The Sainte-Antoine community centre’s monthly shopping trips, derailed by theft, are about to get back up and running again thanks to a helping hand from a member of the community.
The shopping trips, where the community centre rents a bus at low cost, are among the programs and services the centre offers to seniors to prevent the loss of autonomy and reduce isolation.
“The best part of the trips is our drive to our destination because of how they’re laughing, the conversations,” said Rachel Stys, activity programmer at the centre, which has 200 members. “It could even be reminiscences driving through destinations, stuff like that.”
But those trips were put on hold after the bus they rent, which belongs to the New Hope Senior Citizens’ Centre, fell victim to theft.
Last Wednesday, Global News spoke with the centre’s executive director, Gerry Lafferty, who said the bus’s catalytic converter was stolen for the second time in less than a year.
The bus is lent out to a number of senior organizations across the island of Montreal.
Lafferty said it cost the centre $3,000 to repair the vehicle the first time around, adding that it would be difficult to come up with the money again.
Then he got a phone call that he never expected.
“I had a phone call from Sammy Reda from OEM Industries saying that his company makes catalytic converters and he’s gonna donate one to us,” said Lafferty.
Sammy Reda, owner and president of OEM industries, said when he heard about what happened to New Hope’s bus, he knew he wanted to help.
“When I heard it, it kind of touched home. And I decided, listen, it’s a very small — we’re not a huge company — it’s a small donation that I think will put a smile on people’s faces that deserve it,” said Reda.
Reda said he’s working with New Hope’s garage in order to install the new converter as quickly as possible.
“I actually plan to deliver the product myself to see that everything gets installed and I want to see that bus get back on the road,” he said.
Until that happens, the centre said it received another bit of good news: Sacred Heart School of Montreal offered them one of its buses until theirs is up and running again.
“It’s a nice reminder that there are more kind people out there than there are people who steal catalytic converters,” said Lafferty. “There’s a lot of good Montrealers who think of others.”
Lafferty says the centre will have a cage built around the new catalytic converter, in hopes of protecting it so that the part won’t be stolen again.
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