‘Let’s get them out’: Free Saturday carnival fights senior isolation

Step right up: Fort Erie is throwing a free carnival Saturday at the Leisureplex, where every town resident aged 60 and over can eat lunch on the house.

Seniors Stepping Out will be held June 13 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Fort Erie Senior Citizens Advisory Committee (SCAC) picked a carnival theme this year to encourage isolated older residents to step back into public life.

A free accessible shuttle will collect riders from six seniors’ residences across town.

Admission is free and all ages are welcome.

Deborah Fairlie, secretary of the Fort Erie SCAC, said the carnival welcomes all ages but targets older residents who struggle to leave home.

“Some are shut in. Some are feeling isolated. Well, let’s get them out, engage in the beautiful community we have,” Fairlie told Fort Erie Radio.

The shuttle will pick up and drop off at the following locations:

• Lions Seniors Centre on High Street
• Gilmore Lodge on King Street
• Garrison Place on Garrison Road
• The Willows Retirement on Garrison Road
• Ridgewood Manor on Farr Ave.
• Beachcombers Seniors Centre on Ridge Road North

Each building is set to receive the schedule before Saturday.

Grumps Catering will dish out a carnival-style lunch free to any Fort Erie resident aged 60 or older who presents valid identification; everyone else can purchase plates.

The Classic Treats Niagara ice cream truck will also park on site.

Fairlie said the committee chose classic carnival games deliberately, after consulting with seniors who asked for something that would invoke memories of old Crystal Beach and penny carnivals.

“We spoke to them and they said that they wanted something fun,” said Fairlie.

Guests can play indoor and outdoor games, join a chair yoga session and plant seedlings at an activity table. Fluffy the Clown and magician Scoop McCoy are expected to perform from noon to 2 p.m.

About 12 local agencies will set up tables at the event to connect seniors to local services, including Meals on Wheels, the town’s accessibility committee, Friends of the Fort Erie Public Library and Niagara Region.

Seniors Stepping Out was founded back in 2022 by Cathy Mindorff-Facca, a Fort Erie community volunteer who died the following year.

The advisory committee has run the event annually since, rotating themes from healthcare and local agencies to last year’s volunteerism edition, which brought more than 300 people to the Leisureplex.

Doors open at 11 a.m. Saturday. Prizes last while supplies hold out.

Stay Informed

Events, offers, contests, and breaking news, all delivered straight to your inbox.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Subscribe