{"id":588,"date":"2017-12-08T12:34:48","date_gmt":"2017-12-08T12:34:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/amigos.cmsmasters.net\/?page_id=588"},"modified":"2019-10-24T13:29:52","modified_gmt":"2019-10-24T13:29:52","slug":"about","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/slcaottawa.com\/seniors\/about\/","title":{"rendered":"About"},"content":{"rendered":"
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SLCAO-SENIORS GROUP<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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Sri Lanka Canada Association of Ottawa \u2013 Seniors Group (SLCAO-SG) was established on March 6, 2016, under the motto \u201cSeniors Helping Seniors\u201d. At the April 16, 2016, during the first Seniors Group – Sinhala and Tamil New Year party, many seniors of 55+ became members and completed a survey about programs and activities.\u00a0 All subsequent SLCAO-SG programs and activities were developed in accordance with the survey and input received from members. All SLCAO-SG programs are also following the guidelines developed by our funder, the Social Planning Council of Ottawa (SPCO) and its funders.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

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By 2019, the SLCAO-SG has about 150 members. Membership is free and opened to everyone aged 55+ of Sri Lankan origin living in Ottawa. Year after year, programs are organized and delivered by many dedicated volunteers. SLCAO-SG continued to offer various information sessions and workshops to educate seniors on age-related health issues, financial and social issues and to overcome stress due to respite care providing for family members at home. Programs also include promoting daily physical activities for the wellbeing of seniors, teaching new skills and visiting our isolated seniors or those with serious health issues. All these services, programs and activities including annual festive season celebrations are well appreciated by Sri Lankan seniors.<\/p>\n

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The SLCAO Seniors Group is continuing to work towards achieving the following goals and objectives:<\/p>\n

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  • Support age 55 and older seniors of Sri Lankan community living in the Ottawa and the surrounding areas.<\/li>\n
  • Promote and maintain the physical, cognitive, emotional, spiritual and social well-being of seniors.<\/li>\n
  • Provide information in accessing appropriate services available to seniors and their families.<\/li>\n
  • Facilitate activities and volunteer opportunities to encourage community involvement and social interactions to overcome social barriers and isolation of seniors.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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    DETAILED HISTORY<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
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    It was in 2015 October when the 40th Anniversary Executive Team was selected at the Annual General Meeting held at the Heron Gate Community Center. It was attended by about 30 members. Anura Ferdinand was proposed by Gamini Senerath to be the Volunteer President\u00a0for the year and he accepted that position. During the speech,president elect,\u00a0Anura Ferdinand , who was working in a hospital in Ottawa, pointed-out the need for a seniors activities program for the Sri Lankan community in Ottawa.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

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    During the meeting Mrs.Olive Nelson was nominated by Anura Ferdinand to be the Ottawa Center\/Seniors Activities Chair. Few months had passed, and SLCAO was invited to a meeting with Social Planning Council Meeting in Ottawa for possible funding opportunity. During the same time we received exciting news about the arrival of a new grand child for Mrs Nelson. Sadly she had to vacate the position to make time to spend quality time with the new addition. There was also pressure to abandon seniors activities for SLCAO given other competing group. However, given the opportunity at hand with SPCO, few members of the Sri Lankan community were invited by Anura Ferdinand to a meeting in March of 2016 to collect activities ideas to bring the seniors community together. The objective of the meeting was to form a Committee to evaluate, design and organize activities for seniors in the Ottawa Sri Lankan community.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    At the meeting, SLCAO President, Mr. Anura Ferdinand, addressed the subject of creating activities for seniors, and requested the input of attendees. The attendees contributed their views and it was agreed of a NEED to create a Committee to address Seniors Activities as well a need to define a framework for senior activities in the Ottawa Sri Lankan Community. There were discussions that the Committee should be an independent group, managed by seniors, for the seniors. It will be linked to SLCAO EC by Chair of the senior\u2019s activities committee. He\/she will attend SLCAO EC meetings and EC members can attend the seniors meetings. It was agreed that the group\u2019s name be \u201cSLCAO Seniors Group\u201d.<\/p>\n

    This plan was accepted by SLCAO President and EC members who were present as it is in line with current established committees. I.e. SLCAO Sports Committee, SLCAO Souvenir Committee.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    At the meeting, SLCAO President, Mr. Anura Ferdinand, addressed the subject of creating activities for seniors, and requested the input of attendees. The attendees contributed their views and it was agreed of a NEED to create a Committee to address Seniors Activities as well a need to define a framework for senior activities in the Ottawa Sri Lankan Community. There were discussions that the Committee should be an independent group, managed by seniors, for the seniors. It will be linked to SLCAO EC by Chair of the senior\u2019s activities committee. He\/she will attend SLCAO EC meetings and EC members can attend the seniors meetings. It was agreed that the group\u2019s name be \u201cSLCAO Seniors Group\u201d.<\/p>\n

    This plan was accepted by SLCAO President and EC members who were present as it is in line with current established committees. I.e. SLCAO Sports Committee, SLCAO Souvenir Committee.<\/p>\n

    During the course of the meeting, an anonymous vote was cast to select a suitable leader among the members present. Everyone was pleased at the announcement of Mr. Nissanga Jayasinghe was voted as Chair.\u00a0However, his trip to Germany for a few months impeded his ability to undertake responsibility.\u00a0\u00a0 Since, Ranjini Alwis came next in the ballot, she was appointed as an interim chair to which she gladly obliged. It was great to see the enthusiasm to participate as well as a progression of membership in the committee.\u00a0 Mrs. Ranjini Alwis was officially inducted into\u00a0the Executive Committee at the following EC meeting. In her absence Mr. Nissanga Jayasinghe or any other committee member were to represent the Seniors Activities Committee at Executive Committee meetings. Mr. Nissanga Jayasinghe resumed Chair \u2013 SLCAO Seniors Group in December of 2016.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    The very first SLCAO Seniors Group initiated by SLCAO President Anura Ferdinand was:<\/p>\n