ST. PAUL – Santa’s Seniors Festival in St. Paul is about building connections and providing essential information to seniors. The event will take place at the Ukrainian Orthodox Church on Nov. 15, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The St. Paul and District St. Paul Regional Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) fully funds and organizes the annual event as part of its mandate.
Organizations will be on site to offer a wealth of information directly tailored for seniors, addressing the unique challenges and concerns they face, says Lynn Smid, director of the St. Paul Regional FCSS.
There is limited seating for the event, and while registration was originally scheduled to end on Nov. 8, the event has already reached its full capacity. Over 220 people have registered for the afternoon event.
Smid encourages seniors in the community to get in touch with the FCSS to be placed on a waitlist. The FCSS office can be reached at 780-645-5311
"It will be first-come, first-served if somebody [who registered] cannot make it on the day of the festival,” says Smid. Also, by calling to inquire, FCSS will have a better idea of the overall interest from the community when they host the festival in the future.
While the festival is aimed at providing information to seniors, its primary objective is to facilitate connections. "The Seniors' Festival is about allowing seniors in our region to connect,” she says, explaining many seniors can feel isolated if they don’t have family or people close to them in the community." And even if they do, “It’s a great way to connect with others that they may not get to see on a regular basis.”
Smid adds, "It's about connecting, celebrating the holiday season, and decreasing isolation amongst seniors by getting together." Entertainment and meals are provided for free.
