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
Latest updates on air quality alerts, and when the smoke may reach Ontario and Quebec
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
Are these Canada's best restaurants? Annual top 100 list revealed
The annual list of Canada's top restaurants in the country was just released and here are the places that made the 2024 cut.
Ellen DeGeneres addresses the 'hurtful' end of her talk show in new stand-up set
Ellen DeGeneres is reflecting on how her talk show came to an end in her newest Netflix special, 'Ellen's Last Stand ... Up Tour.'
Steal a car, lose your driver's licence for 10 years under new Ontario proposal
Repeat car thieves may face lengthy licence bans under proposed changes to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
What to pack during an emergency
Knowing what to have at home, or take with you for an evacuation, can be useful and even life-saving.
Significant police presence as Israeli flag flies at Ottawa City Hall
The Israeli flag is flying at Ottawa City Hall today to mark the country's national day, with plans to hold a private ceremony to mark Israel's Independence Day. There is a significant police presence at City Hall, including security barriers outside the main doors.
Hot history: Tree rings show that last northern summer was the warmest since year 1
The broiling summer of 2023 was the hottest in the Northern Hemisphere in more than 2,000 years, a new study found.
Regulated area for invasive box tree moth expanded to parts of the Maritimes
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has added much of the Maritimes to a regulated area for an invasive species.