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The Link-Letter March 29, 2013

v. 8-13

For more information click on the links provided.

New items are highlighted.

INDEX

News for Agency Staff here

Events for Agency Staff here

Work Opportunities in the Senior-Serving Sector here

Items for Board Members here

Items for Seniors here

Volunteer/Work Opportunities for Seniors here

ESCC UPDATES

1. The Alberta seniors services conference, Grey Matters 2013, will be held in Lethbridge on Sept. 26 and 27. The featured keynote speaker will be Lloyd Robertson. For more information, go here. It has been suggested that ESCC arrange for bus transportation to and from the event. At this point we merely want to gauge if there is sufficient interest in this proposal to pursue it. Email rich@ if you would potentially be interested in attending the conference in this manner.

2. The ESCC has launched its Age-Friendly Edmonton Action Plan, in partnership with the City of Edmonton, and established working groups for each of nine key strategic areas. They will guide the implementation of 35 new projects. Download a copy of the action plan by going here. A key commitment is that seniors must play an active role in the implementation of projects. Seniors interested in getting involved with working groups, focus groups or evaluation teams are asked to email Sheila@ or calling 780-423-5635.

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NEWS FOR AGENCY STAFF

1. Edmonton Social Planning Council has prepared a fact sheet on its analysis of the 2013 Federal Budget. It “highlights spending measures that affect Edmontonians with low and modest incomes,” focusing on the fiscal year that runs from April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2014. To access the analysis and print off the fact sheet, go here. The Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organization’s full analysis of the 2013/14 provincial budget is available here.

2. People go to Facebook to connect with people they know. It’s about pre-existing relationships. Twitter is about sharing perceptions about what’s around us. Google+ is less about who you know and more about sharing your passions widely. Pinterest is for posting visuals; it’s about the medium more than the people. LinkedIn is for business connections and finding jobs. For more “social media tips for non-profits” and the opportunity to listen to a webinar, go here.

3. The Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organizations has launched its annual Alberta Nonprofit Survey to provide trend analysis. “The series has helped illustrate the changes occurring in Alberta's nonprofit sector since 2009. This year's survey asks organizations about the impact of the elimination of Community Spirit and STEP grants, as well as their expectations on how the Social Policy Framework will shape their work.” For more information, email policy@. To participate in the survey, go here.

4. The call for proposals to co-host the 2014 Seniors Services Conference is open until May 3. “The Seniors Services Conference is the premier conference for individuals who work within the seniors sector in Alberta.” Co-hosts benefit by raising their profile amongst provincial seniors service organizations; showcasing their organization and/or community; establishing a collaborative relationship with the Government of Alberta; and building and expanding their network by providing opportunities to work with a variety of organizations. To learn more about developing a proposal, go here or call 780-415-0920.

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EVENTS FOR AGENCY STAFF

1. Volunteer Edmonton is offering a grant writing essentials workshop on April 6 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at The Baker Centre, #400, 10025 – 106 Street. “You will learn how to prepare yourself and your organization to make this targeted appeal for support, about the world of funders, and how to determine if your project fits within the funding interests of the prospective funder and within your organization.” The cost is $145. To register, go here. For more information, contact Madeleine Smith at voled@ or 780-732-6649.

2. Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel will host a Women's Spring Symposium - Building Leadership and Community on April 7 at the Westin Hotel. The event is “an opportunity for women to enjoy a day of networking, learning and exploring ways to empower women to participate in diverse communities and government”. There is no cost to attend, but registration is required. For an event poster, go here. For a timetable that includes the session barcodes required when registering, go here. To register, go here. The symposium will include an Inspiring Futures Marketplace, at which agencies are invited to have a display booth.

3. Edmonton Social Planning Council’s 2013 Lunch and Learn Series presents Jay Freeman, Edmonton Homeless Commission executive director, April 17 from 12 to 1 p.m. at the Stanley Milner Library (downtown next to Sir Winston Churchill Square). “This presentation will examine the inter-connectedness of homelessness, mental illness and addictions, and crime. It will also examine the homeless population’s high utilization of the health and justice system.” There is no charge. “Bring your lunch. Feed your mind.”

4. The Edmonton Chapter of the Alberta Association on Gerontology is hosting a special wine and cheese networking event on April 17 at 5:30 p.m. that will feature a panel of professionals. Mary Englemann, Norah Keating and Grace Maier will share an overview of their interest and careers in gerontology. For an event poster, go here. For a registration form, go here. The cost to attend is $5 per person.

5. Volunteer Edmonton is inviting non-profit organizations to participate in its third annual Edmonton Volunteer Fair on April 20. “This is an opportunity for your organization to engage the crowds by promoting the good work you are doing in the community and recruit new volunteers to support your initiatives.” For more information and to register, go here.

6. April 21 to 27 is National Volunteer Week. To access materials from Volunteer Canada that will help you celebrate, go here. Resources include “communications templates, video seminars, the new Campaign Planner, resources for media and government relations, as well as helpful social media tools”.

7. Alberta Caregivers Association is hosting Facilitator Training for Walking With Grief, a six-week facilitated bereavement program for those living with loss, beginning April 25 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. and continuing the following two Thursdays. The cost is $25 for three classes of two hours each (book and cd also available). The classes will be held at Fulton Place School, 10310 - 56 Street, Edmonton, and will be led by Carol Kodish-Butt, founder and past director of the Edmonton Bereavement Centre, columnist for Edmonton Seniors newspaper, and author of the blog Musings for the Age Gifted (check it out here). For more information on the classes, go here.

8. The Alberta Centre for Active Living will hold its annual Physical Activity Forum in Edmonton on May 14 and in Calgary on May 15, from 8:30 a.m. to noon. The event will focus on “physical activity and the aging brain. More generally, it will be about the benefits of physical activity as we age.” For more information, go here. “The forum is designed to meet the information needs of practitioners, not the general public.”

9. The University of Alberta will hold its Geriatric Medicine 2013: Successful Healthy Aging Conference on June 15 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Lister Conference Centre. The event is both a meeting for internists, geriatricians, family physicians and allied health professionals, and a course with “workshops and debates covering some of the challenging areas in the clinical management of geriatric patients”. The keynote speaker is Dr. Adrian Wagg, Director of Geriatric Medicine at the U of A. For more information and to register, go here.

10. Make Something Edmonton, an initiative launched on March 21, is planning a free event for seniors from 12 to 4 p.m. on July 20 in Louise McKinney Park, 9999 Grierson Hill Road. The Slow Flash Mob is intended to replicate the experience of parks in China, many of which are teeming with “people doing tai chi, fan dances, sword dances, singing opera, swing dancing and socializing. Many of the people doing these activities are senior citizens.” Details of the Edmonton event are still being planned but to find out more about the initiative, go here.

11. More information about the Tamarack Institute for Community Engagement’s 2013 Communities Collaborating Institute: Accelerating Impact to be held in Edmonton from Oct. 7 to 11 is available by going here. The event is “designed for those who desire new ways to lead, engage and transform their communities and accelerate their collective impact by linking local efforts to provincial, state and national agendas”. For an event brochure, go here. The event will have “a special focus on transformative techniques for uniting diverse opinions into a common agenda for social change”.

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WORK OPPORTUNITIES IN THE SENIOR-SERVING SECTOR

Lifestyle Helping Hands Seniors Association has an opening for an office administrator. A Business Administration degree and/or administration training are an asset. Apply to llhhssedmonton@yahoo.ca or fax to 780-465-0706.

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ITEMS FOR BOARD MEMBERS

1. Vantage Point is offering the webinar, The Abundant Not-for-Profit, on April 16 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. The cost is $20. The target audience is executive directors, board members and other not-for-profit leaders. “Learn how a People Lens culture allows you to attract, meaningfully engage and integrate the abundance of talent available in the community. This webinar will challenge scarcity thinking in our sector and illustrate how you can increase human resources exponentially, within your current budget.” For more information, go here.

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ITEMS FOR SENIORS

1. “As I move reluctantly and acidly through the golden years, I continue to follow the prudent policies of my life and make plans and preparations. Lately, this has involved research into the options for ‘senior living’. It has been an enlightening and frightening experience – frightening mostly because of the gap that yawns between the promotion and the reality.” To read more of Edmonton resident June Menzies’ humourous and insightful essay in The Globe and Mail, Research into ‘senior living’ requires a translation of ‘Gerispeak’, go here.

2. The Northgate Lions Marathon Bingo takes place at the Northgate Lions Seniors Recreation Centre, 7524 – 139 Avenue, Edmonton, from 7 a.m. until midnight, March 29 and 30. For more information call 780-496-4888.

3. A Seniors’ Town Hall will be held April 2 at the Strathcona Community League, 10139 – 87 Avenue, Edmonton, at 6:30 p.m. on the subject, What does Redford’s 2013 Budget mean to You? Speakers will include Alberta NDP MLA Rachel Notley, Public Interest Alberta representatives Bill Moore-Kilgannon and Noel Somerville, and Friends of Medicare representative Sandra Azocar. There is no cost and no registration is necessary.

4. Representative(s) from the Edmonton Police Service will be coming to Southwest Seniors Outreach Society, 10832 – 62 Avenue, on April 3 to talk about Air One, the flight service that “safeguards both ground officers and the public by safely managing pursuits and assisting police members with high-risk vehicle stops or incidents”. Pizza lunch will be available at 11:30 a.m. for $5/person. The presentation will be at 1 p.m. Confirm your attendance by phoning Yvonne at 780-435-9515.

5. Clean, gently used and new clothing is urgently needed for distribution during the upcoming Homeless Connect initiative. Homeless Connect is a bi-annual, community inspired event that provides free essential services to homeless and at-risk individuals on one day and at one location. Needed men’s and women’s items: pants, jeans, underwear, socks, shoes, shirts, work boots, children’s clothes, hats and gloves. Drop off donations by April 4 at Millwoods Assembly, 2225 - 66 Street, Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:40 p.m.; Bissell Thrift Shoppe, 8818 - 118 Avenue, Monday to Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; or Bissell Donation Drop-Off (near mail boxes), 5120 - 122 Street, April 2 to 4, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, email tjorrden@homewardtrust.ca.

6. City of Edmonton is running a new registered group for men and women age 60+ who are having challenges in their relationships with adult children. Relationships with Your Adult Children: Time to Make Changes groups combine “education (from social workers and other professionals) with supportive discussion (with peers) to identify safe relationships and learn communication and limit-setting skills”. This group will be running in Southeast Edmonton for eight Mondays beginning April 8. To register, call 780-496-4777.

7. Alberta Caregivers Association will offer a COMPASS for the Caregiver workshop at SAGE (Seniors Association of Greater Edmonton) on April 9 from 10 a.m. to noon. It will provide a “safe and understanding environment to help you reduce stress, decrease guilt, learn how to get the most out of the system, and begin to care for yourself. COMPASS is led by former caregivers. You are not alone; let us give you tools for coping and even thriving.” To register, call 780-453-5088. The fee is $40. For more information, go here.

8. City of Edmonton Community Services’ Men’s Talk and Do group meets Tuesdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. for 10 free sessions beginning April 9. Discussions focus on communication, learning to better deal with partner relationships, parenting and coping with a crisis. Topics include goal setting, boundaries, physical health, recreation and developing personal support networks. For more information, go here. To register, call 780-496-3108.

9. Seniors Assisted Transportation Society of Greater Edmonton will “celebrate elders” on April 10 at its seventh annual Walker-a-thon from 8 to 9:30 a.m. The event will raise funds for seniors using walkers or at risk of needing a walker to get around. A pledge sheet is available at the SATS office, Londonderry Mall administration office, from SATS volunteers or by going here. Call 780-732-1221 for more information. The event will include entertainment.

10. The Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital's Older Adult Rehabilitation Team will host an education session on April 10 from 2 to 3 p.m. designed for caregivers of older adults. There is no cost to attend but registration is encouraged. “Some of the topics presented are activities of daily living (hygiene, oral health, dehydration); behavior changes (signs and symptoms of delirium); safety in the home (falls, medication management); and caregiver concerns. For more information and to register, call 780-735-6142.

11. “Discover the many alternative transportation options available to seniors” at Driving and Beyond, an information fair presented on April 11 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Northgate Lions Seniors Recreation Centre, 7524 – 139 Avenue. The cost is $5, which includes lunch. For an event poster, go here. For more information, call 780-496-6969. The event is presented by Vision for an Age-Friendly Edmonton.

12. Catholic Social Services is offering the class New Beginnings, which is “designed to help those who have lost a life partner through separation, divorce, or death”, on eight Thursdays beginning April 11, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. The cost is $250 per person. Sessions will be held at the CSS south office located at 8815 – 99 Street. “We ask that participants be at least six months past their loss so that they are at a point where they are ready to explore how to move through the grief.” For more information and to register, call 780-420-6081.

13. Women in Edmonton’s Muslim community are invited to “receive information on promoting healthy families” and “connect confidentially with a Muslim outreach worker” through a Circle of Sisters drop-in program on April 16 from 12:45 to 1:45 p.m. at the Markaz ul Islam Mosque, 7907 – 36 Avenue; and on April 25 from noon to 1 p.m. at the MAC Islamic Centre – Rahma Mosque, 6102 – 172 Street. For more information call Jordanna at 780-462-0772.

14. The Jewish Senior Citizens’ Centre is planning to attend a dress rehearsal of Tchaikovsky’s opera Eugene Onegin on April 17 at 11 a.m. The bus will leave the centre at 10:20 a.m. The cost is $28, transportation included. The deadline for payment is April 11. For more information, call 780-488-4241. The centre is closed from March 25 to April 8.

15. The Learning Centre is offering a free Writing and Knitting for Women class starting April 17 and continuing Wednesdays until May 29. Classes are from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Room 223, Abbottsfield Mall, 3210 – 118 Avenue, Edmonton. “The reading and writing exercises we do will help improve literacy skills and critical thinking skills. This circle is for women of all literacy levels. We will talk about who we are as women, who we want to be, and how women have worked for change in their communities.” To register, call 780-471-3737 or email learningcentre@.

16. Seniors Assisted Transportation Society of Greater Edmonton will hold its annual general meeting on April 17 at 7 p.m. at its office at 9907 - 108 Avenue. Although only SATS members and registered volunteers are allowed to vote during the meeting, “absolutely everyone is welcome”. Snacks and cold/hot drinks will be served. “And yes, we are looking for strong, qualified volunteers for our SATS Board.” For more information, call 780-732-1221 or go here.

17. The City of Edmonton is offering a free Neighbourhood Engagement Workshop on April 20 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Strathcona Community Hall, 10139 - 87 Avenue. “This workshop is for anyone who would like to learn more about how to develop meaningful and purposeful connections within their neighbourhood or community of interest. There will be great local speakers, facilitated discussions, good food and refreshments.” Confirm your attendance by April 15 by phoning 780-442-4847 or emailing NESSouthevening@edmonton.ca.

18. The Jewish Senior Citizen’s Centre will hold an afternoon tea dance at Beth Shalom Synagogue, 11916 Jasper Avenue, Edmonton, on April 21 at 2 p.m. The cost is $25 per person. “No need to be Jewish, everyone is invited.” The band is the Esso Tones, “a small, older band who play all the standards”. Pastries and fruit will be served, along with tea and coffee. For more information, call 780-488-4241 or email jdic@shaw.ca.

19. The Today Centre is offering free workshops April 23, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.; 24, 1 to 3 p.m.; and 25, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on How to Help Someone Impacted by Family Violence. Registration is required. For more information and to register, call 780-455-6880 or email info@thetodaycentre.ca. To learn more about the centre, go to thetodaycentre.ca.

20. SouthWest Edmonton Seniors Association (SWESA) presents a special performance by the GeriActors and Friends at its annual general meeting on April 25 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Blue Quill Community Hall, 11304 – 25 Avenue. For more information about the association, go to swedmontonseniors.ca. Its goal is to address the “social, cultural and recreational interests of people age 55+ living in southwest Edmonton”.

21. Northgate Lions Seniors Recreation Centre will hold a Friday afternoon Toonie Tea from 2 to 4 p.m. on April 26 to celebrate the arrival of spring. The event is intended to promote “fun and laughter” and will include refreshments and door prizes. For more information, call 780-496-6969 or email info@nesa1.ca. The centre is located at 7524 – 139 Avenue, Edmonton.

22. Albertans are invited to provide input on how to make the Administration of Estates Act more user-friendly. To access the online consultation guide, go here. Changes to the act that are being considered “are intended to make the process of administering estates more transparent, logical and easier to follow,” a government news release states. Consultations are also being conducted with estate planners, wills and estates lawyers, trust companies, and other professionals. The deadline to provide feedback is April 30.

23. SAGE Awards honouring the “outstanding achievements and contributions of seniors in our community” will be presented on May 1 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Sutton Place Hotel, 10235 - 101 Street, Edmonton. Tickets are $60 each. For more information and an event poster, go here. For a ticket order form, go here. The awards luncheon has “sold-out in past years so it is advisable to purchase your tickets early”.

24. The Edmonton Rug Hookers Guild will hold its annual Tea and Rug Show on May 2 at Pleasantview Hall, 10860 – 57 Avenue, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The admission of $5 includes access to the rug show, a light lunch, door prizes and silent auction. For more information, go here. For an event poster, go here.

25. North Edmonton Seniors Association will hold its first annual Fun Cribbage Club Doubles Tournament on May 25 at the Northgate Lions Seniors Recreation Centre, 7524 – 139 Avenue, Edmonton. The cost to enter is $30 per team (entry fee covers 10 games and lunch). Play will start at 9:30 a.m. “First 70 teams, registered and paid, will be entered.” For an entry form, go here.

26. The Arthritis Society Walk to Fight Arthritis will be held June 9 at Sir Wilfrid Laurier Park, 13221 Buena Vista Road, Edmonton, beginning at 10 a.m. (registration begins at 9 a.m.) To register and for more information on how raise funds, go here, email jdemarco@ab.arthritis.ca or call 780-424-1740. “The Walk to Fight Arthritis is a 1 km or 5 km fun-filled family event that unites communities in supporting the 4.6 million Canadians living with arthritis.”

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VOLUNTEER/WORK OPPORTUNITIES FOR SENIORS

1. Welcome Home, a program offered through Catholic Social Services, matches volunteers with people in the community who have recently been housed through Edmonton’s 10-year plan to End Homelessness. “We have a number of very dedicated volunteers that are also seniors that love the program, but we need more volunteers desperately! Volunteers engage in meaningful activities with program participants (e.g. going for coffee, attending a sporting event), providing companionship to reduce the loneliness and social isolation faced by many newly housed individuals.” For more information about how to get involved, go here.

2. Edmonton’s Zebra Child Protection Centre, “the first centre of its kind in Canada, enables our community to respond to child abuse with a professional, compassionate and highly integrated program of healing and justice”. The centre is looking for daytime child advocates, court accompaniment advocates and administrative volunteers. For more information about the centre and these volunteer positions, go to zebracentre.ca or call 780-391-4116. You can also watch a YouTube video here.

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