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President – Laura South2013 - 2015.

Birkdale Seniors, Birkdale Community Centre1299 Ellesmere Rd M1P 2Y2, 416-396-4069

BIRKDALE BANTER

Here we are nearing the middle of July and we are finally getting the summer weather, although itcould be a little cooler. I never thought I would ever be pushing for cooler weather.The time of year when everyone is out and about with vacations,heading to the cottage, camping or relaxing on the patio, it is great to just get outside after being cooped up all winter. How ever you are spending your time, I hope you are taking careto be safe and enjoying being outdoors.The summer means good times at Birkdale as wellwith the free Hamburger Day, Ice Cream Week,as well our Hoedown Luncheon coming in September ($5.00) with live country entertainment. Who knows we may throw in some more freebies during the next couple of months.What is new at Birkdale? We have purchased a new colour printer and laptop, so that we can print more colourful newsletters,luncheon tickets,posters to let you know what is coming up. We will alsoprint new Volunteer badges as well. There is a new waterfountain that the city has installed, I think it is great as you can not only get a drink of cold water but you can fill up your water container as well.I would like to thank all the members of the executive committee for their work and effort put forth to make all the events so far a success, I would also like to thank all the volunteers who give of their time. Volunteers as we all know are the heart and soul of Birkdale, without volunteers in the kitchen, running the various card games, dominos, mah-jong and bingo games, we would not be the centre that we are.I would also like to thank all the members who support all our functions. Thank you to Raymond, Debbie and the young ladies Sabrina, Malinda and Julie who filled in for Karen while she was away. They did a great job.I have used up my allotted space, so on behalf of your Executive Committee, we wish everyone a fun filled safe summer. Don’t worry, before you know it the cold weather will be back and you can once again get out there and build a snowman.

A Message from the President

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

A message from the President 1Notes from the office2Upcoming Events 2Benefits of Volunteering 3Travel 4Member testimonials 5Puzzles6/7Keeping cool tips 8

Summer 2019

Birkdale Seniors Executive President

Bruce FrewVice President

Betty WardropeTreasurer

Linda StaffordSecretary

Carol Stark

Saturday Night DanceMargaret Hardy

KitchenCarol Stark

Craft ConvenorJane Vella

TravelMargaret HardySpecial EventsLynda Smith

Barb Anderson

Age is not important unless you're a

cheese!Helen Hayes

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Debbie AzumaCommunity Recreation Programmer

Karen BarrettSenior Co-ordinator

Notes from the Office

WednesdayJuly 24th– Free BBQFriday Sept. 20th – Country Hoedown BBQ

CLOSURES:We will be closed on,Monday August 5th– Civic HolidayMonday Sept. 32nd – Labour Day Holiday

Upcoming Events

T.T.C TicketsTTC tickets are still

available!From the kitchen on a

Wednesday and Thursday only

10:00am to 2:00pm

MARK IT DOWN!

Dates to Remember

Registration for the Fall and Winter programs is Sunday

Sept 8,7:00am-5pm

Save the date!Volunteer Appreciation Lunch

Friday Sept 27 2019MembershipsWe are a membership driven centre and in order to attend our drop in

programming, a Birkdale membership is required.We are a paid membership of $26.00 for 1 year. There are many benefits of becoming a member. Subsidized lunches, free giveaways and more!

See our website for more information.www.birkdaleseniors.com

The Birkdale Senior's Newsletter is for you!

Should you have any information that you would like to see in your newsletter please let Karen know at the front desk to possibly include it in our next one.

If you wish to receive this newsletter via email drop by the office and give Karen your email address.

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Benefits of Volunteering!Benefit 1: Volunteering connects you to othersOne of the more well-known benefits of volunteering is the impact on the community. Volunteering allows you to connect to your community and make it a better place. Even helping out with the smallest tasks can make a real difference to the lives of people, animals, and organizations in need. And volunteering is a two-way street: It can benefit you and your family as much as the cause you choose to help. Dedicating your time as a volunteer helps you make new friends, expand your network, and boost your social skills.Make new friends and contactsOne of the best ways to make new friends and strengthen existing relationships is to commit to a shared activity together. Volunteering is a great way to meet new people, especially if you are new to an area. It strengthens your ties to the community and broadens your support network, exposing you to people with common interests, neighborhood resources, and fun and fulfilling activities.

Benefit 2: Volunteering is good for your mind and bodyVolunteering provides many benefits to both mental and physical health.

Volunteering helps counteract the effects of stress, anger, and anxiety. The social contact aspect of helping and working with others can have a profound effect on your overall psychological well-being. Nothing relieves stress better than a meaningful connection to another person. Working with pets and other animals has also been shown to improve mood and reduce stress and anxiety.

Volunteering combats depression. Volunteering keeps you in regular contact with others and helps you develop a solid support system, which in turn protects you against depression.

Volunteering makes you happy. By measuring hormones and brain activity, researchers have discovered that being helpful to others delivers immense pleasure. Human beings are hard-wired to give to others. The more we give, the happier we feel.

Volunteering increases self-confidence. You are doing good for others and the community, which provides a natural sense of accomplishment. Your role as a volunteer can also give you a sense of pride and identity. And the better you feel about yourself, the more likely you are to have a positive view of your life and future goals.

Volunteering provides a sense of purpose. Older adults, especially those who have retired or lost a spouse, can find new meaning and direction in their lives by helping others. Whatever your age or life situation, volunteering can help take your mind off your own worries, keep you mentally stimulated, and add more zest to your life.

Volunteering helps you stay physically healthy. Studies have found that those who volunteer have a lower mortality rate than those who do not. Older volunteers tend to walk more, find it easier to cope with everyday tasks, are less likely to develop high blood pressure, and have better thinking skills. Volunteering can also lessen symptoms of chronic pain and reduce the risk of heart disease.

I have limited mobility—can I still volunteer?People with disabilities or chronic health conditions can still benefit greatly from volunteering. In fact, research has shown that adults with disabilities or health conditions

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TRAVEL INFORMATION CONVENOR: Marg Hardy, Pauline StinesUpcoming trips:Toronto City Tour& Cruise Thursday Aug 15 2019Depart: 9:00am - Centennial Arena 1967 Ellesmere Rd.Price: $89.00 per personInclusion: Return transportation, city tour, lunch at hot house café, cruise, gratuity on meal and for driver, taxes.

Stratford, Billy Elliot Tuesday Oct 1 2019Depart: 10:00am Centennial Arena, 1967 Ellesmere Rd.Price: $135.00 per personInclusion: Return transportation, buffet lunch, reserved seating, gratuity on meal and driver, and taxes.

Muskoka Luncheon Cruise Thursday Oct 17 2019Depart: 8:30am Centennial Arena, 1967 Ellesmere Rd.Price: $109.00 per personInclusion: Return transportation, 3 hour luncheon cruise, driver gratuity and taxes

“There was a big fight at the seafood restaurant. Three fish got battered.”

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COME JOIN US!

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Word Puzzle answers on page 7

One advantage of talking to yourself is that you know at least somebody's

listening.

Franklin P. Jones

WE ARE ALWAYS IN NEED OF VOLUNTEERS!!!Kitchen and welcome desk are where we are shorthanded. Please consider helping your centre run well and efficient,

making it a more enjoyable place to be.

WHY I LOVE BIRKDALE!Heather says: "When I first walked in it just felt like home!"

Barb says: "When I first came I found the people very friendly and welcoming, and I reallyenjoy the programming offered here."

Jean says: "It's all about the people!! Very nice, very friendly. I love it here!"

Sharon says: "The first time I came here I felt comfortable and welcomed. The people here are very friendly and welcoming!"

Sue says: "When I retired everyone told me I would be bored, I say they have not been to Birkdale, there is lots to do here! Always someone to talk to about anything. Great people."

Doug says: "It's the people!" Love how friendly everybody is."

Joan says: "I've been coming for 10 years and I love helping out, meeting new people and just getting out. The staff and executive are great! If feels like home to me."

Jim and Betty say: "It's a happy place to be! We have been to others and there is no comparison."

So the consensus seems to be the people here at Birkdale are what make it so special!!

"Three Senior Pals"

Three seniors are out for a stroll.One of them remarks, “It’s

windy.”Another replies,

“No way. It’s Thursday.”

The last one says, “Me too. Let’s have a soda.”

Word puzzle answers on Page 7

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Tips to Beat the Heat!

Each row, column and box must end up containing all of the numbers from 1 to 9.

Word puzzle answers

1. Sixth Sense, 2. Sum it Up, 3. Blank ET, 4. Strong Undertow, 5. Back Issues6. Stretching the Truth

In the hardware store, a clerk asked, “Can I help you find anything?”

“How about my misspent youth,” joked my husband.

The clerk shot back, “We keep that in the back, between world peace and winning lottery tickets.”

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Drink plenty of coolwater evenbeforeyoufeelthirsty.Go to an air conditioned place such as one of the City’s Heat Relief Network locations.Wear loose, light-coloured, breathable clothing and when outdoors wear a wide-brimmed hat.Avoid the sun and stay in the shade or use an umbrella.Reschedule or plan outdoor activities during the cooler parts of the day.Take cool showers or baths or use cool wet towels to cool down.Never leave a person or pet inside a parked car.Consult with your doctor or pharmacist on medications that increase your risk to heatCall or visit at-risk family, friends or neighbours (especially seniors living alone) to make sure they are drinking plenty of fluids and keeping cool.How to Stay Cool at HomeIn summer, apartments can get hotter and stay hotter longer than the air outside. Make a plan to keep your home cool:Keep blinds or drapes closed to block out the sun during the day. Make meals that don’t use an oven, especially if you don’t have air conditioning.Unplug electronics and turn off lights when not in use.Use fans properly: Place fans in or next to a window to bring in the cooler air from outside.Do not use fans when the temperature in a room is 34°C or higher as it creates a “convection oven” type of effect. This is especially a concern for older adults and people taking certain medications since their ability to sweat is decreased.

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