OLD-TIMERS RE-VISITING THE
“REBELLIOUS” ERA
BY ARMAND RODRIGUES
There was a time when retirees
languished because of scant offerings for them by the motherhouse, the Goan
Overseas Association (Toronto). The deficiency spawned two seniors’ clubs in
the West-end of Toronto and two in the East, to cater to their social
needs. However, the situation changed
for the better when Greta Dias was appointed Director of Retirees at the
G.O.A.(T). She came in with a vision of inclusivity and has held court for
eleven continuous years. She has been
conjuring up a variety of social offerings for the retirees, making them theirs
for the taking.
With a dimple in her cheek and a mischievous glint in her eye, Greta challenged the retirees to re-visit the
nostalgic 50s & 60s and re-live the Bohemian non-conformist days of
flower-power and hippiedom, at an event on September 15, 2019, held at the
Kalyaan Centre in Mississauga. People responded with alacrity. It is likely
that they rummaged through the old tin trunks in the attic to find suitable
abandoned apparel of the period. Some simply improvised. Justice was done to
the clarion call.
Needless to say, music and an
efficient M.C. go hand-in-hand-- like a horse and carriage-- and are conducive
to a favourable outcome. MUSIC MACHINE provided appropriate music that
resonated with the aging generation.
Joan Rosario was in her element as she presided over the proceedings as
the M.C. John Noronha and Delphine
Francis joined the band and belted out familiar vocals to liven up things. For
a while, the revellers went quiet while they were wolfing down the goodies in
their plate of hors d'oeuvres. Enoe
D’Souza and Maurice Dalby emerged as the best-dressed hippie couple.
While John and Alexandria Sylvan doled
out toe-tickling music, KONKAN DELITE provided comestibles to tickle the
palette, after Bertha Carvalho said Grace.
A multitude of helpers provided seamless assistance. B.R D’S. was everywhere with her camera when
she was not serving drinks. Jennifer Castelino’s finger-prints were on the centre-pieces.
And, somebody was thoughtful enough to provide paper and pencil to book dances,
as was the practice in days gone by.
Everybody seemed to know everybody
else. Co-mingling in a congenial
atmosphere came naturally to all. Who
could have asked for anything more?
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