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2025 Resident Focus Group

A.  Connecting People

​Possible Actions

  • Newcomers lunch/dinner gathering – quarterly?

  • Integrate new people into The Village – invite to events with VCA (roster of volunteers)

  • “Speed dating” approach to meeting new people

  • Name tags at events with street – provide nametags to all VCA members “permanently”

  • “Buddy” for nights out to theatre, dinner

​Responsibility

  • Lindy & SC – Coffee time - check with S&S for a best day

  • Lindy - Name tags – through Social Committee

  • Judy - Integrate new members through Ambassadors

  • Sue will add these events to the newsletter

Timeline

  • Fall 2025

  • As events occur

Discussion Notes

  • Change lunch/dinner to Buddy system – lower priority for now

  • Name tags – Will bring sticky tags to all events and have members fill in 

  • Integrate new members– will encourage with newsletters, etc.  Non members will be encouraged to attend as well.

  • Potentially through the ambassadors, encourage new residents to attend each event.  

  • Buddy system – lower priority for now

Progress Notes​​

B.  Connecting people with similar Interests

Possible Actions

  • Set up groups eg walking, biking

  • Sport casual get-togethers

  • Connect people with similar interests eg cycling, walking, pickle ball, golf, etc , scotch & cigars, music – find out who, share

Responsibility

  • Sue – to have it in the newsletter to garner interest

Timeline

  • Fall 2025

Discussion Notes

  • Will have to put this out in a newsletter – ask who is interested in what, and who might volunteer to coordinate an activity

  • Start with walking, biking, then on to lunch, scotch, wine tasting, move from there

  • Look for volunteer leaders from Focus group attendees to organize – if we don’t get any volunteer leaders

  • Sue to look into Pool Hall

Progress Notes

C.  Organizing Meals, Wine, Park events

​Possible Actions

  • Progressive dinners

  • Socialize in the parks – informal get-togethers

  • Celebrations – recognition of major things like anniversaries, big birthdays in newsletter

  • Community meal – pot-luck, casual – or coffee

  • Wine club/tastings

  • Host parties by phases of The Village – invite all

  • Board Game/cards nights

​Responsibility

  • Sue – in newsletter

  • Lindy – Social Committee

Timeline

  • July 2025, Winter 2025-26

Discussion Notes

  • Celebrations – we will need to get information through the newsletter –“ if you have something to share, we will share in newsletter”

  • Wine club and tastings will be part of section A

  • Community meal – part of the Christmas/Lighting celebration. Picnic in the Park as well.  We feel that it is already done

  • Laneway get togethers – suggest that laneways organize by the laneway and invite others -.keep it simple

  • Board Game/card nights – someone could lead.  Perhaps more for the winter evenings, those who stay around

Progress Notes

  • Have been able to share a few ‘good news’ stories to date eg Frasers anniversary, Janet Lamb’s marriage.

  • Held a picnic in the park in July

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D.  Enhance Communication

​Possible Actions

  • Set up a chat or web option for sharing, like Facebook but not all are on Facebook

  • Private Facebook page for VCA members

Responsibility

  • Susan

  • Sue

Timeline

  • June 2025

​Discussion Notes

  • Susan to look into setting up Facebook Page

  • Reviewed by Exec and suggestions made for revision

  • Sue to look at WIX to see what we can include in our website

Progress Notes

  • Susan has prepared Facebook page and released.Susan and Carol to monitor.

  • 82 members as of October, 2025

  • 104 members as of August, 2026

E.  Providing support/help for seniors or anyone

​Possible Actions

  • Help those in community that need support eg Driving to appointments, help around house, computer help, snow removal

  • Babysitting

  • Dog walking/sitting

  • Vacation watch, House sitting

  • Volunteer hour ‘bank’ – trading help

  • Assistance with conflict resolution

  • Develop a roster of volunteers – help eg with computers, take to hospital appts, etc

Responsibility

  • Sue – highlight Eye Watch during the late fall/winter

  • Sue – survey

Timeline

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Discussion Notes

  • A lot of support is being done independently

  • There is already a Loyalty Partner (Eye Watch) who does vacation watch

  • We can put out a survey on what help is needed and who has the ability to help

  • Conflict resolution – we can link them to someone who can help eg. Constable Mike

Progress Notes

  • Discovered Happy in my Home (Community Support Services of Niagara) that does all of these things – will post and let Village know they are looking for local volunteers.

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F.  Developing and sharing “Lists”

​Possible Actions

  • Share recommendations for contractors, etc.

  • Neighbourhood Watch -

  • Encourage sharing contacts within the Village residents

  • List of services – things available

Responsibility

  • Carol will update this list and bring to Exec.

  • Sue - newsletter

Timeline

  • ​For July 10 Exec mtg

Discussion Notes

  • Could post on Facebook.

  • Encourage residents to let your immediate neighbours know when you are away. 

  • Share who can pet walk or sit.

Progress Notes

  • ​Ardeth has called all contractors – list is now on website in the Community Links.

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G.  Support for widows/widowers

​Possible Actions

  • ​Form a support group

Responsibility

  • Ardeth will talk with Barb Whittall re: what might this look like?

  • Carol to see if there is a group already in NOTL

Timeline

  • ​July 2025

Discussion Notes

  • Support is available through Palliative Care

​Progress Notes​​

H.  Neighbour Check-ins

​Possible Actions

  • Friendly visits or email

  • Neighbour check-in – call sheet

  • Emergency contacts – share by agreement

Responsibility

  • ​Sue will research articles on ‘wise’ tips for living alone

Timeline

  • ​August 14 Exec mtg

Discussion Notes

  • ​​Encourage residents who live alone to share their emergency contact with a neighbours.

Progress Notes

  • ​Check-in service also available through Happy in my Home organization.

  • Several resources added to our website on the Community Resources page for Seniors Health including McMaster University Healthy Aging, Senior Services in St Catharines, and Niagara North Senior Health Seminars.

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I.  Education

​Possible Actions

  • Education for Seniors – Financial plans, estate, funeral, power of attorney – health, etc.

  • Tech Savey – technology lessons

  • Skills exchange – cooking, baking, knitting, painting

  • Garden tours

  • Health – promote/facilitate sessions or talks going on in Town – (not everyone can navigate to sign up)

  • Safety – First Aid training

  • AED machine in The Village?

  • Publicize volunteer opportunities

Responsibility

  • ​All Executive keep our ears/ eyes open for sessions we can inform residents about.

Timeline

  • Ongoing

  • June 2026

Discussion Notes

  • Anyone can see content from Niagara North Health sessions on their website.  Encourage residents to share these on VCA Facebook page.

  • Good topics for future AGM & GM meetings.

  • See in a year if we want to organize any of these sessions.

Progress Notes

  • ​Sept 20 Life and Learn sessions in newsletter.​

K.  Find out what men would like.  Find out what LGBTQ couples would like

​Possible Actions

  • ​Talk to some to see what they would like to see offered.

Responsibility

​

Timeline

  • ​By September

Discussion Notes

  • ​Sue looking into pool hall (women also)

Progress Notes

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