Please click here for stories and remembrances from The Senior Times newsroom as it celebrates its 30th anniversary.

From the beginning, The Senior Times approached us at Sun Youth to write a column. We, of course, were honoured and very excited about the opportunity to let senior citizens know about our programs and thus get a better chance of helping the community at large.

For almost every month of the past 30 years, The Senior Times gave us a theme to write about. It’s been a challenge to compose on a different subject every month, but we were always pleased to do so.

The Senior Times is a very high quality paper, and we had to adapt to send ever better material including high resolution photos; our
communications department grew along with The Senior Times.

Through the years, The Senior Times’ generosity towards Sun Youth has never failed. In our aging society where one in five is a senior, being able to reach a significant part of the population is extremely valuable to Sun Youth.

Thirty years is a big number to celebrate. At Sun Youth, many of our programs started 30 years ago, our food bank, our bike patrol, our bicycle giveaway, and more.

Seniors’ needs are more pressing now. For instance, our home deliveries are more in demand. They are aimed at low-income people who, for reasons of health and social isolation, cannot access Sun Youth’s on-site services. Most of these people are elderly, but among them are individuals with decreasing autonomy and reduced mobility. These last years, we have also started the “Breaking Isolation” program where we visit socially isolated citizens at their residence to assess their level of isolation. These visits allow our staff to better understand each person’s situation and to formulate plans to help. Getting the community involved in helping others is what The Senior Times and Sun Youth have in common.

We wish The Senior Times a happy 30th anniversary and know you will continue to contribute to the well-being, entertainment, and awareness of your readers for many years to come.

Editor’s Note: It’s been a privilege to partner with Sun Youth, in particular Sid Stevens, on our long road to making a difference in Montrealers’ lives. We have always supported each other and at this milestone, I want to congratulate you, Sid, and your team, for your tremendous dedication to the well being and welfare of Montrealers of all ages. You’re called Sun Youth and we’re called The Senior Times, yet we’re both intergenerational in our purpose and our approach and we both defy categories and stereotypes. Here’s to many more years of collaboration and mutual support!