The Dogwood Pavilion Seniors’ Society is seeking to consult with a Legal Advisor on our new Service Agreement with the City of Coquitlam before the documents are signed in the early fall.
If there are any members or recommendations from members who could assist with this task, please send the information to the dogwoodseniors50plust@gmail.com email address. We sincerely appreciate any assistance in this matter.
Wilhelmina Martin
President
Dogwood Pavilion Seniors’ Society
On Tuesday June 6, 2023, from 10:30am – 12:30pm, we are offering an exhibition tour of Transmissions for seniors (ages 50+) at the Art Gallery at Evergreen, followed by tea, coffee, and snacks in our lake-side lobby. Attendees will then take part in a textile craft-along inspired by their own creative practice and the gallery exhibition.
Participants are welcome to bring their own knitting, crocheting, and weaving projects, or join our instructor to learn a new skill in the fibre arts. The event is free, but pre-registration is required.
Registration link: Senior’s Week: Tea, Tour, & Textiles (ages 50+) (salesforce-sites.com)
Please contact the event organizer Leah McGraw at leah@evergreenculturalcentre.ca or 236-427-1257 with any event questions or if you’d like assistance with registration.
Kind regards,
Kim Grewal
Join us on Sunday, May 28
Location: Lafarge Lake – West Lawn
Registration time: 9 a.m.
Walk time: 10 a.m.
The Tri-Cities Seniors’ Action Society has a team. Join us and/or donate to support us.
You may donate online to the MEMORY KEEPERS—TCSAS Team by clicking here.
Thank you for supporting our team. We are trying to reach $1000.
How a Port Moody retiree is helping other seniors stay cool during heat waves.
One person at a time can make a difference says Wilhelmina Martin, who is collecting used air conditioners for seniors.
Author of the article: Denise Ryan Published May 21, 2023
Port Moody’s Wilhelmina Martin is asking the public for donations of used portable air conditioners so she can donate the units to other local seniors in need. PHOTO BY NICK PROCAYLO /PNG
Wilhelmina Martin has been called a few things in her life: A candy striper when she was a 14-year-old, an RN when she graduated nursing school in 1974, and just plain “Willy” to friends.
Now she’s known as “the air-conditioning lady.”
The 68-year-old Port Moody retiree is asking the public for donations of used portable air conditioners so she can donate the units to other local seniors in need.
“It’s going to be a hot one this year,” said Martin, a longtime volunteer with the Dogwood Pavilion seniors society and Port Moody seniors friendship society.
When the heat dome struck in the summer of 2021, killing 619 people, Martin sprang into action.
“I was watching the stories unfold, and listening to the news. Most of the people who died were seniors. My friends are seniors, my neighbours are seniors. I began calling around, asking if they had cooling, or did they need help,” said Martin. “I was thinking back to my own circumstances.”
Fifteen years ago, when she was a full-time caregiver to her late father, she installed a heat pump. He grumbled about the air conditioning, but when the weather heated up, “he was the first person to ask me to turn it on,” said Martin.
“I know that many people are upgrading to heat pumps. I want to connect with those people, to donate the portable units they aren’t using,” said Martin.
That first summer, Martin sourced and donated seven cooling units. Last summer, she was able to donate six, and so far this year she has collected four units.
“A lot of people don’t know where to go to get help,” said Martin, who recalls a low-income senior reaching out to her during the 2021 heat dome. “She had been admitted to the hospital due to heat stroke, and they wouldn’t discharge her unless she could show she had somewhere cool to go.”
Martin opened up her own home to the senior to get her through the heat wave. She was the first senior Martin sourced a donated air conditioner for
More than just air conditioning units is needed — Martin said many seniors she donates to can’t afford to run the air conditioners for more than a few minutes a day, because of how it impacts their hydro bills.
“My next overture is going to be to B.C. Hydro to subsidize the cost of extra cooling. There has to be a way of helping low-income seniors with their hydro bills so they can afford to run their air conditioners,” said Martin.
Some seniors are afraid to ask for, or even consider, an air conditioning unit because they are hesitant about the cost.
“The second half of this piece is finding a way to help them pay for it,” said Martin.
Recently she received an email recently from a man who explained he was dying of cancer. “He said he’s trying to find the air conditioning lady so that he could help.”
“It’s one person at a time that can make a difference,” said Martin.
Anyone who wants to donate a working portable air conditioning unit can reach out by email to: wilhelminajmartin@outlook.com.
If you would like to donate new or used, floor air conditioning units for seniors then, please respond by email to: dogwoodseniors50plus@gmail.com for additional information.
Thank you
Our Life Writers Group meetings are held on:
4th Monday of every month at 1pm. Everyone over 50 is welcome.
We would like you to join us if you are fond of writing, discussing and sharing, if so, then our group is just for you!
We write and share our real-life stories, incidents and experiences. These real-life stories become a part of your family memories and history!
Come and join us, write and share your real-life unique experiences and memories with everyone as well as your children, grandchildren and your future generations.
We have 6 stories posted, please scroll down for each story with several pages:
Catherine Fisher – by Abnash Gill
There is One Sir – by Elmil Ayson Banico
My Bear Scare – by Vicky Stacey
Gremlins – by David Burnell
The Dog in My Life – by Vicki Stacy
My Train Journey- by Abnash Gill
I hope you enjoy reading our stories.
Life Writers Group
Abnash Gill
Contact: 604-936-3474
The Dogwood Library volunteers are very grateful for the donations of gently used soft cover books.
We are unable to accept donations of hard cover books. Please take these to a book depository bin or your local library. Libraries often have sales of used books to raise funds.
There are also now 3 clipboards located in the Library prepared by Laura Murray with various activities you can entertain yourself with while enjoying the library: Sodoku puzzles, Crossword and Word finder puzzles.
They will be updated on a regular basis.
A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie
Location: Dogwood Pavilion, 1655 Winslow Avenue, Coquitlam in the Mike Butler Room.
Three Performances:
Sunday May 14 at 1:30 pm
Monday May 15 at 1:30 pm
Thursday May 18 1:30 pm
Cost $10 includes light refreshments
Tickets available at the door or in advance at the Dogwood Designs gift shop.