Georgian Shores Swinging Seniors Receive Donation From German Canadian Club Gemuetlichkeit 70
Mar. 2, 2023 – The Georgian Shores Swinging Seniors Club mission is to build a healthy community with programs that address the diverse needs of our seniors who are 50 plus, and that provide and promote fellowship, recreation, entertainment and life enrichment for seniors in comfortable surroundings.
All activities at the GSSS are for members only and all members must be fully vaccinated. Any guest wishing to attend an event must also be fully vaccinated and must pre-register with the office before attending the Club event. A yearly membership is $40 if paid by March 31 each year and $50 if paid April 1 or after. There is also an activity fee of $3 per activity.Visit http://georgianshoresswingingseniors.ca/. Submitted by Helmut Paddags
Tom Holloway, President, GSS Seniors is pleased to receive $57,500 from Helmut Paddags, President, German Canadian Club during a presentation ceremony held at “The Place” in Balm Beach. GSSS provided refreshments for those in attendance. Paul Quick, maintenance director, GSSS, gave a brief history of the patio and how it had deteriorated over the decades. With the renovation it will become more accessible and allow the club to maintain the German tradition of open-air socials. Rick Rollo, Treasurer, GSSS explains that $30,000 dollars will be put into the reserve fund for future contingencies such as facility maintenance, $15,000 for patio renovation and the remainder will go to operating expenses which were severally depleted due to the pandemic. Under the articles of dissolution for GCCG70 all assets must be distributed to charities. Vickie Scott, CEO, GSSS, read the Land Acknowledgement statement.
North Simcoe and Area’s Vital Signs Report 2023 – A Call to Action
Submitted by Scott Warnock ,Midland ON – March 8, 2023
The North Simcoe and Area’s Vital Signs® Report 2023 was released today by Huronia Community Foundation (HCF). The report, based on data from Stats Canada, community surveys and contributions from 80 local organizations, identifies the challenges which undermine the quality of life and future prosperity of all North Simcoe residents. It also lays out how local charities, businesses, and government are working together to make the region better for everyone.
One of the recommendations from the report is a Call to Action which indicates “it’s imperative that the community come together to find solutions to the dilemmas of having too many unfilled jobs while working families continue to struggle because adequate housing is too expensive or unavailable”, says Don McCready, President of Huronia Community Foundation.
At the same time, businesses and organizations said that they are having trouble attracting workers at the pay levels they are able to offer.
“Working families who can earn enough to pay for their housing and other necessities while also allowing them to build for the future helps ensure the long-term physical and mental health of residents and vibrancy of the North Simcoe community. This will also attract newcomers which will enhance the economic health of our businesses and other organizations”, continued McCready.
There are many people working hard to make the region a better place for everyone. But they need help. Our Call to Action is to get involved, contribute and connect with your North Simcoe community to develop innovative solutions to these problems while minimizing the environmental effects of economic growth.
“Our community is generous and resilient with many residents and organizations contributing so that North Simcoe continues to be a great place to live and raise a family, but more needs to be done to ensure a brighter future,” says McCready.
Key findings from Huronia Community Foundation’s 2023 Vital Signs Report:
- There is an abundance of unfilled jobs in North Simcoe, many of which do not come with a living wage.
- Many working families are challenged to pay for housing and other necessities and worry about losing their homes as the cost of living continues to increase and there are few housing alternatives. 20% of resident respondents to the HCF survey are struggling to make ends meet
- The median annual income of North Simcoe residents is about $38,500; rent for a one bedroom is well over $1,000 per month, when available. The average house price
approaches $700,000.
- Homelessness is a chronic problem to which the lack of affordable housing contributes.
- A significant proportion of the North Simcoe population (22.5%) are experiencing mental
illness, a situation made worse by the pandemic.
- 31% of school-age students in Simcoe Muskoka report having fair or poor mental health,with more than two times as many females than males reporting this condition.
These are just a few of the results which were identified. We encourage you to find out moreabout the report and the data behind it by visiting:
https://www.huroniacommunityfoundation.com/vital-signs/
About Vital Signs
Vital Signs is a community check-up that measures the vitality of our communities and identifies significant trends in a range of areas critical to quality of life. Vital Signs is coordinated nationally by Community Foundations of Canada.
About Huronia Community Foundation
Huronia Community Foundation is a registered charity established in 2000 and is governed under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act. HCF builds and manages endowment and other funds to support charities in the geographic area including the municipalities of Midland, Penetanguishene, Tay, Tiny, Christian Island, Georgian Bay Township, Elmvale, Wasaga Beachand Collingwood, Ontario.