A Summerside group that has worked for a decade to empower people over 50 and dispel the frail senior citizen myth has closed after a funding cut.
The East Prince Seniors Initiative (EPSI) has been helping local seniors since 2010, but after the City of Summerside decided not to renew its portion of the funding – $20,000 – the board decided to call it a job well done.
The group closed up shop on June 30.
While sad, executive director Gloria Schurman is focusing on what the group has been able to accomplish with its programs and workshops.
“I think it’s true to say we did make a difference in how some of the population views seniors – and how seniors view themselves – which is every bit as important if not more important,” said Schurman.
EPSI’s door was open to anyone over 50 for help with anything from cell phones to self-care.
“We hear they’re the grey tsunami – a drain on health care and all that,” said Schurman, her face clearly showing just how much she disagreed with the assessment.
“They contribute to the community. They vote, they spend money, they volunteer, they help with their families. I don’t know if people really get the contribution that seniors make sometimes,” said the 68-year-old.
The office was originally located at Credit Union Place before moving to the Inspire Learning Centre at the Summerside Rotary Library three years ago.
“It did wonders for Credit Union Place. If we hadn’t brought in the walking program to begin with, with the traffic that came in to visit our office, it made that centre an intergenerational community centre rather than just a sports centre,” said Don Anderson, 72, president of the EPSI board.
He also pointed out the city’s “well-earned reputation” for hosting sports events.
“None of that would have happened if it wasn’t for the seniors volunteer group,” he said.
EPSI also offered many workshops and held five sold-out provincial conferences over the years.
Two other legacy programs that will continue despite EPSI’s disbanding are the Reading Pals at Parkside School and the grandparents support group.
A computer help drop-in every second Monday was a steady offering and one Schurman hopes someone will take on.
All of the programs relied on community volunteers, said Schurman.
“We owe them everything. We never could have pulled off all this stuff without them … when you have that much help, you don’t really need a lot of money.”
Like most non-profit organizations, money was tight for EPSI.
Operation costs were split between the City of Summerside and the province. Funding for special projects came from the federal government. This year, though, the city’s budget showed a blank space where EPSI funding used to be.
“We’ve been borderline for the last number of years, cutting back everywhere we could. It just became untenable,” said Anderson.
Rob Philpott, Summerside’s chief administrative officer, said the city will be stepping up.
“The city is planning to establish a committee that will build on the work of EPSI, the city’s Age-Friendly Committee and other seniors groups in the community," Philpott wrote in an email to The Guardian.
"This new group will take shape over the next few months and be up and running in the fall.”
Looking ahead, Schurman hopes seniors are not side-lined in the future and are, instead, included in community projects.
“See a vibrant person who’s walking on the boardwalk or volunteering at Credit Union Place, the library, Reading Pals or taking grandkids for ice cream or whatever happens to be. They’re out and about. They’re not home,” said Schurman.
