Four groups in Yellowknife are sharing just under $100,000 in federal funding from the New Horizons for Seniors program.
The NWT’s Liberal MP, Michael McLeod, announced the funding in a Thursday press conference at Collège nordique francophone, which is receiving $22,400 for cultural activities and digital literacy work involving seniors.
Other recipients are a seniors’ program at the Yellowknife Curling Club ($20,631), gardening activities at Avens ($25,000) and a seniors’ self-help group at the Yellowknife Uplifts Society ($25,000).
Collège nordique francophone said its funding will sustain a mentorship program that connects Elders with younger people.
“It’s really forged long-lasting relationships between the two generations. It broke isolation and really brought people outside to take advantage of a lot of opportunities on the land,” said Patrick Arsenault, executive director at the college.
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The Yellowknife Curling Club will use the funding to offer a program for seniors to learn, watch and play curling free of charge.
“They get to improve and see what they can do,” said Larry Elkin of the Yellowknife Curling Club.
“But they also like the comradeship that comes with it, because sometimes they’ll spend just as much time drinking coffee and talking as playing curling.”
