What’s the secret to living over 100 years? According to 101-year-old veteran Chuck Page, he owes his longevity to “behaving himself and not getting into too much trouble”.
With many birthdays to look back on, Page decided to celebrate this particular milestone by giving back to his newfound community of Creston.
Before moving to the small town last year, retired Sgt. Page had lived his entire life in the city of St. Catharines, Ont., where he was born and raised. He served in the Air Force from 1940 to 1945. For almost three years, he was also a prisoner of war in a German camp after his flight crew was shot down near the Dutch coast.
Sadly, his wife of 68 years, Irene Page, died in July 2020, which led to his decision to move across the country to live with his daughter Nancy DeVuono and her husband. Page is a proud family man with three children, five grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
Since making the move, he said everyone in the community has been friendly and welcoming, which prompted his desire to give back.
When he turned 101 on Aug. 9, Page decided to start the initiative to collect 101 monetary donations for Valley Community Services.
The non-profit society provides numerous services for residents in the Creston area, including community counselling programs, supports for families and children, the Therapeutic Activation Program for Seniors, Better at Home, and more.
To kick off the campaign, Page has started by donating $101 of his own money and is asking others to either match his donation or contribute whatever is affordable.
Page is no stranger to fundraising for a good cause. For his 100th birthday last year, he walked 100 laps around his townhouse complex and raised almost $24,000 for a local rehabilitation hospital.
“Lots of people are struggling,” said his daughter DeVuono. “Our hearts go out to those who have been facing so many challenges this past year. We count ourselves especially lucky to be healthy and have dad with us here. And that’s why we want to give back to the Creston community and share our good fortune.”
Throughout the interview with the Advance, Page was cracking jokes and making his family laugh.
He said there will always be hard times and loss in life, but his mantra is to “have fun and look forward to the next meal”.
“He has a great sense of humour,” said DeVuono. “With us living together, we joke and have fun together. He is a very kind and accepting person. I try to emulate that as much as I can.”
To donate to Chuck Page’s 101st birthday campaign, visit valley.services and click on the donation link in the menu at the top of the page.
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