Cora Medina - 50 Stories for 50 Years (Story # 23)
For years, Cora walked by Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House. She never thought about going inside. Then, in December of 2020, she was tired of being isolated. She decided to check out the Neighbourhood House.
The woman at the front desk was Shirley. She was a smiling, kind-hearted Filipino Canadian woman, just like Cora. Shirley showed Cora around the building. Before Cora knew it, she was leaving with two Christmas dinners, some gifts, and a free three-year membership.
"It's overwhelming," she thought. "I just came to visit, and I'm leaving with all this!”
Cora and her husband took many neighbourhood walks during the pandemic. One day Cora noticed an elderly woman eating alone on a park bench. She looked sad and lonely.
Cora couldn’t forget about the woman. She remembered the kindness she felt when she met Shirley at the Neighborhood House.
A question came to her mind: "What have I got in me that I can use?"
That question was an inspiration.
Cora remembered her old job at Service Canada. She organized a banana leaf workshop during Public Service Week. She added dancing and turned a lunch meeting into the best workshop her colleagues had ever experienced.
"Why not do that at the Neighborhood House?" she thought.
She contacted the Program Coordinator. They organized a Canada Pension Plan workshop – with music! Cora invited a musician friend and created a surprisingly fun event.
The Program Coordinator was excited. "Cora, why don't you apply for grants to do more workshops?"
Cora began creating workshops unlike anything the seniors had experienced. Her banana leaf workshop wasn't just about making food containers from banana leaves – it was a journey to the Philippines. Cora eventually transformed her once-quiet, homebody friends into a multicultural workshop and dance group. Today, they perform in traditional costumes, bringing the world's cultures to seniors without them ever having to leave their seats.
"There's so much hidden in our cultures," Cora realized. "So much we're not exploring."
Cora always contacts participants to remind them of events. A phone call to an elderly woman showed Cora how meaningful her workshops really were.
"I jumped when I saw your number," the woman said. "I have no family around here. I hardly have friends. I have lots of clothes, but no one invites me anywhere. But I know I'm going to a party tomorrow. Even just picking the clothes I'm going to be wearing tomorrow gives me joy."
Cora was speechless. She knew her workshops were fun, but she didn’t know they were lifelines.
"If one life has breathed easier because you have lived—that is to have succeeded," Cora thought.
Cora dreams of more intercultural celebrations where seniors share stories, food, and dances. She wants MPNH to always be a space where cultures are explored and appreciated.
Cora believes seniors have much to offer younger generations. She wants MPNH to be a place where generations come together to share and learn.
"Seniors have so much to contribute," Cora says. "We need to create spaces for intergenerational help, for cultural exchange, for connection."
Because gifts of stories live forever through community.
Story written by Carrie Keen through an interview with the participant during her practicum placement at Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House.
50 Stories for 50 Years at MPNH is a collection of meaningful stories that celebrate the lasting impact our Neighbourhood House has had over the years. These stories come from long-time participants, families, youth, volunteers, community members, and regular visitors whose lives have been touched, supported, or transformed through our programs, services, and connections at the House.
