Creating Connections between generations

Samantha Harris, 8, and her mother Tish of the Aylmer area checked out artwork made by a Parkside Collegiate Institute student that was on display at St. Thomas Elgin Public Art Centre during a reception for the Creating Connections exhibition on Sunday afternoon, Jan. 11. The Alzheimer Society Elgin-St. Thomas partnered with the Art Centre to hold an intergenerational art program for women living with dementia and the Parkside students. The exhibition runs until Jan. 31. Creating Connections brought together Alzheimer Society clients, a registered art therapist, volunteers and art students in a series of workshops. Mrs. Harris’s mother Kathy Brownell of St. Thomas has early onset dementia and participated in the program which resulted in the artwork made by a Parkside student on the left. One Parkside student and one Alzheimer Society client were both from Aylmer. Other partners in the program included Krista Schneider who developed and facilitated the workshops, members of the Art Centre Women’s Committee who volunteered their time, Parkside teacher Linda Armstrong, Canadian Mental Health Association for providing transportation and the Ontario government which provided a Seniors Community Grant.