Our special lunch was a little earlier than usual this year, but nevertheless it was a very festive occasion with a three-course meal (turkey and trimmings) everyone enjoyed.
Area 3 Director and our Past President Mary Maxwell was our guest, and she brought greetings from the provincial executive.
Membership chair Sandy O’Brien having previously interviewed, then introduced 10 new members with a brief description of their teaching career and more important their interests and activities since retirement, Membership chairs Karen Tierney and Sharon Lunau presented each new member with a flower, RWTO pin and information package. The new members are Janice Beckett, Liz Ellis, Deb Gillespie, Ellen James, Jennifer Jolliffe, Mary McKee, Sharon Miller, Karin Stapleford, Goldha Stoker and Margy Tuomi.
Treasurer Lynda Faulkner gave a verbal report on our finances, saying her records and the bank’s matched perfectly to her great relief, and we have over $15,000 in the bank.
Our Outreach this month was for My Sisters’ Place to which our members generously contributed many bags of paper products and personal items plus $2200.00 in cash donations.
President Linda Freeman presented three Shining Star Award certificates to Bernarda Norwood our official photographer, and to Mary McNabb-Lutz and Donna Newcombe both of whom collect contributions to our Outreach recipients and faithfully deliver all the items and the cash to those very grateful recipients wherever they be in the city or county.
Two recipients of our “Share the Wealth” 25/25/50 Draw won $131. 00 each, the remaining 50% of the Draw helps pay the incidental expenses that are incurred each month. Three additional member-donated gift bags were given via the Draw ticket numbers.
Linda Freeman announced that the executive had decided that it would be financially beneficial to purchase a keyboard rather than our repeated rentals and it was on our new keyboard that Johanna Hurd entertained us by leading our very own 22-member choir in a number of seasonal songs in different languages.
Our choir will perform at next June’s Jubilee (70th) Convention 2026 being held in London organized by provincial and ably assisted by members of our Branch, notably the table decorations group led by Irene Gauvin, among other individuals.
To that end, Sharon Lunau announced she is seeking a female “town crier” from among our members to perform at the Convention and she is organizing auditions to be held in early December – an email announcement will be coming out shortly.
It was a most satisfactory conclusion to our Fall luncheons and thanks were expressed to all who participated in making it a success, from the greeters, the New Member welcomers, the treasurer (who was pleased to announce that those who said they would pay upon arrival did so), the Back table information people, plus Debby Albin who had sign-up “interest” sheets for the Huron Country Playhouse shows in 2026, the Outreach ladies, and of course the very talented table decoration folks.
Next March’s lunch will cost $35.00 with the April luncheon and May Banquet costs yet to be announced.
The annual newsletter Chalk Talk will be issued in early February. A virtual copy (email attachment) will be sent to every member with an e-address and those members who receive a printed copy of the provincial newsletter “Connections” will also receive a printed copy of our newsletter Chalk Talk.
By:- Janice Thielenhaus
Email:- jthielenhaus@hotmail.com
