Inspired to foster lifelong learning in older adults

Inspiring Albertan - Tamara Seiler The first president of CALL is our Inspiring Albertan this week. Here's Darrel Janz...

In 2010, a small group of Calgarians got together to start an organization called the Calgary Association of Lifelong Learners or CALL to create programs that allow people to share their knowledge, experience and interests with others.

The not-for-profit organization’ s first president was Tamara Seiler who took on the role after a distinguished career in the University of Calgary's Faculty of Communication and Culture.

‘When we first started we had maybe 40 or 50 people who were interested and very soon we had well over 100 and pretty soon 200,” said Seiler.

Today, there are more than 600 members and the program is open to everyone age 45 or over.

Retired U of C professor, Don Smith, was part of the original group of five people who proposed the formation of CALL and says Seiler’s skills were a big help to the organization.

“She has a very good administrative background at the university and also terrific, what do I say, culture? She covers many areas and she gave us enormous organizational skills,” he said.

Carol Gerein was also part of the founding group and says Seiler has contributed plenty to CALL's success.

“She's had leadership roles from the very start. She was on the steering committee, as you know, the first president. She's been on the board for the whole time that CALL has existed,” said Gerein.

Research shows that keeping the mind and body active as you age has many benefits and Seiler says CALL focuses on both.

“The more active you are mentally and physically, we have groups that walk and that sort of thing too, and socially, we provide a sort of social outlet for people as well. People become good friends. So I think all of those are really important to what we might call aging well,” she said.

For all she is doing to help Calgarians age well, Tamara Seiler is our inspiring Albertan this week.

(With files from Darrel Janz)