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Cathedral parishioner Andrea Gailus was keen to offer words on Sorrento Centre, a place where she has worked full time, lived year-round and has been a longtime guest and supportive associate of. The attached photo shows Fred Gailus’ memorial bench, which is positioned outside of the Centre’s office building Spes Bona. There is still time to book your summer holiday time at Sorrento Centre (sorrentocentre.ca) and to join Dean Christopher Pappas and many others from our parish for the week of July 21-27! 
 
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In 1983 one of my ‘mentors’ at St. Gabriel’s Anglican Church in Calgary invited me to come for a week as a volunteer to Sorrento Centre. She knew that I would enjoy the experience but I wasn’t so sure. Suffice it to say, I fell in love with Sorrento Centre and when we had the opportunity, my late husband Fred and I accepted the invitation to come and live and work at the Centre from 2003 to 2007. Our family visited our pan-abode home there, and one of our daughters was married in the beautiful St. Francis chapel on the lawn. When Fred died in 2013 we brought some of his ashes to the Centre’s memorial garden so he would forever be in a place he loved and cared for as the groundskeeper.

 

The twenty five acre site offers accommodation options for everyone, from lodge rooms or camping sites and everything in between. The grounds are a safe place for children to run free with their bicycles and enjoy a freedom not available in cities. The waterfront offers swimming and campfires at night. The food services available can prepare all your meals (with dietary restrictions taken care of) or you can prepare your own in some of the different accommodation. 

The summer staff go out of their way to make you feel welcome and provide the best care possible for children’s programming. Superb adult courses are offered with something for everyone-art, music and lectures along with daily worship. All this is available or you can just be there on R&R to soak in the effect of this thin place. Singles, doubles and families all have a place. Community events allow you to meet everyone there or you can have your own private time-whatever fits.

It was a privilege to work there with former executive directors Bishop Barbara Andrews and Chris Lind, and to welcome so many guests from all across western Canada. It was like a big family. Church connections seem to follow you wherever you go. I hope you can add Sorrento Centre to your summer plans and enjoy all it has to offer. You won’t be disappointed!  

-Andrea Gailus

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