President's Message
Kirby Philp
I hope everyone is managing to stay warm during the Polar Vortex. Whether you’re embracing the season by skiing, snowshoeing, cross‑country skiing, or hiking—or choosing instead to stay cozy by the fire with a good book or escape to somewhere sunny—I hope you’re finding ways to enjoy this winter stretch. Spring isn’t as far away as it feels.
I’d like to extend a warm welcome to the 71 new members joining the Beaver Valley Probus Club this month. I’d also like to invite our long‑standing members to reach out and welcome our newest members at upcoming meetings, activities, and events. New members can be identified by the pink star on their name tags, so please take a moment to introduce yourselves and help them feel at home in our community.
A reminder that our Annual General Meeting (AGM) will take place on March 24. Nominations are now open for positions on the Management Committee (President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Social Convenor). If you’re interested in taking on one of these positions please forward your nomination to either Brian Cromie or Chris Pocock on or before March 3. You can find more information about the AGM on our 2026 Annual General Meeting webpage.
Stay warm, and I look forward to seeing you at our General Meeting on February 24.
25th Anniversary Committee
Pam Weaver
At our January membership meeting, we officially began the year-long celebration of our 25th Anniversary. The event featured a kick-off slideshow highlighting a few of our archived photos from across the years.
Based on your feedback from the Anniversary survey, we are dedicated to sharing as many photos as possible with our members. To make this happen, we will be organizing slideshows by category, such as Winter Activities and Activity Fairs. These slideshows will be presented before meetings and during breaks, quietly displayed on the large screen for everyone to enjoy. This practice will continue through the end of the year. We hope that all members will enjoy reminiscing and seeing highlights from our rich history. If you missed the slideshows at the meeting, you can still see some of the photos on our website. Check out the 25th Anniversary Winter Photo Gallery!
Membership
Pam Weaver / Kathy Mercer
Welcome to our New Members:
Between those who joined us last August and this month’s arrivals, we are pleased to have welcomed 90 new members. Once again, we are offering a special luncheon exclusively for these new members, prior to the February 24 general meeting in the small meeting room. For those existing members arriving early for the regular meeting, we ask that you kindly wait in the large meeting area until the luncheon has finished.
New members can pick up their badges when they arrive. The badges will have a pink star. This helps everyone know who is new, so they can be properly welcomed by all. If you joined the club in previous years, you’re welcome to remove your sticker.
February Meeting—Tuesday, Feb 24 @ 1:30 - 3:30 PM
Denise Rand / Melany Franklin
Date: Tuesday, February 24, 2026
Doors open: 1:00 PM
Meeting begins: 1:30 PM
Speaker: Lisa Wilson / Sharon Carr
Title: Silver Creek Wetlands
Join Lisa Wilson (L) and Sharon Carr (R) to learn about the Watersheds of South Georgian Bay and the importance of wetlands. Lisa and Sharon are founding members of Friends of Silver Creek, Collingwood. Friends of Silver Creek raises awareness of the importance of wetlands and the need to protect Silver Creek, the last remaining provincial significant wetland in South Georgian Bay.
Lisa has taught hundreds of young women to connect with and appreciate the natural world as Director of Camp Oconto for 40 years and she has engaged in many other environmental stewardship initiatives throughout her career and as a volunteer. In her spare time, she teaches downhill skiing and is a member of the Georgian Bay Squall Master’s swim team.
Sharon is a member of Probus by the Bay. She spent her career as an RN and continues to work with veterans through Veterans Affairs Canada. Since 2011 she has been interested in the effects of local flooding and, in particular, how encroachments on watersheds effect wetlands in Collingwood and the surrounding areas. Last year she was appointed to represent Friends of Silver Creek Collingwood on the Local Government Relations Committee for the Escarpment Corridor Alliance.
Puzzle Exchange Table—Coming Soon—March 24
Elaine Bouwman / Rita Melzer
Enjoy doing puzzles? We are starting up a jigsaw puzzle exchange table at our monthly member speaker meetings starting with the Activity Fair on March 24. Bring 1 or 2 jigsaw puzzles and exchange them at the back of the room. Puzzles must be 100% complete with no missing pieces.
Social Events
Don Collins-Williams
February 22—Games Afternoon: You will be receiving your invitation this week for the next Games afternoon on Sunday,
February 22. We will be having one more Games Afternoon this winter on Sunday March 29.
March 6—Line Dancing Potluck: On Friday, March 6, we will be having a potluck dinner followed by Line Dancing at St George's Anglican Church in Clarksburg. Watch your email for an invitation coming soon. No line dancing experience is needed. Just lots of enthusiasm and a good sense of humour! Hope to see you there. As always, if you have any ideas for new Social Events, please let us know.
All Clubs Bonspiels
Cheryl Ross
March 14, 2026: Meaford Curling Club has extended invites to various local clubs including BVPC. We are looking at the possibility of entering one or two teams. The cost is $240 per team and includes two games, a hot lunch, and prizes for all. If you are interested in participating please contact Cheryl Ross cheryl.ross51@gmail.com prior to March 1st .
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. There is enough interest for a second van! See the Poster and the Detailed Itinerary.
- Ireland Tour (Jun 1 - 12, 2026): Small group escorted tour, including the Aran Islands. *SOLD OUT*, but there is a waitlist if interested as cancellations do occur!
- Haida Gwaii (August 17 - 22, 2026): This is a very special experience that will appeal to the adventurous. See the Poster and Detailed Itinerary. This is perfect for active, kayaking members. If you have friends out west, this would be a great add-on.
- Le Petit Train du Nord Bike Tour (Sept 13 - 20 2026): 8-day scenic cycling tour along Quebec’s famous Petit Train du Nord, with charming villages, restaurants, microbreweries, and beaches along the way. Click to view Poster and Detailed itinerary.
- Japan Discovery Tour (Nov 3 - 16 2026): A bucket list trip for sure. Click to view Flyer and Detailed Itinerary.
- 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! It is filling up quickly so please call if interested.
Activity Groups Update
Ilene Rushefsky Charland
Let it Snow! Let it Snow! That seemed to be the mantra of January. For those who enjoy being outdoors it was a great start to winter. We anticipate continued outdoor fun in February. Let's hope for more sun, and less wind, though.
The snowshoe group has started and will be on Tuesday afternoon most of the time.
Watch for news about the upcoming Activity Fair at the March 24 meeting. It will again be at the Community centre in the afternoon, in place of a speaker. Stay safe! Be active! Have fun!
There is a step-by-step video on "how to sign up" for Activity Groups. Click on the red arrow to view!
Birding
Lucie Desjardins
We will be participating in The Great Backyard Bird Count this year. We will visit three or four predetermined locations in the Thornbury and Meaford area to observe and document local bird species. Members of the Birding Group should watch for an invitation arriving about a week before the event, which runs globally from February 13–16, 2026. We hope you can join us to see how many birds we can find.
Dining Around Town
Hank Bouwman
Invitations for our 18 February 11:30 am Luncheon at The Curly Willow Eatery in Collingwood were sent out February 1 to those members who have signed up for Dining Around Town. It’s not too late to join us—just go to the
Dining Around Town Activity Group webpage and sign-up in order to receive the invitations!
Future Dining Dates:
- Wednesday, February 18 @ 11:30 AM Luncheon - The Curly Willow Eatery, Collingwood
- Wednesday, March 18 @ 12 Noon Luncheon - Katherine's Chateau, Collingwood
- Wednesday, April 16 @ 5 PM Dinner - Copper Blues Bar & Grill, Blue Mountain Village
- Thursday, May 7 @ 5 PM Dinner - Walter Falls Inn
Euchre 1
Elaine & Hank Bouwman
The next Euchre 1 monthly tournament will be on Tuesday, February 10 at 12:45 PM in the downstairs great hall at St. George’s Anglican Church. Invitations are sent out on the 1st of every month. Cost: $2.00 / person at the door. You must register in advance to secure your place.
High Score in January - Dwight D.
Euchre 2
Allan Smith
The Euchre 2 group plays on the last Wednesday of the month at 7 PM. The members of the group take turns hosting (usually 2 - 3 tables). Please contact me if you are interested in joining!
In addition to our in-person games, we also play Online Euchre on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month using Trickstercards.com under our own group, “Probus 2.” The platform includes full audio and video at no cost, there’s no maximum number of players, and a hidden bonus is that you can enjoy a glass of wine while you play!
Mah Jongg
Judy Smith
Whether you are an experienced player or new to the game, everyone is welcome to join our Mah Jongg group. We meet in the afternoon, the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month. Next Beginner Classes are Tuesday, February 10 and/or Wednesday, February 18 if needed. You must sign up on our Mah Jongg Activity Group page to receive our emails.
Ramblers
Nancy Dixon
As we have been through a terrific cold snap, I have delayed the start to our winter walks, but we will begin again soon—possibly February 13. We hope to also start a new challenge this year to increase our ability to walk greater distances. Watch for the invites. New Members welcome! Sign-up on the Ramblers Activity Group page to receive the invitations.
R.O.M.E.O.
John White / Louis Charland
Our next lunch is on February 11 at The Mill in Thornbury. Seating is limited to a maximum of 24 members, and a prompt response to the invitations sent out on January 31 would be appreciated.
Ski Legends
Chris Mifflin
Lots of snow on our local hills, so we hope to see you out for our Ski Days!
Ski Days: We Ski Together every Tuesday and Wednesday at Blue Mountain (meet at 9:30 am at the Silver Bullet) from January 6 to the end of March. Depending on the numbers, we will break up into groups by skiers’ levels. Stay for lunch on Tuesdays at different restaurants in the Village and at the Inn. Also, we ski at the local Private Clubs on six Thursdays throughout the season. Click here to see the Ski Days details.
- Thursday February 12th, Devil's Glen: Cost $90.00 including Tax
- Thursday February 19th, Osler: Cost $97.00 Plus Tax
- Thursday March 5th, Georgian Peaks: Cost $90.00 including Tax
Ski Trips:
St. Anton, Austria, February 5 to 14, is SOLD OUT!
Sun Peaks, B.C., February 25 to March 4, is SOLD OUT!
If you are still interested in going on this trip, please JOIN THE WAITLIST by completing the application form. For the latest information and to download the trip flyers, check the Legends website:
https://probusskilegends.ca/2026
Special pricing for a midweek membership at Toronto Ski Club for Legends members! Gives you access to the chalet and parking lot at the North end of Blue, you must still purchase a ski pass at the regular price.
All participants must be PROBUS members and members of PROBUS Ski Legends: Membership cost is $50 per year.
Humor Corner
Shared by Sandy Tulloch
Advice from a Snowman:
- Be a jolly, happy soul
- Stay cool
- Spend time outdoors
- It’s OK to be bottom heavy
- Avoid meltdowns
- Play with your friends, life is short
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.
In Memoriam
Michael Clarke, one of our newest members, passed away on January 22. Our sincere condolences to his spouse Ardene.
The Last Word
Shared by Nancy Dixon
He who laughs last didn't get it.
Helen Giangregorio
Beaver Valley Probus Club