When members of the Royal Canadian Legion in Evansburg, Alta., heard rumours that their community’s 44-person seniors lodge was to be bulldozed, they jumped into action.
Leading the charge was Gordon Heaton, who used his role as president of the Legion to organize meetings and save the facility.
The Alberta government recently awarded him, five other individuals and two organizations for their service and volunteerism on behalf of seniors.
Other recipients of the Minister’s Seniors Service Award were Neva Brierley of Rocky Mountain House, Edward Eschak of Mannville, Swati Fernando of Calgary, Rose Hayes of Keoma, Robert Thompson of Claresholm, the Pioneer House Club 50 of Fort Saskatchewan and the Brooks Seniors Outreach.
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Heaton said the original demolition plans for the Sunshine Lodge would have forced residents to move to the new Pembina Health Centre with three different types of care and the old lodge torn down.
He said everyone in the community felt it was a shame to see the Sunshine Lodge, built in 1978, torn down.
“It was a well maintained structure.”
It took almost two years to convince government officials the lodge had value. Government housing officials believed it would cost $250,000 and take two years to renovate the facility to individual apartments.
Heaton said his group believed they could renovate it for less.
Using volunteer help and a $150,000 loan from the local credit union, the renovations were finished in four months.
Six bachelor suites were upgraded and the other 38 units were turned into individual apartments complete with their own bathroom and kitchen.
The apartments have been full for two years with a waiting list of 20.
“I wish we had three more of them. It keeps the seniors and veterans in the area.”
Heaton said all sorts of volunteers came out of the woodwork to renovate the facility. The crew started work at 7:30 a.m., would break for lunch provided by local ladies and knock off at 5 p.m. Most of the volunteers were women who did everything from paint to plaster.
Heaton continues to act as a volunteer administrator for the Royal Canadian Legion Lodge.
Eschak, who was also presented with the service award, said in order for people like him to receive a seniors service award, it’s important to live in a community like Mannville with plenty of community minded volunteers.
“When you’re a senior, you try to get everybody involved,” said Eschak, who organized volunteers to design a new 18 hole mini golf course and hold a tournament every two weeks.
Throughout the year, Eschak organizes senior men’s curling, bonspiels, shuffleboard tournaments, golf tournaments and potluck meals at the seniors centre.
“To stay healthy, you have to be active,” he said.
Few people are willing to step forward to organize events, but many line up behind Eschak and volunteer when asked, he said.
“Seniors will get involved if someone organizes events. If no one steps forward, it’s not happening,” said Eschak, president of the local senior’s centre.
The retired farmer said when he moved to town, everyone wanted to know how he would fill his time. Delivering meals on wheels, doing volunteer home care for seniors and calling bingo games twice a week keep him busy and healthy.
Eschak said Mannville has one of the best nine hole golf courses in Western Canada and he would like to get more seniors involved in local tournaments.
Any extra produce from his garden is given away to other seniors.
“I love gardening.”
