Everyone needs a little help sometimes. This is the motto of Hope Senior’s Peer Counsellors Society and now our volunteer-run group needs help from the community.
We are awaiting renewal of the funding from the Gaming Commission that enables us to keep our doors open to serve the seniors of Hope.
All our services – counsellors and visitors, advocacy with the many legal, tax and other much needed support many seniors need – are provided by volunteers, caring people who give freely of their time and energy.
That being said, we are in dire straits financially. Although we operate on a shoestring budget, we still need to pay rent (which is incredibly reasonable), telephone/internet, and Hydro.
Some people have asked why we need an office? The answer is simple: seniors and their families who use our services need a point of contact to ask for help, a place where we can train people who want to become counsellors or visitors and a clearing house for all the resources we provide that allow seniors to live better and more independent lives.
A lot of readers know that we have a larger number of seniors in our community than most towns in B.C. Many of the seniors we serve have no family living nearby and need our services.
In order to continue helping those in need, The Goldrush Pub, well-known for their generosity in helping various groups, has stepped forward and is hosting a fundraiser for us on Friday, Nov. 28, from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. Tickets are $10 (your choice of Fish ‘n Chips or Roast Beef Dinner) and there will be a 50-50 draw and a silent auction. All proceeds from the event will go directly to Hope Senior’s Peer Counsellors Society. Tickets are available at Baker’s Books, Hope Optical and Hope ComTech.
We live in a very kind and generous town and I sincerely hope that people will come out to support us in our goal to continue making life better for those who are often forgotten.
For more information about the Society, please call the office at 604-860-0708 and leave a message. Calls will be returned as soon as possible.
Sharlene Harrison-Hinds,
Volunteer and office manager, Hope Senior’s Peer Counsellors Society