The Probus Club of Burlington Lakeshore Hi-Lites October 2018 Monday, October 15, 2018 10:00 AM AGM Michelle Davis Cannabis Management Committee 2017-2018 Ron Luxon, President (905) 634-8310 Bill Willson, Vice President (905) 332-7652 Rodney Devitt, Vice President (289) 313-0593 Malcolm Ramsay, Secretary (905) 681-8109 Bill Willson, Treasurer (acting) (905) 332-7652 Bob Miller, Past-President (905) 634-1268 John Wishart, Past-President (905) 319-6317 Lou Pennachetti, Speakers (905) 637-7347 Mike McInnis, Membership (905) 331-2346 Dave McKenzie, Hi-Lites (905) 639-7529 Dave McKay, Events (905) 634-8256 Jim Gilleland, House (905) 634-6490 John Pegg, Cheer (905) 637-9980 Thanks Tim Burrows our speaker and a retired vice president of Forty Creek Distillery gave a very interesting talk about Tesla and electric vehicles. Following the meeting he instructed the Tesla SUV to put on a performance for us including gull wing doors moving in time to music. I m afraid that it will be some time before the EV takes over as there could be much unemployment as a result. Also, the rebates will be gone making the vehicles much more expensive. With what has happened at Tesla, (chief engineer Musk and his problems) unable to build quantity and quality, it might be better to partner with proven manufacturing automobile companies. Like most, we enjoyed turkey with all the trimmings, but the meeting week it will definitely be swan for me as required by the Constitution. Anne and I helped celebrate both grandchildren s birthday - a 4 th and a 2 nd. We have been at our place on Lake Vernon where the leaves were at the peak of color. It was cold at night but nice during the afternoons. I arranged for my boat to be picked up by my marina and stored for the winter. I also arranged for the fishing boat motor to be winterized elsewhere. With another group, Anne and I attended Theatre Aquarius Spider Web by Agatha Christie. What a wonderful summer we had including much golf. Anne also plays tennis at Aldershot where the bubble went up end of September. The curling season started for me at the Burlington Golf and Country club October 9 th, so I will continue to be active in my retirement from the Presidency. Again, at our Annual General Meeting to be held as well as the general meeting Monday October 15 th, the new Management committee will be elected and introduced. We ask that you prepare by reading the Minutes of AGM 2017 found under the history tab on the Club website www.burlingtonlakeshoreprobus.org, as well as the year-end Financial Statements to be provided at the end of this newsletter. Continued... w w w. b u r l i n g t o n l a k e s h o r e p r o b u s. o r g Page 1
President s Message Continued Celebrating 25 Years I want to thank Dennis Colameco for again doing an excellent job as Golf Coordinator. The fall outing at Hidden Lake was unfortunately rained out. Many thanks to Dave McKenzie for being the Curling Coordinator, resulting in our club currently holding the championship trophy we need someone to take over from Dave for the 2019 spiel as we are to be the hosts please consider this. Thank you also Dave McKenzie for the excellent High-Lites newsletter and web site responsibilities. I want to personally thank the Secretary, Malcolm Ramsay and the 2 nd Vice President and Acting Treasurer Bill Willson, for the excellent job they do with record keeping and financial responsibilities. Thank you to Mike McInnis, Membership Chair assisted by Peter Hughes, and Dave McKay, Events Coordinator assisted by Bob Moulton for their outstanding job. Please take time with me and thank all the committees, chairmen and members of the Management committee including Farhad Gharavy, Christmas Luncheon Coodinator, 1 st Vice President, Rodney Devitt (one of suppliers of humour), Lou Pennaccetti, Speakers Chair, John Pegg, Cheer Committee Chair and Jim Gilleland, House Committee Chair for all that they have done to make the year another success. I want to especially thank Past Presidents, John Wishart and Bob Miller, for chairing the Past Presidents Committee. Bob Miller deserves special thanks for agreeing to be the chair of the 25 th Anniversary Committee. Together, all these people have made my two years as your President run smoothly and memorably. Don t forget to buy your tickets to the 25 th Anniversary/Christmas luncheon December 10 th $60pp. Only 120 tickets will be sold. Remember to renew your membership now $40 payable to the Probus Club of Burlington Lakeshore. I want to in advance congratulate the new Management committee to be elected. I have really enjoyed being your President the last two years. Thank you so much for allowing me this privilege. Ronald Luxon, President Let s Celebrate 25 Years! Reminiscences of Dick Hames - September One of the more pleasant things, and there are many, about coming to a monthly Probus meeting is arriving at or a little before 9:30 am, buying a raffle ticket and getting a coffee. We used to have to find our name tag and pay $2.00 for something or other but now we take the tag home and hopefully remember to bring it back the next meeting. Anyway, as I was saying, after getting a coffee and before the meeting starts at 10:00 am, I enjoy standing around talking to other members. It was on one such morning in May that I was approached by two members, Bob Miller and Rod McGrath. Now when 2 guys approach you, who normally you would only give a morning greeting to, you know something is coming so, before either could say a word, I blurted out NO!. So here I am at this September meeting to tell you why I joined Probus Club of Burlington Lakeshore and what I most enjoy about being a member. w w w. b u r l i n g t o n l a k e s h o r e p r o b u s. o r g Page 2
In March, 2011, I had just relinquished my position as President & General Manager of Beverley Hills Home Improvements when I was asked by my friends, George Bedford, John Pegg and Hal Kemp to join them in a foursome at Silver Sliders golf. I was elated that I would start the following month to golf with my friends but there was one condition I had to meet first and that was to join the Probus Club. I had no idea what the Probus Club was about so, as they explained, it was a gathering of professional and business retirees who met the 2 nd Monday of each month in the morning to listen to a guest speaker. For years I had travelled from my home in Burlington to my office in Stoney Creek so I hadn t met many in the business community of Burlington plus I couldn t see any reason not to join so I submitted my application and at the April Meeting I was welcomed as a new member of the Probus Club of Burlington Lakeshore by the late Don Spearin who was the Membership Chairman at the time. It didn t take long before I realized that there was more to this club than just listening to a guest speaker. There was a Management Committee comprised of 5 or 6 committees each having a chairman. I could see that at some point I would be asked to join a committee. I asked myself what have I got myself into. I was just looking to retire, relax and enjoy golfing in the summer and going to Florida in the Winter. In 2007, my wife Sherry & I had purchased a home in Fort Myers Beach which we were renting out but had plans to stay for the Winter in the coming years. In October of that year my friend Hal Kemp was elevated to President of the club. He had been the Speaker s Committee Chairman for the year and was due to take his new position for 2012. He asked if I would take his place as Speaker s Committee Chairman & join the Management Committee. How can you reject a good friend s plea for help, so in November I assumed that role. Hal, being a well-organized individual, gave me a binder with all the info I needed going forward and, more importantly, he introduced me to 2 committee members, Dave Paige & John Marshall, who had agreed to stay on for 2012. They looked after recruiting speakers, their required logistics, publicity, introducing the speaker at the Probus meeting and thanking them. All I had to do was report to the Management Committee on future speakers and secure the token fee that we gave each speaker. My only challenge, as a late nighter, late riser, was attending a meeting at 8:30 am but I soon found I looked forward to each monthly meeting. Meeting the other committee members and seeing the quality of people in Probus was really inspiring and educational. I stayed on as Speaker s Committee Chairman for 2 more years, 2013 & 2014. Dave & John had advised that they had completed a 2 year commitment on the committee for which I truly thanked them. Soon after 2 other members, Ken Davy and Gord Hall came to my rescue. Gord had a successful sales career and Ken as a member of the Burlington Historical Society had access to any number of guest speakers so between Gord, Ken & myself we were able to look after the speakers committee requirements. Ken, like John Marshall, was great at researching and introducing the speakers with his rich baritone voice. In August of 2013 I was proud and honoured to have a good acquaintance Damon Allen, a former CFL quarterback, speak at the meeting. It was well attended and hugely enjoyed by everyone. Although Gord and Ken had arranged for many really interesting and celebrated speakers, it seemed that the membership was ready for a sports celebrity. I look at that as a highlight of my tenure as the Speaker s Committee Chairman. In October, 2013 Hal handed over the Presidency to Vice-President Jack White. As I stated I stayed on as Speaker s Committee Chairman for 2014. I like Jack White, I mean I really like Jack White. What w w w. b u r l i n g t o n l a k e s h o r e p r o b u s. o r g Page 3
you see with Jack is what you get however Jack struggled with chairing the Management Committee meetings. Beginning at 8:30 am & planned to end at 9:30 am, by 9:15 we were usually only about half way through the agenda. I can still see Secretary Bob Miller impatiently tapping his pencil on the desk and anxiously watching the clock every minute before finally reminding Jack that we had to move on. To his credit, Jack was and is a great promoter of Probus. I recall at one Christmas luncheon Jack was sitting between me and another gentleman who I think was a newer member. Jack was explaining the workings of the Management Committee and went on to say in fact we are looking for a Vice-President to which the guy replied rather sardonically I m sure you are. That was the end of that conversation. By the Fall of 2014, Sherry and I had made plans to spend our Winters, November thru April, in our home in Fort Myers Beach so I resigned from the Management Committee. However, during the seven months I am in Burlington, I have answered the call to be a greeter or ticket seller on occasion and this past year I have assisted Dave McKay on the Events Committee. Through all these participations, attending the theatrical events in Port Dover, St. Catharines and Stratford and the lunches at the legion and/or Queenshead as well as the golf tournaments against the other Probus Men s Club, I got to know the members much better and have established some new relationships as well. As Ken Davy said in his testimonial back in May, celebrating this 25 th anniversary is a reminder of what a good thing we have here. I wish I had joined 17 years earlier! Thank you and enjoy the rest of this meeting. Mike Wain, 25 th Anniversary Committee Guest Speaker Michelle Davis October s Speaker is Michelle Davis, the Community Engagement Specialist at Tweed, Canada s largest licensed producer of cannabis for medical purposes. She educates and builds meaningful relationships with patient organizations, caregivers, social services providers and more, furthering the public's understanding of quality cannabis products, services and therapeutic applications. She also builds awareness of Canada's medical cannabis system and associated healthcare resources. Michelle holds a Bachelor's Degree in Biological Science and has experience within Tweed, working as a grower, prior to community engagement. She enjoys discussing all aspects of the cannabis industry, focusing on cannabis education and awareness. Michelle is based in Toronto. Duncan McPhail, for the Speakers Committee November s Speaker Sneak Peek Given that our November meeting is the day following a very important day in the history of Canada, it behooves us once again to pay homage to the sacrifices that have been made on our behalf. To that end, we have a very special speaker who has a passion for her subject. Pam Calvert is a retired Canadian History teacher who has been a finalist and recipient of honours for her remembrance work with students. Her student w w w. b u r l i n g t o n l a k e s h o r e p r o b u s. o r g Page 4
battlefield tours have included the local D-Day cemetery where her students recognized soldiers they had researched. Be prepared to be impressed! Gord Hall-Speakers Committee Membership The Lakeshore Probus Club starts off the new fiscal year with a new membership dues schedule. Our initiation fee for new members remains at $25 but the annual membership dues increase to $40.00 to cover the growing cost of our meeting hall rental and additional speaker charges. The membership fee will be prorated over the coming year by $10 per calendar quarter for new members joining the club as the year progresses. This is the first increase in the annual membership dues for several years. New members joining the Burlington Lakeshore Probus Club in September were: Danny Kraftcheck - Doctor Dan has been a family physician in Hamilton for many years. Now retired and enjoying curling, golf and biking, he keeps current with his former trade by working with Cancercare Ontario one day a week. He and wife Patricia are planning a move to Burlington in September 2019. We hope he brings his collection of colourful shirts with him! He and Pat have 2 children and 5 grandkids. Danny was sponsored by Rod McGrath. Doug Mitchell - Doug was born in Wingham, Ontario but his family moved south to Hamilton not long after his appearance. He grew up in the east end of Hamilton and was in the first graduating class of the old Hamilton Institute of Technology (Mechanical Engineering Technology) in 1960. Doug maintained his interest in the school after it became Mohawk College and he served on its Board of Governors for many years. Following college, Doug joined Stelco where he worked for 37 years until retiring at the end of 1996. His last position was manager of their Mechanical and Electrical Service Shops. Doug also moved to Burlington following college and he and his wife raised four daughters, six grandkids and one great grandson. Now he says he just wants to enjoy life. Doug was sponsored by Dave Schutz. Al Ayre - Al joined the Lakeshore Probus Club in June but he and his wife Mary promptly took off for Europe and a river cruise before we could get him introduced. Now back home, we got him to the microphone for the September meeting Al was born and raised in Dundas, Ontario. For college, he went next door to McMaster and earned a BA degree in Economics in 1964. He then commuted over to Firestone/Bridgestone in a series of sales functions and embraced retirement in 1997. Within a year he was back to work as an automotive consultant but retired for the second time in 2001. The working world again raised its head a year later and Al became a TV producer for the Speed Channel. He retired for the third and final time in 2006. w w w. b u r l i n g t o n l a k e s h o r e p r o b u s. o r g Page 5
He now limits his activities to golf, curling, boating and travel which explains his recent visit to Europe. Al was sponsored by Ron Luxon. Make sure you meet these and other new members soon. Look for the green ribbon on their name badge. Mike McInnis Membership Chair Special Events Committee All those going on the trip to Stratford are reminded that the bus will leave from the Commuter Parking Lot on North Service Road at Guelph Line at 9:45 AM on Friday, October 12 th. Please be on time! The events committee will be meeting in late October or early November to review its program for this year, and make general plans for next year. New members for the committee are welcomed and needed. The more people on the committee, the more events we can offer. If interested, contact David McKay at dlmckay@lara.on.ca or 905-634-8256 David McKay for the Events Committee Report of Second Vice President and Treasurer-Bill Willson The financial statements of the Probus Club of Burlington Lakeshore for the year ended September 30, 2018 have been compiled by Dave Page and approved by the Management Committee. They are attached for your information. A copy to the Compilation Report from Dave Page and the financial statements will be posted on our web site under the History tab. A limited number of hard copies will be available at the Annual General Meeting. Cheer Committee The Cheer Committee, when informed of an illness or bereavement of a Club member or spouse, will arrange to contact or visit members who are ill. In the event of a bereavement, a card of condolence will be sent to the family and a donation to a charity of choice in memory of the member will be made. If you aware of any fellow member who is has an illness or a bereavement, please inform one of the committee members listed below who, in turn, can take appropriate action. John Pegg (905) 637-9980, jt.pegg@sympatico.ca Brian Langlotz (905) 632-8197, bpl328@bell.net John Hughes (905) 333-4910, johnhiltonhughes@gmail.com John Pegg, Cheer Committee House Committee Parking Passes for 2019 Parking passes for the Art Gallery s parking lot for 2019 will be on sale at the October and November meetings. If you d like to buy one, please pay by cheque in the amount of $33.00, made out to Probus Club of Burlington Lakeshore. Jim Gilleland will have the passes at the meetings. Jim Gilleland Chair, House Committee w w w. b u r l i n g t o n l a k e s h o r e p r o b u s. o r g Page 6
But Santa has a whole bag of goodies to help you celebrate a quarter century of PROBUS fellowship and Christmas get-togethers. WHEN - Monday, December 10 th 11:30-3:00 WHERE - The Atrium Banquet Centre, 5420 N. Service Rd. Burl. FEATURED SPEAKER - Paul Benedetti. award winning journalist, author, and educator LUNCHEON - Hors d oeuvres followed by a GOURMET Christmas feast with your choice of turkey or salmon served to you at tables for ten with a background of piano music BAR - A cash bar will be available TICKETS--$60.00 per person. Seating is limited to 120 so hurry and get your tickets and reserve your table with your friends. Tickets will be on sale at the October meeting. First come, first served!! We will need a cheque made out to The Probus Club of Burlington Lakeshore for $60 per person, along with your meal choice, any other dietary concerns, and preference for seating with friends. JOIN US DECEMBER 10 TH TO CELEBRATE 25 YEARS OF CHRISTMASES WITH YOUR PROBUS CLUB w w w. b u r l i n g t o n l a k e s h o r e p r o b u s. o r g Page 7
25 th Anniversary Membership Challenge Contest Do you mean 25 new members this year??? Seriously?? Yes, it may seem like a stretch but where s the fun in achieving easy goals and ---- What better way to celebrate our 25 th!!! A contest will help and here s the deal... All members who bring in a new member (paid up and inducted by November 30 th ) will be entered into a draw for a free ticket to our GALA Luncheon at the Atrium on December 10 th You get one entry for each new member you bring in PROVISO: there is a catch - the contest will kick in only when we hit 15 new, paid up members (we already have four) so eleven more is really achievable w w w. b u r l i n g t o n l a k e s h o r e p r o b u s. o r g Page 8
DRAW??????????? YES, GUYS WE HAVE A DRAW FOR A FREE TICKET TO OUR CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON ON DECEMBER 10 TH WITH THE LATEST NEW MEMBER INDUCTION THIS MONTH WE WILL HAVE WELCOMED 15 NEW MEMBERS AND THAT MEANS WE HAVE REACHED THE FIRST GOAL IN OUR QUEST TO GET 25 NEW MEMBERS TO CELEBRATE OUR 25 TH YEAR YOU STILL HAVE A CHANCE TO GET IN ON THIS.JUST BRING IN A NEW MEMBER WHO IS SIGNED UP AND INDUCTED BY NOVEMBER 30 TH. HEY BRING IN LOTS YOU GET ONE CHANCE FOR EACH NEW MEMBER w w w. b u r l i n g t o n l a k e s h o r e p r o b u s. o r g Page 9
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