Residents at The Glenshiel on Douglas Street got a chance Thursday to have some good-natured fun at the expense of some of the staff at the seniors home.
Not only did they pelt executive director Lynn Larsen and staffers Violet Thomas and Debby Edwards with 130 new pairs of socks during the annual charity event for Our Place Society, they heard about the day-to-day operations at the Pandora Avenue service provider from its community relations co-ordinator Tracy Campbell.
Explaining that Our Place serves those who are homeless and living in poverty, she told residents an increasing numbers of clients are taking advantage of amenities such as clothing and food services, even if they’re working full time, due to the rising cost of living.
“There’s a lot of people that are coming now who never thought they would be in a place like Our Place,” Campbell said, noting that covering the rent is just about all that some people can manage.
Warm, dry socks are a necessity for people living on the streets, she added, especially when the rains start to come and the cold weather sets in. One donor who recently brought in a load of warm clothing and socks felt heartened that his donation would be put to good use quickly given the change in weather, she said.
Larsen said the residents get excited about events like the sock toss, not only for the fun aspect, but for the opportunity to help out.
“We’ve been planning for this for two weeks,” she said. “They like to know what we’re doing and why.”
