There will be plenty of topics to explore during the inaugural Seniors’ Expo, coming up on Oct. 23-24.
Hosted by the Lacombe & District FCSS, the event kicks off at the Lacombe Memorial Centre with an evening session featuring Hal and Joanne of BodyBreak fame on the evening of the 23rd. Tickets for this session are $2 each.
“They are our opening keynote speakers from 7 to 9 p.m. - we are very excited for them to be coming to our community,” said Wendy Griffin, community projects coordinator with Lacombe FCSS.
“They will be sharing all kinds of wisdom and insight from aging well to healthy living. They also talk about their journey through life together, and all about building the BodyBreak brand, too,” she said. “They share a lot of great stories and lots of the positive things that they have accomplished in their lives.”
As Joanne noted on the BodyBreak website, “BodyBreak means being active, eating well, and feeling good about yourself. When your body and mind feel great, everything else falls into place. Our goal for BodyBreak remains the same as it was back in 1988 – to encourage Canadians to live healthy, active lifestyles.”
Meanwhile, Griffin said that Tuesday is a full day.
“We will be going from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and we will be having break-out sessions all morning,” she said. “We have Joe’s Social Media coming in to talk about senior safety on the Internet and things that they can watch out for.”
Other sessions run the gamut from Caregivers Alberta, Tai chi for seniors, and cooking for one or two to traveling tips for seniors and ‘Build your Story’ where participants are given a template to write their own stories for future generations.
“We also have the GeriActors out of Edmonton coming in to do a performance for us,” she said.
According to the GeriActors’ website, “Our programs seek to challenge stereotypes, promote authentic views on aging, and bring people together to share in meaningful discussions about lived experiences.”
They are also having a session with the Maddox Dance Company first thing in the morning, too, and a mini-trade show will be running throughout the day as well.
Griffin said the Expo is ultimately intended for anyone 50 and up, and new sponsors are still welcome to sign on.
“We are pretty excited about running this, and about giving the community something new and exciting that they may have never experienced before,” she said.
”We will also be offering free bussing that day for anyone who would like to come, from any of the seniors’ lodges for example. If they don’t have a way to get here for the day, we can provide transportation for them.
“It’s going to be a great day.”
The cost for attending on Tuesday is $20, and this includes breakfast and lunch, said Griffin. Those interested in attending the Seniors’ Expo are asked to register by calling 403-782-6637 or visiting www.lacombefcss.net.