This page lists Elderberries programs from 2010 on.
Seniors attending a meeting sponsored by NSRAP in Spring 2010, identified projects of most interest to them: outreach and support for seniors living in long-term care, an alcohol-free social outlet for seniors, and working together with LGBT youth.
The monthly potluck socials listed below have attempted to address these needs, taking place in an accessible setting. In addition, the monthly e-mail newsletter links more than 200 Elderberry members.
Program topics include:
- LGBT topics
- senior life, health, etc
- community history: sharing memories; local history round tables
- showcase of artistic abilities of LGBTs: e.g., poetry workshop, musical presentations, photography workshops, author readings
- presentations by local organizations: e.g., NSRAP, Rainbow Refugees Association, Spirit House, PrideHealth
- seasonal: December party, August picnic
- some months are social only, with no program
For some months, attendance figures were not taken.
2010 :
- Aug 2010 : first organizing meeting : attendance 17. Discussion focussed on what members would like to see the group (not yet named Elderberries) be and do.
- Sep 19, 2010 : sharing memories of LGBT life and coming out in "the bad old days." (12)
- Oct 17, 2010 : Speaker Duma Young, "Wills and Inheritance." (20)
- Nov 16, 2010 : Robin Metcalfe, guided tour of "Kent Monkman : the Triumph of Mischief" (gay Cree artist), SMU Art Gallery. (6)
- Nov 28, 2010 : Round table on "Being Single." (14)
- Dec 10, 2010 : Seasonal Potluck Party hosted by Nick and Duma (19)
- Dec 12, 2010 : "LGBTs and Long-Term Care." Community Feedback Meeting at the Company House.
2011 :
From January 2011, the group became known as the Elderberries.
- Jan 16 2011 : Live music with Joanne Bond, Joanne Manette, Lynn Murphy ; poetry reading by Patricia Martinson (20)
- Feb 20, 2011 : "Our Eyes upon Ourselves," members show-and-tell LGBT photos from the community's past
- Feb 26, 2011 : Louisa Horne, "The Story of Spirit Place." (15 plus one press)
- Mar 27, 2011 : Social only, due to speaker cancellation (9)
- Apr 17, 2011 : Jane Kansas, "Travels with a Handcart, Part I" (17)
- Apr 19, 2011 : Tour of the Youth Project house, with Sheena Jameson. (3 or 4)
- May 15, 2011 : Nora Kerr, workshop on "How to Write Poetry" (10)
- Jun 13, 2011 : Members invited to attend talk at Halifax Infirmary. Dr Ravi Srivastava, "Why Does Diversity Matter to Health Care." Dessert potluck at Dan MacKay's followed.
- Jul 19, 2011 : "Making a Case for LGBT history," panel during Pride week cosponsored by Elderberries and NSRAP Lecture Series. Speakers : Dan MacKay, James Morrison, Lynn Murphy. Attendance 50+.
- "Inclusive Health Care for the GLBT Aging Population," Pride Week panel presented by PrideHealth. Bob Fredrickson represented Elderberries.
- Aug 21, 2011 : Elderberry picnic at the Dingle.
- Sep 18, 2011 : Nick Honig, talk and slide show on "Falling in Love with Photography." (9)
- Oct 23, 2011 : Nadine Lapierre, reading from her lesbian mystery Slayer. (13)
- Nov 27, 2011 : Danica Pion and Annnie Chou, students of MSVU Applied Human Nutrition Program, "Healthy Cooking for One or Two." Launch of Elderberry cookbook. (11)
- Dec 18, 2011 : Seasonal Party for NSRAP and Elderberries, hosted by NSRAP at the Company House. (31)
2012 :
- Jan 22, 2012 : Representatives of PrideHealth consult with Elderberries re the real health needs and concerns of LGBT seniors. (16)
- Feb 26, 2012 : Paul Curwin, "Forever Fit : Balance Exercises for Seniors." (9)
- Mar 25, 2012 : Nick Honig and Anita Martinez, "Do-It-Yourself Portrait Session (Photography)."
- Apr 22, 2012 : Aine Humble, MSVU, "Nova Scotia Gay and Lesbian Couples and the Process of Getting Married." (8)
- May 17, 2012 : No potluck social. Elderberries participated in the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT) Rally in the Grand Parade. Theme : "Reclaiming Our Space, Reclaiming Our Rights."
- Jun 24, 2012 : Social only - no program. (8)
- Jul 2012 : No social. Attend Pride events.
- Aug 26, 2012 : Potluck picnic at the Dingle. (15)
- Sep 23, 2012 : Kevin Kindred, Chair of NSRAP, guest speaker. (9)
- Oct 28, 2012 : Rev Eldon Hay, "How I Came to Be Involved in LGBT Marriage Issues." (19)
- Nov 25, 2012 : Jenn Nearing, on being a trans woman. (5)
- Dec 15, 2012 : Season's Greetings Potluck Social. (6)
2013
- Jan 27, 2013 : Valentines theme : round table of (cheerful!) stories from our romantic pasts. (10)
- Feb 24, 2013 : Video Courage in the Face of Hate from Egale Canada; discussion.
- Mar 24, 2013 : Chris Aucoin speaks on NSRAP's Positive Aging Grant for a community oral history project involving LGBT youth and seniors. (17)
- Apr 28, 2013 : Kathryn Hominick and Wenda MacDonald : Alzheimers Disease. (9)
- May 16 : Elderberries participate in the IDAHOT Rally in the Grand Parade. Theme : Our Bodies, Our Health, Our Rights.
- May 26, 2013: Ramona Westgate, Community Liaison with Halifax Pride. (7)
- Jun 23, 2013 : Jane Kansas, "Travels with a Handcart, Part 2."
- Jul 2013 : No social. Attend Pride events.
- Aug 24, 2013 : Elderberries picnic, hosted by friends in the Gaspereau Valley.
- Sep 8, 2013 : 90th birthday party for Patricia Martinson. (10)
- Oct 20, 2013 : Social : no program. (11)
- Nov 10, 2013 : Gabe Saulnier-Pictou and Dan MacKay talk about their participation in the Twenty-Fifth International Two-Spirit Gathering.
- Dec 8, 2013 : Sing along to seasonal music with Garry Williams on keyboard (appearing courtesy of NSRAP). (15)
2014
- Jan 12, 2014 : Kyle DeYoung, on the Rainbow Refugee Association. (12)
- Feb 9, 2014 : Members were invited to attend the library program on Queer Spirituality Paths, held at Spring Garden Road Public Library, as our February event.
- Mar 9, 2014 : Jesse Robson, Managing Director of Happily Ever Active. (16)
- Apr 13, 2014 : Betsy Webb, Massage Therapy.
- May 11, 2014 : Elderberries speakers report on their presentation to Charles P Allen High School
- Jun 08, 2014 : Personal directives round table discussion.
- Jul 2015 : No potluck social : members encouraged to attend Pride events
- Aug 24 2014 : Fourth Annual Elderberries Potluck Picnic
- Sep 14, 2014 : Elections for Elderberries Coordinating Committee
- Oct 26, 2014 : Name that Face! Photos from the Jim De Young collection, looking for IDs
- Nov 09, 2014 : Coming out Stories : Members' Round Table
- Dec 14, 2015 : Holiday Potluck at the CoHo
Elderberry Coffee Breaks
From September 2013 to June 2014, Elderberry Coffee Breaks were held monthly in the Northwood Harbourview Room. Attendance varied from one to six : it was decided that the Coffee Breaks had not been sucessful, and they ceased in June.
2015
- Jan 11, 2015 : Archiving LGBT History, with Karen White of NSARM
- Feb 08, 2015 : Living Well with a Chronic Condition, with Kolten MacDonell
- Mar 15, 2015 : End of Life Town Hall Meeting
- Apr 12, 2015 : Facilitated discussion of upcoming Elderberries Surveys
- May 09, 2015 : Sex educator Kaleigh Trace read from her book Hot, Wet and Shaking
- Jun 14, 2015 : Round table of food related stories
- Jul 05, 2015 : No potluck social ; Second Annual Bob Stead Memorial Picnic, July 05
- Members encouraged to participate in Pride events
- Aug 30, 2015 : Fifth Annual Elderberries Potluck Picnic : Black Rock Beach, Point Pleasant
- Sep 13, 2015 : Lance Lockwood presented a video program re media images of gay seniors
- Oct 04, 2015 : First Ever ! October Potluck Picnic : Black Rock Beach, Point Pleasant Park
- Oct 18, 2015 : Elderberries Board Elections
- Nov 08, 2015 : Meet and greet with new Board members : cancelled due to unexpected resignation of three new Board members. Potluck held with no program.
- Dec 13, 2015 : Regular Potluck Social : no program
2016
- Jan 10 : No program
- Feb 14 : Robin Metcalfe spoke on the origin of Pink Triangle Day, with slide show
- Mar 13 : Roy Ellis spoke on Dying, Death, and Grief (7)
- Apr 10 : Kolten MacDonell spoke on Changes at Pridehealth
- May 08 : Joanne Bealy spoke on starting a summer garden, large or small
- Jun 12 : Lawyers Doug Elliott and Bruce Walker talked about how changes in the Criminal Code 1970s to now are affecting the Brent Hawkes case
- Jun 25 : Paul and Tim invited Elderberries to a mingle and BBQ in the Valley
- July 17 : several Elderberries were part of a panel on local LGBT history, held at the Bus Stop Theatre
- August 21: annual picnic and BBQ at Black Rock Beach
- September : attend Hugo Dann's one-man show at The Company House
- October : Fall picnic (cancelled due to rain)
- Nov 13: Discussion topics picked by the attendees: US Election, and the recent emotionally and politically charged Halifax Pride AGM.
- December 11 : Holiday Party at the Company House. Free will offering donated to Rainbow Refugees Nova Scotia.
2017
- January : program cancelled due to weather ; rescheduled for May.
- Feb 12 : Longish introduction of people including their work and hobby history; presentation by Dan about our meeting with Pride; long discussion about outreach to the black lgbt community following that about (documented 2017-02-12 Meeting
- MARCH: Caregivers Nova Scotia. Contact: Angus Campbell.
- APRIL: Michael Collins from the Seniors College Association of Nova Scotia
- APRIL AGM: Halifax Pride has some $$ for us; what do we want to do?
- MAY: Gays In The Military. Anita says: LIKE WOW!!! WHAT a meeting!!!! Fantastic...extremely well attended...the 4 speakers where beyond amazing.....the interaction incredible... food..of course..good..yum!!!...I can send a list...photos coming soon....the stories would be great for WAYVES or GayHalifax...for sure..informative and lots of questions and answers...many inquiries about Lynn...So LYNN...let us know what is up...what we can do to help...what do you need...etc. big hugs to all and have a glorious week!!
- JUne 11th: Downsizing / Spring Cleaning
- June 29th Elders New Glasgow Expedition on
- JULY: Gathering at Pride: across the street from The Smiling Goat; gather at about 12:30 to get a good location and get in some social time.
- AUGUST: Picnic at Wayne's - Musquodoboit Harbour - August 13, rain date: August 20. Our home is on one level with two steps leading to main areas.
- SEPTEMBER: A Workshop On Inclusive Pronouns, Facilitator: Dan
- OCTOBER: Barend: life in Japan
- NOVEMBER: Partners: What's a partner? Do you want a partner? How are you looking for a partner? What does partnership look like for you after 60?
- DECEMBER: Christmas Social- storytelling, best Christmasses
2018
- JANUARY: Patricia Martinson: reading from her poetry collection
- FEBRUARY: Scott !MacNeil's publication launch, "Reflections In A Mirror Ball"
- MARCH: How I survived the winter
- APRIL: Lynn Murphy & Don Stevens: Art Therapy.
- MAY 13: Susanne - the El Camino Norte
- JUNE 10: AGM + Future Plans
- JULY 22nd: Elders Salon. Seven speakers: JJ, Robin, Mike Sangster, Barend, Laura, Eric Smith, and Lynn M, and about 100 participants.
- AUGUST 12 (Sunday) Halifax BBQ - Point Pleasant Park. New time: 1-4PM
- AUGUST 25 (SATURDAY) Time: Anytime after 3, plan to eat around 6, Particulars: BBQ will be ready so bring your BBQ’ables. Bring your own camp chair if possible. There may be live music!
- SEPTEMBER 9: Sherri Kasten <smk1@eastlink.ca> from the Shaar Shalom Synagogue - a short lgbt history of the Shaar
- October:Alison reported back on attending the Canadian LGBTQS Leadership Summit in Saskatoon. And, assembled members discussed the future format and name of our events, in light of the Summit and as a response to our survey of last month.
- NOVEMBER 11: Patricia and Barend told personal and family stories of World War II, and we got an introduction to CARP, the Canadian Association of Retired Persons, from Paula.
- DECEMBER 12: Roundtable introductions and White Elephant Gift Exchange! Which went surprisingly well!
2019
- JANUARY: New Year's Resolutions. your most memorable winter. Resolutions were saved in 2019-01-13 Meeting to publish in December.
- FEBRUARY: Allison: Linda Furlought - Northwood Radio
- MARCH 10: ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2019-03-10 AGM Meeting + Pride Feedback Event
- APRIL 14: Food & program sponsored by prideHealth: Health Questions, Answers, & Discussion
- MAY 12: Mother's Day: Stories about Mother Figures In Your Life
- JUNE 9: Raymond Taavel's Birthday. Picnic in Raymond Taavel Park. $80 BBQ supplies, $50 rental of tables & chairs. 15 elderberries... 2 street people; a couple drop-ins, 1 from the Raymond Taavel Park group, 20 altogether.
- JULY 22: Pride Salon
- AUGUST 11: BBQ in Point Pleasant Park. Rain Date: Aug 18
- SEPTEMBER 9: Cancelled - Hurricane Donair
- OCTOBER 13: 1) Dan: Archives Project. 2) Vote on Future Meeting Topics
- October 27: Celebration of Life for Scott MacNeil
- NOVEMBER 10: Double Reading: Jackie Dumas, Ann Bishop. DAN will bring the wireless mic & amplifier.
- DECEMBER 8: 1) Publish the "New Years Resolution" notes in 2019-01-13 Meeting 2) Maybe 3-4 people from the Gay Men's Choir leading us in carols. 3) White Elephant Gift Exchange.
2020
- January 12: "What is your favourite movie, and why?"
- February 9: Annual General Meeting + Carolyn Gesner tells some stories about her time up north at the Churchill Polar Bear Research station
- March 8: Your Greatest Fear!
- April 12: Zoom Meeting: How are you buying groceries? What are you eating? (two other questions)
- May 10 Zoom: Interactive Grief Workshop with Kevin Mason. Kevin writes: Grief is an emotional response to loss. We all experience losses in many forms. The last number of weeks/months have been very difficult for many of us. I would like to give some information about grief in a relaxed forum. Information that may be helpful in understanding grief and grief recovery. I hope that we can have an interactive discussion.
- June 7 Zoom: We talked about Trudeau's 20 second pause. Moving across provinces during Covid. BLM demos and social distancing. The madness of Trumpism. Queer organizations in Winnipeg, Edmonton and Halifax. Passed 4 PM Lynn Murphy talked about the collapse of GALA. PRIDE in 2020.
2021
2022
- January: missed a session?
- February: Again present to Elizabeth Haggart's MSVU class.
- Feburary SSS: Green Flags & Red Flags when meeting new people and trusting that instinct, and Special guest topic: How to be a jerk when you really need to be!
- March 1, Dan presented to a bunch of medical students at the Winter Pride Workshop Series: 2SLGBTQIA+ Senior & Elder Healthcare. here are his speaking notes.
- April SSS: talking about the Time Capsule. Notes are here.
- Need record of May, June, and July here
- July: Pride Storytelling Salon with McPhee Center youth and the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the community, both hosted by Pride. Dan put together a big photo slide show and Reg Giles hosted it.
- August: Extremely successful picnic at Point Pleasant Park
- September: Another successful picnic. Patrick Maubert's _Untoxicated Queers_ group joined us, totally unplanned.
- October: Dan brought a turkey! Member Mike and Dan (both were unplanned) did a promo of the event on CBC Radio's Weekend Mornings. Thanks host Bill Roach! Also: Annual General Meeting. Eastlink's Morgan Jessome showed up to do a couple video interviews - with Stephanie and Barend I think.
- November 13: The most interesting person I ever met
- December 3: Christmas Pot Luck Supper at Dan & Paul's
- December 11: Carols + White Elephant Gift Exchange
2023
- January 8: No Talent Show: No Talent / Know talent show! And a mountain of food! Program: Alan: original song on guitar… and encore Cecil: pen pal story Barend: Jambalaya on the Bayou a capella! Dan: Intro to theremin + Morning Has Broken Erick & Jeff: Billy Joel’s Mr Pianoman a capella + harmonica + singalong Caitie: poem …. and encore Dan & Alan: I’ll Be Seeing You + Autumn Leaves
- January 22: Book Sale We had about six hundred books donated and sold about half of those; the remainder will be going to a possible new library at the Glitter Bean, and to Books Behind Bars. We had over 70 customers through Radstorm and many volunteers - thank you, volunteers!
- Feb : Tell us your hobbies
- March 6: Ask Me Anything with Elizabeth Haggart's MSVU Gerentology class
- March 12: Special General Meeting for new bylaws, Annual General Meeting, and Lynnette Richards' book reading.
- April 16: Turret Storytelling Round Table. (we had planned Emily Davidson from the Turret Arts Space Society, but she cancelled due to covid? flu? at the last minute.) The audio is on line here in the Halifax Rainbow Encyclopedia.] 16 people
- April 26: "GSA" visit to Kings Central Rural High School documented here
- May 14: 1) round table discussion of moms; 2) short presentation by South Shore Pride inviting us in July
- June 11: Emily Davidson would be giving a talk about revamping theTurret Building as an accessible community art space.
- July 9: TRIP TO BRIDGEWATER!! For Bridgewater Pride!!
- July 30: 2023-07-30 Salon
- August 13: Picnic in Point Pleasant Park
- September 10: Picnic in the Public Gardens
- September 24: Luncheon at Canton Garden Chinese Restaurant, organized by Kaitlyn Drury. 6 or 7? people attended.
- October: Cancelled - it was on Thanksgiving and Dan was away
- November 9: Barend and Dan attended the TD Bank "Community Pillar Year-End Event" where we talked about Elderberries and Wayves, respectively. This was a very long event which was mostly the employees congratulating each other, and it really felt we were tacked on as tokens at the end. The food at the end was good though - they have a really fantastic huge lunchroom / cafeteria.
- November 12 : Garry Williams presenting songs from _KAMP_. $100 from our kitty + about $100 from passing around the box.
- December 9: Christmas party at Dan & Paul's
2024
- January 11: Dan presented about the Elderberries to the Advocates for the Care of the Elderly. Concluding points are in the February newsletter.
- January 14: Robert Wright: "Healing the Queer Community" . Food & Robert sponsored by The Investigaytors; special guests them and the Advocates for the Care of the Elderly
- January 27: Supper together at a restaurant - Kaitlyn
- February 12: Bob Millar talked about his upcoming book + Annual General Meeting - InvestiGAYtors sponsored the food. Dal researcher Hannah Crouse joined us too
- March 10: Coming out storytelling with the InvestiGAYtors
- March 15: Participate in Global Speakout against treatment of Q folk in Russia - flag raising at City Hall with Mike Davies-Cole, Lynn Murphy, & Onna Young from Wayves.
- March 21: Dan & Nathan Elling show up at a dance at Shannex Parkland seniors residence, and get lunch, and get interviewed after.
- April 14: Planned: Service Canada talking about (among other things) the new dental benefity. They cancelled due to illness. 11 people attended; "What advice might you give a younger version of yourself?". and then we went into free discussion about social inequality and polarising media, and AI as a boon or a threat to freedom.
- April 24: "GSA" visit to Kings Central Rural High School documented here
- May 12: Barend gave a presentation about living in Japan in the 1990s hopefully with a slide show. About 15 people in attendance. [[2024-05-12_Meeting?|Board meeting afterwards.]]
- May 25: CANCELLED RSVP event for an Elderberries meal together at Jim's Restaurant, Bedford Highway in the early afternoon. Producer KAITLYN
- June 9: Raymond Taavel Birthday at his park - about 60?? people dropped in during the afternoon. Mountain of food. $100 sponsorship from Pride and $50 sponsorship from Adam Reid
- June 13 Speakers Bureau Member AllisonBrewer is interviewed by Global News, about how things have changed positively for the q community over the years.
- June 23: reading/discussion by Jaime Burnet, author of Halifax-set novel (with TWO lesbian romances!) Crocuses Hatch from Snow. Producer LYNN. Photos here.
- June 23: Training for people how to run Salons!! using this guide Arranged by Lynn
- 2024-07-05: Letter to Halifax Pride re: their position on Palestine.
- July 13 (was 21): Youth/Elders StoryTelling with youth from the MacPhee Centre for Creative Learning.
- July 23: Elders Hangout
- August 11th Picnic at Point Pleasant Park, 11 attendees
- August: Five meetings, 3 in person and 2 Zoom, for the 2024 Provincial ActionPlan
- September 8th: Picnic at Point Pleasant Park cancelled, moved to Northwood Adult Day Space
- September 25: Death Café for Q Folk at the North Branch Library
- October 13: cancelled due to proximity to Thanksgiving
- October 27: Event at the bookstore on Strawberry Hill. Dan, Robin Metcalfe and Allison, Sue McNutt and her daughter Janet, Kaitlin and her husband, Lynn Murphy and Stephanie
- October 27 Open Book Coffee, 3660 Strawberry Hill St, Halifax
- November 17 : Pharmacy 101 for 2SLGBTQ+ Seniors : Professor Kyle Wilby, Director of the College of Pharmacy at Dalhousie, will speak on aspects of the pharmacy profession's awareness of,and outreach to, 2SLGBTQ+ Nova Scotians.
- December 8: White elephant gift exchange. 12 people, lots of festive food.
2025
- January 12: No event for no good reason.
- January 26: Nathan Elling talking about the very first Pride March
- February 9 : Cancelled due to foul weather
- February 23 : Health Equity Alliance of Nova Scotia (HEAL NS), previously known as the AIDS Coalition of Nova Scotia. queer health campaign centered around a personalised sexual health checklist tool. Contact Olivia Kerr <TO.recruiter2@eastlink.ca>. They'll bring some snacks - TBA.
- March 9: Annual General Meeting. Author talk & reading with Katerina Bakolias.
- March 23: Halifax Cops Volunteers Seniors' Home Safety Program, Frauds & Scams Presentation. Contact: "Miller, Delthia" <millerde@halifax.ca>. Producer: Dan
- March 31: 10am - noon: Focus Group on Seniors’ Safety in the HRM. At: Halifax Central Library. Prod: Stacey Colliver <stacey@ccfsc-cccs.ca>
- April 13: Anthea Taljaard talking about 1) Elections, and participating in the upcoming Federal election, and 2) Her art and the art of running an art gallery
- April 27: Chair Yoga by Kaitlin
- May 11: talk by Mica Daurie, founder of Transgender/Non-Binary Rights Advocacy NS.
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