Bob Ingram has been chosen to serve on a new provincial council dealing with seniors’ issues.
The Mission resident is one of 30 people appointed by B.C.’s Seniors Advocate Isobel Mackenzie to sit as a key volunteer adviser to the advocate.
Ingram, who is the president of the Mission Seniors Centre Association said the new role will be a little different from what he does now.
“It entails, I guess, becoming a lot more familiar with seniors’ issues as they fit into the provincial context, rather than just locally in Mission,” said Ingram.
He doesn’t think it will impact his current volunteer duties saying it will “probably be a couple of meetings a year and some telephone conferences,” as well as report reading.
Ingram enjoys the work saying he can’t just sit and do nothing.
“Retirement is a myth, if you want it to be.”
Mackenzie feels there is a lot of talent on the new council.
“The applications for this council were outstanding and it is inspiring to see so many seniors willing to offer their time to serve fellow seniors,” said Mackenzie.
“This is an exciting new journey we are embarking upon and I am very fortunate that I will be guided in my work by actual seniors who can ensure their many perspectives are heard and considered.”
The appointed council members bring perspectives from a variety of backgrounds. Among the group there are advisers with experience in social work, teaching, health care, business, and local government, to name a few. Advisers range in age from 65 to 85, live in 26 municipalities in all regions of B.C.