For the second year in a row, a lovely group of seniors known as the Pins and Patches Quilters have donated three beautiful handmade quilts. All three of this year’s recipients are residents at the Centre d’hébergement de LaSalle. The West Island group meet each Tuesday morning at the Noёl-Legault Community Centre, where the City of Pointe Claire provides them space free of charge.
These women share a wonderful bond and put their collective talents to work helping others. At the same time, they avoid the isolation that many seniors face. One can also see that their sewing activities also help them to prevent deconditioning and provide a sense of personal fulfilment.
The quilts were presented to the selected residents on September 19 at a lovely get-together organized by Ngoc Tran, the site manager for this facility. Ms. Gisele Laforce was on hand to represent the quilting group.
“My friends and I hope they will bring them much joy, as well as keep them warm,” said Ms. Laforce.
This wonderful initiative is a perfect example of the fifth axis of the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux’s Action Plan on Long-term Care, which focuses on ties with the community.
You can watch the CBC report here (28:05).
Photo 1 : Ms. Claire Normand, who recently moved to the Centre d’hébergement de LaSalle, quickly put her quilt to use. Standing, from left to right: Ngoc Tran, Site Manager, Centre d’hébergement de LaSalle; Gisèle Laforce, representing the Pins and Patches Quilters; Christine Gagné-Rodger, Associate Director of Long-Term Care—Western Sector; and Micheline Béland, President—CIUSSS Integrated Users Committee (CUCI).
Photo 2 : As a token of their appreciation, Mss. Gagné-Rodger, Béland and Tran presented Ms. Laforce with flowers and chocolates on behalf of the Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de l’Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal.
Photo 3 : Four members of the Pins and Patches Quilters. From left to right: Nicole Walker, Afina Zwaneveld, Debbie Scott and Gisèle Laforce.
Photo 4 : Resident Diane Tupper very much liked her new quilt. She is surrounded by (left to right): Christine Gagné-Rodger, Gisèle Laforce, Micheline Béland and Ngoc Tran.
Photo 5 : Ms. Sheila Lachance, a resident at the Centre d’hébergement de LaSalle, was very attentive as Ms. Gisèle Laforce gave her a quilt. Standing are Mss. Béland and Gagné-Rodger.