Znaimer’s Zoomers launch Waterloo Region chapter

Originally published in the Record on September 30th, 2010. To go to the Record website please click here

WATERLOO — When Moses Znaimer took over the reins of the Canadian Association of Retired Persons, some people said he’d changed sides.

This was, of course, the man who’d built a media empire for a younger generation, with soft-core Baby Blue movies on Citytv and the latest videos on MuchMusic.

And now he was courting seniors? What happened?

Time, for one thing. Znaimer is now in his late 60s – and that younger generation he’d catered to wasn’t as young anymore, either.

“I’m really serving the same gang,” he told a crowd of more than 300 at Wednesday night’s official launch of the associations’ K-W and Area chapter.

The “gang” served by his ZoomerMedia group – which includes television and radio stations, websites and a magazine – counts anyone over 45. Znaimer coined the term “zoomer” – from boomers with zip – for the 14.5 million Canadians in that growing demographic.

“If we’re healthy, we all want to live forever, but nobody wants to be old,” he said. He said one of the association’s goals is to ensure that older adults get the credit and respect they deserve. “There’s so much knowledge, so much vitality, so much experience that should not be thrown in a heap in the corner.”

With 350,000 members, the group advocates for social change that will ensure financial security, fair and timely access to health care, and freedom from discrimination.

© The Record

Keywords: event, seniors