Oyen Seniors meet for monthly meeting and pot luck

Submitted

Twenty-four seniors came together at the Oyen Seniors Centre on September 6, 2023, for a delicious pot luck supper, which was followed by the monthly meeting.

The meeting was called to order by President Lynda Grudecki. She also was the winner of the 50/50 draw. The minutes of the June meeting were read and adopted, and the financial reports for the summer months were given and adopted.

Old business items were discussed. It was noted that repairs to the hail damages on the south side of the building had been completed with the installation of vinyl siding. There are still repairs to be completed on the upper wall and eves to be done that were not related to hail damage. The grant which had been received from the United Way Community Services recovery fund, which was designated for media equipment, has been used to purchase two TVs and a projector. Al’s Audio from Medicine Hat will install them in the building soon. The grant received from the Town of Oyen will be used to repair the sidewalk in front of the building.

A report on the 50/50 tickets being sold over the summer revealed that there were still a number of tickets which had not been sold. Thus, there was a motion to extend the date from September 30, which previously had been the draw date until November 1, 2023. If you are interested in purchasing a 50/50 ticket, please contact Jessie Battrum at 403 664 2515.

Once again, rates for the rental of various rooms in the hall were discussed and will be investigated and compared with rental rates in other facilities in Oyen. The meeting also involved a lively discussion on how we can make Seniors Hall more accessible to members as well as maintain the hall’s security. External security in relation to potential fire risk was discussed, as there are several trees around the building which would create such a risk. As changes are made, they will be reported.

The regular fall and winter activity of floor curling will commence this year on Wednesday, October 11. Curling begins each Wednesday at 1 P.M. All members are welcome to take part, and the membership fees include the activity of curling. Membership fees for the Seniors Group will remain at $20.00 per person. (Membership fees can be paid either at the next meeting or at the Floor Curling.)  If you have any questions about the Floor Curling, you are invited to call either Beth Symes at 403 664 2462 or Heather White at 403 664 3854.

Some members discussed the possibility of adding Pickleball as an activity for members during this upcoming season. Lyle and Lorraine Guckert will be spearheading the investigation of what the interest in Pickleball would be in the broader Oyen Seniors community. If you have questions or interest about Pickleball, please call Lorraine or Lyle at 403 664 2499. Keeping to the topic of leisure, Joe Lazari has volunteered to represent the Seniors Group at the Leisure Society.

A tentative date has been suggested for the annual  Christmas Banquet of December 6, 2023. Further information about this will be available after the October meeting.

The next pot luck and meeting for the Oyen and District Seniors group will be at 6 P.M. at the Seniors Hall on October 4. New Members are very welcome to attend.