member 

donations to the Affordable Lunch program. We 

are pleased when affordability is enhanced and have 

heard comments that Emily’s portions are so big 

two people are sharing them, or that a frozen entrée 

is lasting someone two meals. Our food service 

volunteers work very hard for us, so please let them 

know your appreciation. 

4 



Policies & Procedures 

Finance 

The Board of Directors is required by our bylaws 

to “manage or supervise the management of the 

finances of the Society”. 

POLICY 5 FINANCE (Bylaws Part 7, Div. 1,2 & 3) 

The purpose of the finance policy is to ensure the 

Centre’s financial stability. 

PROCEDURES 

The Treasurer shall ensure that: 

1. Financial records are maintained according 

to regulations for charitable organizations, as 

defined by the Canada Revenue Agency. 

2. An External Accountant (E.A.) provides a yearly 

Financial Statement to the Board, ahead of the 

Annual General Meeting in March. 

3. The SSAC provides accounting records to the 

E.A. in a timely fashion to prepare for the Annual 

report. 

4. GST reports are filed every 6 months, June 30 

and December 31. 

5. Permissive Property Tax Exemptions prepared 

by the Secretary are submitted to the District of 

Sechelt by May 31 of each year. 

6. Bank deposits are made regularly, two to three 

times per week. 

7. The following forms, pertinent to financial 

records, are completed by the designated 

individuals and maintained as part of the financial 

record: Floats, Bank Deposits, and Cash on Hand. 

8. The Treasurer prepares an annual budget of 

estimated revenues and expenditures and 

submits it to the Board for approval before the 

Annual General Meeting in March of each year. A 

preliminary budget needs to be prepared for the 

Fall General Meeting. 

9. The budget is reviewed on a semi-annual basis for 

the purpose of determining guidelines have been 

met. 

10. The manager shall ensure that volunteer Meal 

vouchers are kept and recorded. 

MOTHER’S DAY 

AT 

CELEBRATE THE SPECIAL 

MOMS IN YOUR LIVES 

AT JOE’S. MAKE YOUR 

RESERVATIONS TODAY. 

joesonthebeach.com . 778.949.7013 

VISIT OUR SECOND 

LOCATION IN GIBSONS 

joescabin.com . 604.318.6510 

Make it Beautiful 

2040 Porter Road, Roberts Creek 604-886-1371 

Thursdays through Sundays 12 - 4 pm bruinwood.com 


And what a dance that was! Steve Hinton Band 

with Al Alford, Steve Hinton, Tim Rannard 

and Sully Antonyk were even better than our 

expectations! 

The Auditorium was decorated with new posters which we 

will be able to use again. Thanks to Ian, Anna Mae, Andre, 

Joy, Marj and Ann for getting together to work on them. 

The atmosphere was filled with high energy and very 

welcoming, as Steve Hinton commented at the end of the 

evening. Sully Antonyk even helped us with 50/50 draw 

which was $60.00. 

Everyone enjoyed the tunes the band played and the dance 

floor was filled with happy people. The bar was busy as we 

were all thirsty from all that dancing. Thank you, Ann, and 

Joy for your hard work and the smiles you shared with us. 

As usual, there was a door ticket draw and spot dance with 

the winners each given two free tickets for the next dance. 

Now is the time to get your dancing shoes ready for the 

May 25 th dance with SpinDrift Street. This is the newest 

musical project of Garth Bowen singing lead & harmony 

& playing fiddle, mandolin and guitar, Randy Shepherd 

plays bass and sings lead, and Charlie Veaudry plays 

guitar and sings lead & harmony. Their voices are a rich 

blend delivering vocal harmonies supported by the lively 

rhythms from their various instruments. You will hear 

them perform many old and new favourites. Come and join 

us for fun evening. 

I’d like to thank the Dance committee, Lisa, Ann, Joy, Ian 

and Mark for helping me make our SSAC dances successful 

and all who help setting up and putting down the tables 

and decorations after the dance. Also, thanks to Sara for 

helping to wash and iron the tablecloths. 

Many thanks again to all of you who come to SSAC dances 

for your support. 

We are looking forward to seeing you May 25 th . 

Jay Alexov 

Special Events 

Dancing at the SSAC 

6 



MAY MENU 

Weekdays 11:30 am to 1:00 pm. Everything is made from scratch! 

We also serve soup, sandwiches and salads. Desserts vary. 

Frozen entrées are available from 9 am to 3 pm and vary in price $6 or $8. 

Members are welcome to bring guests to dine for a surcharge. 

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY 

1 2 3 

Roast Ham & 

Chicken 

Scalloped Potatoes 

Fish & Chips 

Penne Alfredo 

Salmon 

6 7 8 9 10 

Filipino 

Quiche & Salad Chicken Cordon Bleu 

Chicken Adobo 

Fish & Chips 

Chicken 

Quesadilla 

13 14 15 16 17 

Seafood Linguini 

Roast Beef 

Cabbage Rolls 

Fish & Chips 

Closed for 

Victoria Day 

20 21 22 

Hot Reuben 

23 24 

Butter Chicken 

Roast Pork 

Sandwiches 

Fish & Chips 

Sole 

27 28 29 30 31 

Shepherd’s Pie Chicken Souvlaki Bangers & Mash 

Fish & Chips 

Friendship Tea 

May 16 th - 2 pm 

$1 BINGO is held on Tuesday afternoons with 

reduced price of game cards. The 10-game packs 

are reduced from $20 to $10and single extra 

sheets from$2 to $1. The progressive game sheets 

will stay at $2 with the first game prize being 

$200 (48 balls called). For extra excitement, 

we have a $1 - 50/50 draw. 

$1 BINGO also features $1 Coffee and $1 baked 

goods in addition to the regular water, chips 

and cookies, each for $1. Come join us for a fun 

affordable social event, 2:30–4:30 pm in the SSAC 

dining room. 

Thanks to Sharon Blanchette and her team, 

the Friendship Tea is held every month on the 

third Thursday from 2 to 4 pm. Lots of fun 

and the price is amazing. It’s free! 


Activities 

Book Signing 

There will be a book signing on May 26 th at 2pm 

in the Lunch Room by Eileen Connors (Miracles 

Do Happen) and Dale Macdonald (& Meant to Be). 

Book Club 

Are you interested in a new book club? 

Focusing on local authors. Starting in May – first 

Wednesday of the month in the Craft Room from 

2:00 to 3:30 pm. First session is free – bring your 

suggestions. Then $4 activity moving forward. 

SUMMER HOURS 

Bluegrass Jam 

Starting May 1 st , we will be moving to our 

summer hours of operation: 

Monday to Friday 9 am – 3 pm 

The time and room have 

changed 4:00-5:30 pm 

Wednesdays – Lunch Room 

8 




SSAC PICKLEBALL SCHEDULE 

Beginners and new-to-us players wanting to join, please contact ssacpickleball@gmail.com 

MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN 

7:30–9:30 

Social Play 

2.0—3.5+ 

7:30–9:30 

Social Play 

2.0—3.5+ 

7:30–9:30 

Mixed Level Play 

3.0—3.5+ 

1:30–3:00 

Single Level Play 

w/ Coach 2.5 

(not May 7) 

12:30–2:00 

Beg — Int 

1.0—2.5 

3:00–4:30 


3.0—3.5 

3:00–4:30 


w/Coach 3.0 


3:00–4:30 


w/ Coach 

1.0—2.0 

3:00–4:30 


w/ Coach 

3.25 

2:00–3:30 

Int — Adv 

3.0—3.5+ 

4:30–6:00 


2.0—2.5 

4:30–6:00 


3.25—3.5 


4:30–6:00 


3.25—3.5+ 

4:30–6:00 


2.5—3.5+ 

3:30–5:30 


2.5—3.0 

3:30–5:00 


2.0—3.5+ 

6:00–8:00 


3.5+ 

6:00–8:00 

Int — Adv 

3.0—3.5+ 

6:00–8:00 

Int — Adv 

3.0—3.5+ 

6:00–8:00 

3.5—3.5+ 

5:30–7:30 

Social Play 

2.0—3.5+ 

5:00–7:00 


3.25—3.5+ 

For more information, please contact ssacpickleball@gmail.com 

FREE LEGAL 

AID CLINIC 

Every Thursday at noon 

Lawyer Robert Hart provides 

FREE weekly 30-minute 

legal aid consultations 

(not criminal matters). 

Book your appointment at 

the front desk. 

FREE 

HEARING AID 

CLEANING 

Friday, May 24 

12:30 to 2pm 

Anchor Hearing 

provides hearing aid 

cleaning at the lounge 

CANADIAN 

DENTAL CARE 

PLAN 

Thursday, June 27 

2pm, Lunch Room 

Learn more about the 

Canadian Dental Care Plan 

rollout with MP Patrick Weiler 


Mother’s Day 

Soiree 

A Celebration of Motherhood 

Friday, May 10 th 2:30 pm 

SSAC Dining Room - No Admission Fee 

Treats, Coffee/Tea, Music 

Sechelt Seniors Activity Centre 

5604 Trail Avenue . 604-885-3513 . secheltactivitycentre.com 

10 



SUNSHINE COAST TRAVEL AMBASSADORS 

VOLUNTEER 

OPPORTUNITY 

DO YOU LIKE TO MEET PEOPLE? 

PROUD OF THE SUNSHINE COAST? 

HAVE A FEW HOURS EACH WEEK TO SPARE? 

SSAC BUS TRIPS 

May 4 

Quilting Show, Delta 

$62 


River Rock Casino 


Tea & Trumpets, Orpheum Theatre 

Back to the Baroque 

$40/$55 

$80/$95 

BECOME A TRAVEL AMBASSADOR! 

A Travel Ambassador, with a smile on the face, meets the 

traveling public on BC Ferries and answers questions from 

the visitors to our area. After a short orientation period, 

you’ll be assigned a shift, usually 2 round trips per week, 

between Langdale and Horseshoe Bay. 

If this sounds like something you’d be interested in doing, 

please contact Diane at 604.740.0452. 

June 13 

$10 

Photography Escape in Nature, Sunshine Coast 

Explore and discover some of the opportunities that 

nature provides while taking fabulous pictures on the 

Sunshine Coast. Guided by Manfred Scholermann. 

If you have any ideas for trips – 

especially local trips, please leave your 

suggestions at the front desk. 

HALFMOON BAY AUTO 

Open to new patients 

Call or text 

604-313-9283 



SSAC ACTIVITY SCHEDULE 

Open to adults of all ages. Please check our website for changes. 

For Pickleball schedule: 

see page 9 

THE CENTRE WILL BE CLOSED ON VICTORIA DAY, MAY 20. SOME ACTIVITIES WILL CONTINUE, PLEASE CHECK WITH YOUR ACTIVITY LEADER. 

MONDAY 

Chair Yoga for Arthritis 

Hatha Flow Yoga 

Chair Yoga for Arthritis 

Line Dancing–experienced 

Carpet Bowling 

Duplicate Bridge 

Social Bridge 

TUESDAY 

Fitness with Lisa 

WEDNESDAY 

THURSDAY 

FRIDAY 

SATURDAY 

ACTIVITY TIME ROOM CHAIR COST 

Stories of Our Lives - 8 weeks startting May 7 - max 10 

Memory Café 

Chair Yoga 

Crafting 

BINGO 

Emergency HAM Radio 

Hatha Flow Yoga 

Line Dancing–Beginner/Intermediate 

Table Tennis 

American Mahjong 

Meditation (2 nd & 4 th Wednesdays) 

Art Journaling (3 rd Wednesday) 

Book Club - Local Authors (1 st Wednesday starts May) 

Bluegrass Jam 

Mindful Pilates 

Mindful Yoga 

Tai Chi 

Line Dancing - Basic 

Carpet Bowling 

Painting Pals 

Mahjong 

Friendship Tea (3 rd Thursday) 

Line Dancing 

Hatha Flow Yoga (Intermediate – Advanced) * 

Badminton 

Ukulele Jam 

Poker 

Chair Yoga 

Mother’s Day Soiree (May 10) 

9:00–10:00 

10:00–11:15 

10:15–11:15 

11:30–12:30 

1:00–3:00 

12:00–4:00 

1:00–3:30 

9:15–10:15 

10:30–12:00 

10:30–12:30 

12:00–1:00 

1:00–3:00 

2:30–4:30 

9:15–9:45 

10:00–11:15 

11:30–12:30 

1:00–3:00 

1:30–3:30 

2:00–3:00 

2:00–3:30 

2:00–3:30 

4:00–5:30 

5:10–6:00 

6:10–7:00 

10:00–11:30 

11:30–12:30 

1:00–3:00 

1:00–3:00 

1:00–3:00 

2:00–4:00 

4:00–5:00 

10:00–11:10 

11:30–1:00 

11:15–1:00 

12:00–3:00 

1:15–2:15 

2:30 

AM 

AM 

AM 

AM 

PM 

PM 

PM 

AM 

AM/PM 

AM/PM 

PM 

PM 

PM 

AM 

AM 

AM 

PM 

PM 

PM 

PM 

PM 

PM 

PM 

PM 

AM 

AM/PM 

PM 

PM 

PM 

PM 

PM 

AM 

AM/PM 

AM/PM 

PM 

PM 

PM 

Craft Room 

Auditorium 

Craft Room 

Auditorium 

Auditorium 

Craft Room 

Farish Room 

Auditorium 

Craft Room 

Auditorium/Craft 

Auditorium 

Craft Room 

Lunch Room 

Farish Room 

Auditorium 

Auditorium 

Auditorium 

Lunch Room 

Craft Room 

Craft Room 

Craft Room 

Lunch Room 

Craft Room 

Craft Room 

Auditorium 

Auditorium 

Auditorium 

Craft Room 

Farish Room 

Lunch Room 

Craft Room 

Auditorium 

Auditorium 

Craft Room 

Farish Room 

Auditorium 

Lunch Room 

Bobbie-Seale-Cobiskey 

John McDougall-Goulet 

Bobbie-Seale-Cobiskey 

Jay Alexov 

Katie Caple 

Karyn Burney/ Andy Hopkinson 

Isobel Gibson/Fran Engst 

Lisa Alexander 

Caitlin Hicks 

Brian Smith/Rosella Leslie 

Bobbie Seale-Cobiskey 

Carol Maynard 

Richard Ward 

Larry Peterson 


Jay Alexov 

Marilyn Heinrich 

Nicol Mentis 

Eddie Berinstein 

Violette Clark 

Jay Keevil & Kim Carmichael 

Viri Pichardo 

Viri Pichardo 

David Carson 

Louise Parker 

Margaret Parker/Norm Ross 

Isobel Gibson 

Katie Caple 

Sharon Blanchette 

Collene Sand 


Val Galat 

Mark Trevis 

Bob Hodgson 

Bobbie Seale-Cobiskey 

Quilting 9:00–4:00 AM/PM Lunch Room 2 nd Saturday of each month 

$4/$8 

$48 

$6 

$48 

$4 

$4 

$4 

$4 

$6 

$48 

$6 

$6 

$4 

$6 

$4 

$4 

$4 

$4 

$4 

$4 

$6 

$6 

$6 

$4 

$4 

$4 

$4 

$4 

$6 

$4 

$4 

$4 

$6 

* Note: these classes are not 

suitable for first-timers 

Activities are subject to change, especially weekend activities. Check with the Centre or your activity chair if you have any questions. 

For the Pickleball schedule, please refer to page 9. 

12

SSAC Echo | May 2024

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