First 'Volunteer Drop In' Scheduled for Feb 17th

THANK YOU!

We would like to send out the biggest Shout Out and Thank You to ARC Resources Ltd for once again making so many Seniors very happy by taking them to the Rodeo event at the Fall fair. ARC not only provides the transportation (Diversified Transport and the wonderful Step Up and Ride) to the event but also supply a lovely meal (Fixx Urban Grill), gift bags and loads of water. We cannot say enough about the attentiveness of the ARC personnel throughout the event.

ARC has been doing this for so many years and the people start signing up for the event well in advance. It is a joy to see the smiles on everyone’s faces throughout the event and well into the evening.

We would also like to thank Diversified Transport for supplying a very large bus and Step Up and Ride for supplying 2 busses for the day and being on call if someone needed a ride home early. Also, a big Thank you to The Fix for the great spread that they put on for everyone.

And of course, a huge Thank you to the Better at Home volunteers and the ARC staff for making the day so enjoyable for everyone.

The following was posted on the BC Seniors Advocate website on March 7 2022.

One-Time GIS Payment for Seniors Affected by CERB

Many seniors who received the Canada emergency response benefit (CERB) in 2020 saw a loss or reduction in their federal Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) payments as a result.

The federal government will provide an automatic, one-time repayment to alleviate the financial hardship of seniors who saw a loss of GIS or Allowance by compensating them for the full, annualized loss amount. Seniors will not need to take any action to receive the one-time payment.

When will I receive the repayment?

Payment is scheduled for April 19, 2022 and will include repayment of GIS from July 2021 to June 2022. Regular GIS payments will resume July 2022.

Is this payment taxable?

No. This payment will be non-taxable and non-reportable.

Will this payment affect other benefits?

This payment will not affect eligibility for income support programs, such as the Old Age Security (OAS) or the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) and will not impact the amount you receive through the provincial SAFER program or what you pay for provincially subsidized housing.

Will this happen again next year?

The federal government has introduced formal legislation to ensure that this issue does not reoccur in the future

Learn More

Arleene Ann Thorpe
April 10, 1943 - February 11, 2022

It is with great sadness that we say a final goodbye to our friend and coworker, Arleene Thorpe.

Arleene was the Volunteer Coordinator for Dawson Creek Better at Home for many years. She was very active in our community and touched many lives. She will be greatly missed.

Many will remember the wonderful bus tours she organized to watch the rodeo, or to see the Christmas lights, and many others.

If you would like to extend your condolences to the family, please visit the link below.

Obituary of Arleene Anne Thorpe

August 4 2021

The office door is open and it's lovely to see all the smiling faces again. So many things went on hold in the last year and a half. Our tours were all cancelled due to restrictions.

But we're back in business and the busses are full for our first event since December 2019!

On Wednesday August 11th, as ARC Resources is partnering with Better at Home to host over 70 seniors at the Rodeo Chuckwagon Races!

Check back later for pics of Better at Home seniors at the races!

Big Thanks going out to ARC Resources Ltd. for making this possible.

I asked Carmella to send me a picture that I could share. The photo on the left is what she sent me. However, after some coaxing, she agreed to take the happy face bucket off, thank goodness! Carmella comes to us with lots of experience in volunteer management and special event organization. She loves working with and for seniors. Carmella is an upbeat, friendly addition to our office. Please join me in welcoming her to our Better at Home Team. Carmella’s email address is vcbah@spcrs.ca

Or contact her by phone or text 250-784-7877

‘Dawson Creek Better at Home’ and ‘Square 1 for Seniors’ would like to thank everyone who generously donated and supported the Seniors’ Gift Bags initiative. 190 gift bags were delivered.

B&T

City of Dawson Creek

Dawson Co-op

Dawson Creek Fire Hall

Dollar Store with More

Faking Sanity

Happy on Main

Hub International

Northern Lights College

Northern Toybox

Peavey Mart

Pharmachoice

Rip's Cleats

Shell Canada—Fuelling Kindness

Simple Pleasures

Software Emporium

Square 1 for Seniors

Tiger Stationers

TL Coe Financial ltd.

UFA – Calgary

United Way of Northern BC

Hug a Mug's Coffee House & Eatery

South Peace Community Resources Society

BC Community Response Network

Community Printers & Stationers

Thank you to our Volunteers who helped assemble and deliver the gift bags.

Thank You Shell Canada Ltd.

A big thank you to the folks at Shell Canada Ltd. for their support for our 'Seniors' Gift Bags' initiative. Their donation of bags and items will go a long way towards helping us spread some happiness.

Below: Better at Home Coordinator, Linda Studley, with a representative from Shell Canada Ltd. with a small sampling of the many great items that they collected to help out with the Seniors' Gift Bags. Thanks also to the United Way of Northern BC for helping to arrange this through the "Day of Caring".

Better at Home Seniors' Gift Bags - So Many to Thank!

We are proud to list our many sponsors who are making our "Seniors' Gift Bags" a reality. 200 bags filled with both useful and fun items will be distributed to Seniors in Dawson Creek over the next few weeks.