Two years ago, Gayle accepted a friend’s invitation to attend a Hub Club gathering offered by the Saskatoon Council on Aging (SCOA). She had no way of knowing then that a simple afternoon outing would become an important part of her retirement.
The Seniors Neighbourhood Hub Clubs bring older adults together for social connection, learning, recreation, and community engagement. While Gayle is a regular at the Mayfair Hub Club location, she often visits other Hub Clubs when a topic or special event catches her interest, especially the Christmas celebrations with music and treats.
Where Friendships Take Root
For someone who has always enjoyed staying active and involved in her community, the Hub Clubs offered more than just something to do. They provided opportunities to build meaningful relationships, stay connected, and experience a strong sense of belonging. Ask Gayle about the best part of the Hub Club, and her answer is immediate: the people. A self-described “real people person,” she knows what many retirees discover: when you leave your job, what you miss most is being with people.
“I’ve met lots of people there. It’s nice to see everybody and have a visit,” Gayle says.
What began as casual conversations soon developed into lasting friendships. Today, Gayle regularly meets with a group of Hub Club friends for monthly lunches, extending those connections well beyond the program itself and into community life.
A Lifeline for Others
Through her participation, Gayle isn’t simply benefiting from the Hub Club community; she is helping create it. Like many Hub Club participants, she contributes to the welcoming atmosphere that helps others feel comfortable, connected, and included. Participants share experiences, encourage one another, and help build the sense of community that keeps people coming back. While Gayle enjoys a full social life, she knows not everyone is so fortunate.
For Gayle, one of the greatest strengths of the Hub Clubs is their ability to reduce loneliness and create meaningful opportunities for connection.
“The Hub Clubs get you out of the house and give you something to look forward to! It’s healthier to be with people.”
For older adults who may be experiencing loneliness or social isolation, the clubs offer a welcoming place to connect with others, participate in community life, and develop new friendships.
A One-Stop Hub for Connection
The educational presentations are another highlight. Whether learning about local resources, exploring a new interest, or hearing from local presenters, Gayle values opportunities to continue learning and sharing experiences with others.
“You might learn something new and then you might take that up as a hobby,” she says.
Add exercise and refreshments, and it becomes what Gayle calls a complete package. “I can cook for myself, but I don’t mind having that visit and a coffee,” she adds.
That simple cup of coffee captures what makes the Hub Clubs special. More broadly, the program helps older adults build meaningful connections, reduce loneliness, and foster a sense of belonging. By bringing people together to learn, move, and visit, with volunteers helping make every gathering happen, the Hub Clubs are strengthening both individual wellbeing and community connections.
For Gayle, the result is a retirement that’s anything but empty. “I have places to go. I have people to see!”
About Age Better
Age Better is HelpAge Canada’s flagship granting program, supporting community-based seniors’ services (CBSS) organizations with grants of up to $20,000 to invest in community-led solutions that help older Canadians to live with purpose, belonging, and dignity. Since 2020, the Age Better program has reached more than 10,000 older adults in over 65 communities across Canada.
In 2026, Age Better began scaling up sustainable funding to CBSS organizations who operate high-impact, innovative programs and services that address loneliness and help foster belonging for older adults in their communities as part of CanBelong, extending funding to selected organizations for up to two calendar years.
Through Age Better, we help local organizations like the Saskatchewan Council on Aging continue to serve as a lifeline in their communities, providing the support older people need to live with purpose and know that they belong.
