THE PROBUS CLUB OF OAKVILLE

Transcription

1 THEPROBUSCLUBOFOAKVILLE Establishedin1988,TheFifthProbusClubinCanada AMessagefromthePresident ProspectivemembersSteveWilliamson,BobCumming,StewartBryanandBob VickersarewelcomedbyPresidentJohnBealesandMikePurcell. Anotheryearhasflownbyandwhatayearithasbeenforourclub.WehaveenjoyedtripstotheShawFestivalandthe SheridanTheatre.WehavetastedtheculinarydelightsofJulia sforawonderfulvalentine sdinneraswellasthevery special25 th Anniversaryluncheonoftheclub sfoundingattheglenabbeygolfclub.wehavetravelledtherailsofthe CreditValleyExplorer,survivedthetemptationsofavisittoachocolatefactoryandtappedourfeettotheperennial favoriteallstarbigband. Onanintellectualplanewehaveheardspeakerstellusabouthomesecurity,healthsupport,retirementinvestingand guidedogs.wehaveheardoftheuniquerelationshipbetweenchurchillandmackenziekingduringthewar.wewere treatedtoanaccountofj.a.d.mccurdythefirstcanadianaviatorwhopilotedthesilverdartonthefirstflightincanada. Othertopicssuchas TheHomeChildren, astoryoforphansshippedtocanadaduringthelate19 th centurywasvery touching.finally,were examinedthetopicofrareearths,thesefascinatingnewmineralsthatenablenumerousnew digitaldevicesandunheardofmedicaltreatments.whoknew???allthisfun,fellowshipandmentalstimulationfortheone lowpriceofamembership.agreatdealindeed!!onbehalfofallmembersisincerelythankalltheclubcommitteesfor theirtirelessworkinmakingthecluboperateandputtingbeforeussuchafinearrayofexperiences. Asyouareawareourannualmembershiprenewaldrive,duetoageandhealthreasons,anumberofmembersdidnot renew.however,iampleasedtoreportthatthepositivestepstakenbysomememberstoattractfriendsandassociates haveledtoseveralnewmembersjoiningtheclubandourmembershipnumbersarestartinganupwardtrendagain.we wouldlikemanymorenewmemberstojoin,soeveryonekeepupthegoodworkandbringyourfriendstoameeting. Aspartofourstrategytomaketheclubmoreattractivewehavecompletedadetailedexaminationofalternatelocationsto holdourmeetings.theaccommodationcommitteedidafinejobinreviewingpossiblelocationsbeforedecidingonthe bestone.theexcitingnewsisthattheselectedlocationwillhaveamorecollegialatmosphereformeetingswithsoftseats andamplemixandminglespace.inadditionthefacilityhasbothapubandtimhorton sonthepropertytofacilitatelunch andfellowshipafterthemeeting.weareconfidentthatthismixofamenitieswillprovemoreattractiveforprospective membersandalsobemoreattractivetowellover50%ofthememberswholiveinclose proximity.iampleasedtoannouncethateffectivejanuary1 st 2014wewillconductour meetingsatthequalitysuites(picturedattheright),754bronteroadjustsouthoftheqew. IlookforwardtoseeingmanyofyouattheupcomingannualChristmasluncheonwhichwillbe heldatatriumonburloakdriveondecember5,2014startingat11.30am.forthoseattendeesandallmemberswhocan t joinusiwishyouaveryjoyfulchristmaswithfamilyandfriends.maythenewyearalsobringtoyouhealth,prosperity andhappiness.letusmakearesolutiontoparticipateintheprobusactivitiesandmakeittheclub sbestyearever. John Beales

2 Page2of6TheProbusClubofOakville GeneologyGroup It was suggested that instead of regular monthly meetings, the genealogy group would communicate with fellow Probus members interested in family history via the internet or the Probus Newsletter. Recently, I found a website called CuriousFox the village by village contact site for anyone researching family history, genealogy, and local history in the UK and Ireland. The site is spam free as no addresses are available on the site. You can view exact locations on both old and modern maps. Also find nearby villages and entries for nearby villages, search fo a surname in any village, town or city or within a chosen distance of any place. The Annual subscription is $9.00 Canadian. You can also have a free membership. To protect members privacy and prevent spam CuriousFox operates a messaging system. No addresses appear anywhere They use a red box, green box system which means one side of any message transaction has to be a paid member. For an example, only paid members can answer a free members message, but any member can answer a paid member s message. An interesting site!! I found one or two names of interest and intend to follow up with a membership. Good hunting! Ken Lewis UpcomingActivities ThursdayDecember5 ChristmasLuncheon To be held once again at the Atrium in Burlinton with entertainment by the one and only Brad Boland at a cost of $42.00 per person. A flyer is available and sign up commenced at the September meeting. Frank Fisher ( )is coordinating and taking names. FridayFebruary ValentinesLuncheon 12noon.Following thesuccessoftheeventin2013,planningisunderwaytoonceagain holdasimilareventatjulia sonlakeshoreroadatacostof$37per person.mikepallant( )iscoordinatingandtakingnames. WednesdayMarch26TourofIrelandHouseatOakridgeFarminBurlington. YourtourthroughtheMuseumwillintroduceyoutothelifeandtimesofthreegenerationsof theirelandfamily,whichthehousehasbeenrestoredtoreflect.builtusingfieldstonecovered withalimestone basedmortar,thistechniqueofpargingallowedthehousetoremainin excellentconditionevenpriortorestoration.georgianstyledwithacentralhallandstairplan, thehouseissymmetricalwhenviewedfromthesouthfacingfrontentrance.anadditionto theoriginalhomeoccurredonlytenyearsafterconstruction,allowinganin doorprivy,a summerkitchenandathirty fivefootwell.sittingonnearlyfouracresthehouseis accompaniedbytwootheroriginalconstructions:thedriveshedandpottingshed. YoumaywishtofollowupthemorningtourwithsomeEnglishfareattheBlackBullBritish PubjustdowntheroadonGuelphLine.FrankFisheriscoordinating. UpcomingSpeakers Jan.16 PeterDrake V.P.&Economist FidelityCanada Feb.20 SpeakerT.B.A. Y.M.C.A.Oakville Mar.20 SheilaWhelan McMasterUniversity;SpaceMedicine;BodyChangesinMicrogravity SheilaworkedatNASA/JohnsonSpaceCenterinHoustonfor17years managingthescienceprogramontheshuttleandspacestations.she workedcloselywiththeinvestigatorsandtheastronautsattendingmany launchandlandingsoftheshuttle.sheilawasresponsiblefortheallthe sciencecollectedonsenatorjohnglennwhenhereturnedtoflightin November1998 Thepasthalf dozenyearshaveseenlotsofturmoil,lotsof problemsandlotsofchangeintheglobaleconomy.peterwill takeusonaquicktriparoundtheglobe,pointingoutthe problemsthataregettingsolved,thosethataren t,andsome thatareemerging.hewillalsogiveaperspectiveontheshifting sourcesofgrowtharoundtheworld.

3 Page3of6TheProbusClubofOakville OurOctoberSpeaker OurOctoberspeaker,OakvilleMayorRobBurton,wasintroduced bygerrysutton.themayor sinformativetalkdealtwithoakville s developmentoverthepastfewyears,highlightinganewapproachtoall areasoftownplanning.hisworshipoutlinedthestridesoverthelast5 or6years,includingpropertyassessment,taxstabilization;the improvementbeingtheenvyofmanyothercommunitiesintheprovince ofontarioaswellasincanada.ashesaidafterthelastelection Help,I Won!Fromthere,itwasupwardandonward.Oftenasked whywould Oakville,withapopulationofabout180,000,stillwantstobeaTown? TheMayorrepliedtherewereadvantagestobeingthelargesttownin Canada.Taxincreasesarelowerthantheyhavebeeninrecentyears;at onepoint,12percent.forthecomingyear,theyareexpectedtobe around1.5percent. MayorBurtonwithmembersoftheProbusClub Asforourwellplannedtown,hisWorshipisproudofwhatOakvilleisanddoes.OurtransitsystemisoneofthebestintheProvince nowoperatingonanewgridsystemasof2009,eliminatingtheoldsystemwhichwasbasedonservicinggostationsasthecentral focalpoint.tobeatop notchcommunitycostsdollars,forroadsystems,parks,communityservicesandapproachtoallareasoftown planning..themayoralsoinformedthegroupthatdowntownoakvillehastoberefurbishedfromtheroadbasethroughtothetown Square allimprovementsbefitting ahighstylecommunity. JohnBealescongratulatedMayorBurtonandthankedhimforhisvisionofOakville spresentandplannedfuture.john Bartrem OurNovemberSpeaker PeterRiedigerintroducedourNovemberguestspeaker,JohnTabet,ofIndustrialAlliance SecurityInc.,afull servicebrokeragefirm.withover25years experienceinfinancialservices andwealthmanagement,johnbeganhiscareerinthediscountbrokeragefieldduringitsinfancyin thelate1980 s,workingfortdbank.later,hebecamenationalsalesmanageratcibcwealth Management. Johnreviewedthehistoryofthestockmarket,mentioningthatthefirststockexchangewas establishedinamsterdamin1693andtherestishistory. Hismessage TheNewRetirementReality dealtwiththeemergenceofamoreprofessionalfinancialadvisorinthelast20to30years, withthewealthmanagementbusinessmakinggreatstridesinbecomingwhatinvestorsneedandarelookingfor. Whenselectingafinancialadvisor,Johnstressedclientsshouldaskthreekeyquestions,WHERE:istheinstrumentrecommended, WHAT:isit,andWHY:shouldIbuyit. Trust isthemostimportantwordwhenselectingyouradvisor,especiallyinwealth management.challengeisthequalityoftheadvicereceived.theadvisoristheretorecommendandevaluatetheclients portfolio.ask himorherquestions. Inclosing,Johnstatedthatchangeiscomingtothewealthmanagementbusinessandit scomingsoontoanadvisornearyou. OurPresidentJohnBeales,thankedJohnTabetforhisenlighteningviewofWealthManagement,thepast,thepresentandaglimpseinto thefuture.john Bartrem OurOctoberProfiler JackRugg,aprofessionalmechanicalengineer,joinedProbusthisyearafterretiringinApril fromamecinoakville.raisedandeducatedinontariondquebec,heisthefourthconsecutive generationruggtograduatefrommcgill.hisexpertiseinpowergeneratingtechnologymade himaworldtraveler.hemethisfuturewifeinbarbadosin1976andtheygotmarriedin2007. Theybothenjoyhostingsmalldinnerpartiesandreading. SofarIhaveenjoyedmy involvementwiththeprobusclubofoakvilleandlookforwardtogettingtoknowmoreofthe ProbusClubMembersinduecourse. WelcometoourclubJack! HealthofMembersofProbus Fellow Members: I would like to encourage the membership to notify me of the health of any member that comes to their attention either at home or in hospital relative to illness or surgery. This might apply also to reasons of being unable to come to meetings for other reasons. What information I relate at a club meeting is carefully discussed with the person or other close family member- at times the member does not want his problem discussed at all. I am not hearing from membership often enough. I can be called by telephone at my home address or by my addressd.walmsley@cogeco.ca Doug Walmsley

4 Page4of6TheProbusClubofOakville ReviewsandItemsofInterest ESCAPEFROMCAMP14isabookaboutaslavelabourcampinNorthKorea.ItmakestheRussianGulagslooklikeseaside resortsincomparison.thestoryisaboutaninmatebythenameofshindong hyukandhisdailystruggletosurviveandeventually escape.itisataleofenduranceandcourage,survivalandhope. Shinwasbornastheresultofaprearrangedmarriageoftwoprisonerswhoonlywereallowedtoseeeachother5daysayear.Every dayisastruggletofindfood,withrats,mice,frogsandinsectsconsideredadelicacy.surprisesearcheswereconductedtofind anyonestealingfood.hetellsofa6yearoldclassmatebeingcaughtwith5kernelsofcorninherpocketbytheteacher.theteacher thenproceededtobeatherovertheheadwithawoodenpointeruntilshecollapsedandlaterdied. WhenShinwas13heoverheardhismotherandolderbrotherplanninganescape.Heknewthatifheinformedonthemhewouldbe rewardedwithfood,howeveraftertellinghisteacherthestory,theteacherturnedhiminandtooktherewardforhimself.the motherandbrotherwereexecutedandshinwasimprisonedandtorturedbecausetheguardsthoughthewasn ttellingthewhole story. Heisassignedtoworkinatextilefactoryinhislateteens.Heisrequiredtocarryheavyequipmentbyupanddownstairs.Oneday hefallsundertheweightofamachinehewascarryingandbreaksthemachine.hehasafingerhackedoffbyhissupervisorto ensureheismorecarefulinthefuture.butitiswhileworkingintheplantthathemeetsarecentlyincarceratedpoliticalprisoner whotellsshinabouttheoutsideworld.armedwiththethoughtofhavingafullbellyeverydayisallthatshinneedstogetupthe couragetotryandescape.hisescapeisfraughtwithdangerduetohislimitedknowledgeoflifeoutsidethecampandhemustmake hiswayinthejanuarycoldthroughnorthkoreatochinaandeventuallytosouthkorea. Thereareanestimated200,000plusprisonersinthesecamps.Theirdailygrindfromdawnuntildarkwithlittlefoodisunbelievable inthisdayandage.itisnotastoryforthefaintofheartandnoteveryonewouldenjoyreadingit,butibelieveitisastorythatmust betold.mike Purcell TotalRecallbyArnoldSchwarzeneggeristheincredibleautobiographyofoneofthemostsuccessful immigrantsinrecenttimes.arrivingintheusin1968asapenniless21yearoldhesoonmadeanameforhimselfinthe bodybuildingbusinessbothasaworldchampionaswellasasuccessfulentrepreneur.inspiteofhisthickaustrianaccent hethenbecameoneofthehighestgrossingmoviestarsofalltime.hismarriagetomariashriverofthekennedyclan propelledhimintopoliticsandontheroadtoatwo timegovernorshipofcalifornia.itdidn tmatterthathewas RepublicanandMariaaDemocrat.Arnoldistheeternaloptimistwhocan thelpbutboastabouthisachievements.his recallisoftenphenomenal.forexample,heremembershissurpriseafterreceivinghisfirstthankyoucards(not customaryineurope)forhavinggivenadinnerparty.inthefinalchapterheattemptstofessuptohismisadventurewith theguatemalanmaid.theirsonjosephwasbornin1997andissaidtobearnold sspittingimage.lifeisnotalways perfect,notevenforarnold. Helmut Erxleben Captain Phillips.This movie is a harrowing story of modern-day piracy off the coast of Africa. Tom Hanks gives an Oscar winning performance as Captain Phillips. His large container ship is taken hostage by a few heavily armed Somali pirates. Phillips is captured but the crew escapes capture by hiding in the bowels of the ship. A US destroyer finally arrives and a stalemate develops. The Somali leader is lured aboard the destroyer and the pirates guarding Phillips are simultaneously shot by Navy Seal marksmen. This edge of the seat nail biter is based on a true story. The Somali leader is currently serving a 33 year jail sentence in a US prison. Harold Erlendson Aguywassittingquietlyreadinghispaper when his wife walked up behind him and whacked him on the head with a magazine. What was that for?" he asked. "That was for the piece of paper in your pants pocket with the name Laura Lou written on it," she replied. "Two weeks ago when I went to the races, Laura Lou was the name of one of the horses I bet on," he explained. "Oh honey, I'm sorry," she said. "I should have known there was a good explanation. Three days later he was watching a ball game on TV when she walked up and hit him in the head again, this time with the iron skillet, which knocked him out cold. When he came to, he asked, "What the hell was that for?" She replied... "Your horse called." *

5 Page5of6 TheProbusClubofOakville O ctober 10 th 2013 Trip on the Credit Valley Explorer Wehadreserved30seatsontheCreditValleyExplorerfor11amonOctober10 th.onthe9 th we were advised that one of the coaches had been vandalized (all the windows broken) and we couldnotgoonthe11amdeparturebuttheywouldputonaspecialdepartureforusat3pm. HurriedlyRobinandImadephonecallstomakesure3PMwasalrightwitheveryone.Onlyone couplecouldn tmakeitforthattime.therestofusassembledattheorangevilletrainstation, allexceptournewpresidentwhogotstuckintrafficandmissedthetrain.weboardedthedining carandleftonschedule,trundlingdown1,000feetalongthegorgeandvalleyofthecreditriver. Toobadtheleaveshadn tturnedbecauseoftherenothavingbeenafrostbutthescenerywas spectacularnevertheless.coffeeandsoftdrinkswereserved(andwineorbeerwereavailableat areasonablecharge)followedbyahotmealofchickenandriceandrollandbutter.attheendof therunatsnelgroveweswitchedsidesforthereturnjourneysothateachofushadaviewofthe moreinterestingeastsideofthevalley.afterastopatinglewoodtoenablepassengerstostretch theirlegsandexplorethegeneralstorewewereservedawarm appleblossom cakeandmore refreshments.arrivingbackatorangevillewewaitedwhilethelocomotiveshuntedaroundthe train so as to be ready for the next day s departure and disembarked at 6 PM still daylight. Everyoneenjoyedthetrip,especiallytheviewscomingdowntheEscarpment.Itmustbegreatin winter.gerry Sutton PhotographsbyPeterPretty And finally: WarrenBuffettOnSuccessandHappiness:Theysaysuccessisgetting whatyouwant,andhappinessiswantingwhatyouget.ialwaysworry aboutpeoplewhosay,"i'mgoingtodothisfor10years;ireallydon'tlike itverywell.andtheni'lldothis...".that'salittlelikesavingupsexfor youroldage.notaverygoodidea.

6 Page6of6TheProbusClubofOakville OtherPositions President:JohnBeales PastPresident:GerrySutton VicePresident:AlexMurphy Secretary:JimTonner Treasurer:BryanNoble Speakers:BrianTaylor Activities:RobinDavison Newsletter:HelmutErxleben Membership:GuntherLutz Liaison:MikePurcell Website:PaulNelson Equipment:JimSmith Communications:RoyMcEwen ManagementCommittee HospitalLiaisonDougWalmsley Auditor:HaroldErlendson /50Draw:DickGoulding Refreshments:PeterPretty DaveJohnson ProbusClubofOakville P.O.Box52127 OakvilleOn L6J7N5 Website: Meetingstakeplace10amon thethird ThursdayofeachMonth AttheQualitySuites 754BronteRoadOAKVILLE