What do you do when, as a mature
woman, you find yourself with time on your hands and a desire to socialize with
others who speak your language? Perhaps the children have moved out and you're
at loose ends. Maybe your husband is retired and underfoot. You're working from
home and feeling isolated... or you just know
you'll benefit from making new friends.
That's exactly what the founding
members of the Laval Women's Group – a few English-speaking stay-at-home
mothers – were thinking three decades ago, in 1983. At the time, there were
social groups for French-speaking women (over 73<>percentage<> of Laval families speak
French at home[1]), but
none for Laval's English-speaking community. So a small band of pioneers,
including Margaret Vincent, Helga Vezina and Helga Gutenkust, began meeting
once a week for social and moral support. The rest is herstory.
Today, the group boasts an
impressive membership of over 100 women who meet every Monday to hobnob with each
other. Throughout its organic growth and many evolutions, it remains committed
to its original purpose -- providing an open social network for
English-speaking women residing in Laval – while expanding to include
charitable work, fitness programs, seasonal celebrations, organized activities
and more.
"We all benefit from the
camaraderie," noted Sally Lapointe, a member for 15 years, "and even
if I don't make it to every weekly meeting, it's undeniably an important part
of my life." Members have access to a supervised agenda, which includes
exercise, dance classes, guest lecturers, a monthly raffle and interactive
games, among others. The women bring their own lunches and sit in casual groups
at mid-day, and once in a while go out to enjoy a local restaurant.
On a recent visit, I found myself
watching a young gal instruct a group of women in armchair weight-lifting, with
other members doing Tai Chi in a room nearby. Smaller groups of women milled
around the common area, conversing and waiting for newly-elected President
Vicky Koscher to take the microphone and provide a weekly update on events and
projects. That day, the buzz was about an upcoming luncheon -- an annual
Valentine's Day event that has special meaning this year as the group
celebrates its 30th anniversary.
Women's groups have a strong
history in Canada, including the Hebrew Ladies Sewing Circle founded in 1869,
the first female missionary society in Nova Scotia in 1870, the Woman's
Christian Temperance Union in 1874, and the Young Women's Christian
Association, or YWCA, founded in 1875. Networking and sharing information seems
to come naturally to many women, especially those with family experience, who
are embedded in the community.
Over the past 30 years, the group
has seen its share of women coming and going, but most members come and stay.
"We help each other get through tough times," said Beverly Beauchamp,
ex-President and long-time member, "We share what we learn and know; we
enjoy bonding with each other. When you bring a question or a problem into the
group, you truly feel supported and listened to – we're here for each
other."
Program Chairperson Wilma Gumpert
was interviewed by phone from her home, where she was recovering from a fall on
the ice. Wilma is enthusiastic about new members coming into the group.
"We are always looking for different ideas and fresh blood," she
noted. "We are looking for speakers who can share information with us, too
– for example, we had one person come in and talk to us about Alzheimer's, and
some of us want to know more about computer technology."
New members also means new
volunteers, of course. The group gets a small annual budget from the province
as a chartered non-profit organization (as well as some private donations), but
relies on the generosity of member volunteers for the work involved, including
book-keeping, leadership, event management and more. "I love organizing
the group's activities", said Gumbert, "but I turn 80 this year.
Perhaps someone a bit younger can take over soon." In fact, a large
percentage of the women in the group are octogenarians and proud of it. During
my visit, a few of them proudly proclaimed their 80-something ages with
sparkling eyes, mischievous smiles and a generous dose of humour.
"Mind, body and soul -- the
Laval Women's Group is about health and wellness, support and friendship,"
concluded Gumbert. The group's ongoing success is a testament to its enduring
spirit, and the growing numbers prove that it is still meeting a vital
community need. At the time of publication, it remains the only seniors'
organization of its kind in Laval.
Interested in joining?
If you, or someone you know, wants
to join the Laval Women's Group, contact President Vicky Koscher at
450-625-1788 for more information. The group meets every Monday at JP Campeau,
3781 Blvd. Levesque, from 9;30 a.m. to 3;30 p.m. Membership is $25 annually for
Laval residents, $50 for women residing outside of Laval. There are additional
minor fees for some of the physical fitness classes. According to Koscher,
"We are mostly seniors, but we welcome English-speaking women of all ages
and cultures. The more, the merrier!"
Lorrie Beauchamp | Author
Lorrie Beauchamp is a Montreal-based journalist, freelance writer and business owner. She is a member of the Quebec Writers’ Federation, former student of and editor for the Thomas More Institute newsletter, and co-founder of The Writers’ Bloc, a literary group celebrating English writers in a city where everyone, including the majority, is a minority.
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