A first edition of this challenge, whose goal was to raise awareness among families and the public to fight against the isolation of seniors and to share the importance of visiting them, was held during the whole month of June. With the Let’s visit our seniors challenge, we also wanted to celebrate our seniors by offering them quality time, over and above regular visits. We wanted to encourage “happy visits”, according to Anyze Goyette, Community Organizer. 

Organizations, elementary school classes, and several citizens answered the call with diverse actions of compassionate care of seniors. Friendly visits, sharing a meal, weeding the garden, a bike ride, daily coffee break and chat, an invitation for a special outing, friendly call of “how’s it going today?”, intergenerational group activity – these are some of the acts of kindness registered within the framework of the Challenge. More than 50 acts were registered on the website www.enbonnecompagnie.org during the Let’s visit our seniors challenge! initiated by the En Bonne Compagnie dans le Haut-Saint-Laurent project. From among these registrations, a drawing was held: eight Visit the Haut-Saint-Laurent packages and a gift basket from the Comité de concertation des aînés du HSL. The Visit the Haut-Saint-Laurent packages were possible due to the generosity of 19 Haut-Saint-Laurent businesses: Restaurant Bothai in Huntingdon, Restaurant Citron et Basilic in Huntingdon, Café du Château in Huntingdon, Taxibus Haut-Saint-Laurent, Serenplicity in Ormstown, Drouleurs site in St Anicet, Lac des Pins in St Antoine Abbé, Le Petit Resto in St Antoine Abbé, AlpagAdore in St Chrysostome, Express 57 in Ormstown, Equestrian Festival in Godmanchester, Little Green Library in Huntingdon, Exlibris in Huntingdon, Chateauguay Valley Antique Association in Rockburn, Long Rapids Pub in Huntingdon, Bar du Village in Huntingdon, Moto Expo Montreal in Hinchinbrooke, Parks Canada, and Parc Safari in Hemmingford. 

At the same time, the Challenge underlines the purple ribbon campaign – Wear purple for the cause!, associated with World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on June 15. More than 130 people were met at the information booths at the Ormstown shopping centre and the Huntingdon CLSC. At 7:00 p.m. on June 15, there was a theatrical presentation, T’en rappelles-tu?, written by Jeannine Faille, a socially active senior, which was brought to life on stage by Une Affaire de Famille within the framework of the Let’s visit our seniors challenge! A very nice show with amateur comedians who gave an exceptional presentation before an audience of 90 people! 

In partnership, the Comité de concertation des aînés du HSL, the municipalities of the Haut-Saint-Laurent, the MRC Friends of Seniors of the Haut-Saint-Laurent, and the partner organizations of the project, would like to introduce a solidarity movement in the community with the Let’s visit our seniors challenge! as well as an awareness campaign on the compassionate care of seniors, recurring every year from June 1 – 30. 

En Bonne Compagnie dans le Haut-Saint-Laurent wants to fight against the isolation of seniors and ensure that they are treated well through active partnerships. The project is a concerted approach of the partners with a clientele of 50 years and over. It has the support of its creator, the Comité de concertation des aînés du HSL (CCAHSL), its trustee, Centre Communautaire muliservices Un coin chez-nous, and is financed by Québec Amis Des Aînés (QADA) – within the framework of projects looking to improve the living conditions of seniors. 

An involved community leaves a legacy of commitment for generations.