In the next ten years seniors are going to face different problems than those faced by other generations. People my age have Old Age Security, Canada Pension, and a number of other ways to supplement their incomes. Many of our age have good, indexed, pensions. Our Senior Centers have been financed by bingo and casino money and this has already begun to show the changes. With the available sessions at the Casino now only available every 30 months and the fact that the bingos are struggling, our funding needs are also changing.

Some more disturbing facts are that both the Federal and the Provincial governments are now running high debts and those are growing every day.

According to the newspapers, the Canadian public is in dept to the tune of 152% of their income. The National Post reported that the average debt per household in Canada is now $46,100.00. Now a portion of this population is at retirement age. This generation has lived higher on the hog than any generation so far in history. They are willing for the bills to pile up for their children and grandchildren. They justify this by saying they are concerned for the less fortunate. What did they want? Oh yeah they did it their way with baby bonuses, pensions schemes, retirement supplements, housing assistance, medical coverage and money for poverty they say, We are progressive, open minded and we want social justice in a just society. The problem is that they weren't willing to pay for it. Not with their own money anyway. So they've borrowed and repayment is pushed into the distant future.

The National Post also reported the federal debt is now $17,000.00 per person in Canada- that is federal debt only. The United States is even worse off. Politicians don't learn and voters don't demand better performance, Ladies and Gentleman. We have a crushing indebtedness! WE elect a government with no backbone and they tempt us with goodies, shiny baubles and hope for the best. Then they turn around and give the taxpayers, the average Joe, the bill. They did not properly finance Old Age Security so now they want to move the retirement age to age 67. This means retirement age and savings, if any are going to take a hit.

Why do I tell you all this stuff? Because a new generation is now coming to LSCO- their way of being different. They don't mind hard work but they aren't going to play bingo or dust chairs. We need to welcome them and look to changing our programs as is necessary. Another thing, if we are going to stay alive as an organization we must change our methods of financing our operations. Lets us not drag our feet. Let's get behind our finance director by getting involved in fund raising and make it fun while we are at it.

We can do it but it will take your support and perhaps even some of your finances. It won't happen by itself and our minds are a little muddy if we think we can depend on an already in debt government to come to our rescue.

We have one of the best, if not The Best center in Canada. Let's face the challenge. Keep out of debt, support our management and volunteer programs, our directors and the fundraisers.