Belleville

Belleville and Area Branch

Caring and Sharing and Having Fun

bellevillearearwto@gmail.com

Executive

Convenors

The Belleville and Area Branch is seeking retired women teachers in Belleville and surrounding areas from Prince Edward County to North Hastings and areas in between. Interested in joining our RWTO/OERO Branch?

Email us at bellevillearearwto@gmail.com

 

 

INTEREST GROUPS: offer support, fun, entertainment and relevant programs

 

 

Chit Chat Club: Contact  Donna Knox

The Chit Chat club is a friendly, small group of RWTO members who meet on the 4^th Tuesday of every month except for July and August. The meetings are held at Federation House, 114 Victoria Ave. Belleville at 1:30 pm. The group discusses current topics of interest. A light snack concludes each meeting. Twice a year the group dines out at a local restaurant. Interested in joining?

Book Club Contact – Robin O’Connor

The book club meets on the 3^rd Tuesday of the month at 1:30 pm. Favourite books are discussed and members may recommend the next read.  It is an informal book club and not everyone must read the same book. Interested in joining the book club?

Diners’ Club – Marilyn Callaghan

The name says it all. This group meets and eats! They dine out the 2^nd Monday of each month at 12:00 pm.

Walking Club – Contact Elizabeth Sills

This group meets each Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. and walks various trails throughout the city.  It’s a great way to get to know one another.  The walkers are invited to bring along friends or family.

Alternative Films – Contact Kay Snedden  

Join Kay for Wednesday afternoon movies at The Empire Theatre.  Join the group. No need to go alone. Discussion of film afterwards is always a possibility over a drink or snack.

Euchre Club – * new convenor needed

 

Belleville and Area Branch

 

CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON 

Wednesday December 7th 11 am at Emanuel Church in Foxboro . Pork Tenderloin, mashed potatoes; coleslaw; peas /carrots; Rolls; pickles; and a punch would be available. Dessert a Christmas trifle.  Christmas entertainment by Debbie Shaw and Louise Ford.

 

 

SPRING/SUMMER LUNCHEON

Wed June 21st at 11 am at St. Paul’s in Stirling 
….. salads, cold cuts and dessert.

 Followed by a tour of Farmtown in Stirling.

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RWTO/OERO Belleville Branch Fall Luncheon

When:  Wednesday, September 21, 2022 at 1100 a.m.

Where:  Emmanuel United Church, Foxboro

What:  We will be celebrating our Branch history and our former Branch Presidents.

We are asking that each member bring a guest retired teacher (or two) with them, if possible, and indicate the number of guests when you book yourself. Guests are free.

Adopt-a-Child donations are welcome.

Luncheon Menu: chicken breasts, salads, rolls, pickles, cheese, carrot cake and ice-cream.

Cost: $20.00

Program:  There will be a 10 minute Power Point presentation re: Our History; and the entertainment will be the musical group “Kindred Spirits”.

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INTEREST GROUPS: offer support, fun, entertainment and relevant programs

Chit Chat Club: Contact Donna Knox

The Chit Chat club is a friendly, small group of RWTO members who meet on the 4^th Tuesday of every month except for July and August. The meetings are held at Federation House, 114 Victoria Ave. Belleville at 1:30 pm. The group discusses current topics of interest. A light snack concludes each meeting. Twice a year the group dines out at a local restaurant. Interested in joining?

Book Club Contact – Robin O’Connor

The book club meets on the 3^rd Tuesday of the month at 1:30 pm. Favourite books are discussed and members may recommend the next read.  It is an informal book club and not everyone must read the same book. Interested in joining the book club?

Diners’ Club – Marilyn Callaghan

The name says it all. This group meets and eats! They dine out the 2^nd Monday of each month at 12:00 pm.

Walking Club – Contact Elizabeth Sills

This group meets each Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. and walks various trails throughout the city.  It’s a great way to get to know one another.  The walkers are invited to bring along friends or family.

Alternative Films – Contact Kay Snedden  

Join Kay for Wednesday afternoon movies at The Empire Theatre.  Join the group. No need to go alone. Discussion of film afterwards is always a possibility over a drink or snack.

Euchre Club – * new convenor needed

 

The Belleville and Area Branch is seeking retired women teachers in Belleville and surrounding areas from Prince Edward County to North Hastings and areas in between!

Interested in joining our RWTO/OERO Branch?

Contact us at:

bellevillearearwto@gmail.com

We meet in April, June, October and December. Our meetings include a social time, luncheon, business and entertainment.

 

September 2022

Archived Newsletters

• June 2022
• Fall 2021
• December 2019
• October 2019
• June 2019
• April 2019
• December 2018
• October  2018
• June 2018
• April 2018
• December 2017
• October 2017
• June 2017
• April 2017
• January 2017
• October 2016
• June 2016
• April 2016
• December 2015
• October 2015
• June 2015
• April 2015
• November 2014
• October 2014
• June 2014
• April 2014
• December 2013
• October 2013

Cora Bailey Award 2022

RWTO-OERO AREA 7 BELLEVILLE BRANCH

Kay Snedden

Kay Snedden has been an enthusiastic strong active member of the Belleville RWTO Branch.

She has held the positions of President, Programme Co-ordinator, Interest Group Leader and Archivist. As President, she and the Executive initiated a Co-Presidency to encourage members to become interested in becoming a member of the executive.

Kay grew up on a farm near the village of Pakenham in the Ottawa Valley. She attended a two-room school in Pakenham, Almonte High School and Ottawa Teachers’ College. She moved to Belleville where she taught at for four years at the School for the Deaf. Then she taught at Sir John A. MacDonald and she retired from there in 1996.

Kay has been married to Dave for sixty years. They raised four children and have six grandchildren. Two of the children moved to Australia where the Snedden family visited many times. They enjoy part of the summer at their cottage on Limerick Lake.

Kay is a long-time member of the Belleville, Badminton Club. She has participated in tournaments and won many awards. She also coached Badminton players and ladies’ softball.

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Cora Bailey Award 2021

RWTO-OERO AREA 7 BELLEVILLE BRANCH

Lynda Sommer

Lynda Sommer has been an active member of Belleville RWTO. She has held many positions including Vice President and President. She has also been on the programme committee for many years and is currently our Publicity convener. Linda was recently installed as Area 7 Director at this year’s convention in London.

Lynda was born and raised in Belleville Ontario. Always wanting to be a teacher, she attended Peterborough Teacher’s College after high school. She taught in Kingston and Belleville, before living and teaching in Prince Edward County.

She obtained her B.A. from Queens in History, and has earned Specialists Diplomas in Special Education, Primary Learning, and Library. Further, she completed the principal’s course.

During her teaching career, she was involved in her local Prince Edward County RWTAO association serving as President.

Lynda and her husband have travelled as much as possible and enjoy spending family time with their three children and four grandchildren.

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Cora Bailey Award 2020

RWTO-OERO AREA 7 BELLEVILLE BRANCH

Jennifer Davis

Jennifer taught 35 years for the Hastings and Prince Edward County School Board after completing a year at Peterborough Teachers College. She had the privilege and great fortune to experience teaching in Scotland for a year. Jennifer taught Grades 1-8 during her career. She taught in both rural and urban schools. She completed her B. A. and leadership courses for principal qualifications while teaching. Jennifer became interested in RWTO /OERO when she retired because of her commitments to the Federation of Women Teachers of Ontario when she was actively teaching. Throughout her career, she held several leadership roles at the local level as well as becoming the president of Hastings County FWTAO. She was a bargaining representative and negotiator with FWTAO and the board of education. Many of Jennifer’s colleagues belonged to the Belleville Branch of RWTO/OERO and the organization made it possible for her to keep fellowship with them. She became the second vice-president of the Belleville Branch and continued through to president. In 2011, Jennifer began her 3-year tenure as Belleville Branch president. She was asked by the Area Director to institute some changes to the Branch. Belleville Branch began to honour a member annually with the Cora Bailey Award and got their financial records and other communications online. Jennifer encouraged the development of a proposed budget to be presented to the membership each spring. She organized a “walking group” as part of the Branch’s interest group program. Jennifer became Area 7 Director, 2016-2018, where she worked at the provincial level on several committees. Area 7, along with Area 5, hosted an extremely successful Annual Convention in Ajax in June 2018. She visited each Branch in Area 7 and was honoured to meet so many dedicated retired women teachers. Jennifer, as Director, hosted an annual Area meeting where the Branch presidents, treasurers and insurance convenors were able to exchange ideas and solve common concerns

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Cora Bailey Award 2019

RWTO-OERO AREA 7 BELLEVILLE BRANCH

LOIS THOMPSON

Lois joined RWTO in 1991after teaching for 33 years. She has been a very active member of RWTO for 28 years. After about 5 years, she became a caller, then later the ongoing assistant treasurer for our association. She has been a leader for different “Interest Groups” and is now our convenor for the “Bid Euchre Group”. Lois has attended numerous Provincial Meetings over the years. She has enjoyed many years of “Caring & Sharing.

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Cora Bailey Award 2018

RWTO-OERO AREA 7 BELLEVILLE BRANCH

ELEANOR ALEXANDER

Eleanor Alexander joined RWTO Belleville Branch in 1988 and became involved in events and soon a member of the executive. She was President in 1992-1993. In those years they were short of funds, so bus trips were organized to raise funds. Eleanor was Goodwill convenor for 2 years and head of the Euchre Club for 2 years. She also started the Diners Club. Eleanor creatively developed the Trifold on white paper and coloured in the emblem.

Eleanor attended RWTO Conventions in Toronto, Niagara Region, Trenton and Kingston. All of this occurred after a rewarding teaching career of 27 years. Initially she taught in a 1 room school house in PEC then completed her teaching career in the Belleville area while upgrading her teaching credentials at Queen’s University.

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Cora Bailey Award Presentation

The recipient was Eileen Freeman.

Kay Snedden gave a detailed description of the many years of service Eileen has given to the Retired Women Teachers. Judy Mewett and Diane Fisher presented Eileen with a certificate and flowers.

Eileen spoke of her years with RWTO and even that she had taught our guest speaker John Cairns in grade three. Eileen introduced the guests that she brought with her to celebrate the occasion.

Marion Brenton July 15, 1943 – January 22, 2022

Marion was a member of RWfO, Belleville Branch, for 18 years. She was an independent, strong, active, resourceful woman and a generous and caring friend. She is lovingly remembered by cousins and friends and she will be fondly remembered by hundreds of kindergarten children she taught throughout the years. Her love of children and love for her animals allowed her to touch many lives and to reach out to students in her retirement years. Many will fondly remember reading to Bentley, Bella and Mia. Along with her cherished fur babies, Marion also volunteered for many community organizations, as well as working directly with a therapist who worked with children. The children affectionately called her “the dog lady” and for Marion, this was another way that she could serve and make a difference in people’s lives. She was also a faithful and dedicated volunteer at the Belleville Pregnancy and Family Care Centre. For many years, Marion spent her summers at Wesley Acres, where many new relationships grew and she spent precious time in nature. Over the years, Marion travelled to destinations such as England, Israel and China and always returned sharing about her new experiences and how they impacted her life.

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Phyllis Wanda May d. April 9, 2021

Member of RWTO, Belleville Branch, for 45 years. Phyllis was a music teacher/consultant with Hastings County School Board
for 35 years. She performed as guest soloist for church services, weddings and funerals throughout Hastings and Prince Edward Counties.Music was her life’s passion. Her proudest accomplishments were the invitation to sing a solo at Massey Hall in Toronto, creating the Belleville Choral Society and coordinating and directing the 1,000 children’s voice choir in Belleville to celebrate Canada’s 100th birthday.

 

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Gladys “Roberta” Drew April 16, 1927- March 21, 2021

Member of RWTO, Belleville Branch, for 31 years Roberta grew up in Bloomfield, Prince Edward County, on the Wilhollme farm. She graduated Teachers College at Trenton and taught at various schools throughout the County and Niagara Peninsula and is remembered as being a very generous and caring teacher to her many students over the years. Roberta continued teaching until she retired and then enjoyed a rich and full life travelling and gardening, active in community, curling and charities for adult literacy. Roberta and her husband, Rusty, enjoyed many years of cottage life in Grey County and Muskoka, eventually moving to Huntsville. After Rusty’s passing, she returned to Picton, Prince Edward County, where she settled into condo living close to family and the familiar comforts of her County origins. She spent her last few years in care at St. Martha’s Long Term Care Residence, Banff, Alberta. Roberta is remembered so fondly by family and friends, regarded as a fine lady and mentor, passionate of ideas and lover of nature.

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Marion Grace Irwin March 10, 1930-June 8, 2020

Marion was a member of RWTO, Belleville Branch, for 15 years. She began her school-teaching career in a one-room schoolhouse in Maple Grove in Bayham township. She also taught in St. Mary’s as well as Brantford. In 1956, she married Robert Schweizer and she and Bob ran Edem Lumber Co. until 1966. After 10 years of not teaching, Marion took a job in Vienna. Her next teaching job took her and her daughter, Elizabeth, to Mindemoya on Manitoulin Island in 1968. She taught there until she retired in 1985. Newly married to Harold Irwin, she and Harold moved to Tillsonburg in 1986. She moved to Belleville in 2004 to be near family and lived there until January, 2020 when she went to visit Bernie and Elizabeth on Manitoulin Island. Marion’s love of music and ability to play piano and organ gave her many opportunities for performing and accompanying in school and church. She also taught piano to many students of all ages.She had an ability to make friends easily and after her many trips overseas, she always came home with many new people to “keep in touch” with. She loved spending time with her large family. Being called “Grandma” and “Great Gran” was one of her great joys. Marion’s love of life was inspiring and her enthusiasm was contagious. We will remember her many wise sayings and beautiful smile.