It was in 1982 that the candle was lit.

​

Jeanne LeBlanc, at the time, was the vice president of the Golden Age Club (club de l’âge d’or) in Zenon Park. Being a woman with great initiative, Mrs. LeBlanc wanted more for francophone seniors. It was at this point that the idea of founding a federation that united all of the Fransaskois senior clubs within the province came to her.

 

The first person she spoke with to make this idea a reality was Michel Vézina, who was a community development officer for the region. Vézina immediately knew that the idea of uniting francophone seniors was a great idea and was quick to encourage Mrs. LeBlanc. It was with his support that her efforts gained momentum.

 

Because a federation of this sort had never been seen in Saskatchewan, information for kick-starting the federation was obtained from our neighbouring province, Manitoba. Alice Labelle, the president of the Franco-Manitoban Senior Federation at the time, was happy to share her knowledge. It was then on October 28th, 1982 that Mrs. Labelle found herself speaking to members of the Golden Age Clubs from Debden, Prince Albert, Bellevue, and Zenon Park during a distinctive meeting.

​

On October 29, 1982, the base of the federation was formed.

The provisional committee was formed and they began making progress. Upon appealing to New Horizons, the federation’s first subsidy was granted.

The committee went the extra mile that year; there were frequent meetings, ample phone calls, and plenty of traveling involved in the process. It was then on August 27th, 1983 that the Fédération des Aînés Fransaskois was born.

 

To commemorate this occasion, a conference was held at the Marlboro Inn in Prince Albert. The conference consisted of 55 senior citizens that traveled from all four corners of the province. It was important to note the significant contribution of the secretariat in the form of a grant at this point, for without them, the rapid foundation of this federation would not have been possible.

​

An expansion was thus required not long after, and a standing committee was elected. The acronym for the Fédération des aînés fransaskois was officially chosen, and the federation would, thereafter, frequently be referred to as the FAF throughout the years.