On August 1, 2019 St. George’s, Maple Ridge opened its doors to all adults 50+ in the community in the form of a Senior’s Cafe. Called “The Oasis.” The Oasis is a social get-together for those seeking to make new friends in a relaxed setting.
Each Thursday from 1 to 3pm, visitors are warmly welcomed and offered a delectable array of baked goodies and Fair Trade refreshments. There is no cost involved to take part in this enjoyable gathering.
Variety is the spice of life so the Oasis planning team change the activities. Every other week people reminisce about common life experiences while playing board games, charades or card games. By taking time to listen to each other the opportunity is present to develop special bonds of friendship often lacking in today’s fast paced world.
On alternating weeks each month; films, presentations or karaoke are offered. Some examples of the movies shown to date:
· Jane Goodall, A Biography
· Chilcotin Ark
· Fort St. John (The Fire) – an Artists’ perspective
· The Clean Bin Project.
In the summer of 2019, a karaoke session was held in addition to a drama presentation from the St. George’s Broadway Kid’s Club.
As for presentations, topics have included: First Aid in the Home, Recycling Tips for the Family and Real Estate for Seniors. There was also a visit from the now-former Member of Parliament for Pitt Meadows/Maple Ridge, Dan Ruimy when he shared information about senior initiatives in the area.
St. George’s rector, David Edgerton comments,
“In the space of a few short months the Oasis has become a favourite feature in St George’s regular schedule. We are passionate about serving our community and being a place where people feel welcome and cared for. The Oasis is a place for friendship, fun and refreshment in the middle of the week.”
During Advent 2019, the Oasis planning team is hoping to have a Christmas party and sing-along to bring in the festive cheer through the holidays. The vision for Oasis is to build community and bridge loneliness through friendship and our staff and all the volunteers involved are dedicated to this outcome. We hope you will consider dropping in if you are in our area for a great cup of Fair Trade coffee or tea and some engaging conversation. If you have an idea that you think may appeal to this age group we welcome this and will forward it to the Oasis planning team for their consideration.
For more information you can visit the website: stgeorgemapleridge.ca, or get in touch by phone 604-463-9622 or Email office@stgeorgemapleridge.ca
IMAGES
- Folks gathered at The Oasis for a presentation in the narthex/lounge at St. George, Maple Ridge
- A warm and delicious welcome from Jo Walker
- The Clean Bib Project presentation in the chapel.
ARTICLE BY JOANNE WALKER
PHOTOS: David Edgerton