Rita Chaput has been living
with the pain of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis since she was a young
lady. The past few years her condition has worsened steadily and since
September 2005, she has been, “going downhill fast, but I am trying not
to let it get me down,” she explained.
“I find it very difficult
to walk around and have to use a cane. It is important not to fall when
you have my condition, because broken bones will not heal,” Rita
continued. “So when Val Mazzuca put in automatic doors in the Hanmer
Valley Shopping Centre I gave him a big hug. Store owners like Val should
get recognition for the little things they do to help make shopping more
pleasant for people with disabilities and also for seniors.”
Rita was absolutely thrilled
when that same Val Mazzuca offered to give her the power cart she is shown
riding. He realized that it was getting more and more difficult for her to
walk, especially in the winter snow, so he offered her this mode of
transportation so that she could get around the mall area.
Rita Chaput moved to
Valley East
about 14 years ago from the Flour Mill. She lives right across from the
Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre and spends a lot of her free time walking
indoors and visiting with the merchants and visitors. All of her seven
children and eleven grandchildren go with her to the mall whenever they
visit.
Val Mazzuca has done a lot
during the past couple of years to make the mall a much more “senior
friendly” establishment, and people like Rita appreciate everything he
has done. For example, there are several comfortable sitting areas located
throughout the mall with cloth wing-backed chairs. All of the entrances
now have automatic doors which make it easier for people to enter and exit
without much difficulty. There is a full range of health services in the
mall with doctors, dentists, denturists, chiropractors, opticians,
naturopaths, massage therapists, a pharmacy, a walk-in-clinic and monthly
blood pressure and cholesterol clinics. Almost every weekend there are
community groups and organizations in the mall to provide interesting
activities and information to visitors. The mall has been very open to
inviting all residents to drop in and walk around the hallways on a
regular basis. And, perhaps best of all, you know that the parking lot
will always be cleared and clean, even during the most severe winter
storms.
“On behalf of people with
physical challenges like myself, and all seniors in the area, I want to
thank owners of stores who keep us in mind when they are planning the
layout of their store. There are a lot of people like me in
Valley East
and we appreciate the little things you do for us,” Rita concluded.
