Perley Health celebrates 'Century Club' honouring those who live to be 100 years old
Veterans who were fighting during the Second World War (WWII) in other areas of Europe during D-Day were honoured this week in Ottawa.
The Perley Health Foundation celebrated those joining the century club in the facility. There's now 15 members and the requirement is being at least a 100-year-old.
It was a celebration at the facility, as three new members joined.
Roland Lalonde, 101, is part of the club and a WWII veteran who was involved in the liberation of the Netherlands.
Lalonde says the secret to his age is keeping things in perspective.
"You take it one day at a time, and you don’t worry about yesterday and don’t think about tomorrow," said Lalonde. "Today is the day that you live."
Lalonde stays young at heart.
"I’m 101 and it feels old, but it also feels good," he said.
The veteran is an avid painter who has created hundreds of works of art during his time at the facility. A workshop is set up in his room with an easel and paintbrushes.
"I still spend about four hours a day painting," he said.
The Century Club celebration is very meaningful for those who live at the facility -- many of them are veterans.
"My father served in a two person artillery spotter plane and he was the wireless gunner there taking care of the radio and ensuring that there weren't any enemy flying around," said Guy Talevi, whose father was honoured during the ceremony. "He was successful at that. As you can see, he's still here today."
The club continues to grow each year, it now includes 15 members after three new inductees.
"I believe about nine were veterans and three were with the Royal Canadian Air Force," said Duff Sullivan, who sits on the board of directors for the Perley and Rideau Veterans Health Centre Foundation. "That's also important because it's the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force, and we're celebrating their 100th birthday."
The ceremony is a time of reflection and also an opportunity to honour each member’s legacy and the connections they continue to build.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6941344.1719400735!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
She's still busy at 105. What secrets and science are behind Canada's 'super agers'?
There is ongoing research to better understand the relationship between social connection and healthy aging, and why the brains of super agers look different compared with their peers.
Travellers watch as WestJet cancels flights with no end to mechanics strike in sight
Travellers flying with WestJet continue to watch as the airline cancels more flights due to a sudden strike by its mechanics union.
Thousands gather in downtown Toronto for one of Canada's largest Pride parades
One of the country's largest Pride events will culminate Sunday with a massive celebration.
Is it cheaper to take time off work or send kids to summer camp?
It's a conundrum parents are faced with every summer: What should their children do during their break?
Faulty brakes, airbag systems: Here are the cars recalled in Canada
Transport Canada recalled various vehicles over the last week, including Kia, Toyota, Volkswagen and Porsche cars.
'Lab-grown' meat maker hosts Miami tasting party as Florida ban goes into effect
As Florida's ban on "lab-grown" meat is set to go into effect next week, one manufacturer hosted a last hurrah — at least for now — with a cultivated meat-tasting party in Miami.
Time crunch, rules mess could plague a Liberal leadership race
Calls have intensified for Justin Trudeau to resign as head of the party he almost single-handedly pulled back from the brink after a decimating electoral defeat in 2011.
Centuries of stories, from some of Canada's centenarians
The Canadian Press has spent the past month interviewing some of Canada's more than 11,000 centenarians and their families. These are some of their stories.
How will Louisiana's new Ten Commandments classroom requirement be funded and enforced?
Even as a legal challenge is already underway over a new Louisiana law requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in classrooms, the details of how the mandate will be implemented and enforced remain murky.