President's Message

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has contributed to the Club and made my year as President so meaningful. It is hard to believe that the year is over, and the baton will be handed to your new President Caroline Bacher in a few days.

Your Club has been very busy this year. Our Constitution and Bylaws have been revisited, and some revisions are up for ratification at the Annual General Meeting later this month.

The Club’s purpose: to promote the enjoyment of our Members - our structure is designed with this in mind. We are now in the process of preparing a new website. This will enable electronic transfer of funds (no more cheques????) and you will be able to sign up, review and take note of each event and activity right online. We are looking to make it easier for the activity leaders and event coordinators – more time to have fun. Again, this is a process and we are cognizant of the fact that some members still like the “paper” feel.

One of my goals over the year has been to ensure that new members, especially those that are a little reticent, get to participate and feel more comfortable. We had a very successful new members lunch with lots of questions, and when time came for the Activities Fair, they had an idea of what was in store on that busy day. We also initiated a Lunch & Chat event, where you sat with different people over lunch. A great way to get to know someone new. The feedback was very positive and perhaps this can be an annual occasion.

I do not want to go on and on, however, this is your Club. There is something to do for everyone – friendships are made that are so important to keep us feeling young and vibrant. Thank you for a great year and I look forward to sitting on your Board, this time as Past President.

Marion Stewart

Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting of Members of the Beaver Valley Probus Club will be held at the Beaver Valley Community Centre, Victoria and Alfred Streets, Thornbury at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, the 25th day of February, 2020. The following is the slate of nominees proposed by the Nominating Committee for election as officers for the ensuing year: Caroline Bacher, President;                                      Martin Buscher, Vice President Pam Weaver, Nancy Seppala, Co-Secretaries Kathy Eagleson, Treasurer Prior to the meeting, a complimentary light lunch will be served at 12:30 p.m. for those members who have notified Stella Zahradnik prior to February 18th that they wish to attend.

Activity Group Updates

Georgian Probus Travel Group (Gloria Thompson)

• Highland and Islands of Scotland: May 9-24, 2020. Some space has opened up for new bookings, please call Gloria at 705-429-9455.
• Portugal and Madeira: May 2021. This trip will be a 2 week program. For information or to register please call Gloria at 705-429-9455.
• Croatia: Sept 12-26, 2021. The first week, Sept 12-19 will be a tour to explore the interior.  The second week, Sept 19-26 is a bike and boat trip along the coast. Regular or e-bikes will be available to rent.  For questions or registration, please call Jacqui at  647-404-9380.

Dining Around Town (Hank Bouwman)

• Wednesday, February 12 - The Grey Restaurant in Thornbury
• Thursday, March 12 - The Mill Café in Thornbury
• Wednesday April 15 - Nathaniel’s in Owen Sound
• Wednesday May 13 & 20 - Justin’s Oven in Kimberley June  – TBA
• Thursday, September 10- The Falls Inn in Walter’s Falls

Ski Legends (Louise Armstrong)

Probus Ski Legends is in full gear having had 3 social events and 3 ski days at the private clubs. Three more ski days are planned (see dates below).  The website, www.probusskilegends.ca, has the most up-to-date information on events, ski trips, as well as the application form to join Ski Legends. Basic memberships are $30.

Ski Day every Tuesday at Blue: You don’t have to ski alone. Legends members will meet Tuesday mornings BY 9:30 at the bottom of the Silver Bullet chair. Look for the Legends’ sticker on helmets and skis (silver snowflake on a white circle) and either a red or orange ski jacket. The group decides if they want to stop for coffee or continue to ski and some stay to have lunch together at a different restaurant each week. 

Ski Days at the private clubs: You will receive a $10.00 rebate when you purchase a lift ticket (this rebate does not apply to exchange or reciprocal passes) as well as a $5.00 voucher for coffee and muffin.

• Alpine – Thursday February 13
• Osler Bluff – Thursday February 20
• Georgian Peaks – Wednesday March 18

Ski Trips: 

• Sun Peaks, February 29 – March 4, is SOLD OUT. To have your name placed on the wait list, go to the Ski Legends website/ Ski Trips to find the trip leader contact
• For 2021- trip to the Dolomites in Italy confirmed for January 2021. Please go to the Ski Legends website to get all the information regarding itinerary, costs and application. As of January 31, there were only 5 spaces remaining.

More information will be available through the season by ongoing emails to members, from your Probus representative and from the website, www.probusskilegends.ca.

Bridge Anyone?

Do we have any members who would like to get together to play bridge? If so, perhaps a new activity group can be launched! If you are interested in coordinating a bridge group for the club or simply joining in, contact Rick Leclair, Activities Convenor. (contact info in Membership Directory). 

In Memoriam

• Beverley Zwingenberger, a member since 2003, died in December 2019
• Jean Leishman, a member since 2017, died January 14, 2020
• Wendy Butt, a member since 2017, died early in January 2020

Activities Fair (Rick Leclair)

The 2020 Beaver Valley Probus Club Activities Fair takes place on Tuesday April 28th at the Beaver Valley Community Centre from 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm. This is a great opportunity to sign up to participate in one or many of the activities available to club members, as well as share any interest you may have in possible new activities. Activity Coordinators for each of the groups will be on site and available to answer any questions you may have about each activity. A listing of the current activities available can be found in your copy of the 2020 Membership Directory (available soon) or on our web site: www.beavervalleyprobus.com. We look forward to seeing everyone at the Activities Fair! 

Our speaker on February 25

Eleonore Eaves - Executive director, Big Brothers/Big Sisters

Though having only joined Big Brothers Big Sisters at the start of the year, Eleonore's extensive experience has enabled her to lead the way to exciting growth. Her diverse background over the past two decades started with her graduate studies in the UK, followed by positions with renowned institutions such as London School of Economics. Upon her return to Canada, she took positions in both the public and private sector, wherein she acquired best practices from various organizations to develop her management style. She strongly believes in the importance of mentoring services, and is passionate about child welfare. As such, she is excited to merge her skills with her passion as part of the Big Brothers Big Sisters team, helping generations of young people realize their full potential.

Save the Planet!

Remember to bring your own mug for coffee/tea break! Let’s reduce the amount of non-recyclable paper cups at the meetings.

50/50 Draw

Congratulations to George Baker and Joan Uglow, the winners at the January 28th meeting! 

Membership report (Vicki & Terry Kellar, Chairs)

On February 1, 2020, we mark our 19th year as a club.  With nearly 600 members, we continue to have a stable, yet dynamic mix of active participants.  Nearly 10% of our Members have been here from the beginning in 2001! 

And now we are pleased to welcome 42 new Members from across the area!   New faces, new spirit, and new ideas….. this is what helps make us a successful organization.  Please take a moment to welcome our new Members at Club events! (They can be identified by a special sticker on their Probus name badges).

From Blue Mountains Sarah Andrews Sara Larson Janice Martin & Brian Walker Donald & Mary Ann CollinsWilliams   From Clarksburg Nancy & John Rheaume Susan & Roger Short Martin Tekela Elana Bacher   From Flesherton Scott & Laurie Moore

From Meaford Christine Ellinger John & Rosemary Kamler Brian Kellett Jeanne Lightheart-Johnson Lynn Sandbrook Allan Rudolf Liz & Steve Lyons Joelle Adelson Joanne Steele   From Ravenna Judy Grinton & Michael Clifford

From Thornbury Shauna Lathe & Ian Finlayson Karen Cronin Brenley Crawford Adele Denyer Jane Dykstra Patricia Griggs Lynn & Tom Horlor Mary & Bruce Livingston Ed Korhonen Brian Carle Shannon Lynn Taylor Bredge Watson

Annual Golf Tournament

Golf for 2020 at Shelburne is booked for Monday June,15, 2020.  The price is around $72, which includes coffee and sweats before the game, 18 holes with cart followed by lunch and prizes.

The Master Gardener’s Corner

Things to do in your garden each month taken from the Ontario Master Gardener Calendar by  John Hethrington, Past President, Master Gardeners of Ontario. For more information, or your copy of the 11” x 17” calendar of the full year’s tips for a $1 contribution to Master Gardeners, call 519-599-5846.

February 2020:

• With one January freeze/thaw already this winter, mound up all the available snow and any new snow that falls, around tender plants like roses. If you have a few bows from your Christmas tree, put them over tender plants to catch the snow. It is the freeze/thaw that kills plants, not just the cold.
• Start planning your garden projects for 2019. Make a list, so you will know what you did not get done when you look at it in June. I have mine done and I am tired already. A garden is never finished!
• Start propagating stem cuttings of geraniums, fuchsias, etc. by the end of the month.
• Plant slow germinating seeds inside, like impatiens, peppers, eggplants, etc.
• As the weather warms, start pruning shade trees, fruit trees and shrubs, if you can get to them through the snow. Leave trees that “bleed” like maples and birch until after they have leaves.
• Visit local nursery greenhouses to smell the coming spring. Stop by the Garden Gallery just west of Barrie on Hwy 91 on the way to Angus, and inhale.
• Check the dates for annual garden shows like Canada Blooms: Mar 13 - 27 at the Enercare Centre at the CNE. Early Bird Tickets $17, $14 for Seniors. Go to www.candablooms.com.
• Pat Brookings, owner of Annan Way Nurseries, is again running a bus tour to Canada Blooms, Wednesday March 18, $98 including Bus, Blooms Entrance & Mandarin Dinner on the way home. Pick-ups at Owen Sound, Chatsworth, Markdale & Flesherton. More Info call Pat 519-376-9444.
• Paul Zammit is coming back to Thornbury, Thursday April 9 at 7 pm to talk about perennials at a joint 599 Garden Club /Probus Club presentation. 

Stratford 2020 (Stella Zahradnik)

Come and enjoy Monty Python's Spamalot at the Avon Theatre on Wednesday October 21, 2:00pm matinee. The cost is $121 which includes theatre, bus and lunch at Anna Mae's in Millbank. This trip is fully subscribed, but a waitlist has been started.

Ideas for new trips?

I am open to receiving any suggestions from members for out of town trips/events etc.  Please contact Stella Zahradnik

Wanted: photos

We would like to refresh our current roster of photos which are used at our monthly meetings as background for our national anthem.  If you have some we could use, please forward them to Cary Eagleson.

Support Group (Lynn Corrigan)

Do you know of a member who needs encouragement to get through a difficult period? Please do not hesitate to call on the following, or any of the management team:

• February: Louise Lamont
• March: Phyllis Thomas
• April: Sandy Macaulay

The Last Word

One’s philosophy is not expressed in words...it is expressed in the choices we make...and the choices we make are ultimately our responsibility.

Eleanor Roosevelt (submitted by Past-President Pat Wright)

President's Message

Marion Stewart

This is our first newsletter for 2020. Hope you have made your resolutions for the next year and next decade. So much going on in the world that it is hard to predict where we will be in 2030.

Your Probus club is in good shape. We continue to keep our membership at 600 by welcoming new members every year. Please keep an eye out for coloured stars on the name tags of new members and make them feel welcome.

Our Activity groups are well supported. Love the change of seasons when hiking turns into snowshoeing and kayaking to curling. We have very strong turnout for our events and overwhelming enthusiasm for eating – Dining Around Town, Casual Dining, and Dining with Flair.

We are in the process of having more and more information on our web site. Please keep tuned and give us your feedback as we move along with these changes.

On a personal note - I have just returned from 6 weeks in France staying outside Paris. Didn't find a Probus Club! There are so many interesting places in this world and seeing antiquities thousands of years old puts everything into perspective. Everyone of us makes our mark however big or small. Just make sure we have joy and enjoy every day.

Calendar

28 January, 2020	Monthly Probus Meeting
25 February, 2020	Probus Annual General Meeting
31 March, 2020	Monthly Probus Meeting (NB later than usual!)
21 October, 2020	Stratford Theatre Trip

Stratford 2020

Stella Zahradnik

Come and enjoy Monty Python’s Spamalot at the Avon Theatre on Wednesday October 21, 2:00pm matinee. The cost is $121 which includes theatre, bus and lunch at Anna Mae’s in Millbank.

Sign up sheets will be at the back of the room at our January mtg. Payment by CHEQUE only. Those who signed the interest sheet earlier for this trip have to sign up again please to show your commitment.

New Constitution and Bylaws

Nancy Dixon

PROBUS CANADA updated its Constitution and Bylaws last year and in order to comply with them, our Management Committee has reviewed and updated the Constitution and Bylaws for Beaver Valley Probus. The new Constitution and Bylaws are posted on our website, and the Management Team will bring the proposed documents to the Annual General Meeting in February, 2020 for the members’ approval. PLEASE REVIEW THE PROPOSED DOCUMENTS. The quick link to the site is: http://beavervalleyprobus.com/club-rules.cfm

Activity Group Updates

Georgian Probus Travel Group:

Gloria Thompson

• Highland and Islands of Scotland: May 9-24, 2020. The Scotland trip is filled except for a single female. If that is YOU, call Gloria at 705-429-9455.
• Portugal and Madeira: May 2021. This trip will be a 2 week program. For information or to register please call Gloria at 705-429-9455.
• Croatia: Sept 5-12, 2021. The core is a bike and boat trip along the coast for a week. A tour will be added to explore the interior. This could be the week before or the week after. For questions or registration, please call Jackie at 647-404-9380.

Dining Around Town:

Hank Bouwman

Upcoming dinners:

• Wednesday, February 12 - The Grey Restaurant in Thornbury 
• Thursday, March 12 - The Mill Café in Thornbury 
• Wednesday April 15 – Nathaniel’s in Owen Sound 
• Wednesday May 13 & 20 – Justin’s Oven in Kimberley 
• June – TBA 
• Thursday, September 10 – The Falls Inn in Walter’s Falls

Ski Legends:

Louise Armstrong

PROBUS Ski Legends is a club with members from all area PROBUS clubs who enjoy skiing, socializing and travelling. The website, www.probusskilegends.ca, has the most up-to-date information on events and ski trips, as well as the application form to join Ski Legends. Basic membership is $30.

Ski Day every Tuesday at Blue:
You don’t have to ski alone! Legends members will meet Tuesdays at 9:30 at the bottom of the Silver Bullet chair. Look for the Legends’ sticker on helmets and skis (silver snowflake on a white circle). Come in for coffee and chat at the Grand Central Lodge at 10:15.

Ski Days at the private clubs have been confirmed:

• Osler Bluff – Thursday, January 30 & February 20 
• Alpine – Thursday, February 13
• Georgian Peaks – Wednesday, March 18

Ski Trips:

• Sun Peaks, February 29 - March 4, is SOLD OUT. To have your name placed on the wait list, go to the Ski Legends website/ Ski Trips to find the trip leader contact. 
• Steamboat, Colorado - February 2 - 9. Spaces still available. Please go to the Ski Legends website/ Ski Trips to see further information about the trip and trip leader contact. 
• For 2021 - Group ski travel has changed significantly in the last few years, and it has become necessary to plan more than a year ahead to secure space. Plans are being made for the ever-popular Sun Peaks, as well as a European trip, likely the Dolomites in Italy, with sales likely this coming winter or spring. As a Ski Legends member, you will receive information about the 2021 trips by email, as soon as it is available.

More information will be available through the season via emails to members, from your Probus representative and from the website, www.probusskilegends.ca.

Exciting Volunteer Opportunities!

Rick Leclair

One of the cornerstones of The Beaver Valley Probus Club is our team of members who volunteer their time and energy coordinating an impressive list of activity groups for us to enjoy. Here’s a chance for you to lend a hand and help us continue offering a variety of activities for our members. Our members becoming involved help make the Club vibrant and a lot of fun!

Currently we have an opening for an Activity Coordinator for the Snowshoe Group as well as a coordinator for the Photography Club. If you are interested in more info about what is involved in being an Activity Coordinator for either of these groups or would like to introduce a new activity group I look forward to hearing from you. My contact info. can be found in the Probus Membership Directory.

Call for photos

Heather Buscher

Did you take any photos during your Probus activities? Please email any you would like to share, along with a caption, so that I can post them on our website or newsletter! Everyone loves to see what others are doing! 

January 28 Speaker: Brent Preston

Brent Preston worked as a human rights investigator, aid worker, election observer and journalist on four continents before finding his true calling as a farmer. In 2003 he and his wife, Gillian Flies, abandoned successful careers in Toronto, packed up their two young children, and moved to a run-down farm outside of Creemore, Ontario. Since then, they have built The New Farm into a thriving business and a leading light in the good food movement, providing vegetables to some of the best restaurants in Canada and raising over a million dollars to make local, organic food accessible in low income communities.

Brent has written for the Huffington Post, the Globe and Mail, the Walrus and other publications. His first book, The New Farm: Our Ten Years on the Front Lines of the Good Food Revolution, is a national bestseller and is now available in paperback.

50/50 Draw

Congratulations to Kay Schultz and Cynthia Sampson, the winners at the November 26 meeting

Computer Corner

Martin Buscher

Here is a New Year's resolution that should be easy to accomplish:

Change the passwords of your main Internet accounts!

1. Start with the ones that touch your money, (e.g. your online banking or your favorite shopping sites) 
2. Find as long a password as you can remember. If the site allows spaces in passwords, then use something like I'm 60 years old! It doesn't have to be true, just memorable! Such a passphrase is too long at 17 characters for cyber-criminals to guess, even with today's computer power. It also fulfills requirements about mixed case, numbers and special characters. 
3. Have a different password for every account. Never re-use passwords. If hackers get your password for one account, they will try it on all! 
4. If a site offers multi-factor authentication (e.g. sending a verification number to your mobile phone) then learn how to turn it on - it will significantly improve your protection.

Environmental Plea

Remember to bring your own mug for coffee/tea break! Let’s reduce the amount of garbage produced at the meetings.

The Master Gardener’s Corner

Things to do in your garden each month taken from the Ontario Master Gardener Calendar by John Hethrington, Past President, Master Gardeners of Ontario.

For more information, or your copy of the 11” x 17” calendar of the full year’s tips for a $1 contribution to Master Gardeners, call 519-599-5846. A limited number of calendars will be available at the January 599 Meeting

January 2020:

• Inspect houseplants for white flies, spider mites and aphids. 
• Apply insecticidal soap and spray with water. 
• Inspect spring bulbs in storage. Discard soft or mouldy ones. 
• Not a problem yet this winter, but if there is a thaw and the snow melts, mound any remaining snow over roses and tender perennials. It’s the freeze/thaw cycle that kills the plants. 
• Expand personal knowledge through library visits, courses, catalogues, etc. 
• Think about and start planning your garden for next spring. 
• Google “Seed Catalogue Websites” and see hundreds of seed sources. 
• Order flower and vegetable seeds. Decide which seeds should be started inside. 
• Try forcing amaryllis and paperwhite narcissus for indoor winter bloom. 
• At the end of the month, start the slowest germinating seeds like begonias and geranium, also seeds for early spring bloom e.g. pansy, verbena, alyssum and dianthus.

Book Exchange

Nancy Hart

Bring a book that you really enjoyed reading over the holidays and exchange it for another good read. Books should be current and in good condition. 

Support Group

Lynn Corrigan

Do you know of a member who needs encouragement to get through a difficult period? Please do not hesitate to call on the following, or any of the management team:

• January: Eileen Scott 
• February: Louise Lamont 

The Last Word

Submitted by Past President Pat Wright

If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely. Roald Dahl

Grapevine Team

• Editor: Chris Rickard 
• Reporters: Opportunities for you! 
• Distribution: Nancy Dixon 
• Website Maintenance: Nancy Dixon Heather Buscher

President's Message, by Mario Stewart

This is the month of November – a number of you travel to warmer climes and continue all those lovely summer activities all year long. Others say that they are going to “The Blue Mountains” to enjoy every minute of what our area has to offer. November is a time to reflect, and what better way than to think about all the friends that we have made just within our Probus Group activities.

Our inaugural Fallicious Lunch created one of those moments Calendar of Events 26 November, 2019 Monthly Probus Meeting 10 December, 2019 Christmas Lunch at Lora Bay – a chance to meet new people and discover something we have in common. It is such fun to sit at a table with a stranger, and come away with a new friend. We would like to make this an annual event.

We continue with the Royal Winter Fair excursion and then, of course, our annual Christmas Party. All these events give us an opportunity to create new memories and friends.

It is an honour to sit as your Club President – each one of us brings something a little different to the Management Team. There is a lot of talent within our membership and having fun seems to bring out the best in everyone.

I will be in Paris for the next few weeks, hopefully to be up close and personal with Da Vinci, Napoleon and other great people, if only to see them in palaces, monuments & galleries. I will miss the Christmas lunch and would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and all the best in the New Year.

Calendar of Events

28 November, 2019	Monthly Probus Meeting
10 December, 2019	Christmas Lunch at Lora Bay

50/50 Draw

Congratulations to Joan Uglow and Wendy Harris, the winners at the October 22nd meeting! 

Annual Christmas Lunch

Tuesday Dec 10 2019 at Lora Bay.  Social 11:30, lunch at 12:30. Tickets at $32.00 each (guest $42.00) will be available at our November Probus meeting. They can be purchased ahead of time by contacting Stella Zahradnik by email. CHEQUES ONLY PLEASE. Menu is a traditional turkey dinner, with stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy, seasonal vegetables, roast potatoes, spinach salad with cranberry and goat cheese, layered trifle and gluten free raspberry sorbet, coffee and tea. Cut off date is Dec 2. Stella Zahradnik

Activity Group Updates

Georgian Probus Travel Group: The May 2020 Scotland trip to the Islands and Highlands is nearly full. There are spaces for a few more people. The trip has been brought forward by one day, due to airline schedule changes. The new departure date is 09 May returning 24 May. Please contact Gloria at 705 429 9455.

We are planning trips to Portugal and Madeira, Croatia and a Russian river cruise for the future. Keep tuned…………. Gloria Thompson

Dining Around Town:

Upcoming dinners:

• Wednesday, November 20 - Crow. Bar & Variety in Collingwood 
• Friday, January 4 - Cured Restaurant in Thornbury (limited seating) 
• Wednesday, February 12 - The Grey Restaurant in Thornbury 
• Thursday, March 12 - The Mill Café in Thornbury 
• Wednesday April 15 – Nathaniel’s in Owen Sound 

Hank Bouwman

Ski Legends: PROBUS Ski Legends is a club with members from all area PROBUS clubs who enjoy skiing, socializing and travelling. Our social events and ski days at the private clubs are planned for the 2019-2020 season and are summarized below.

The website, www.probusskilegends.ca, has the most up-to-date information on events and ski trips, as well as the application form to join Ski Legends. Basic membership is $30.

This year’s social events:

• December 2 - Skiis & Biikes Wine and Cheese. There is a discount, for that night only, on purchases of soft goods. 
• January 6, 2020 - Free Welcome Back Breakfast for Legends Members only, at Blue Mountain Grand Central Lodge. 
• January 22, 2020 - Dinner Show and Party at Blue Mountain Golf Club. 

Ski Days at the private clubs have been confirmed: 

• Craigleith – Wednesday, January 8 
• Devil’s Glen – Thursday, January 16 
• Osler Bluff – Thursday, January 30 & February 20 
• Alpine – Thursday, February 13 
• Georgian Peaks – Wednesday, March 18 

Ski Trips: 

• Sun Peaks, February 29 – March 4, is SOLD OUT. To have your name placed on the wait list, go to the Ski Legends website/ Ski Trips to find the trip leader contact. 
• Steamboat, Colorado – February 2 to 9. Spaces still available. Please go to the Ski Legends website/ Ski Trips to see further information about the trip and trip leader contact. 
• For 2021- Group ski travel has changed significantly in the last few years, and it has become necessary to plan more than a year ahead to secure space. Plans are being made for the ever-popular Sun Peaks, as well as a European trip, likely the Dolomites in Italy, with sales likely this coming winter or spring. As a Ski Legends member, you will receive information about the 2021 trips by email, as soon as it is available. 

More information will be available through the season via emails to members, from your Probus representative and from the website, www.probusskilegends.ca.

Louise Armstrong

NEW CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS

PROBUS CANADA updated its Constitution and Bylaws last year and in order to comply with them, our Management Committee has reviewed and updated the Constitution and Bylaws for Beaver Valley Probus. The new Constitution and Bylaws are posted on our website, and the Management Team will bring the proposed documents to the Annual General Meeting in February, 2020 for the members’ approval. PLEASE REVIEW THE PROPOSED DOCUMENTS. The quick link to the site is: http://beavervalleyprobus.com/club-rules.cfm

Nancy Dixon

Membership Renewal Reminder

By now, in your very own snail mail box, you will have received a vibrant pink Membership renewal form. Hopefully you have already sent it back or dropped off the completed form and cheque at the October meeting. If not, please dig through your pile of correspondence and mail it to the address shown, or bring it to the November meeting. Please note that renewals are due by December 1 and we do want you to renew! If, however, you are unable to return it, please advise the Membership Directors ASAP. Please remember to sign the Waiver portion & include the cheque. Thanks & see you at the Club.

Membership Directors Vicki & Terry Kellar

HELP WANTED

We need you! There are openings on our Management Team! If you are interested in finding out more about these positions, please contact Pat Wright or Caroline Bacher.

Our Speaker on November 26: Diana Bishop

Diana Bishop spent twenty years as a TV News Correspondent for CBC, CTV, Global Television, and NBC News telling stories of some of the biggest newsmakers of the day. Since 2002, she has been running a unique personal branding business called The Success Story Program™ where she helps create success stories for everyone from executives and entrepreneurs to politicians and ballet dancers.

The Success Story Program™ has taken Diana across Canada, to the U.S and Europe, where she has spoken to dozens of business groups, while also being profiled as a one of Canada’s Top Business Women, and National Woman of Distinction, as well as, being featured regularly in the media, such as, in the Report on Business in the Globe and Mail.

Now after all the years of telling other people’s stories Diana has written her own story, a deeply personal memoir called Living Up To a Legend, My Adventures With Billy Bishop’s Ghost, which explores the profound impact that her famous grandfather, World War One Flying Ace, Billy Bishop has had on her life. 

In Memoriam

Vanda Kilpen, a Probus member since 2005, passed away on Tuesday, November 5th .

Metal Storage Cabinet Wanted

The BVPC Management Board is searching for a ‘gently used’ metal storage cabinet, to store a variety of Probus Club materials and supplies on site at the Beaver Valley Community Centre. A cabinet measuring 36” wide x 18”-20” deep x 66”-72” high with 4 shelves and lockable double doors would be ideal. If you happen to have a unit you wish to part with, or have any leads as to where we could source one, please contact Rick Leclair, Activities Convenor, Beaver Valley Probus Club. Contact info can be found in the membership directory.

Groan Time

A woman in labor suddenly shouted, “Shouldn’t! Wouldn’t! Couldn’t! Didn’t! Can’t!”
“Don’t worry,” said the doc. “Those are just contractions."

Hear about the new restaurant called Karma? There’s no menu: you get what you deserve.

Why can’t you explain puns to kleptomaniacs? They always take things literally.

I lost my job at the bank on my very first day. A woman asked me to check her balance, so I pushed her over.

Two antennas met on a roof, fell in love and got married. The ceremony wasn’t much, but the reception was excellent.

Environmental Plea

Remember to bring your own mug for coffee/tea break! Let’s reduce the amount of garbage produced at the meetings.

The Master Gardener’s Corner

Things to do in your garden each month taken from the Ontario Master Gardener Calendar by John Hethrington, Past President, Master Gardeners of Ontario. For more information, or your copy of the 11” x 17” calendar of the full year’s tips for a $1 contribution to Master Gardeners, call 519-599-5846.

November 2019:

• Take advantage of any warm spell for a little last minute deep watering. 
• Buy discounted bulbs on sale and get them in the ground. Your extra efforts will be rewarded in the spring. 
• Remove plants from your pots and other containers and empty the soil. Dump plants and soil into your compost pile; clean them thoroughly and store them. 
• There is an annual argument as to whether you should cut back your perennials, grasses etc., in the fall, or leave them long for “winter interest”. Up here, most perennials are covered by 2 feet of snow, so you can’t see them anyway. Since Spring Clean-Up can be daunting and there can be wet weather, a late spring and/or instant summer, this year I am opting for a BIG FALL CLEAN-UP to get a jump on spring 2020. 
• Dig up and bring in dahlia tubers, tuberous begonias and gladiolus corms when the leaves turn yellow. Remove the soil and wash the tubers. Remove little cormlets from glad corms for more plants next year. Cure the tubers and corms for 2-3 weeks in warm dry place. Place in trays and cover with dry compost, peat moss, sand or perlite. Store at about 5 C in a cold-cellar, or slightly heated garage. 
• Try potting up some spring bulbs like amaryllis and paperwhite narcissus and force them into bloom for Christmas and/or for late winter indoor colour. Different bulbs will require various lengths of cold to flower, so read the product packaging carefully. Store the bulbs in an area where they will not freeze (about 5°C). A fridge or cold cellar will work well for this. 
• Complete winterization procedures for plants, containers, hoses and all other garden equipment. 
• Protect young trees from rodents by using wire collars or plastic protectors. 
• Hill up your hybrid Tea and Floribunda roses with 10 inches of compost covering the stems, or use a metal or plastic “Rose Collar” and fill it with compost before the ground freezes. 
• Create one or more Winter/Christmas urns using a variety of evergreen branches. Find branches with berries and add colour with red dogwood and dried hydrangea blossoms. 
• Check mulch levels in gardens. Pull mulch back 2”-3” from around shrub and tree trunks to discourage rodents. Add more compost or leaves if you have them. 
• Order seed catalogues for next spring. 
• Buy your Triple 19 fertilizer from the Co-Op for March application on the snow, so you will have some when the time comes to apply it, as their summer supplies may have not arrived in March.

Support Group

Do you know of a member who needs encouragement to get through a difficult period? Please do not hesitate to call on the following, or any of the management team:

• November: Mary Dillon 
• December: Doreen Bowins 
• January: Eileen Scott 

Lynn Corrigan

The Last Word

Submitted by Past President Pat Wright

Nothing is impossible. The word itself says “I’m possible”
Audrey Hepburn

President's Message

We are well into October now and Thanksgiving festivities. We have so much to be thankful for – at the top is the wonderful country that we live in and that includes our many Probus Club friends.

Talking about Probus Club friends, we are looking for a big turnout at our first ever Fallicious Lunch on October 24th at Blue Mountain Pottery Restaurant. This luncheon will be a meet and greet affair. Each of you will be given a table number when you arrive. This is how Probus works – being with old friends and meeting new ones. Please sign up before the day and make this first Fallicious luncheon a big success.

All of our Events are now listed on our Probus web site. We are in the process of making the site easier to use and the “go to” place to keep us all connected. If you have any suggestions or would like to be on the Committee – please get in touch with Martin Buscher.

Last month saw a lot of community activity, with students in our area and throughout Canada taking a day off to march for awareness of how we can reduce our impact on the planet. Please remember the little things that we can all do – another reminder – bring your own coffee cup to the Probus meeting! Try to “do as I say and not as I do”.

Marion Stewart

Speaker on October 22 with Topic: Search and Rescue

Constable Anderson will be bringing his dog, Bauer. Bauer is a general service dog whose duties include searching for wanted criminals, missing/lost people, drugs and guns. Constable Anderson will also be bringing his other dog, Striker, who is a human remains detection dog. This will be very exciting for those of us who love dogs, but anyone with allergies that are affected by dogs, please be mindful of our canine guests.

Annual Christmas Lunch

Our annual traditional turkey Christmas luncheon will be held at Lora Bay on Tuesday Dec 10th. Details will be announced later.

Activity Group Updates

Georgian Probus Travel Group: Travel with your peers....avoid the single cost...get to know new people...join our trips!

1. There are still a few spots left for the tour to the "Islands and Highlands of Scotland", 10-25 May 2020. For further info or to book please call Gloria at 705 429 9455. 
2. Our informal survey showed great interest in a Russian River cruise or Portugal/Madeira program. Stay tuned. Gloria Thompson

Recreational Cycling Group: The group has completed its busy season. We had a few new rides this year, one from Owen Sound on the trail and a quiet road to Leith, and the other from Anten Mills to Elmvale. We also cycled around the many trails and country roads in Collingwood, Thornbury, and Meaford. Thanks to all who joined us to make this an enjoyable activity! Caroline Bacher and Joan Hammond

Dining Around Town: Upcoming dinners: Wednesday, November 20 - Crow. Bar & Variety in Collingwood Friday, January 4 - Cured Restaurant in Thornbury (limited seating) Wednesday, February 12 - The Grey Restaurant in Thornbury Thursday, March 12 - The Mill Café in Thornbury Hank Bouwman

Ski Legends: PROBUS Ski Legends is a club with members from all area PROBUS clubs who enjoy skiing, socializing and travelling. Ski Legends organizes social activities, ski days at private clubs and ski trips. The website, www.probusskilegends.ca , has the most up-to-date information on events and ski trips, as well as the application form to join Ski Legends. Basic memberships are $30. This year’s social events:

• December 2 - Skiis & Biikes Wine and Cheese. There is a discount, for that night only, on purchases of soft goods. 
• January 6, 2020 - Free Welcome Back Breakfast for Legends Members only, at Blue Mountain Grand Central Lodge. 
• January 22, 2020 - Dinner Show and Party at Blue Mountain Golf Club.

Ski Days at the private clubs:

• Devil’s Glen – Thursday, January 16 (to be confirmed) 
• Craigleith – Wednesday, January 8 (to be confirmed) 
• Osler Bluff – Thursday, January 30 & February 20 
• Alpine – Thursday February 13 
• Georgian Peaks – March 11 or 18 (to be confirmed)

Ski Trips:

• Sun Peaks, February 29 – March 4, is SOLD OUT. To have your name placed on the wait list, go to the Ski Legends website/ Ski Trips to find the trip leader contact. 
• Steamboat, Colorado – February 2 to 9. Please go to the Ski Legends website/ Ski Trips to see further information about the trip and trip leader contact. 
• For 2021- Group ski travel has changed significantly in the last few years and it has become necessary to plan more than a year ahead to secure space. Plans are being made for the ever-popular Sun Peaks as well as a European trip, likely the Dolomites in Italy, with sales likely this coming winter. Louise Armstrong

Hiking: Hiking season isn’t over yet! Although weather is less than predictable at this time of year, there are still a few more weeks of hiking season left. Some people feel this is the best time of all – cool temperatures and glorious colours. If you’re not already on our mailing list but would like to be, please let Cynthia know at probusbvhiking@outlook.com. Hope to see you on the trails! Cynthia Sampson

2019 Probus Putt and Lunch Event

Beautiful blue skies and a hint of autumn temperatures made it a perfect day to be on the putting green! 32 members hit the course on September 12th at the Georgian Bay Hotel and Conference Centre. The fellowship, friendship and laughs on the course continued as the group enjoyed the delicious BBQ lunch on the patio which followed. Here are the results of this year’s event: • Winning Team: Pat Ransom, Robert Johnstone, Stella Zahradnik • Low Individual Score: Pat Ransom • Hole in One: Robert Johnstone • “Most Active Putter”: Joanne Knight. Stay tuned for details on next year’s Putt and Lunch Event. You don’t want to miss out on all the fun in early September 2020! Rick Leclair

Royal Winter Agricultural Fair, CNE Trip Tuesday Nov 5

Visit this fair which for almost 100 years has brought the best in agriculture, local food, and equestrian competition from across the country to the heart of Toronto. It is the largest combined indoor agricultural fair and international equestrian competition in the world. Wander the vendors’ stalls, see horse jumping, meet cows, pigs, sheep and more. Expect a fun day of shopping, meeting the great farmers who grow our food and vegetables, etc. Sign up sheets will be at the back of the room at our October 22nd meeting. The fee for senior admission and the bus is $56.84. Cheques only please. Stella Zahradnik

Membership Renewals Coming Soon

Very soon, in your very own snail mail box, you will receive a vibrant pink Membership renewal form. Hopefully you can send it back immediately to the Membership Directors. Better to do it right away than risk forgetting it in the pile of correspondence! Please note that it is due by December 1 and we do want you to renew! However if you are unable to return please advise the Membership Directors ASAP.

Although we’re starting a new decade that doesn’t mean we’re old. Let’s keep up our activity levels by participating in or volunteering for the club interest groups or the Board. Right now there are over 30 activity groups from which to choose, or you can start a new group! Contact the Activities convenor Rick Leclair for details. Remember you only get out of it what you put in.

The renewal form and cheque, please no postdated cheques, can be mailed or alternatively brought to the October or November meetings. Please remember to sign the Waiver portion. See you at the Club. Membership Directors Vicki & Terry Kellar

Help Wanted

We need you! There are openings on our Management Team. We are looking for a Co-Secretary, an Assistant to Activities Convenor and a Vice President. If you are interested, or know of someone who would be a good candidate, please contact Caroline Bacher or Marion Stewart.

Environmental Plea

Remember to bring your own mug for coffee/tea break! Let’s reduce the amount of garbage produced at the meetings.

Ontario Steam Heritage Museum Tour

Join us for a tour of the Ontario Steam Heritage Museum on Thursday October 17. The Museum is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving, restoring and operating steam powered equipment and Steam Traction Engines. So come along with us, get on the bus for a country lunch in Morriston then an amazing tour and ride a Steam Traction Engine. The cost of the bus and lunch is $49.65 per person (cheques only). Contact Stella Zahradnik

Join us for a Fallicious lunch at The Pottery Restaurant

This event takes place on Thursday, October 24 at 12.00 noon. We are naming it “Mix and Chat”. As you enter the restaurant you will be given the number of your assigned table. We are hoping that this mingling will introduce you to new people at our club!

The lunch will be buffet style so more ability to “mix and chat” with others. The menu is a Naan and Noodle – Thai rice noodle salad with Bok Choy,Onions & Sesame dressing, Kachumber salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, cilantro & lemon juice, minted potato salad with fresh mint, olive oil and lemon juice, crispy vegetable samosas with mango chutney, vegetable biryani, tender beef rendang with ginger, garlic & lemongrass braised in coconut milk, chef’s special butter chicken finished in rich tomato butter sauce topped with Fenugreek leaves, platters of fresh sliced papaya, dark chocolate orange cake, Starbucks Premium coffee, tea and soft drinks all for $35.85 per person which includes tax and gratuity. Cut off date is Oct 16. Contact Stella Zahradnik for tickets. Stella Zahradnik

The Master Gardener’s Corner

Things to do in your garden each month taken from the Ontario Master Gardener Calendar by John Hethrington, Past President, Master Gardeners of Ontario. For more information, or your copy of the 11” x 17” calendar of the full year’s tips for a $1 contribution to Master Gardeners, call 519-599-5846. A LIMITED NUMBER OF COPIES WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE OCTOBER MEETING.

October 2019:

• After a warm summer and another 3 weeks of summer in September, fall is finally here. 
• There is an annual argument as to whether you should cut back your perennials, grasses, etc., in the fall, or leave them long for “winter interest”. Up here, most perennials are covered by 2 feet of snow, so you can’t see them anyway. Spring Clean-Up can be daunting. There may be wet weather, or a late spring like this year. For these reasons, this fall I am opting for a BIG FALL CLEAN-UP to get a jump on spring 2020. 
• It’s time to trim back perennials and divide them as needed. Make sure it is a cool cloudy day and fertilize with a “transplant fertilizer” -- big middle number.
• Suzanne Strong, our first President, has downsized 3 of her huge perennial beds. Volunteers from St. Georges Anglican Church in Clarksburg have been busy potting up and heeling in her treasures which will be for sale at the church plant sale next June. 
• Buy and plant spring flowering bulbs. Add a little bulb fertilizer, one with a big middle number for lots of phosphorus (P). Your efforts now will bring big dividends in April and May 2020. 
• Place chicken wire just under the surface of the soil over any tulip bulbs you plant. The squirrels will hate you. Daffodils should not need this protection. 
• Plant perennials and evergreens, and/or buy new ones. 
• If there is an early frost warning, cover tender annuals overnight with an old bed sheet. They should make it through and keep on blooming. 
• Bring in house plants when the evenings start to cool down, or you get a frost warning. Give them a thorough spray first with insecticidal soap, so that there are no unwanted hitchhikers coming into your home. 
• Fertilize lawns with a low “first” number and high “middle” number “Fall” formula. The phosphorus promotes root growth. 
• Start cutting your grass much lower than in summer to avoid winter matted long grass next spring. 
• Water shrubs, evergreens and trees weekly and deeply at least until frost.

50/50 Draw

Congratulations to Jerry Primak and Marcel Forget, the winners at the September 24th meeting!

Book Exchange

Bring a Book, Take a Book. All books should be current and in good condition. The book you bring to exchange should be one that you have enjoyed reading and would recommend to a friend. Nancy Hart

Support Group

Do you know of a member who needs encouragement to get through a difficult period? Please do not hesitate to call on the following, or any of the management team:

• October: Carol Hethrington 
• November: Mary Dillon 

Lynn Corrigan

The Last Word

Respect is how you should treat everyone, not just those you want to impress. Richard Branscombe (submitted by Past-President Pat Wright)