Coffee, Company and Conversation, a community outreach program for older adults that St. Mark’s Anglican Church in Ottawa has offered weekly for six years now, had an especially fun and lively kick-off for this fall season.
On Sept. 11, CCC partnered with the New Horizons program for seniors that is under the Nepean, Rideau, Osgoode Community Resource Centre’s (NROCRC) umbrella of services for the wider community. As two groups providing morning programs for older people, we collaborated to hold a cultural event at St. Mark’s on the first morning of CCC’s fall program. New Horizons, as a government sponsored activity under NROCRC, has been funded so that they might have events highlighting different cultures. One of the people who attends both programs suggested that the two groups combine to have/host an Irish cultural event at St. Mark’s.
The result was a very special gathering of more than 88 people from both morning programs, as well as guests. Brian Armstrong, who suggested the idea, created a lovely program, an ode to the Irish culture and country. A power point presentation highlighted the history and beautiful scenery of Ireland. Then the Ottawa Celtic Choir entertained. Ten singers brought the beautiful music of this culture in Gaelic to the event. To end this journey to the Emerald Isle, seven Irish dancers performed and then led those brave enough to join them in Irish line dancing. It was delightful!
As always, to start the morning, CCC’s talented bakers provided goodies to go with tea and coffee. For this occasion, they outdid themselves by adhering to the Irish theme. Guinness cake, Bailey’s coffee cake, Bram Brack and shamrock shortbreads were accompanied by Irish cheeses and fruit.
After the program, New Horizons (NROCRC’s program) provided an Irish lunch of lamb shepherd’s pie and halibut fish pie catered by Tulips and Maple. The CCC volunteer bakers from St. Mark’s made delicious Irish apple cake for dessert.
The two outreach program teams, with a lot of help from volunteers on both sides, created this first joint event, which brought the two groups together and offered a fun opportunity to meet new people. People have asked that we do it again — a major success!
The CCC volunteer team at St. Mark’s church shared their space with a group who needed one to hold a larger event. Setting up, proving coffee, serving food and doing the clean-up afterwards was CCC’s contribution to an unforgettable morning for both groups. It was a great way to kick off our 2025-2026 seasons!
November Coffee, Company & Conversation Events
Thursdays at 10 am
St. Mark the Evangelist (1606 Fisher Ave., Ottawa)
November 6 — Bridge & Games – or – “Koffee Klatsch”
November 13 — Post Remembrance Morning
November 20 —Guest: Mike Martin, noted Ottawa writer and author of the “Sgt. Wildflower Murder Mysteries” – set in Newfoundland
November 27 — Creative Writing Group – or – “Koffee Klatsch” for non-writers
