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Susan MacDonald

April 15, 2024

Written by Susan MacDonald, SCHC Client

I found Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities (SCHC) Active Living Centre (ALC) via Pine Tree Seniors. My mother came to live with us when she was 85, and I needed to find a place where she could be active and be with people. I started attending the art classes in the winter and have been involved ever since. It has been 15 – 20 years.

I attend the painting classes, the knitting group and Creative Spaces Scarborough, but ALC provides many other great programs.

Kerrin Churchill, another Scarborough senior, did some craft workshops at 629, and we became friends. Navia Harry, the Coordinator of the ALC, asked us to help apply for a grant, which we got, and Creative Spaces was born. The aim was to find creative opportunities in Scarborough and discover Scarborough’s hidden gems. It has become a great success and opened us up to our diverse community.

The ALC programs give me a creative and social outlet to learn new things and meet great people. After my husband died, it got me back out and gave me emotional support.

There have been many good times. Lunches and parties, the day trips. All good memories and friendships were made.

We are lucky to have SCHC. The Food Bank, Meals on Wheels, senior and caregiver support, transportation and youth programs, to name a few. SCHC provides excellent, vital programs that make Scarborough a better place to live.