Remarks by
The Honourable Anita Neville, P.C., O.M.
Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba
A & O SUPPORT SERVICES VOLUNTEER VIRTUAL RECEPTION
Video Remarks
Saturday, April 22, 2023, 12:30 p.m.
(please check against delivery)
Fellow Manitobans, I am delighted to join you virtually for this celebration of community and caring.
I would like to acknowledge that we are gathered in the heart of Treaty One land, home of the Anishinaabe and Red River Metis, and in the capital of a province that is home to the Cree, Dakota, Dene and Inuit people.
I acknowledge northern Manitoba includes lands that were, and are, the ancestral lands of the Inuit.
Here and throughout Manitoba, we are working to advance understanding, healing and reconciliation and build a better home for all.
A great city, or a great province or nation, is not selectively concerned with the safety, health and quality of life of its people.
Rather, a great city is one that works to meet the needs of all of its people. For more than 65 years, A & O Support Services and its volunteers, supporters and staff have been working to make sure that age does not present a barrier to a safe, secure and socially satisfying life.
A & O’s commitment to its Three Pillars of counselling, safety and security and social engagement would not be possible without the time, expertise and empathy of its volunteers.
The thousands of hours volunteers dedicate to your programs provide older adults in this city with emotional, social and material support that supports healthy, independent living.
Whether your service is in person on online, whether you’re delivering information or food or gifts, whether you’re raising funds for A & O or the spirits of older adults, you are helping to make our city and province the fair, equitable and compassionate place we dream of.
Your service during the challenges of the pandemic is especially valuable. These last few years and the isolation they brought were difficult for many of the people you serve. For some, the spark of hope and joy that you brought may have made all the difference in the world.
I hope that spark brightens your days and warms your hearts for many years to come.
Thank you. Merci. Meegwich.
