Keeping people in our community healthy and happy is what the Peachland Wellness Centre is all about. Here’s an update from the PWC:
Did you know the Peachland Wellness Centre is hiring? They’re looking for a self-motivated, organized person as a housekeeper for the PWC’s Better At Home Service. This is a part-time position, between six to eight hours a week, and requires light housekeeping duties on a flexible basis for seniors. Interested? Email your resume to Christina MacMaster (christina.pwc@outlook.com)
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Some thoughts on our times, from two PWC volunteers:
Hello friends. It is hard to know how to start this article, in what is an unbelievable period in time. There is no real way to summarize what our community and country have gone through, but it is obviously unprecedented for us all.
Readjustment seems to be the universal experience for so many of us and this is the same for us at the Peachland Wellness Centre (PWC). We have had to make changes quickly to be able to accommodate our friends in the community to be able to provide our services – with the incredible help of our volunteers that stepped forward with their smiles and help in a time of uncertainty.
Our current situation reminds me of the story of the yellow rose. In the early days, the yellow rose was exchanged as a symbol of friendship. The red rose being the symbol of love. This created a negativity with the competition between the red and yellow rose. As time went on the cheery yellow rose came to signify joy and friendship – and here at the PWC we hope that we too can symbolize joy and friendship.
It is important to try at this time of physical and social distancing the “spice” of life technique.
S = Social – opportunity for interaction with others, i.e. outside at a lady’s coffee group, visit with a friend, men’s social groups, all following the new COVID guidelines.
P = Physical – going for walks, tai chi outside, or enjoying nature (the lovely gardens at the PWC).
I = In Service: our friendly phone calls weekly to stay in touch with our clients. And phone calls to us for help with resources and information.
C = Cognitive. Read our newsletter and local news, and stay in touch with family, friends, and neighbours. Also, utilize Skype, Zoom, or other means of communication that is facilitated by technology, i.e. laptops, cell phones or the tablets provided by the PWC to select participants.
E = Emotional. There’s opportunities for emotional expression through support, one-to-one calls and even counselling (when needed).
These components of our services form the SPICE of life when planning and implementing our programs and services to the community. We have tried to highlight ways the PWC has adjusted to COVID
International Friendship Day is a day to appreciate and promote friendships and began in 2011 by the United Nations. One purpose of this observance is to promote the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities. This is especially important during this time of uncertainty. This is important as we are all challenged to think outside the box as we all go through this time.
Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together. – Woodrow Wilson
Let’s all think about a small thing we might be able to do this Friendship Day and here are a couple suggestions to get you started:
- Let every one of your friends know how much you appreciate them – with a card, a letter, a phone call, an email, a text, etc.
- Practice random acts of kindness for strangers and make some new friends.
- Smile at everyone you meet today, they may be your new best friend.
- Dedicate a song on the radio to your friends.
- Take pictures of yourself with your friends having fun together.
Linda Whittome and Teri Pentland are Service Coordinators at the Peachland Wellness Centre.
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The Wellness Centre would like to thank the Peachland Rotary for their generous donation of an automated external defibrillator (AED) which will now be kept on-site. Pictured here is Christina MacMaster, PWC Executive Coordinator holding the new device and Peggy Southin, past President of the Rotary Club of Peachland presenting a cheque for the AED, in the amount of $1,800.
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It’s been a bright and sunny spot over the past couple months and now, the community garden at the Peachland Wellness Centre is in full bloom.
“The garden has always been open as a place for people to go,” says executive coordinator Christina MacMaster. There’s 32 plots in 
the Wellness Centre’s backyard, and with a waiting list of 24 people, they’re hoping to add more in the future.
Gardeners bring their own seeds, bedding plants and hand tools, and there’s an exchange bucket for people to trade any extras for what they need.
The centre’s Monday morning coffee group has been meeting in the garden lately, and MacMaster says people are welcome to come visit, as long as they’re adhering to social distancing rules.
“It’s beautiful back there, and it just shows how the world carries on,” she says.
“We’re all living in these uncertain times and not knowing from day to day what’s going to be happening at work or otherwise and then you see what’s growing in the garden. It’s beautiful.”
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Thirteen tablets – including two that are brand-new, were donated to the Wellness Centre between May and June. Volunteers are now contacting program clients and participants to determine their needs and match them with devices. Even if you’ve never been to a PWC program, you can still call their office and they’ll see if you qualify. And although the official campaign is over, you can still donate a tablet if you’re able. These tablets will allow seniors (who are a majority of the PWC’s clients) to participate virtually in Wellness Centre programs, from coffee groups to singing, to whatever the demand may be going forward. The Centre says they’ll be offering their programs virtually for the time being, and likely over the summer.
Do you want to help the PWC with a donation? You can go to the PWC donation page at CanadaHelps.org or Peachland Chamber, arrange for E- Transfer to christina.pwc@outlook.com, or call the PWC and make arrangements to drop off your cheque or cash with one of our staff members. PWC has a safe drop-off site. Simply call the Peachland Wellness Centre at (250) 767-0141 before stopping by.
Check out their website and Facebook page.
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See stories:
March 19 Wellness Centre adds delivery service, changes hours to serve Peachlanders
March 18: District of Peachland, Wellness Centre close doors but can still help public
March 16: Volunteers needed to help Peachland seniors shop amidst COVID-19 concerns
