beach BOOSTER (#222) - Wasaga Beach - December 2024

Photo by Beach BOOSTER Media Group

Date: Thursdays 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm Location: Lions Den, RecPlex. 1724 Mosley St. Fun Night of Darts. Play as a spare or join a team. $5.00 per night To register or for more info email: marlwooddarts@gmail.com or call Ellen: 416-9096229

Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Date: Tuesdays at 7pm & Thursdays at 12pm Location: United Church, 380 Zoo Park Road For more information contact 416-829-8259 or email Francine0464@rogers.com. Visit website at https://brownbaggerssecularaa.com

Date: 1st Thursday of each month 12:30 – 2:00 pm Location: Wasaga Beach Public Library, Meeting Room.

All Parkinson's patients & caregivers welcome.

For more information contact Phil Bender 905703-6248 or bender.philip@gmail.com

Dates: Every 2nd Thursday of the month via Zoom Location: Zoom meeting – register by Zoom link GBPC promotes the appreciation & enjoyment of photography, providing an opportunity for photographers to meet & exchange ideas, exhibit their work & advance their skills.

For more info please email: communications@gbpc.ca

Date: 2nd Thursday of each month 9:30 am – noon Location: Wasaga Beach RecPlex, 1724 Mosley Street Social club for retired or semi-retired men to meet & have coffee, hear interesting & informative speakers, & have fun. Monthly social outings to which partners are usually included. For info call Rick at 705-351-2096 or email: mensprobuswasagabeach@gmail.com.

Date: Every 1st Tuesday of the month – 10:00 am Location: Wasaga Beach Recplex, 1724 Mosley Street Regular meetings for retired & semi-retired people who value & appreciate opportunities to meet others, enjoy hearing Guest Speakers & attending interest groups, visit places & organizations. For information please email: newsletter@beachcombersprobus.com

Date: Every 4th Thursday of the month – 10 am Location: Wasaga Beach RecPlex, 1724 Mosley Street Meetings for retired & semi-retired women who are looking for fellowship, friendship and fun.

We invite Guest Speakers and have additional interest groups. Organized trips to various places or interest & organizations. More info email: probusatthebeach@gmail.com

Date: 3rd Thursday of the month 10:00 am to noon Location: Wasaga Beach RecPlex, 1724 Mosley St. Retired & semi-retired women are welcomed in order to socialize with others by taking part in activities such as trips, theatre outings, cards, book clubs, golf, walking & listening to different speakers each month. For more information contact: Barb Sutton – 705-429-9702

Date: 1st Thursday of each month – 10:00 AM Location: RecPlex, Oakview Room.

1724 Mosley St. Association of retired & semi-retired women from all walks of life looking for fellowship & friendship from like minded women. We invite guest speakers, have various outings & many special interest groups such as euchre, bowling, book club, dominoes & lunch group. For information email Sue Payne: nwpmembership@gmail.com

Date: Thursdays and Saturdays 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm Location: Stonebridge Art Gallery 1 Market Lane, 2nd Floor.(elevator access) Gallery open for viewing free to the public. from 1 pm - 4 - pm. EVOLVING CONNECTIONS III is on display until Jan 30th & includes a special event with a remote talk with artists on the Business of Art & a movie about their Bulgarian heritage on Sat, Jan 18th, 2025 from 2 pm to 5 pm.

Date: Friday Dec 20th 6 pm - 8 pm Location: Stonebridge Art Gallery, 1 Market Lane, 2nd Floor. (elevator access) Beach Veggie and a Taste of Soul! are holding their anticipated cultural event with five holiday dishes from the Southern US and five from Greece (vegan). Text 647-232-6757 Tickets available from www.eventbrite.ca

Date: Saturday, Dec 21st 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm Location: Stonebridge Art Gallery, 1 Market Lane, 2nd Floor.(elevator access) Support your local Arts organization by meeting our members and volunteers over games, refreshments, and an introduction to the WSA.

Date: December 24, 25 & 26.

Location: Streaming on any device from www.beachBOOSTER.com/radio or simply ask your Smart Speaker to “play Beach BOOSTER Radio”.

Commercial free Christmas tunes to enjoy!

Date: December 31 – Cocktails at 6:30, Dinner at 7:00. Cash Bar DJ – Jay Grant. Roast Beef and Chicken with all the trimmings served.

Contact Club at 705-429-4266 or Verna 705-4291629

Date: December 31 – 6:00 pm – 1:00 am Location: Wasaga Beach RecPlex, Hall 1A Roast beef dinner with champagne at midnight.

Party favours, 50/50, prizes and fun. Cash Bar. Entertainment by Rosie's Smokehouse Deluxe & DJ Yes. Tickets $80.00, Branch Members $75.00.

Purchase at: wasaganewyearseve2025.eventbrite.ca

See the informative 'Centre Spread' pages of this issue for more information.

Date: Every Wednesday – 6:45 pm – 7:45 pm Location: Wasaga Beach Library, 544 River Road West For more information, contact: Mike at 705-3094568 or email: mike_wold@hotmail.com

Date: 3rd Thursday of each month 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm Prime Time Club, (RecPlex), 1724 Mosley St. Please come & join us. For more info: www.geobaycoinstampclub.com

Date: The 2nd Wednesday of every month Location: Wasaga Stars Arena/Library ReMAX Room Please come and join us. For more information on becoming a Friend, email us at fotlwasagabeach@gmail.com, follow us on Facebook at Wasaga Beach Friends of the Library or call the Library at 705-429-5481

Date: Tuesdays – 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm Location: RecPlex - Prime Time Club, 1724 Mosley Street All Cribbage players welcome. Please join us for a fun afternoon. New players, if you wish to learn how to play we, can make arrangements to teach you. Please contact Denise at 705-352-1305 for more information.

Date: Every Friday morning – 9:15 - 10:00 am Location: Wasaga Beach Community Presbyterian Church (meeting room) - 208 Mosley St. Please come and join us. For more info phone Sue: 705-606-0577

Disclaimer All material is printed as submitted or believed to be public domain. No infringement of copyright is knowingly intended. Some ads are intended for those 19 years of age plus.

Photo by Beach BOOSTER Media Group

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Photos by Beach BOOSTER Media Group

Photos by Beach BOOSTER Media Group

Photo by Beach BOOSTER Media Group

Wasaga Beach Branch 645

Photo by Jade Loranger

Photos by Beach BOOSTER Media Group

Eco-Friendly Christmas Tree Options for a Sustainable Holiday Season As the holiday season approaches, many of us look forward to the timeless tradition of decorating a Christmas tree. However, the environmental impact of traditional Christmas trees has sparked a growing interest in more sustainable options. If you're looking to celebrate Christmas while reducing your carbon footprint, here are some eco-friendly alternatives to consider.

First: what's best, natural or artificial tree?

Artificial trees have a carbon footprint three times bigger than real trees. Why? There are made of plastic (usually polyvinyl chloride a.k.a. PVC, a toxic carcinogen you can't recycle). They're manufactured overseas, so have immense emissions from shipping.

Natural trees sequester carbon, produce oxygen, regulate temperature, prevent erosion, provide wildlife habitat, and play a critical role in maintaining the balance of Earth's atmosphere, climate and biodiversity.

Overall, a real Christmas tree is the eco-friendlier choice. And a living tree is even better.

1. Potted Live Trees Opting for a potted live tree is one of the most sustainable choices you can make as they can be replanted after the holidays, continue absorbing carbon dioxide and contributing to local ecosystems. Look for native species and take care of the tree indoors before planting it outdoors.

2. Rent-a-Tree Services Live potted tree rental services have gained popularity in recent years as an eco-friendly option. Trees are returned after the holidays to be replanted or rented out the following year which ensures trees are not wasted and support sustainable forestry practices.

3. Real Cut Tree If you prefer a real cut tree or cut your own tree: Buy local, support farms that reduce or don't use pesticides and herbicides, and that donate part of the funds to community causes. When the Holidays are over, get your tree to the curb for recycling or chipping day, to be used as mulch in city gardens or on a forest trail.

3. Upcycled and DIY Alternatives Get creative with materials you already have at home, crafting a tree from books, wooden pallets, or even branches gathered during a nature walk. These DIY options allow you to customize your tree while repurposing items that might otherwise go unused, reducing waste and costs.

4. Sustainable Artificial Trees If you prefer artificial trees for their convenience and longevity, prioritize ones made from recycled or sustainably sourced materials. While traditional PVCbased artificial trees are less eco-friendly, newer models are emerging that use biodegradable or recycled components. To maximize their sustainability, use your artificial tree for at least 10 to 20 years.

5. Eco-friendly Christmas tree decorations and ornaments A lot of commercial holiday decorations are made of harmful plastics like PVC and covered in glitter (aluminum metalized polyethylene terephthalate) made of microplastics harmful to the environment. Glitter takes about 1,000 years to completely biodegrade on Earth. Use what you already have at home, choose eco-friendly alternatives. Switch to LED lights, they use up to 90% less electricity.

Final Thoughts Making eco-friendly choices for your Christmas tree not only helps reduce environmental impact but also inspires others to adopt greener traditions.

Whether you choose a potted tree, rent one, cut one, or craft a unique alternative, these options allow you to celebrate the season sustainably. This holiday season, let's spread not just joy but also a commitment to protecting our planet for generations to come.

Happy Holidays!

LOCAL ACTION - GLOBAL IMPACT Engage with Wasaga Beach Climate Action Team wasagabeachclimateaction.com info@wasagabeachclimateaction.com

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by Frank Stanisci

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CROSSWORD PUZZLE

Santa says...

NO PEEKING!

I told my Christmas tree a joke… it was stumped!

My New Year's resolution is to stop procrastinating… but I'll start tomorrow.

I tried wrapping presents, but I'm terrible at it.

It's a gift.

How does a snowman get around? By riding an 'icicle'!

My plan for 2024? Same as 2023 but with more naps.

I don't celebrate the New Year. I stay up just to make sure last year leaves!

Why are Christmas trees so bad at knitting? They always drop their needles.

New Year's is when I start my 12-month diet. I lose it for 11 months, then find it again in December.

I took my suit to the cleaners to wear for New Years. They wanted to charge me $25.00! So I gave my suit to the charity shop next door. They cleaned and pressed it and put it in the window. I bought it for $20.00.

I was going to quit all my bad habits for the New Year, but then I remembered no one likes a quitter.

How does Santa keep track of all the fireplaces? He keeps a log.

Every New Year I make a list of goals I'll ignore by February.

What do you call an old snowman? Water.

I'm opening a gym called 'Resolutions.' It'll turn into a bar by mid-February.

My resolution is to read more. So I put subtitles on my TV.