WESTMEATH — The Whitewater Seniors performance of Laugh Louder Live Longer was appreciated by the seniors who were in attendance Tuesday afternoon.
The Westmeath Riveview Seniors Club paid to bus residents from seven area seniors home to the free performance.
It was expected there would be a packed hall for the two sold-out performances Wednesday and Thursday evenings.
While the Whitewater Seniors through the Riverview Seniors did ask for a contribution from Whitewater Region Township, there was no response as of Tuesday, said Cathy Williamson. (NOTE: Council did approve the $2,500 expenditure at its Wednesday night budget meeting.)
The idea for the funding is to provide see money to support the arts, “which is a valid part of recreation,” Ms.Willamson said. “We want to broaden the understanding of recreation to include the arts, not just sports.”
The mandate of the Riverview Seniors is to provide activities for seniors, she added. Since the Seniors used some of their own funds to pay for the transportation, Ms. Williamson is hopeful there is still money in their funds to have an activity this winter.
In the Whitewater Seniors performance, there were residents from throughout the township — Westmeath, Cobden, Foresters Falls, Beachburg, La Passe and points in between, Ms. Williamson noted.
This performance is a comedy / variety show with skits, dance and songs.
Any profits realized will go to the Riverview Seniors who will pay all bills for the production and review what to do with the rest, she said.
At the end of the performance, Kevin Moratz said:
“We’ve laughed a lot at all the crazy things that happen in this aging process. Funny how we don’t seem to take things so seriously when we’re older!
But we also know that there’s a tough side to aging as well. Being sick and old and frail is no easy thing…. for the sick person or for their caregivers.
Today we want to say THANK YOU to all who have had the COURAGE to reach out in their time of need and we want to say thank you to those who GENEROUSLY give of themselves as FRIEND to those in NEED in our community.
WE ARE WHITEWATER.. a collection of diverse communities which forms one Municipality. Our geographical area is large so it is sometimes difficult to come together and experience ourselves as ONE. But we have done this.
During the winter months, we have worked together as Whitewater Seniors and, in that process, we have become friends to one another. We have come to know and to enjoy one another.
We hope you have enjoyed the results of our labours.
May we all continue to be allies and friends to one another as we work to build a strong and healthy community.”
