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Lorena Smalley

Are You Prepared – National Seniors Safety Week

This November, join us every Thursday afternoon for Are You Prepared?, a four-part series designed to help you stay informed and confident in life’s important matters.

 

  • Thursday, November 6, 2025
  • 1:45 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.
  • Cafe, Westend Seniors Activity Centre
  • Cost: $3.00 – includes coffee & treats
  • Door prizes, loot bags, and all attendees will receive a variety of resources

HOW TO REGISTER

1:30 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.
Arrive & Get Settled

Sign in and grab a loot bag before you meet the speakers, grab a beverage & snack, and get seated.

1:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.
Rebecca Vargese,
Alberta Securities Commission

Recognizing and Avoiding Investment Scams

Fraudsters often target older adults, putting hard-earned retirement savings at risk. This presentation is designed to help seniors recognize the common investment scams in Alberta, the red flags to watch for, and why it’s so important to verify who you’re dealing with before investing. You’ll also learn how to protect yourself by checking registration with the Alberta Securities Commission and how to report a suspicious investment.

Rebecca Vargese is an Advisor, Communications & Investor Education at the Alberta Securities Commission (ASC), where she co-leads investor education programs and initiatives for new Canadians and Indigenous Peoples in Alberta. A former journalist with nearly a decade of experience in Indian newsrooms, Rebecca is passionate about informing and empowering individuals to protect themselves from fraud. She holds a Master’s degree in Communications, with a specialization in print and new media.

2:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.
Edmonton Police Service

Safety and Crime Prevention

Members of the Edmonton Police Services Stony Plain Road Beats and the Neighbourhood Empowerment Team will share information and practical strategies for safety and crime prevention.

3:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
James MacDonald & Jody Gurr
Servus Credit Union

Fraud – Could you be next

Come and learn about current trends in the ever changing landscape of fraud. This session will provide knowledge on how to recognize the red flags of a scam and how to protect yourself. You will be able to Recognize, Reject, and Report fraud at the end of the session.

James MacDonald is the Senior Manager of Corporate Security at Servus Credit Union Ltd. James as over 30 years of investigative and fraud related experience. James has provided numerous fraud prevention seminars to help protect our communities from fraudsters. Supported by; Branch Manager Jody Gurr who has a 25 year career in banking.

3:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Stuart Lee
Cybersecurity Division, Government of Alberta

CyberSafe – what is cybersecurity?

This presentation will highlight some of the key cybersecurity subjects that you need to be aware of to protect yourself from the online scams and threats.

Stuart Lee has been with the Government of Alberta for over 29 years and joined the Corporate Information Security Office (now called the Cybersecurity Division) in 2010. His experience in Information Technology includes operations management, client services, project management, IT disaster recovery, business continuity and cyber security. He is currently the Director of External Stakeholder Engagement and is responsible for facilitating the development of strategic and tactical plans for the CyberAlberta initiative. His main roles include working with the Ministry of Education and their partners to incorporate more cybersecurity into the K-12 curriculum and act as a liaison with external Alberta stakeholders providing leadership in matters of cybersecurity.

4:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.
Wrap Up / Q&A

Wrap Up and final opportunity to meet with guest speakers