Grandparents’ Day celebrated at Mont St. Joseph
By Shelley Fraser
PRINCE ALBERT — On Sept. 9, the first Sunday after Labour Day, 400 people gathered for a celebration of Grandparent’s Day at Mont St. Joseph Home, Prince Albert, which was initially founded by the Sisters of the Cross. The day was initiated by Marian Lucille Herndon McQuade in 1973 as a day to honour grandparents and to help children become aware of the strength, information and guidance older people can offer.
The day began with a Stroll-A-Thon, where grandparents, their children and grandchildren took part in raising money for the care home’s facilities.
“The atmosphere is a great way to connect, especially with young ones. In that way it brings a Christian spirit, to love our neighbours, and that way is the spirit of Christianity,” said Rev. Tuan Doan, pastor of St. Mark’s Parish, Prince Albert and chaplain for Mont St. Joseph.
Foundation co-ordinator Jennifer White said, “ This is our ninth year that we have a Grandparents’ Day celebration. We generally kick off the day with a fundraiser. Thanks to the support of the community and this year’s platinum supporter Econo Lumber Tim-BR Mart we raised a whopping $33,000.”
White added, “Currently, we have about 119 seniors, and for those who do not have families, we try to adopt a person to assist them in such events. The seniors look forward to this day. For others, having a Grandparents’ Day gives the families an opportunity to share and be with their loved ones.”
Ninety-two-year-old Isabelle LaHaye, who was chosen as this year’s queen, felt honoured. She said, “It was a great honour to be crowned as queen. It was so nice to be with friends and family. The event was for such a good cause. What meant the most to me was having my grandchildren around. Overall, it was a very nice day to socialize, listen to entertainment and be with family.”
 |
|