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Vancouver Island community organizes luncheon for seniors to beat COVID-19 blues

Sayward Community Recreation Association and Mowi teamed up to deliver lunch boxes to senior citizens in Sayward
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Volunteers from Mowi, brought their mobile BBQ unit to prepare lunch boxes which were delivered to seniors in Sayward. (Submitted photo)

It started Friday morning, 9 a.m.

More than 65 seniors in Sayward received a special lunch box delivered at their doorstep by volunteers from the community.

The seniors luncheon was arranged by the Sayward Community Recreation Association-Heritage Hall (SCRA ) and the aquaculture company, Mowi on July 31 to beat COVID-19 blues.

Lunch was prepared, packed and delivered by Mowi to volunteers in Sayward who then distributed the food to the seniors. The lunch-box menu consisted of barbecue salmon with salad and rice noodles, a homemade bun and cookies.

Ann Vansnick, the president of SCRA who organized the event – which was supposed to have been a sit-down lunch during spring – said it had to be cancelled due to the pandemic. Instead, with physical distancing measures being more important while organizing events for high-risk groups like seniors, they decided to deliver.

Mowi had already agreed to deliver the salmon for the lunch, but then stepped up and offered to bring up their mobile barbecue to prepare it as well, said Vansnick

“The older people always look forward to seeing their friends at the event. Since most of them don’t live close to each other, they don’t always get to see other people,” said Vansnick about how the social event is uplifting for the seniors.

In Sayward, the tradition of has been ongoing for many years and was originally started as a Christmas dinner event for seniors by Joyce Dustins. After her death, the SCRA decided to start a spring lunch event last year in her honour, said Vansnick.

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