"Recently I learned that for an organization to grow and thrive it needs to learn, to innovate, to do research and to experiment. I like to think that this describes our Senior Centres. We want to celebrate this and learn together and innovate and do research and experiment."
The Concept and Establishment
The concept of a Multi-purpose Senior Centre has existed within our province for a number of years. Age & Opportunity was established in 1957, the Brandon Civic Senior Citizens Prairie Oasis Senior Centre in 1967, the Gordon Howard Senior Centre twenty-five years ago, and the Dauphin Multi-purpose Senior Centre are almost twenty years old. Today there are 20 recognized multi-purpose senior centres throughout the province.
Timeline of the Organization’s Development
The idea of a formal organization like MAMSC surfaced in the mid 1990’s and the concept was presented at five locations throughout the province:
- June 4, 1996 in Portage
- October 1, 1996 in Brandon
- January 16, 1997 in Winnipeg
- June 12, 1997 in Steinbach
- October 9, 1997 in Morden where a steering committee was struck to establish a draft constitution
Members of the steering committee were:
- Wilf Hudson – Dauphin
- Cheryl Barker – Portage la Prairie
- Hilda Hildebrand – Winnipeg
- Peter Isaak – Winnipeg
- Irene Muzyka, Supervisor – Services to Seniors – Winnipeg
- Hilda Giesbrecht – Steinbach
There were lively discussions and concerns were raised as to whether or not this new organization would act as a governing body or as a support. It is obvious now that the intent was to enhance communication among senior centres and to promote and support their efforts.
Formation of the Founding Board
On April 29th, 1998, at a meeting at Good Neighbours Senior Centre in Winnipeg, our Founding Board of Directors was elected and a Constitution adopted.
The members of the Founding Board of Directors were as follows:
- President – Peter Isaak, Good Neighbours Senior Centre
- Vice President – Wilf Hudson, Dauphin Multi-Purpose Senior Centre
- Secretary – Dianna White, Steinbach 55 Plus Centre
- Treasurer – Jack Richmond, Age & Opportunity Centre
- Program – Dorothy Froman, St. James Assiniboia Senior Centre
- Cheryl Barker, Herman Prior Senior Services Centre, Portage
Mission Statement
The Association will provide a forum to facilitate communication, sharing and planning among multi-purpose Senior Centres as they provide services to Manitoba’s aging population. The Association will provide a provincial focus for multi-purpose senior centres and raise their profile.
Milestones and Achievements
Key Events
The first major goal identified for the new organization was to offer workshops both spring and fall to provide an opportunity for networking, sharing of ideas and learning. MAMSC has been successful in maintaining this objective and each year one workshop is offered at a member centre outside of Winnipeg and one within Winnipeg.
In response to our members’ requests, last year we began offering a Staff Development Day. This training opportunity was repeated again each year and is proving to be a very valuable and much appreciated workshop.
MAMSC fulfills numerous other roles on behalf of its members and continues to be very active as a participant representing seniors’ interests in numerous forums and committees throughout the year that address the issues of Health Care, Community Living and Security.
MAMSC endeavors to introduce new programs and services in a manner that does not tax already limited resources.
Recent Activities and Partnerships
In 2013, our Police Academy Advisory group were successful in applications to RCMP foundation and Federal Justice. These grant monies enabled us to hire a consultant to expand the Police Academy program to rural and remote communities throughout the 2013 – 2014 year.
MASC was again successful in an application to New Horizon’s for Seniors and are currently using the monies to enhance and promote ‘DISCOVER YOURSELF THROUGH LIFE WRITING’. Heartspace is leading this project for MASC – member centres are involved in the pilot: Charleswood Senior Centre, Gwen Secter Active Living Centre, Senior Scene (Victoria Beach), Prairie Oasis (Brandon), and Carman Active Living Centre.
MASC continues to partner with Age Friendly Manitoba. Three consultants work with communities supporting their Age Friendly Advisory Committees. In Fall 2013, the AMM district of Interlake came together to share ideas and concerns related to their local area. The committees in the AMM district of Central will come together early in March 2014.
The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and the MB Government – Seniors Secretariat continue to support MASC in the work it is doing in connecting Centres and Age Friendly communities in Manitoba.
- Prepared by K. Pirnie, May 2009
- Updated by C. Newman, January 2010
- Updated by C. Newman, June 2011
- Updated by C. Newman, February 2014