Every week the Cariboo Mental Health Association's Clubhouse program gives community members with mental disabilities a place to socialize and belong.
Kristin Wells, the CMHA's community engagement coordinator, said in addition to giving those with dementia, schizophrenia and other cognitive challenges a place to interact with one another, it also gives them a chance to learn life skills like budgeting and cooking. Acting clubhouse coordinator Lisa Higgins remarked her clients come to the clubhouse to do things they wouldn't be able to do otherwise on their own.
"A lot of them, if it wasn't for clubhouse, they would never leave their house during the day. This gets them out of the house," Wells said. "Coming here to the clubhouse for lunch helps their budget tremendously."
Higgins moved to the South Cariboo from Kelowna two years ago, where she used to work for a homeless shelter, and wanted to keep giving back to those in need. Working as a 'casual' volunteer at CMHA was the perfect fit and after the program's regular coordinator took a sabbatical, she stepped up to fill in while they were gone.
The program runs Monday to Friday from noon to 3 p.m. During a typical day, Higgins said she'll serve the clients lunch, do activities and play games with them and on Friday take them on an outing beyond the office. In the past they've gone to Desert Hills in Cache Creek and in the future she hopes to take them up to visit Scout Island in Williams Lake.
While the CMHA does receive funding from Interior Health to run the clubhouse, Wells said it mostly covers basic operating costs. Buying additional food, supplies for crafts and taking the program members out for outings are all funded by the proceeds of the CMHA's recyclables program.
"We rely on recycling and that's for activities. When we went to Desert Hills they each got a pumpkin and that was a huge thing for them. A lot of them can't go to the grocery store and buy a pumpkin because they have to budget their money," Higgins said. "The bottles pay for that."
However, in recent months income from the recyclable program has slowed. Higgins and Wells said a business that used to donate their bottles and cans to the clubhouse has stopped and they now rely on infrequent personal donations.
Higgins said she encourages those in the community with spare recyclables to consider donating them to the CMHA's Clubhouse program by dropping them off on their office's patio. She said she and the program members enjoy sorting through them whenever they arrive.
"It's something big for them, they are so excited," Higgins said.
Before talking to the Free Press, Higgins talked to her clients about what activities they would like to do if the program had more money. She said they told her they would love to go swimming in Williams Lake, have their own tackle boxes when they go fishing in the summer and have a little extra money to buy food.
"A lot of it was based around food, like going to the museum and then having lunch," Higgins remarked.
Wells said that the clubhouse program enriches the lives of its clients and she is hopeful that those looking to donate to a good local cause will consider doing so.
"When you donate bottles that goes right back into the clubhouse and makes the clients' lives that much better," Wells remarked. "If there are local businesses who want to donate staff bottles, or restaurants or cafes who don't want to deal with their empties, we could gladly take them off their hands."
Anyone looking to find out more about the program or who wants to arrange a donation can reach out to the CMHA at 250-395-4883.
