Previous Marys

According to this year’s spokesperson for Two Miles for Mary, those involved in making the service possible are angels.

“I’ll defend them right to the day I die. Without them, I’ve got nothing,” said Joyce Paradis. “The taxis are so expensive, I’d be lucky to go out twice a month with a cab. With them (Two Miles for Mary), I can go out every week.”

In speaking to paNOW, Paradis, 82, said she was at first, surprised when she was selected as the 2023 spokesperson. Nonetheless, she said she’s happy to support a cause that’s been vital to her and other seniors.

“When I believe in something, I will fight for it. On the senior transportation I will fight as much as I can do,” said Paradis who added that in writing her will, she asked that half of her estate go to the Seniors Transportation service. The other half is destined for the Legion for the Poppy Fund as her father was a veteran. Paradis said she has a lot of passion for the service but only because she feels it’s the only affordable option in the city.

She recalls moving back to Prince Albert in 2003 after her husband’s passing. Then, she said there was plenty for seniors to do, particularly downtown.

“They had good busses on, the cabs were terrific, the city was wonderful, there were businesses downtown that I could go to,” she said as she reminisced about weekly walks to the downtown Co-op.

Unfortunately, many businesses have either closed or moved out of downtown, leaving seniors like Paradis with fewer places to go.

“It’s like the city has forgotten about us seniors. There’s very little transportation for some of us seniors,” she said, noting that cab fares have risen drastically in the past 20 years.

The City of Prince Albert recently proclaimed September as Seniors Transportation Month during a City Council meeting on Aug. 8.