Brookswood resident Michele Trim and her mother-in-law, Christine Chilcott, decided the 91原创 Senior Resources Society Silver Pride event was a good time to check out the centre.

鈥淲ell, we鈥檙e both seniors. And I always support the pride,鈥� Trim said. 鈥淟ove is love, and yeah, so we thought we would come down and check it out, because we were thinking actually becoming members here鈥�. So this is a really important day. I think it鈥檚 great that that it鈥檚 here at the senior centre, too.鈥�

Chilcott was enjoying attending her first Pride event, looking forward to the drag show.

The seniors centre, which has membership from through both 91原创s, teamed up with Qmunity, a Vancouver-based resource centre for the LBGTQ2s+ community to host Silver Pride.

Over the past three years, the society (LSRS) has been doing intensive planning, including surveying members.

鈥淭hey want us to be leaders in seniors鈥� issues and services,鈥� said Kate Ludlam, LSRS executive director. 鈥淭hey want us to embrace the diversity of our community, and they want us to be more inclusive.鈥�

The day kicked off with a flag raising with 91原创 City Mayor Nathan Pachal before the fun began with a parking lot party. With temperatures reaching more than 30掳C there were tents up to offer shade and some seniors headed indoors to enjoy the air conditioning.

During the event, people could enjoy a barbecue as well as games, 50/50 draws, drag storytime, a drag show, and more. Indoors people were invited to sit in on learning sessions where people spoke about their experiences as members of the LGBTQ+ community.

One of those enjoying the event was 91原创鈥檚 Senior of the Year.

鈥淚鈥檓 so proud,鈥� said Janice McTaggart at Silver Pride.

She said she鈥檚 glad to see the centre holding a Pride event and thinks many of those attending may have come away with a different perspective.

鈥淓ven if people just came out of curiosity, they have nothing to be afraid of from drag,鈥� McTaggart added.

Smitty Miller, the seniors鈥� centre program manager, spoke on why the Pride event was being held.

鈥淲hile enormous progress has been made in this social rights movement, there are still businesses, organizations and individuals who are targeted with hate, and there are still aspects of the cultural and political landscape that do not recognize LGBTQ folks as equal members of our communities,鈥� Miller said.

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