Dunmore Community Association hosts intergenerational classroom

Posted on February 29, 2024 by Ryan Dahlman

By Anna Smith
Southern Alberta Newspapers
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Dunmore Community Association is looking for individuals with different skills and knowledge, and a desire to share them with those in their community.

The Intergenerational Learning Program started as an idea among the DCA members, a way to bring members of the community closer together outside the major events that the association hosts throughout the year. And when the idea was put forward to residents via social media, the enthusiasm turned it from an idea to a reality.

“There was a really great response,” said Jody Phillips, secretary for the DCA. “The problem with a program like this though, is you need funding, because they all cost something, and we wanted to do some programming, at least to start, that didn’t cost anybody any money.

“We luckily have a really good relationship with EDF Renewables, and they have a community grant that they have been issuing the last couple of years for programs just like this. So I filled out an application and they approved.”

EDF Renewables initially granted the DCA $1,000 for the programming, which the DCA then added an additional $500 to on their own to be able to support the programming.

“All of these programs are free to the people that come, but we do have a cap, depending on what the subject is, so there’s a certain amount of spots available,” said Phillips.

The DCA extended their gratitude to Trisha Sotropa, who was quick to come on board and help organize all these courses, from the early German Baking course to the upcoming “Modern Slang,” which Phillips is particularly excited for.

“That’s gonna be awesome. It’s gonna be run by three students at Eagle Butte,” said Phillips. “And then we have two kids in Grade 6 from urban school that are going to also present four words they think that us adults should know. So it’s going to be really cute, and it’s gonna be fun.”

There are only two more courses this spring, with the modern slang course on March 6 and a woodworking workshop on April 3.

After that, they’ll be looking to the fall for the next batch of classes, and hope to collect a series of local people, young, old, or in between, who have something they’d like to share with their friends and neighbours.

“We’re always asking, if you have a skill, or you have something that you could demonstrate or teach, so hopefully we’ll have residents come forward and say that, you know, they could do something,” said Phillips.

She expressed an interest in holding a Variety Night for one of the later courses, to allow room for those who may worry their talent may not be complex enough to fill a two-hour lesson.

“It’s been received really enthusiastically. And, you know, we have really great hopes to continue this year over year,” said Phillips.