Senaka Samarasinghe
The committee members of Sri Lankan seniors called a number of committee meetings via Zoom. We finalized weekly yoga sessions conducted in collaboration with Trinity United Church (TUC).
Yoga instructor Wynn Ferguson of TUC offers yoga classes from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m., free-of-charge. He started Mon., April 6, with ten participants. There were two groups of participants: South Side Community Fitness and Fellowship and Sri Lankan 55+ Group. On April 13 there were 15 members, and this has increased up to 30 participants by its third week, on April 20.
On Tues., April 21, Sri Lankan 55+ Group arranged a “trial get together” via Zoom. It started at 9:30 a.m. and successfully carried-on till 12.00 noon. Two members were outside the City of Winnipeg, one in Sri Lanka and one in Medicine Hat, Alta.
With the above experience the committee of Sri Lankan seniors now planning this type of virtual gathering frequently to educate seniors and provide medical instructions on how to prevent Coronavirus infection. Happy to note Sri Lankan medical practitioners in Winnipeg conveyed their willingness to help. Seniors are the most vulnerable group for this pandemic. It is therefore important to provide medical instructions via Zoom.
Many of our seniors are not computer literate and are unable to attend zoom meetings. Luckily, a number of young volunteers have agreed to help seniors, and others who need help, participate in these virtual meetings.