West End Seniors' Network Kay Stovold Memorial Fund
The West End Seniors' Network (WESN) Kay Stovold Memorial Fund was established to honour longtime West End resident and community volunteer, Kay Stovold, one of the co-founders of the Network. The income from the Kay Stovold Memorial Fund for the West End Seniors' Network helps support "Kay's Place" in the Denman Place Mall. Kay's Place provides a place to meet, to network and socialize over a cup of coffee, make new friends and get information on programs, services and supports for older adults... in fact, it is the kind of place that Kay Stovold dreamed of when she helped start the West End Seniors' Network all those years ago.
From its start in 1979 when a small group of dedicated volunteers got together to 'do something' to support the thousands of seniors living in the West End, today WESN offers its hundreds of members a wide range of programs, services and social and educational events at three locations, supported by a staff of eight and more than 200 dedicated volunteers!
"The thousands of seniors who live in the West End are a diverse group," notes Joel Oger, current president of the WESN board of directors. "Many of us live with spouses or partners while many others are on our own. Many of us enjoy excellent health, while many others live with a range of debilitating age-related illnesses. Many of us are financially secure, while many others struggle to make ends meet." WESN offers a range of activities, events and services - from friendly visiting to knitting to weekly grocery shopping -- to support and engage seniors in the neighbourhood.
"Seniors can access information and referral services at our Kay's Place office in the Denman Mall, take in a movie or participate in a discussion group at Barclay Manor, and volunteer at our Clothes and Collectibles thrift store in the Denman Mall, all in the same day!," says Anthony Kupferschmidt, the West End Seniors' Network Executive Director. "We are very much a member-driven network, and we rely heavily on the support of our members and the community at large to help keep our services going."