Marrin, Sr. Elaine Guidinger and Sr. Conrad Lauber, who come from backgrounds in education, health and social services, opened the centre Feb. 23 after weeks of meeting with other agencies that serve the elderly in the community. They discussed the project with an enthusiastic Mark Grimes, the local city councillor, and emphasized that they are not just there to serve Catholics, but everyone, regardless of ethnicity or religion.

“We’re basically here for those seniors who are isolated, which brings depression and physical and mental illness,” Marrin said. “We are hoping that Village Mosaic will alleviate some of the loneliness they have experienced for years in their isolation.”

The only set service, at this point, is to offer foot care, through Guidinger, who is a registered nurse. However, the sisters said they foresee possibly providing a service for those who wish to enhance their spirituality.

Village Mosaic will mainly serve as a venue equipped for all sorts of social opportunities.

“A lot of this is connecting seniors with seniors,” Lauber said. “(Their) circle of support diminishes and (they) need to build other lines of communication.”

To illustrate, she brings in the example of Village Mosaic’s first “regular,” Diana Peacock, who exchanged phone numbers with a new acquaintance during her first visit to the centre.

“That’s the essence of what we want to see happen here,” Lauber said.

The sisters are discussing with the seniors what types of activities they would enjoy and which ones they could help to lead. There is a senior volunteer who will lead others in a knitting circle, to provide blankets for the Out of the Cold program or anyone else in need. Some seniors have also shown some interest for line dancing and card games.

But the sisters are also looking for non-seniors to volunteer at the centre, either as a receptionist or to help in some other capacity.

One volunteer has already come forward to help seniors learn about computers.

“They would like to learn basic e-mail so they can stay connected to family,” Lauber said. “Even if they learn how to just turn on the e-mail they’ll be as happy as can be.”

The centre can accommodate up to 60 seniors at a time and the sisters hope to have anywhere from two to three sessions going on during the morning and afternoon, Monday through Friday.