There is a simple reason the Sechelt Seniors Activity Centre exists and that is “community.” As the years advance, many people find their circles growing smaller. Friends move away, one’s mobility worsens, and isolation can quietly creep in. Seniors Activity Centres were born out of that reality, to ensure that no one need face those years alone. Here in Sechelt, activities, dances, and food have become far more than programming. They are lifelines of connection.
One of the most joyful expressions of that spirit can be found on the dance floor. Thanks to the dedication of Jay Alexov and her hardworking team, the Centre now boasts a thriving schedule of monthly dances. The vintage music evenings are especially meaningful. Watching members step onto the floor to tunes from their youth, smiling and laughing, is to witness memory and community intertwined. These dances are not simply events; they are celebrations of lived history.
If music feeds the soul, food feeds both body and fellowship. Today, our food services are among the most significant contributions the Centre makes to the wider community. While much has been written about the frozen meal program, the daily hot lunches deserve equal recognition. Affordable, welcoming, and dependable, these meals provide nourishment alongside companionship. Each month, when the new edition of the ECHO is released, many members turn first to the calendar page listing daily hot entrées. For some, lunch at the Centre is part of their weekly rhythm, and the ever-popular $10 Fish & Chip Friday has become a cherished tradition.
The foundation for this remarkable service was laid when our current building was completed in late 1992. For the first time, a proper kitchen made regular meal service possible. In early 1993, the kitchen was leased on a three-month trial to a private operator on a small percentage basis. The arrangement was not successful, and the responsibility for food service returned to the Centre. A call went out for volunteers, and our long, proud history of volunteer-driven food service began. What started in 1993 as a modest daily soup and sandwich offering has steadily grown into the comprehensive program we know today.
A major chapter in that growth began in February 2012, when Emily McPherson joined the team. That month marked the departure of the Centre’s chef, who happened to be Emily’s aunt, Kathleen Davis. Hearing of the opening from her mother, Emily applied, but her hiring was far from guaranteed. She was one of twenty candidates interviewed by a four-person panel. When she was selected, it proved to be a pivotal decision for the Centre.
This February, Emily celebrated her 14th anniversary with us. In 2013, in response to members concerned about a two-month summer closure, she launched what has since become a substantial frozen meal program. It began humbly, with just four recipes priced at $5 each, not far from today’s $6 and $8 offerings. From those modest beginnings, the program expanded to meet a growing and vital need within the community. While Emily rightly receives widespread praise for the quality and variety of meals produced in our kitchen, she is quick to acknowledge the team around her. Volunteers have given countless hours in support of food services; some have been with us longer than Emily herself, including Derrick Pye, Sahra Hailey, Barb Christie, and Irene Jankovits. Although the workforce now includes chef Jackie Coombs and assistant Liz Mathews, volunteer contributions form the backbone of the program’s success.
The work is demanding, but for Emily it is deeply rewarding. She often speaks of the kindness, caring, and appreciation she experiences daily at the Centre. Above all, she says she continues in her role “because I feel like I’m contributing to my community. It just warms my heart so much that we’re filling such a big need.” In many ways, that sentiment captures the history of the Sechelt Seniors Activity Centre itself. From abundant activities to dances that rekindle cherished memories to meals that nourish both body and belonging, the Centre stands as a testament to what can be accomplished when a community recognizes a need, and chooses to meet the challenges.
