From 'flower power' advocating to government program managing; from art to bookkeeping, my working life (both paid and volunteer) was diverse. In the range of jobs over the years, my focus has been on women's rights, the environment, and housing. Now that I have retired, I am adding to the list those matters that affect seniors' well-being and lifestyle. I am excited to be a part of the Westside Seniors Hub where we work together in developing resources and supporting systems for seniors.

And I can't forget art - always a part of my life. Right now, it is photography. I have a large selection of nature photographs which I have sold at craft fairs and independently. I love to search through gardens and fields looking for just the right image with light, colour, shape, and view.

Deb is retired from her role as Senior Manager Productivity with Butterfield Bank in the Cayman Islands and Bermuda. Before working for the Bank, Deb was a Senior Systems Engineer with IBM Canada.

She grew up in Vancouver on the west side attending Maple Grove and Magee and earned a B.Sc. in Computer Science from SFU. She has a Post Graduate Certificate in eLearning and Online Teaching from the University of Wisconsin – Stout.

Deb is currently a part time vacation consultant with Expedia. She completed a research trip around the world after moving back to Vancouver in retirement. At Kits House Deb is a volunteer with the English Conversation Circles.

Peter retired from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans after 35 years of service as a fisheries biologist and manager. During that time, he served for several years on Boards supporting local sport organizations (e.g., Vancouver Youth Soccer Association) and schools. For his retirement he volunteers at the Museum of Anthropology and Westside Seniors Hub, a past-Director at the Dunbar Community Centre, referee’s youth soccer on the weekends, plays lots of pickleball, and enjoys a number of other hobbies.

Peter’s family moved to the Dunbar area in 1962, and throughout that time he watched the services, growth and opportunities change over the years. His mother lived in their home for over 50 years, well in to her 90’s. This provided him with the opportunity to help her with the challenges of aging, living on her own, and looking for services to maintain her needs.

“The Westside Seniors Hub has provided me with an opportunity to work with others in finding ways for seniors and their caregivers to fulfill their lives as best they can.”

Lynn has been a biology instructor, science librarian, and nurse in long-term care facilities. She joined the Westside Seniors Hub at its inception in 2015 as a way to meet and work with neighbours interested in promoting seniors’ issues. Lynn believes that retiring seniors should have ready access to needed services and interesting programs so they can stay active and comfortably age in place. She loves living on the Westside with its parks, beaches, amazing vistas, and proximity to so many amenities. “The Westside Seniors Hub is a way for me to engage in creating a community where seniors can comfortably age in place and find fulfillment.”

Joanne has a Master of Social Work from UBC and brings more than 30 years of experience in not for profit management. Until retirement last year, she was Director of Senior Services at Jewish Family Services. She values neighbourhood (lives in Kitsilano for 33 years) and community development approaches. She is currently a Board member of Brock House Society.

Ken recently retired from an interesting active engineering career managing the Alaska Highway. Since then, whether cooking with others for the Seniors Drop In, setting up and hanging out with the Parents and Tots, helping lead English Conversation Circles, participating in the Westside Hub to coordinate services to seniors or most recently engineering and building waste recycling carts, Ken has been a fully engaged member of the Kits House community. Ken enjoys his day to day retirement with the odd exotic trip like Egypt in October to add spice. Ken encourages others to come join the wonderful group of Kits House volunteers and supportive staff. “Finding enough to keep me busy and socially involved would be a challenge. I tried three things but had too many empty hours and too little social interaction until I discovered Kits House last December.”

Mary Jane is a retired federal public servant whose senior leadership roles ranged from labour market development programs to public pensions to social policy. “My greatest satisfaction working coast to coast over 3 decades came from empowering communities to identify their own social issues and build local capacity to initiate change. I am very pleased to be part of the Westside Seniors Hub as a founding member of the Council and a long time resident of the west side.”