OUT AND ABOUT


A short history of writing at PAL(55+)


P


embina Active Living(55+) was begun in October 2009. That


December, among


the list of suggested programs, was an idea presented by Dr.Uma Parameswaran for beginning a cre- ative writing group. She offered to run the program at no cost to the fledging PAL 55+, and thankfully the idea and offer were accepted. Class started with four interested persons in March 2010, meeting once every two weeks. The group grew to six and finally to nine per- sons, who shared their submis- sions via email. In early 2011, Uma thought we should publish a book, and with her encouragement, sup- port and financial backing, the pub- lication titled,Vignettes From Vine- yards of Memory – 1, was launched that June, and Vignettes From Vineyards of Memor – 2 the follow- ing summer.


Professor Uma again taught a writing class for PAL in Spring 2014. For 2015, Elaine Hansen was invited to give a writing class. She accepted the challenge, designing her own program titled, Writing From Within. She diligently taught a group of 10 seniors from the fall of 2015, through the following winter and spring. The book launch of Sto- rytellers in June was the culmination of months of teaching, support and encouragement from this dedicated educator who demonstrated to us that self-publishing is possible – and


laborious.


– Johanna Denesiuk, Board member since 2010.


• • •


A place to PAL around


I


t’s no accident that the acro- nym for Pembina Active Living (55+) is PAL


At its first board meeting in 2009, a number of names were bandied around but the current name struck a chord when the acronym became apparent. And for good reason. Isolation is one of the biggest problems for seniors, especially dur- ing our Winnipeg winters. The ef- fects of isolation are well studied and documented, and include poor health, pessimism, depression, anxi- ety, risk of dementia and elder abuse, as well as increased risk of mortality. At Pal, the underpinning of all ac- tivities, be they programs, clubs or events is the opportunity for people to engage socially. If just getting out and being with peers isn’t enough, count the benefits of physical activ- ity, intellectual stimulus, giving of your time to help others or just en- gaging in a pleasurable pastime. Interested seniors are invited to get together with other seniors at PAL in the pursuit of friendship, health, interests, activities and an array of volunteer prospects to con- tribute the skills they have, or enjoy the opportunity of learning new ones.


Two major PAL events are com- ing up. The first is the annual picnic


on Aug. 23 – free admission – where seniors can purchase or renew their membership and sign up for the fall programs while openings are still available. The second event is the annual fundraising dinner at the Ca- nad Inn. Tickets are $70, with a tax deductible receipt for $35. Funds go toward the PAL building fun. Find out what’s happening through August on the new PAL website at pal55plus.ca. PAL headquarters is at Grace Christian Church (no reli- gious affiliation), 50 Barnes Street, behind Superstore. Seniors can leave a message at 204-946-0839 and re- ceive a callback.


– Johanna Denesiuk, Board member since 2010.


• • • MASC


names 2016 Commitment Award winners


S


t. Mary Magdalene Anglican Church, on St. Vital Road, is the 2016 winner of the Mani-


toba Association of Seniors Centres award of Commitment, recogniz- ing that church for its outstanding contribution to the health of the older adults in its organization. The church was nominated by the Vital Seniors, St. Mary’s-based commu- nity group, for its 24-year commit- ment to providing its seniors with a safe place to come together. For 2016 alone, the church pro- vided the 165-member group with


over 600 hours of space for its pro- gramming. That space is used week- ly for its book club, bridge, carpet bowling, line dancing and scrab- ble – along with 20 fitness classes, four computer classes, 10 monthly lunches with speakers and enter- tainment and three special inter- generational programs. The church also provided Vital Seniors with a retired minister, Rev. Bob English, for pastoral care.


St. Mary’s, in addition, provided meeting space for 24 other groups, including ther South Glen Fiddlers, the Senior Melody Group, AA groups, Cubs, Sparks, Kindermusik, Move it Dance and Craft Club. It has partnered with the Asian Chris- tian Fellowship giving it use of the church facilities Sunday evenings. Youville Center holds a Wednesday Table Wisdom class at the church, teaching seniors how to shop and cook in a healthy manner. Recognized for a 2016 individual Award of Commitment, is Sharon Houde, who was nominated by Seine River Seniors in recognition of the service given that group. Seine River says Sharon spent many hours serving on its board as treasurer, in mentoring new board members and planning programs . She is current- ly in charge of monthly luncheons and the weekly canasta group, and is involved with virtually all events held by Seine River, including out- of-town, out-of-province and out-of country trips.


The nomination was signed by MASC executive director Connie Newman, who said she believed Sharon is the reason the Seine Riv- er Seniors Club existed during this past year.


Hundreds of cities commit to combating emissions O


ver 200 cities across the globe have set greenhouse gas reduc- tion goals or targets. Action in these cities, which represent a combined population of 439 million people, could propel countries to meet their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions, the national greenhouse gas reduction pledges embodied in the Paris Agree- ment. According to Can a City Be Sus- tainable? Worldwatch’s annual State of the World publication, cities and their in- habitants are playing a lead role in achiev- ing global climate action goals. The challenge over the next several de- cades is an enormous one," write Michael Renner and Tom Prugh, contributing authors of the report. "This requires a fundamental restructuring of how cities operate, how much they consume in re- sources and how much waste they pro- duce."


Cities around the world have begun to confront pollution


Growing numbers of cities have made climate commitments and set sustainabil- ity goals. The C40 Cities Climate Leader-


ship Group has expanded to over 80 cit- ies. The Compact of Mayors, launched at the 2014 United Nations Climate Sum- mit, is the largest coalition of city leaders addressing climate change.


Cities today host more than half of the earth's human beings and represent about 70 per cent of global energy consump- tion and greenhouse gas emissions. If trends continue, urban populations could increase to six billion by 2045, with two- thirds of the population living in urban environments. Urban energy use would likely more than triple compared to 2005 levels by 2050.


Cities vary widely in their per capita emissions. Rotterdam in the Netherlands, for example, emitted 29.8 tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent per capita in 2005, whereas Paris emitted just 5.2 tons per capita. Many variables, such as climate, urban form, and primary energy source, affect a city's level of emissions. Econom- ic factors, such as the wealth and income of residents, also play a major role.


Are your trees making you vulnerable to hazard? Time to trim! T


rees add beauty, shade and value to our homes but it’s important for home owners to keep their trees from growing too close to power lines and other electrical equipment. Here’s why: • Tree limbs that come down during storms or high winds can bring power lines down with them. Not only does this cause a power outage, it creates a severe safety hazard by bringing live power lines to the ground. • Tree branches that touch power


lines can also cause a fire and could elec- trocute anyone who touches the tree. Before trimming or removing a tree:


August 2016 • Check the area for power lines.


Keep yourself, your equipment and all parts of the tree at least three metres away from the power line. • If you have a tree growing into the power lines, don’t attempt to prune or remove it yourself. Trees are conductors of electricity and a shock could be fatal. • Only qualified tree trimmers are per- mitted to trim trees that are near power lines. They use special tools and bucket trucks that do not conduct electricity. • If any part of the tree or hedge is within three metres of a power line, call Manitoba Hydro.


Before planting a tree or shrub:


Tree trimming safety should actually begin during the planning stages of your landscaping. Before you plant, look up. If it appears that your tree will eventu- ally hit an overhead power line, find a location that will not cause problems in the future. See Right Tree – Right Place at hydro.


mb.ca for help in planning your yard and make good long-term landscaping decisions.


If you see a tree that is too close to a


power line, report it to Manitoba Hydro at 204-480-5900 or toll-free 1-888- 624-9376.


Courtesy, Manitoba Hydro.


If you've got trees near power lines, it may be time to call in the professionals to keep things safe.


www.lifestyles55.net 15


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20