January is Alzheimer’s Awareness month, a time for Canadians to reflect on the courage and resilience of people who are affected by dementia. 

In Wolfville, this special month is being celebrated with an additional level of recognition, following a big win at the Jan. 15 Dementia-Friendly Communities awards for the Memory Café

The Memory Café NS was born out of Wolfville’s Memory Café project, which was started via collaboration between a local Geriatric Psychiatrist (Beverley Cassidy) and Wolfville Recreation. The program is hosted at Charts Café in Wolfville.

The team has grown to include several local volunteers and has been successful in developing programming now used in other municipalities and communities across Nova Scotia. Memory Café NS is also supported by funding from the Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program and The Mud Creek Rotary Club.

The awards were created by the Dementia-Friendly Canada project, designed to recognize the phenomenal work that is being done across the country to make Canada a place that is inclusive and supportive for people affected by dementia.

There were six different categories for the inaugural award ceremony: voice, ally, grassroots group, municipality, small to medium organization and large organization. Wolfville’s Memory Café was recognized with a win in the grassroots group category.

Congratulations to all involved for making Wolfville a more dementia-friendly place to live.

The renovations at Devour! Studios, a centre for culinary and cultural innovation, are progressing, thanks to support from all levels of Government.

The Wolfville Main Street location, once complete, will serve as a multi-tenant, multi-purpose space for large events; culinary arts and education programs; cultural celebrations; professional music, film, and visual artists; and retailers selling Nova Scotia food and beverages.

The renovations to Devour! Studios in Wolfville will also provide a permanent home for Devour! The Food Film Fest in the transformed apple warehouse.

Mayor Wendy Donovan attended the announcement celebration on Jan. 16 in the space that looks out over Waterfront Park and the stunning vista of the Minas Basin. The Town of Wolfville has committed $100,000 to the project.

“The Town of Wolfville is thrilled that the home of Devour! is located in the heart of our town,” Mayor Donovan said. “Wolfville’s contribution to this iconic new home supports physical accessibility in the Devour! building and general public enjoyment through the patio link to the town’s waterfront. Wolfville’s contribution recognizes the important economic and social impact Devour! brings to our town. We anticipate spin-off benefits to food, beverage and accommodation businesses and opportunity for emerging entrepreneurs connected to food and film. Devour! is an exciting opportunity for our town and our entire region.”

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