40 - Sunday, May 6, 1990 - North Shore News Seniors, too, need to be aggressive IT LOOKED like another heat in the Seniors’ Trot, except On a recent Wednesday, news- paper columnist Nicole Parton was scheduled to speak at Silver Har- bour about “Grey Power.” Now this [ wanted to hear, as this young woman is even younger than my daughter, and, I said huf- fily to myself, what does she know about it? So | was determined to go and find out. But that decision was made when I was suffering from an at- tack of ‘‘Seniors’ Lapse.”’ All my Eleanor Godley Wednesdays for these few weeks are dedicated to my cooking classes for men, and talking about i it, eating it and cleaning up after it seldom sees me free before 1:30 p.m., the time of the speech, and it was some miles away. To add to the barrels on the obstacle course, my favorite golfer telephoned to say that he would arrive home from his California holiday about 1:30 p.m. 1 didn’t have in mind an actual brass band, but I'd made up a batch of warm greetings. Well, a lovely combination of circumstances gave me the pleasure of having it all, just like the yup- pies. The cooking men, all raw recruits but one, flawlessly reproduced the planned chicken dish, in a sophisticated sauce of wine, orange juice, broth and muslirooms; jauntily whipped up the whole platter of zucchini flips; cooked the rice to perfect pitch; consumed the lot and repaired the ravages to the kitchen all in time for release at one o'clock. What coordination. What skill. The head of the household showed up on schedule, ta-ra, and the miracle of electronics brought Nicole over to my house. The Keep Well people who had arranged her appearance caught it all on tape for me. Life in these days can be fuller than full, and no run-off. It was a Sine talk, well attended, and Nicole proved, despite her modest handful of years, to know quite a lot about Grey Power. She could tell us about strengths we weren’L aware of, and about power by the group and individu- ally. She emphasized our special responsibility as role models, and made us fee! good about the intlu- enee we have already wielded without thinking about it. She tafked about changes, like rest stops and sitting spaces in big sprawling stores. The smaller por- tions that many restaurants now offer for our diminished appetites. The special services many banks and trust companies offer for grown-ups. that this time there were obstacles on the course. She also cited salt-free, sodium- free, fat-free products and reminded us that we have a hefty discretionary income. The stores know it: all those seniors’ days aren’t just for the carnation in- dustry. All of this adds up to actual in- fluences on marketing, and mar- keting is where it’s at. Several years ago Nicole Parton masqueraded as an indigent old lady. She related to us how that expe- rience had depressed her, how be- ing ignored at service counters, and passed over by what she infer- red were snobbish clerks, had upset her. It invaded her spirit. She felt invisible. Telling us about her resentment on our behalf, she made a pro- vocative statement about us and our so-called rights; it is her belief that coming generations of seniors, brought up in a totally different social and intellectual climate to ours, committed to aggressive ac- tion, that these new seniors will demand much more and in a louder voice. I think she’s right, and it will be interesting to us to watch the next wave or (wo. Certainly when we were brought up — and we're talk- ing senior seniors here, not 50- year-olds! — it was to respect authority, which was 99 per cent of the time a male figure. To be ag- gressive ‘‘wasn’t done.” We were taught to take our lumps and make the best of them, certainly not to talk about them. We expected diminution of our lifestyle after 60. Asking for help was admitting weakness. So a lot of us tend to be grateful for what has been done for us already, and don’t yell for better terms. We got praise from Nicole for our volunteering efforts. A big percentage of seniors are involved in Meals-on-Wheels, in political campaigns, in the work of chur- ches and charitable foundations, in Continuing Education. She hopes we'll act as pro- selytizers in encouraging young people to the physical and spiritual benefits of extending a helping hand. An extension of this helping hand is a particular interest of Nicole’s — she works on the board that helps young families link up with surrogate grandparents. Feel- ing useless? You never will again. STRONG & GOOD LOOKING Y tgee. STi ‘an ‘orTe rf . SUNDERK concrete coating Pecomate Meh steencth Gangeete cnating: over add er ae Gem rete attliesdip nen poreds, abs a thet colons arly santo oor THEN Abo oe thy Ve exiting new cet irewsa iine stad A sospested prog t far puol decks. patios. sidewalks. dnven.iey Residential & Commercial free Quoranans IVE PEEOE Gey , Somerset Projects Cd. Tii-hads *ALL-STAR VOLLEYBALL CAMPS °ALL-STAR BASKETBALL CAMPS *PEE-WEE PLUS SPORTS CAMPS * FUTURE SUCCESS ENRICHMENT CAMPS Compliments of the > North Shore News & 0 KIDS TO WIN! For the past 21 years All Star Basketball and Volleybali Carnps have been providing high quality instruction for boys and girls for grades 5-12. Week-long camps conducted throughout the North Shore and Vancouver give boys and girls a jump on next season. This year the All star Camps have expanded to include a Pee-Wee Plus Sports Camp for Grades 2, 3 and 4. Also new this year is FUTURE SUCCESS ENRICHMENT CAMPS which will focus on personal develop- ment, motivation, lifeskills, career vision and more! For brochures and registration forms, cail 925-3759. SEND IN YOUR ENTRY FORM BEFORE MAY 13 AND BE ELIGIBLE FOR 12 EARLY BIRD PRIZES INCLUDING © Awesome sweatshirts from Pepsi, Much Music and TSN e Plus more ¢ Mr. Big Skateboard e Air Jordan Runners EARLY BIRD CONTEST CLOSES MAY 13, 1950. CONTEST FOR FREE WEEK ENDS MAY 27/90. ALL WINNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED BY PHONE. Enter below and send or drop off to the NORTH SHORE NEWS, 1139 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver, V7M 2H7. Attention: Summer Excitement ‘90 Contest. All winners will be notified by telephone and names will be published at the conclusion of the contest. Address: Telephone: a Postal Codes Youngsters in Grades 2-12 are eligihle to win THE VOICE OF NORTH AND WEST VANCOUVER ro . . 2S : 2 SUNDAY - WEONESOAY + FRIDAY hw ($) SAFEWAY Le dong ut allonether *