This is about your Activity Centre. Surprisingly enough it does not just happen, and open every weekday all on its own. There are many people behind the scenes that keep the day to day operation on track and hopefully paying its own way. The land and building are solely owned by the Society with no financial support from government. The Society relies totally on its members, rentals, grants and donations to balance the books and keep the building maintained and functional. The building, is a HUGE asset to the Coast.

The Sechelt Seniors Activity Centre Society is registered with the BC Government as a non-profit society owned and controlled by its membership and is staffed almost totally by volunteers. In effect, it is a membership only club. The exceptions to that rule are the chef, Emily McPherson who prepares all the lunches daily plus all the frozen entrees with the help of a team of volunteers. Jim the contract custodian keeps the entire Centre spotless and gleaming like a brand new building. The Society has recently hired a new office manager, Eric, to oversee activities, rentals, and many other oversight functions.

The bulk of the operation falls to the volunteers. They show up every day or whenever their schedule allows it and work for a few hours. Usually 1 – 3 days a week for 2 – 4 hours. The volunteers fall into several categories: kitchen, greeters, office, money counters, maintenance, security, bus, activity chairs, etc.

The Kitchen Volunteers work behind the scenes to prepare, serve, deliver food, clean tables, take orders, collect money, wash dishes, and help the chef wherever they can.

Then there are the Greeters who sit at the entrance and greet everyone, collect your name and member number and check your vaccination status. Since Covid interfered with all of our lives it is necessary to collect everyone’s information as they enter the building in case it is required for tracking. In the time of Covid, the membership of the Society decided it was MANDATORY that all members be fully vaccinated before they are permitted to enter the building for meals and activities.

The Front Office staff are the next point of contact as you enter the building. They issue memberships, sell the frozen food if the kitchen is closed, sell activity tickets, answer phones, book special event tickets, and generally help wherever they can.

The money counters job is pretty obvious but just as important. Because cash is still a legal tender, it needs to be counted and balanced. Every activity, of which there are many, is paid for with cash or prepaid tickets. All money or tickets are tallied at the end of every day and balanced to the number of items sold or the number of people that attended an activity. Some items or activities can be paid for by card but it still needs to be balanced.

Maintenance volunteers are not constantly around, they are called in if the situation requires it. Same with Security and Bus Volunteers.

Your Board is responsible for ensuring that the Centre runs well. Committees meet to oversee the particular specialty to ensure that everything runs smoothly and to watch out for the best interests of our Society.

There are several Committees that have been designated in our Constitution and Bylaws to facilitate the smooth operation of your Centre.
Currently you have:

  • Bus Committee
  • Communications Committee
  • Computer & Audio/Visual Committee
  • Finance Committee
  • Fundraising and Special Events Committee
  • Kitchen Committee
  • Legal & Legislative Committee
  • Maintenance Committee
  • Membership Committee
  • Rental & Activities Committee
  • Security Committee

All of the above Committees are overseen by a member of the Board of Directors, a group of volunteers like you, that have chosen to step forward to steer and decide what is best for the good of the Centre so that “IT” can carry on and be the focal point of the lives of all the seniors of the Sunshine Coast that choose to become members and get involved and be active in their community and take advantage of this fabulous resource.

Everyone has an interest, something that draws their eye, tweaks our attention, gets our blood pumping. The Centre relies on people that have had their interest in some activity piqued, to continue operating. If you have spare time and you see a committee that you are interested in and feel that you could be a benefit to your Centre and the Membership at large then step forward and make your interest known. Email the Centre at , or drop by the office and let us know.

Do not be afraid to get involved with something you are interested in, helping out and meeting new people can be extremely rewarding.

Mark Garland
Director at Large SSAC