Tag Archives: Cortes Island Seniors Society

Seniors

Restart of Seniors Helping Seniors

Elinore Harwood posted a thank-you note in the Tideline last week. Writing on behalf of the Board and membership of the Cortes Island Seniors Society (CISS), she stated that Carina Verhoeve had been ‘a fine Coordinator.’ This was the first indication many Cortes residents had that the ‘Seniors Helping Seniors’ program was no longer being funded. When Cortes Currents contacted Verhoeve, she said the funding for her program had been terminated eight months ago. Now the Seniors Helping Seniors program has been restarted under the auspices of a new senior’s society.

“Seniors Helping Seniors is a wonderful initiative and program. I’m happy that it has started way back, I am happy that it has been going all these years and I am even more happy that it’s continuing. It offers essential services to seniors and if we are lucky,  we will all be seniors at some point,” explained Verhoeve.

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Family

The Cortes DeathCaring Collective

(A five part series airing daily on CKTZ ,89.5 FM, April 4-8, 2023.)

For the last several years, a small but dedicated group of Cortes Islanders have been taking practical steps towards an ambitious goal for themselves and their community: a healthier relationship with death and dying. Their projects include regular meetings for discussion and support, humane and family-led funeral arrangements, and green (natural) burials in our local cemeteries.

The DeathCaring Collective was kickstarted by Margaret Verschuur, in collaboration with Quadra Island’s similar effort (Way To Go). The two groups share an informational website, communityleddeathcare.ca, and the Cortes group now includes over a dozen volunteers and a larger membership connected by email list and regular meetings. The core group of volunteers offer several kinds of assistance for islanders dealing with a death (or anticipated death) in the family.

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Finances, Politics

Cortes Island matters at EASC’s Inaugural Meeting

A number of Cortes Island matters were discussed at the new Electoral Areas Service Committee’s (EASC) Inaugural meeting. This is a special committee made up of the four Strathcona Regional District rural directors and the first stop before their concerns are brought before the full board. The initial discussion of Cortes Island’s proposed Grants in Aid; a Whaletown Community Club request for funding to install a wheelchair ramp at the Old Schoolhouse Art Gallery; and a proposed staff report about liveaboards: were all on the agenda today. As expected Gerald Whalley, the only director to have previously served on the Board, was elected Chair. The big news is that Cortes Island Director Mark Vonesch has been elected Vice Chair.

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Community, History

About the Cortes Island Seniors Society

“The Cortes Island Senior Society, as it is now called, was registered in 1987, but previous to that there were seniors groups.  I think mainly they called themselves the old age pensioners. They eventually became a seniors group. At some point when they wanted to build,  someone told them that they weren’t even called a building society, so they decided to become the Cortes Island Seniors Building Society, which they were for a number of years,” explained Sue Ellingsen, Vice Chair of the Cortes Island Seniors Society. 

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Community, Family

Reflections on what 2022 meant for the Cortes DeathCaring Collective

Editor’s Note: Cortes Currents asked Margaret Verschuur, Lead Steward of the Cortes DeathCaring Collective, for her reflections on this past year and thoughts as we enter 2023. This is an edited transcript of what she said.

By Margaret Verschuur 

When you asked me about doing an interview, Roy, I hesitated. But then I thought of Jennifer Stevens, and her courage, and thought: I can do this. Jen was someone who really showed up in community, and she let the DeathCaring Collective be a part of her experience. 

Of course, confidentiality is something important in everything we do in the DeathCaring Collective, but Jennifer was always very open and her daughter Darshan has been generous and eloquent in sharing her experience with her mom and has given us permission to talk about Jen as well. 

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