At 81-years-old, Velma Francis found a way to engage with her community again after the impacts of social isolation due to the pandemic.
It was through the Phoenix Seniors Club facilitated by her daughter Denise, executive director of the Guelph Black Heritage Society (GBHS) that she got to meet new people and learn new things.
Velma was there from the start when the club kicked off in May last year.
The club meets every second Thursday of the month at 1 p.m. from September to June. There is a guest speaker and social time for club members to chat and enjoy refreshments. There is no cost to join the club. If members are in need of transportation to get to GBHS at 83 Essex St. it can be arranged.
Although it is a seniors club there is no age restriction and anyone can join if the monthly topic is of interest to them.
“And I know my mom, for example, and some of her friends, they missed the social time, so the whole focus of the club was for them to have a place to come out once a month,” said Denise.
It’s a club for fellowship. For Velma, she enjoys meeting people in her age demographic because they reminisce about music, common phrases and things they used to do. “And of course, the treats are always a big hit,” she said.
There is a steady group of a dozen regular club members who attend monthly and others who pop in from time to time.
Through guest speakers from Crime Stoppers Guelph Wellington, Service Canada, Guelph Guild of Storytellers and more members learn about scams, tax benefits and storytelling.
With the Crime Stoppers presentation the group learned about grandparent scams and members shared their own experiences of scams they were targeted by.
Velma thinks it's a good way to learn about what is going on in the community since the group asks questions she wouldn’t have thought of asking.
The group isn’t shy about telling Denise what they would like to learn. She chooses the guest speakers based on the group’s ideas.
“Some people think that once you reach a certain age you stop learning but that’s never the case. These folks constantly want to learn and hear new things,” said Denise.
It’s nice to get together and it’s something to look forward to, said Velma.
She knows there is a need for the club since there are members from Guelph, Elora and Cambridge who come.
For the second year of the club she’s looking forward to learning more and hopes a guest speaker comes to teach the group about plants.
“I wish more of our seniors would come out,” said Velma. By word of mouth she hopes the club grows this year.
To learn more about upcoming club events check the GBHS website.
