83-year-old brightens Nanaimo seniors community with daily 'smile pages'
When she first moved into the seniors community, Angie Harvey was determined to keep being productive.
"I didn’t want my life to just degenerate into sitting around waiting for meals," the 83-year-old says.
While searching for something to spark her interest online, Angie happened upon research about the health benefits of laughter.
"At this stage of life, all of us have some kind of health challenges," Angie says.
So she began gathering information and images from the internet that amused her.
"It was hard to know where to stop," she says.
It felt so good, Angie wondered how she could spread the joy.
"I started looking for the potential of doing something that would make people smile," Angie says.
The former teacher used her computer and printer to create pages of positivity and began posting one per day in the lobby of her complex.
"People will stop and say, 'Oh! That was a funny you had there,'" Angie says of the project, which she dubbed the Daily Smile Pages.
They range from the sweet – like a picture of a kitten reclining on an exercise-ball accompanied by the caption "I started a new exercise routine everyday. I do diddly-squats'" – to the more substantial, like a comical cartoon followed by text that reads "laughter lowers blood pressure and can reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack."
"It also makes my day if somebody says, 'Oh, I didn’t know that,'" Angie says.
Angie’s Smile Pages have become so popular she’s earned the nickname the Smile Lady. Her positive output is so prolific, Angie’s collected her work into "Smile Books" based on different themes for people to peruse.
"I know it’s benefitting them," Angie says, referring to her research on the health benefits of being positive. "Sharing. That is one of the most important things."
Which is why Angie’s expanding her positive publishing pursuit to donate her time to make welcome cards for people moving into the Origin at Longwood senior living community in Nanaimo.
She's also creating custom birthday cards for all 202 of the complex’s current residents.
"Life is about giving," Angie says. "We’re here to share whatever knowledge we have, whatever pleasure we can give other people."
And if you strive to inspire smiles, Angie says while pointing to one of her favourite Smile Pages that shows a picture of a vibrant sunset taken from a neighbour’s balcony, you just might start noticing the world beaming right back at you.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Watch fighter jet pilots pummel fake enemy ship off coast of Philippines
The United States and Philippines held annual joint-training drills just off the Southeast Asian nation’s western coast on Wednesday. Military forces sunk a 'mock' enemy warship – the BRP Lake Caliraya, which was a decommissioned tanker made in China.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his head more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.