Author: Leila Russell-Brown

Need housekeeping services this spring or summer?

Over 55 has many associates available for the job! Here is a poster (WIP) featuring our fantastic associates:

Call today and get a free quote.

For Over55’s 40th Anniversary on July 12, 2026, Denise Pelley will be performing at the London Brewing Co-op from 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM!

In addition to her singing, the event will feature complimentary food & beverage, a speech by London’s MP Peter Fragiskatos, and a raffle featuring $200 cash and $100 oil change vouchers sponsored by Tony Clark Car Care!

We are glad to have Andrew, Arley, and Dina join our group of associates!

Dina is a talented hairdresser with many years of experience cutting both women’s and men’s hair. Andrew has painted for school boards and residential projects in Ontario for decades. Arley is an experienced handyman and general contractor who can do everything from concrete work, foundation repair, carpentry, and landscaping.

We are glad to have their skillset and are thankful they chose to sign on with us!

Hello everyone. I am the summer marketing student at Over 55. As we approach the end of spring, I thought it would be a good idea to share my journey of starting a garden for the first time. During my first month of gardening, I learned some interesting lessons:

Lesson 1: Animals are not so cute when they eat your food.

You will quickly learn that the furry friends in your backyard also find the lettuce and tomatoes in your garden delicious. Here is an image of the skunk that keeps coming into our garden:

Rabbits and squirrels were also a problem. Rabbits will munch on your lettuce all day and squirrels will eat anything. The only solution we found was installing a barrier like garden netting or plant protection tents to keep them out.

Lesson 2: Start small, research your plants, and maintain regularly.

I learned the hard way growing garden plants is not as easy as leaving a potato in the ground to grow. Animals will eat your plants, grubs will destroy your roots, inadequate watering will kill your plants, and weeds will grow back unless you pull out the entire root.

Some notes I made:

1. Pull weeds by their roots.
2. Loosen the dirt to allow roots to expand.
3. Install barriers to prevent animals from entering your garden.
4. Different plants need different fertilizer content (nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassum (K)), water amounts, and sunlight duration to grow properly.

I hope to grow some successful plants using the lessons I learned in June. Thank you for reading this blog and I hope to have more success growing plants next month.

Join us for our 40th Anniversary event on July 12, 2026 at the London Brewing Co-op from 12PM – 6PM!

Planned events include a special performance by singer Denise Pelley, a local favorite, and a speech from London’s MP Peter Fragiskatos. In addition, the event will feature complimentary food & beverage and other fun activities for everyone to enjoy.

Sponsored by Libro Credit Union, Over 55 Skills At Work is running a free tech support and teaching program to help seniors (age 55+) with their devices (Android/iPad).

We have 3 iPads and 2 Lenovo Android tablets in our office. You are also welcome to bring your own. Starting every Friday from May 15, 2026, our 6 weekly classes (an hour long each) will teach everything from:

• Specific tech issues you may have
• Device setup
• Using email, text messages, and social media apps
• Banking, e-transfers, etc.
• Using a browser and staying safe online
• … and more!

Contact us for more questions:

Phone: 519-438-1111

Email: info@o55.ca

Karen appeared on CTV News to discuss our mission, the services we provide, and our plans for the future.

Watch the CTV News interview here:

https://www.ctvnews.ca/london/video/2026/04/20/over55-skills-at-work-april-18-2026

Karen Steinmann, Executive Director at Over55, talks to radio show host Devon Peacock on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, to discuss how her organization helps Londoners over 55 gain meaningful employment and what her plans for the company are moving forward.

The Over55 team attended the MEGA Business After Five Event, hosted by the London Chamber of Commerce at RBC Place, on Thursday, April 16, 2026 to promote our services!

Our booth received a lot of traffic and we met with many influential community partners in London. We are excited to work with them on future projects to continue our mission of supporting Londoners over 55 during difficult times.

We would like to thank Gord Fansher, who livened up the venue with his wonderful MC work, who is one of our board members, and another board member, Nela Kacprzak, for coming out to help our team at the event!