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
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
December 17, 2021: The 2021 Seniors Gift Bags are being distributed, but cold weather has slowed us down a bit. Please be patient and we will get them all delivered eventually, preferably when there's not 'Frostbite Warning' in effect! Brrrrrrr
Sponsor a Senior CHALLENGE
Thank you to Dwayne Dilworth, Glacier Mobile Glass Ltd, for Sponsoring a Better at Home Senior. This $720 will provide housekeeping services for a senior for a year!
Dwayne CHALLENGES all Dawson Creek Car Dealerships to meet or beat his donation.
Call Better at Home to take up the challenge. 250-782-2341
Right:Dwayne Dilworth, Glacier Mobile Glass Ltd., presenting Linda Studley, Better at Home Coordinator, with his “Sponsor a Senior” donation
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.
Welcome, Carmella Maga,
Better at Home's new Volunteer Coordinator
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.
packing 200 bags! Above - left to right: Linda Studley, Terry Dechief, Jeannie Lindgren
Below: Seniors receiving gift bags. Lots of great smiles.
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.
Here are the generous donors: Rip's Cleats | Simple Pleasures | Northern Toy Box | Dawson Creek Co-op | Tiger Stationers | Pharmachoice | Your Dollar Store with More | City of Dawson Creek | Dawson Creek Fire Hall | UFA-Calgary | Northern Lights College | Peavey Mart | Hub International | Faking Sanity | B&T | Community Printers & Stationers | Hug a Mug's Coffee House & Eatery | Software Emporium | Happy on Main Street | Shell Canada Ltd. | BC Community Response Network | TL Coe Financial Ltd.
Thank You Encana!
March 28, 2018
A Big Thank You to Encana for donating $3,000 to Better at Home to go towards plowing driveways for seniors. Without the help of our generous community, we wouldn't be able to offer this vital service to our local seniors. Left: Better at Home Volunteer Coordinator, Arleene Thorpe, Right: Brian Lieverse, Community Relations Advisor with Encana.
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Posted by Better at Home Dawson Creek. Posted In : Sponsors
Attention all Senior Crafters and Artists!!
March 7, 2018
We're already planning for our booth at the Kiwanis 'Home, Garden, and Leisure Show' (April 20 to 22). This year it will be happening at the Encana Centre. Just like last year, we'll be selling seniors' craft and art items. If you'd like to submit your art or crafts for sale during this event, please contact me at the Better at Home office in the Co-op Mall - or call 250-782-2341
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Posted by Better at Home Dawson Creek.
Choose to Move and Active Aging
February 21, 2018
Posted by Better at Home Dawson Creek.
Just Ask...
November 14, 2017
Just Ask... Better at Home would like to encourage you to take a look around next time you have the snowblower going and see if there are any senior citizens on your block who might appreciate having their driveway cleared.
Neighbours helping neighbours - it's a beautiful form of volunteering!
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Neighbours helping neighbours - it's a beautiful form of volunteering!
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Posted by Better at Home Dawson Creek.
7th Anniversary Open House - Oct 17 2017
October 12, 2017
Posted by Better at Home Dawson Creek.
2017 ARC Resources/Better at Home RODEO Outing
August 30, 2017On Wednesday August 9, 2017, Dawson Creek Better at Home partnered with ARC Resources Ltd. to take 44 seniors to the rodeo to watch the chuckwagon races. This is the third year that we have done the Rodeo tour for the seniors. All the expenses for the rodeo were paid for by ARC Resources.
The Homers bus arrived at the back gate and the seniors went to the reserved section that was set aside for them. After the races started, the ARC Resources crew of volunteers brought the seniors hamburge...
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Posted by Better at Home Dawson Creek. Posted In : Event
Memory Lane - Pioneer Village Bus Tour - July 18 2017
August 30, 2017On July 18, Better at Home took 22 seniors on the city bus for a trip to the Pioneer Village. We spent the day touring the Pioneer Village.
Everyone joined together in groups and started walking around the village. Some groups had specific spots they wanted to see other groups just wandered around.
There were more men on this tour than we usually have, and while the ladies were having a coffee break, the men chatted about the old machinery in the barns. Arms were waving and you could tell...
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Posted by Better at Home Dawson Creek.
Thank You SPSASS and 100 Women Who Care-Dawson Creek
April 26, 2017 | Jeannie Lindgren of SPSASS presenting a cheque for $15,000 to Brigitta Ratschker for the Better at Home Program. The funds will be used to provide housekeeping services to local seniors to help them remain independent in their own homes. Special thanks to SPSASS (South Peace Seniors Access Services Society) and to 100 Women Who Care - Dawson Creek. |
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Posted by Better at Home Dawson Creek. Posted In : Fund Raisers
Better at Home Updates: Presentations, Shows, and Workshops...
April 12, 2017
Spring is promising to be a busy time at Better at Home. I was fortunate enough to be able to give presentations on the Better at Home program to several banks over the last few months. I partnered with Lindsay Jardine from the Community Response Network. Her presentations on Elder Abuse Awareness fits well with our own objective of promoting independence for seniors. I was also pleased to speak to the local Kiwanis Club and will be addressing the Retired Teachers Association in the near...
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Posted by Better at Home Dawson Creek.
Information Brochures on the Dawson Creek Better at Home Program:
General Brochure - prints double sided 8x11
Housekeeping Services - prints double sided 8x11
Sponsor a Senior - prints one sided 8x11 (card fold)
Leave a Legacy - prints double sided 8x11
Better at Home e-Newsletters
email pcbah@spcrs.ca to put your name on the Better at Home e-Newsletter emailing list
For more information about the Dawson Creek Better at Home program please go to the FAQs page.
