Tag: donate
For GEF volunteer Tom Forbes, cycling is about more than just getting from one place to another. It’s about freedom, fresh air, good company, and making memories.
For the past two years, Tom has shared his love of cycling with GEF seniors as a volunteer trishaw pilot. He gives residents and tenants the opportunity to get outdoors, explore their neighbourhoods, enjoy the simple pleasure of a bike ride, and create meaningful moments with friends and family.
“When I take residents and their grandchildren, and their great-grandchildren, all on the same vehicle, where they experience something together – that is a gift!”
~Tom Forbes, GEF Volunteer
Judy, a resident at GEF Pleasantview Place Lodge, enjoys her trishaw rides with Tom.
“I like Tom because he’s a nice driver! We go around the block and then come back home – I love it! ”
~Judy M., GEF Resident
From Trishaws to Bicycles
While volunteering with the trishaw program, Tom noticed many bikes sitting unused in the bike racks at various GEF communities he visited. Some bikes had flat tires, rusty chains, or simply hadn’t been ridden in years.
This sparked an idea. Tom saw an opportunity to help more GEF seniors who were interested in riding, get back in the saddle through a bike program.
At GEF Montgomery Place, Tom began offering bike maintenance clinics. He helps tenants check and repair their bikes, making sure the brakes work, the tires are inflated, and the bikes are safe to ride. Then they are ready to hit the road!
What started as short rides around the neighbourhood has grown into bike rides of about twelve kilometres. The cycling group enjoys river valley views and stops for coffee and conversation.
GEF Montgomery Place tenant, Mary, looks forward to the outings.
“I like the exercise and I like the company. It’s nice to ride with other people too and go different places.”
~Mary M., GEF Tenant
Every Ride Builds Connection
The bike rides have inspired others to take part in the group activity. GEF staff have started joining in and bringing their families, creating a chance for seniors, staff, and families to spend time together in this new way.
“Tom is very familiar with the area, and he took us on a lovely ride.
~Colleen Simpson, GEF Seniors Housing
I really enjoyed spending time with the community, the tenants, and the staff here at Montgomery.”
For staff member Somaly, bringing her family along has been a special part of the experience.
“My family loves riding bikes, so it’s nice that we can all join in together. We’re all having fun and building friendships.”
~Somaly May, GEF Seniors Housing
What began as Tom sharing his passion has become a shared effort, bringing seniors, staff, families, and volunteers together.
Making Sure Everyone Can Join the Ride
Tom’s goal is to make the rides accessible to everyone who wants to join in.
“We’re planning and executing these rides so that everyone, no matter what kind of bike they have, can participate. We can take bikes with stability wheels, trikes, and certainly a trishaw, allowing other people to enjoy that maybe aren’t comfortable on a bike.”
~Tom Forbes, GEF Volunteer
The Reward of Helping Others
For Tom, volunteering is about contributing the skills he has to enrich the lives of others.
“Tom’s terrific! He’s quite knowledgeable about bikes and he’s doing something and he’s not getting paid for it – that’s not a big motivator for a lot of people, but he loves it.”
~Howard S., GEF Tenant
“To take people for a bike ride and see their enjoyment means everything to me.
~Tom Forbes, GEF Volunteer
That’s what keeps me coming back – is seeing how others benefit from what I can give.”
Get Involved. Give Back.
Tom’s story is a great example of how one person’s time, skills, and passion can bring people together.
Volunteer with GEF and share your interests with seniors across our communities. There are many ways to get involved.
Donate to the Quality of Life Fund to help support activities and experiences for GEF seniors. Thanks to community support, we have been able to purchase new trishaw batteries and continue maintaining our three trishaws.
This winter, we launched our first Brighten the Lives of Seniors Campaign. Inspired by the new light display at GEF Central Services and McQueen Place Lodge, the vibrant lights reflected the warmth, joy, and connection that community support and donations bring to seniors who call GEF home.
📹 Watch highlights from our community light-up launch event here!
Your Support Made the Season Shine
From December through the end of February, we saw that support come to life across our communities. Seniors across our 43 GEF communities enjoyed a bright holiday season thanks to the generosity of individuals, families, and businesses. With help from the campaign, we were able to:
- Provide 109 grocery gift cards as door prizes for events
- Send approximately 270 seniors on 17 Holiday Light Tours
- Host 54 festive events that brought people together
- Add a new 32” smart TV to the common room at GEF Ritchie Pioneer Place
A Bright First Year
With a goal of $35,000, we raised $32,322 in this new initiative. This builds on last year’s $20,000 raised and shows what can happen when people come together. Support came in many ways this year. From donations and gifts to participation in our additional Brighten the Board fundraiser, people found meaningful ways to enrich the lives of seniors. Each donation to the Quality of Life Fund, helps support programs, experiences, and community enhancements that make a difference in our seniors’ everyday lives.
See the full list of donors and volunteers who helped make this possible.
Stocking Stuffers Success
Another highlight from the campaign was the return of the London Drugs Stocking Stuffers for Seniors program. With support from London Drugs, everyone who fulfilled a senior’s wish list, and the volunteers and staff who helped deliver the gifts, we reached more seniors than ever. A record 2,525 seniors across all of our communities received a present this holiday season.
📹 Watch some of the heartwarming moments from delivery day here!
Volunteers Made the Season Glow
So many wonderful volunteers also donated their time and creativity to decorate our communities during the giving season. The trees, lights, and decorations made our spaces feel welcoming, festive, and full of holiday spirit!
A special thank you to the Old Navy team in Edmonton. They helped decorate and donated over 330 gift bags for seniors in our communities, as well as for local seniors still waiting for a place to call home. This thoughtful gesture brought comfort and care during a busy, and often stressful, time of year.
Keep the Light Going!
While our Brighten the Lives of Seniors Campaign has wrapped up, its impact continues. Ongoing community support helps create more opportunities for GEF seniors to stay active, engaged, and connected across our communities.
Keep the bright moments going – DONATE to our Quality of Life Fund today!
Thank you again to everyone who made the season sparkle for seniors by contributing to our new campaign. We look forward to lighting things up again this November. Together we are creating meaningful moments that last well beyond the season.
WinterFEST made its way through our lodge communities throughout February and into early March, and it was such a great reminder of how special this season can be. The celebrations brought residents, families, friends, staff, and volunteers together to embrace the winter season, while sharing laughter, connection, and plenty of warm memories along the way.
A Blizzard of Fun and Games
Our Life Enrichment Team put so much care into this event. From the winter-themed games like Beat the Blizzard, Slap Shot, Ski Ball, and Winter Trivia, to the popular Polaroid booth and caricature station that had everyone smiling. There was something for everyone to explore in every corner.
VR Adventures
The Rendever Virtual Reality station was a big highlight! Residents and guests explored the Aurora Borealis, toured Banff and Jasper, went snowmobiling, and even took a snowy stroll with dogs, all without leaving the lodge! So many happy memories were made!
The excitement even caught the attention of CTV Edmonton, who stopped by WinterFEST at GEF Sakaw Terrace to showcase how our VR Program is bringing the world and new experiences to our seniors.
📹 Watch the CTV Virtual Reality feature here!
Cozy, Canadian, Comfort Food
As always, the food brought everyone together. The delicious poutine bar was a hit, along with pecan tarts, assorted desserts, snow cones, cider, hot chocolate, and mulled wine.
“The food is always a highlight at these types of events. The Food Services Team is very talented and creative. The benefit of community events like this is that staff, community members, and residents can come together and enjoy something out of the ordinary!”
~Shirley A., GEF Sakaw Terrace
Making a Difference Together
Across our communities, more than 1,000 residents, family members, friends, and staff came together, with staff also welcoming their own families to join the celebrations. Approximately 80 amazing volunteers supported the events, and 50 door prizes were handed out along the way!
WinterFEST also featured a donation booth for our Brighten the Lives of Seniors Campaign, which concluded on February 28. Every contribution to our Quality of Life Fund helps support meaningful programs, experiences, and celebrations like WinterFEST across our communities.
Keep the Joy Going All Year Long!
Our WinterFEST events came together thanks to the hard work of our staff, volunteers, and community supporters. Want to help bring more joy to seniors in the year ahead? Here’s how you can get involved:
💙 Work with us – Join our caring team that makes a difference for seniors.
💙 Volunteer – Help create fun and memorable moments for our residents and tenants.
💙 Donate – Every contribution brings enriching opportunities and connection to seniors in our communities.
WinterFEST brought a little extra warmth and cheer to our lodges this season. Thank you to everyone who made this year’s celebrations a success!
The holiday season is always a special time at GEF, thanks to the incredible support of our community partners who help make it meaningful. For the third year in a row, we were fortunate to receive a heartwarming donation from Old Navy. Their continued generosity brought warmth and holiday cheer to GEF seniors and housing applicants this festive season.
Throughout November, staff from Old Navy stores across Edmonton assembled over 330 holiday gift bags for GEF. Each bag included cozy socks from Old Navy, along with something warm, something fun, something tasty, and something practical. These sweet and caring gifts brought real comfort during a busy and often stressful time of year.
A Special Surprise for Housing Applicants
Our Housing Placement Coordinators were excited to step into the role of Santa’s helpers once again, handing out holiday bags. During housing interviews in December and early January, housing applicants were surprised with one of these gifts.
“One applicant was delighted by the kind gesture and said, ‘I don’t celebrate the holidays, but I really appreciate this! This is my first time receiving a gift!'”
Shelley Anna Adia, GEF Housing Placement Coordinator
With more than 1,300 people currently on our housing waitlist, these gifts offered encouragement and a reminder of hopeful things to come amidst the stress of the holidays and housing challenges.
Spreading Smiles in Our Communities
The remainder of the gift bags were delivered by Old Navy staff to seniors at GEF Sakaw Terrace in December. The happy delivery day brought plenty of smiles, and residents were deeply touched by the lovely visit and holiday gifts.
Thank You, Old Navy!
We’re incredibly grateful to Old Navy and our dedicated GEF staff for helping make this season brighter for our community. Through their generous donations and volunteer efforts throughout the year, Old Navy and their Edmonton-area team have gone above and beyond. Their partnership has made a meaningful difference in the lives of GEF seniors and brought warmth to housing applicants waiting for a place to call home.
Join Us in Brightening the Lives of Seniors
Let’s make this new year shine even brighter for the nearly 4,000 seniors who live with us. Our Brighten the Lives of Seniors campaign runs until February 28, and we’d love for you to be part of it! Donations to our Quality of Life Fund bring joy, connection, and comfort to our communities. Your generosity lasts well beyond the holiday season, bringing happiness to residents and tenants all year long.
Donate today and help enrich the lives of seniors!
Spring brought more than just warmer weather to GEF – it brought colour, connection, and the return of Planting Days! From May 14 to June 6, our third annual Planting Days campaign bloomed across communities, with residents and tenants coming together with over 150 corporate partners and volunteers to bring fresh life to the outdoor spaces our seniors call home.
Our residents and tenants joined in however they could, some pulling on gloves to help, and others cheering everyone on from the benches. For those with limited mobility, just being outside and chatting with the volunteers brought joy and laughter.
Community Partners Make It Happen
This year we welcomed 21 corporate partners, who brought teams ranging from one person to groups of 11. Many gave their time to more than one site, and they all brought their energy and enthusiasm, rain or shine. Together, they helped plant, dig, weed, and transform garden beds across 25 GEF communities.
A sincere thank you to TELSCO Security Systems, Ford Credit, Telus, Old Navy, Centennial Food Solutions, Source Office Furniture, PCL Construction, Royal Caretaking Supplies, Simmons Canada, ServiceMaster Restore of Edmonton, SYSCO Canada, Ecopest, AMRE Supply, Boilermaker’s Lodge 146, Telecon, Park Landscaping, Bell Mobility, and RBC! Your kindness, teamwork, and community spirit were felt and appreciated.
Some of our partners lent their support to the campaign in other impactful ways.
- Supreme Landscaping donated topsoil to refresh the raised planter boxes at Trinity Hall.
- Budget Printing provided signage to help us recognize and thank all the amazing volunteers at each site.
Everyone’s contributions helped to support our goal of creating spaces that are not only beautiful, but welcoming and accessible for residents and tenants.
An On-Air Shout Out
We were also delighted to welcome CTV Edmonton meteorologist, Josh Classen to Westlawn Court. Josh got his green thumbs dirty, planting alongside volunteers and tenants and kindly gave GEF a shout out during the evening weather report. His visit brought extra excitement to the day.
Cultivating Connections
Planting Days are about more than just flowers and gardens, they are about cultivating connections between volunteers, residents and tenants as well as neighbours and friends. After each planting event, teams and seniors shared lunch together, swapping stories, smiles, and a sense of pride in a job well done.
Help Keep the Gardens Growing
Planting Days continue! We need volunteers to help maintain, water, and care for the gardens throughout the summer. Whether you’re an individual, a team, or someone who just loves to spend time outdoors, we’d love to have you join us. If you were unable to take part in Planting Days, you can still make a meaningful impact! A donation to our Quality of Life Fund helps keep our communities vibrant and in bloom.
Community volunteers at McQueen Place Lodge.
🌻 Click here to VOLUNTEER with us!
💚 Click here to DONATE to our Quality of Life Fund!
Together, we’ve planted more than flowers! We’ve planted happy memories, friendship, community, and care across our GEF communities. Thank you to everyone who helped make it possible!
🎥 Click here to watch heartwarming highlights from the events!
