President's Message
Kirby Philp
September was a vibrant and activity-filled month for our club, with beautiful weather allowing us to make the most of our outdoor activities and events.
Now, as we step into October, we have even more to celebrate! October 1st is officially National Seniors Day, but PROBUS is celebrating all month long! Throughout October, we’re recognizing the incredible contributions of PROBUS Clubs across the country, and this year, the Beaver Valley PROBUS Club is proud to join in the festivities. We’ll be kicking things off with a special Flag Raising Ceremony hosted by the Town of The Blue Mountains, which will proclaim “October is Probus Month.” (Yes, we now have our very own BV Probus Flag!)
The ceremony will take place on Tuesday, October 14 at 8:45 AM, and you’ll receive an invitation via email with all the details. We’re honoured to be joined by the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Town Council, and our friend Martin Buscher from PROBUS Canada. We hope to see many of our members there to mark this exciting occasion together.
October also brings the spirit of Thanksgiving—a time to indulge in delicious meals, take in the breathtaking fall colours, and share joyful moments with family and friends. I hope each of you finds time to embrace the beauty and warmth of the season.
Wishing you a wonderful month ahead. I look forward to seeing you at the Flag Raising on October 14 and at our General Meeting on October 28.
Membership
Pam Weaver / Kathy Mercer
Membership Table Reminder:
The Membership Table is staffed at every monthly club meeting. We’re here to answer questions related to club membership or badges. We also can provide Emergency Cards, plastic sleeves and lanyards.
Badge Collection:
If you've never picked up your badge from one of our previous membership meetings over the past few years, there is a good chance it is still available at the Membership Table. Remember, your badge was included in your initial membership fee when you joined, so stop by at a meeting and collect it.
October Meeting—Tuesday, Oct 28 @ 1:30 - 3:30 PM
Denise Rand / Melany Franklin
Date: Tuesday, October 28, 2025
Doors open: 1:00 PM
Meeting begins: 1:30 PM
Speaker: Sarah Rody-Spencer and Andrew Hill
Title: Living Better with Parkinson's
Sarah Rody-Spencer has dedicated the last 10 years of her health-care career to hospice palliative care, end-of-life care and to those living with life-limiting illnesses. Sarah is excited to share her experiences with the Living Better with Parkinson’s team and the community as a whole.
Andrew Hill is recently retired from a 40-year career in project management. He was a senior team member of Intrawest Resort Development and board director, board chairman and president of the Georgian Triangle Development Institute. Andrew was diagnosed to have Parkinson’s in 2020. While his symptoms are relatively mild, the disease continues to progress, inspiring Andrew to be involved with treatment research and best practices for living well with Parkinson’s.
Book Exchange:
The Book Exchange will be set up at the back of the room starting at 1 PM. Books should have a copyright date no older than 10 years. Bring a Book, Take a Book. We ask that you exchange no more than 3 books at a time. Please contact Nancy Hart with any questions!
Social Events
Don Collins-Williams
Our Annual Holiday Lunch will be held on Tuesday December 2 at the beautiful Bear Estate overlooking Collingwood Harbour. We hope you will be able to join us for a wonderful traditional Holiday turkey dinner with all the trimmings, served buffet style at the Bear Estate. We’ve taken your feedback from past events to heart and are confident this new setting and style will make this year’s celebration extra special.
The invitation went out last week, and we already have close to 100 registrants, so don't miss out on the fun. Ideally, please register before October 16, as the caterers would like an approximate final number by that date.
The invitation for our Backroads Fall Colours Car Tour was sent out on October 2. We hope that you will be able to join us on Wednesday, October 15 to enjoy the beautiful fall colours, and then head back to Winifred's Pub in Thornbury for a social gathering. If you cannot join us that day, you will still have the route, which you can take at your convenience with family or friends.
We are also organizing a tour of the Tom Thompson Gallery in Owen Sound, followed by an optional lunch at a local restaurant, sometime in November. Further details to follow.
I look forward to seeing you all for lunch on December 2.
Event Registration
help@beavervalleyprobus.com
In order to help us better prepare for events, you are asked to register online through an email invitation. Here are a couple of important reminders that will make things easier for our volunteers:
MAYBE Response: Please avoid using the MAYBE option for Meetings and similar events. If you're unsure about attending, it's better to select YES. If you choose MAYBE you won't receive any reminders or further information about the event, and you won't have a confirmed place.
Spouse's Email: If you are registering your spouse for a paid social event—please enter their email address that they use in the PROBUS directory. If a different email is used (or no email is input), they will be flagged as a non-member, which creates extra work for our volunteers to research and correct the registration, and prevents them from receiving confirmation or reminder emails.
If you have any questions about registering for or cancelling an event, it’s best to contact the event organizer directly — they’ll be able to assist you most quickly. You’re also welcome to email us at help@beavervalleyprobus.com, but please note that responses may take a little longer.
Thanks for your understanding and cooperation!
Georgian PROBUS Travel Group
Gloria Thompson
We have several exciting trips planned for 2026 and some already in the works for 2027. Remember all members, friends and family are welcome to join. Check out the Georgian Probus Travel Group webpage for details on all the upcoming trips.
Upcoming Trips:
- Majestic Morocco Tour (Apr 10 - 24, 2026): *The interest in this tour has been huge—book soon if you are hoping to join! 15-day trip through Morocco’s ancient cities and countryside. See the Poster and the Detailed Itinerary.
- Ireland Tour (Jun 1 - 12, 2026): Small group escorted tour, including the Aran Islands. *Almost sold out—Book now! See the website and Poster for details.
- Quebec Bike Tour (Sept 2026 TBA): Local, Canadian bike program with the “Petit Train du Nord”. More details coming soon!
- Japan Tour (Oct 2026): Stay tuned for details!
- Costa Rica / Panama Sail Tour (Jan 9 -16, 2027): Star clipper, sailing from Costa Rico (Pt. Caldera) to Panama (Balboa). See the Poster and Itinerary. *Booking now!
Activity Groups Update
Ilene Rushefsky Charland
Autumn has arrived and with it, some of our warmer weather activities are ending. Our last kayaking and canoeing trip; and our last cycling trips were on beautiful, sunny, cool days. Some of the walking/hiking excursions will end soon. Other activities, such as rummikub + games, have restarted and new social events are planned.
It is so nice to see some of our newest members participating in activity groups. It is the best way to get to know new people and stay active. I was recently told these words of wisdom from a member: "If you don't move your body, it will rust"! Enjoy the beautiful fall colours; soon some of us will be raking the leaves.
There is a step-by-step video on "how to sign up" for Activity Groups. Click on the red arrow to view!
Back Roads Cycling
June Dalton
I am sad to say our Back Roads Cycling season for 2025 has come to an end. We have had a great season given the threat of rain on many of our Thursday rides. 20 planned rides. Lots of fun and new members added to the group. We have a few e-bike riders who have joined. Yes they can beat the road bikes up the hills but we can catch them on the downhills!! A very fun group of people who just enjoy riding together. Thanks for the support each week. I shall miss my biking buddies. Until next year. Cheers.
Birding
Lucie Desjardins
With fall in the air, bird migration is well underway. On October 1, a small group of enthusiasts gathered at Collingwood Arboretum for a morning of birdwatching. The weather was great, and we were happy to record 22 different species during our outing. Among the standouts were a Yellow-bellied Sapsuckier, a Swainson's Thrush, and a pair of Black-bellied Plovers. Just as we were wrapping up near the boardwalk, two Rusty Blackbirds made an appearance, feeding in the mudflats. What a perfect end to a rewarding day. We are planning another outing later this month and hope you can join us. Until then, happy birding and enjoy the season!
Casual Dining with Friends
Sallie Kedwell
As we look forward to our upcoming get-togethers, I wanted to share the dates for our upcoming Monthly Dinners: October 23 and November 27. These will be held in members' homes as usual. The Holiday Cocktail Party will be held on Thursday, December 11. (Please note this is the second Thursday of the month, not the usual fourth.) Locations will be shared closer to each event — and I’m happy to report that we have a potential host lined up for the cocktail party! Hoping to see many of you at these gatherings!
Dining Around Town
Hank Bouwman
Invitations for our Monday, October 20 Dinner at Marilynne in Markdale, were sent out on October 1 to those members who have signed up for Dining Around Town. It’s not too late to join us. Sign-up for the upcoming season via the
Dining Around Town Activity Group webpage in order to receive the invitations!
Future Dining Dates:
- Monday, October 20 @ 5pm - Family Style Dinner – Marilynne, Markdale
- Monday, November 3 @ 12 Noon Luncheon The Mill Cafe, Thornbury
- Wednesday, November 5 @ 12 Noon Luncheon The Mill Cafe, Thornbury
- Monday, November 10 @ 12 Noon Luncheon The Mill Cafe, Thornbury
Euchre 1
Elaine & Hank Bouwman
The next Euchre 1 monthly tournament will be on
Tuesday, October 14 at 12:45 PM in the downstairs great hall at St. George’s Anglican Church, 166 Russell St. E., Clarksburg. Ample parking, elevator available and spacious room. Invitations are sent out on the 1st of every month.
High Score for September 9 was Sam F.
E-bikes + Explorators - Welland Bike Trip
Terry Kellar
On September 3 to 5, twenty three members of the E-Bike and Explorators group ventured to the Niagara region to bike along the Welland Canal. Our hotel was located on the Canal so we could access the trail from the parking lot. On the first day we rode south to Port Colborne, had a relaxing break on Lake Erie.
Day 2 started out rather wet but after a weather delay we were able to go north to St Catharines, enjoying views of the Locks, Great Lake freighters and one cruise ship. A few participants took advantage of our proximity to Niagara on the Lake to attend the Shaw Festival and one cyclist even got a brand new bike (long story). The hotel provided us with a conference room to store our bikes and to have meeting space so we had the Rose Room for a wonderful pot luck on the Wednesday and some ‘challenging’ cards. However, on Thursday we experienced the iconic Rex Hotel for a great dinner. The only problem will be topping this event next year. Check out the the photos on the E-bike and Explorators Welland Bike Tour Slideshow.
Recreational Cycling
Mary Ann Collins-Williams / Ilene Rushefsky Charland
The Recreational Cycling Activity Group had an excellent season of cycling. Monday, September 29 was our last outing for this year. We enjoyed cycling in our gorgeous Georgian Bay area. Our numbers ranged from 4 to 10 cyclists at each session and we were a very compatible group who found pleasure in each other's company. We planned social times at members' homes or lunch/coffee in local restaurants after our rides. There is a wonderful sense of happiness and peace cycling with friends. Join us next year! Click here to see some Recreational Cycling photos!
Ramblers
Nancy Dixon
We are looking for you new members to join in our Rambles. We walk mostly trails and venture out to quite a few communities to check out the gardens, the history and scenery. Our group is very fexible. If you can't make one week, you can try the next. Our next excursion is hopefully another history tour of old Collingwood. Oh yes—one last thing—our jokes are the best of all of the groups. Just saying.
R.O.M.E.O.
John White / Louis Charland
Our next R.O.M.E.O. (Retired Outstanding Men Eating Out) gathering will be held on Wednesday, October 8 at a new location—the Blue Mountain Golf and Country Club! Make sure you register for the R.O.M.E.O. Activity Group to get the monthly invitations!
Rummikub + Games
Mary Jansen / Pat Whittemore
We're starting up again! Games will be played on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month at 1:30 PM. Last year Rummikub was enjoyed by all members who attended as well as caught on with some of the new games that were introduced near the end of our season. Games will be held in Meaford with a maximum of 20 players. Should the weather be unkind on the day of the event or another Probus special event held, we will move to the following week. Reminder to bring your own food/drinks. We are looking forward to another season of fun with you.
Ski Legends
Chris Mifflin
Trip signup deadlines are approaching - don’t miss out! Registration for 2026 Legends Ski Trips are both filling up!
- St Anton, Austria, February 5 to 14 – only 4 spots left, double (1 bed) rooms only! Final deadline October 20!
- Sun Peaks, BC, February 25 to March 4 – only 8 spots left! Deadline November 5. One female Legends member is looking for a roommate for this trip. If you are in the same situation, please contact legendsskitrips@gmail.com to be connected.
For details see https://probusskilegends.ca/2026 All participants must be PROBUS members and members of PROBUS Ski Legends: http://probusskilegends.ca/membership/ Membership cost is $50 per year.
Humour Corner - Scientific Conversions
Shared by Hank Bouwman
1 millionth of a mouthwash = 1 microscope - Time between slipping on a peel and smacking the pavement = 1 bananosecond
- Time it takes to sail 220 yards at 1 nautical mile per hour = Knotfurlong
- 1,000,000 aches = 1 megahurtz
- Basic unit of laryngitis = 1 hoarsepower
- 2 million bicycles = 2 megacycles
- 2000 mockingbirds = 2 kilomockingbirds
- 52 cards = 1 decacards
- 1000 milliliters of wet socks = 1 literhosen
- 4 nickels = 2 paradigms
Photo Corner
We've just published some new photos of recent events taken by our members!
For more photos, see all of our 2025 Slideshows on our website!
The Master Gardener’s Corner
John Hethrington, Master Gardener Emeritus
Past President, Master Gardeners of Ontario
Click on the image to see what you need to be doing in your Garden in October.
In Memoriam
Doug Simpson: Passed away on March 5. Doug was very active with the Georgian Bay British Car Club, and a member of our Club's Casual Dining with Friends and R.O.M.E.O groups. Our sincere sympathies to his wife, Kate Simpson.
Support Group
Lucie Desjardins, Mary Ann Collins-Williams
Do you know of a BVPC member who is having a difficult time (health issue, accident, hospitalization, loss of partner, etc.) and would benefit from receiving a card or a call from our team? If so, please let us know. We will be happy to follow up and/or get in touch with them.
The Last Word
Shared by Nancy Dixon
The opposite of talking isn't listening. The opposite of talking is waiting.
Fran Lebowitz
Author
Beaver Valley Probus Club