East Parry Sound
- Home
- Gallery
- Events
- Awards
Welcome to the East Parry Sound Branch Website!
We are a small branch of just over 50 members, who live within a large area of the Near North. Our branch takes its name from the former East Parry Sound Board of Education, and many of our members retired from years of teaching with that board or with its larger successor, the Near North District School Board. Still, others of us have retired to this beautiful part of Ontario, after teaching careers in southern Ontario and beyond.
Whether you’ve lived in this area all your life or have recently moved here, you’ll be sure to find a warm welcome, wonderful friends and interesting programs and activities in our branch. Our members live in or near many of the little villages in East Parry Sound, namely, South River, Sundridge, Burk’s Falls, Magnetawan, Kearney, Loring, Nipissing, Port Loring, Powassan, and Trout Creek.
We post two newsletters a year on this site, one in September and one in April, to outline our events and activities. Our Outreach projects include offering annually a bursary to a graduating high school student in our area who is pursuing post-secondary studies. We live by the motto ‘Caring and Sharing’ and for us, that always includes having fun.
Our meetings are always the third Thursday of September, October, April, May and June, and if you’re a retired teacher living in this area, and are interested in our organization, we would love to have you join us. Please consider coming to one of our meetings. There’s always a place for you, here!
Contact Susan: rwto.eastparrysound@gmail.com for further information.
In early June, a small group gathered outdoors to decorate small pots of flowers. Several Executive members volunteered to deliver a flower to each of our members. Impromptu porch chats were an extra special treat when members were at home to receive their plants. And, now, we are all connected with a flower in the garden or on our window sill.
Beautiful and very personal cards have gone out to our members since Valentines Day. We have all received a Valentine, and Easter card, a Happy Spring card as well as a birthday card from these talented members. The card group has adopted different names during the course of this project. Valentines Cupids, Easter Bunnies, Spring Elves are some of their titles. These members have brought smiles to our faces and warmth to our hearts.
Valentines 2021
Our Executive Zoom meeting in early January was a huge success, and led to a January project. Beautiful Valentines cards have been created by four talented card-makers in our branch. These will soon be bringing wonderful smiles and virtual hugs to all East Parry Sound RWTO/OERO members.
Various Outings and Meetings
EAST PARRY SOUND BRANCH 2020-2021 ACTIVITIES
Although our members haven’t had a ‘regular’meeting since October 2019, member friendships within our branch have grown and strengthened during this challenging pandemic time. Email, Zoom, Facetime, Texts, Canada Post and the traditional telephone have kept members in touch. Our president has communicated with us through her newsy emails and has updated us on the health and happiness of E.P.S. members. Birthday cards and thinking of you cards go out to members each month. Christmas greetings were exchanged too. Good news and sad news have kept us connected. We are still caring and sharing and supporting each other despite the stay at home restrictions of these unprecedented times.
Throughout the summer and early fall, very small outdoor lawn and porch gatherings took place. Careful social distancing, and masking precautions were in place. Fresh air laughter was the order of the day!
In October, we agreed through email to support the purchase and donation of I-Pads for Eastholme, along term care residence in our area. The idea for this donation came from one of our members who had found her I-pad an invaluable lifeline during a stay in hospital last spring. Members jumped on board to enthusiastically support this project, and soon three of our members presented our gift of three I-pads to Eastholme. These I-pads are being used for games, activities and to allow residents the invaluable opportunity to visit virtually with family. We hope Eastholme residents will enjoy connecting with family and friends through this technology.
Our Executive Zoom meeting in early January was a huge success, and led to a January project. Beautiful Valentines cards have been created by four talented card-makers in our branch. These will soon be bringing wonderful smiles and virtual hugs to all East Parry Sound RWTO/OERO members.
Caring and Sharing and Having Fun goes on!
Our Summer Garden Party
Each year, East Parry Sound Branch joins together for an afternoon to enjoy what we call “The Visit”. With the cooperation of the weather, we sit outside and chat, enjoying laughter, stories and catching up on news. Although our regular meetings always include a social time, this event is devoted solely to socializing, to caring and sharing and having fun! Members bring finger food to share and the hostess provides tea, coffee and punch. It is very popular with the group.
The East Parry Sound RWTO Uncommon Woman Award
This award is given at the discretion of the branch executive to honor an exceptional woman within our unit. She may or may not fit the criteria for a Cora Bailey award. This honor will not necessarily be given every year as there might not always be a suitable candidate.
We defined our criterial attributes of an Uncommon Woman as follows:
- Many years of service in the teaching profession;
- A current, longtime and supportive member of RWTO, not necessarily as an officer in the branch;
- Active in the community, making a significant contribution while enhancing the image of retired teachers;
- Demonstrates continued interest in education and young people.
This is the general idea; feel free to tailor it to your own use.