Episode #18 - Patricia & Dennis Bayley live and laugh at The Village of Taunton Mills in Whitby while sharing about their passions of poetry, chemistry, and traveling.  Erin Davis & Lloyd Hetherington are joined on the green bench for some laughter and storytelling.  

What are you passionate about? What are your hobbies?

Lloyd's hobby is words: a good pun, a game of scrabble, writing ... words, words, words.  His passion is people.

In school, Patricia was not very good at English and Dennis was absolutely terrible at Chemistry - they both grew into those as interests to stick with them their whole life. "If someone says we can't do something, that is when we start doing it." -Dennis Bayley

Patricia's love for poetry began long ago right when she was able to print.  Dennis shares his passion for science/chemistry.

"It's all about connection, especially now more than ever." -Erin Davis

Dennis - a left-handed child was hit over the hand in school every time he used his left hand so he became right-handed.  After 80 years of using the right hand, Dennis shares about an experiment he did while in lockdown with Dr. Porac at Penn State University.  His experiment to draw using his left hand again.  Read the blog post here: https://sites.psu.edu/clarep/category/switching-handedness/

Patricia - Enjoys writing poetry with some rhyming, a theme, a beginning, and an end.  Listen to the poet, Patricia Bayley read her poems: 'Life Cycle', 'Hope'

Another poem was a feature on CTV National News with Lisa Laflamme - You can find this video posted in the Wisdom Bank at elderwisdom.ca

Hear how Dennis supports Patricia with her poetry writing. "It's not only the writing of the poem. It's holding onto your breath while you think, rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb, I'll go back and have another bat at it." - Patricia Bayley

Our guests pull out their passports and share some stories from their travels. Holland, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Antarctica, South America, Brazil.  Working in Thailand teaching in 1995 as part of a CESO Project (Canadian Executive Service Organization) as volunteers. 

Dennis spearheaded an exchange program with first-nations students as literacy chair for district 707 Rotary Clubs and also working with the Durham Regional School Board.  Now at The Village of Taunton Mills to involve all the seniors to provide school supplies and warm garments to send to the Schools in the First-Nations communities.

You get an airline ticket to anywhere in the world...where do you choose to go?

"I don't believe that vegetables should be put on this earth so I don't eat them." - Dennis Bayley

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The Green Bench is a symbol of elder wisdom. Physically or virtually, the bench invites us all to sit alongside a senior, share a conversation, or give and offer advice.

It challenges the stigma seniors face; the ageism still so prevalent in society. It reminds us of the wealth of wisdom our elders offer and in doing so, helps restore them to a place of reverence.

"The greatest untapped resource in Canada, if not the world, is the collective wisdom of our elders." -Ron Schlegel

This podcast is brought to you by Schlegel Villages, retirement & long-term care homes in Ontario, Canada.

#ElderWisdom | Stories from the Green Bench is produced by Memory Tree Productions