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THE CHATHAM VOICE
THURSDAY, MAY 4, 2017
News
We’re all nerds these days Thursday, May 4, 2017 • Open Euchre and bingo at The Chatham Legion, William & Colborne St., Chatham. Open euchre at 1:00pm, bingo starts at 7:00pm.
• Meat draw and dance at The Chatham Legion, William & Colborne St., Chatham. Meat draw from 4:00pm-6:00pm. Dance from 4:30pm-9:30pm featuring Unity.
• Star Wars Day at the Chatham branch of the CKPL from 4:00pm-8:00pm. Celebrate May the Fourth with crafts, games and Star Wars activities. Special family storey time at 6:30pm. Drop-in.
Sunday, May 7, 2017 • The Essex-Kent Bluegrass, Oldtime & Folk Music Association presents A Spring Bluegrass Music Celebration from 1:30pm5;00pm at the Kingsville Lakeside Park Pavilion. FREE!
Friday, May 5, 2017 • Broasted Chicken Dinner from the Car Barn in support of a better CK animal shelter from 4:30pm-7:00pm at Holy Trinity Anglican Church Hall for $20. • Soup and Sandwich Luncheon from 11:00am-1:30pm at The Ridgetown Legion BR 243, 75 Main St. E., Ridgetown. Sponsored by the Legion Ladies Auxiliary. • Musical entertainment with The Reids in the West lounge at 2:00pm. Meadow Park, Sandy St., Chatham. • Meal and darts at The Chatham Legion, William & Colborne St., Chatham. Dinner from 5:30pm-7:00pm. Choice of chicken, roast beef or fish & chips for $9.00. One meat draw. Open darts 7:30pm. • Stitches in Bloom Quilt Show at St. Paul’s Congregational Church on Park Ave., Chatham. 9:00am-6:00pm. $6 admission. Tea room, Vendors, Quilt raffle, Toonie table, Marianne’s Market. Saturday, May 6, 2017 • St. Ursula’s Catholic Women’s League Annual Garage Sale fundraiser in the meeting room at St. Ursula Church, 205 Tweedsmuir Ave. W., Chatham from 8:00am-noon. A variety of indoor and outdoor items, books, toys, clothing,linens, etc. Something for everyone. • Free Comic Book Day at all CKPL branches. (Highgate branch on Monday, May 8) Each branch will give out copies of an exclusive Doctor Who comic, thanks to Game Masters Emporium. Come early to get yours while supplies last! • Trent Severn, two time Canadian Folk Music Award nominated group, will be performing at the Jeanne Gordon Theatre, Wallaceburg at 8:00pm. Tickets are $25 and available from 99.1CKSX, the Wallaceburg Museum, the James Street Eatery and online at www. wallaceburgartscouncil.com. • Saturday Morning Breakfast at First Presbyterian Church, Chatham (corner of Fifth St and Wellington). A delicious nutritious breakfast served free of charge every Saturday morning from 9:30am-11:00am. Everyone is most welcome!
Monday,May 8, 2017 • Open Euchre at The Chatham Legion, William & Colborne St., Chatham at 1:00pm. Tuesday, May 9, 2017 • Open Euchre, shuffleboard and 2 person euchre at The Chatham Legion, William & Colborne St., Chatham. Open euchre at 1:00pm and 2 person at 6:30pm register, play at 7:00pm. $5/person. Open shuffleboard at 7:00pm. Wednesday, May 10, 2017 • Blood donor clinic at the Spirit and Life Centre - St. Joseph Site, Wellington St., Chatham. 1:00pm-7:00pm. 1-888-2-DONATE, www.blood.ca. • Pepper and fun darts at The Chatham Legion, William & Colborne St., Chatham. Pepper at 1:00pm and darts at 7:30pm. Thursday, May 11, 2017 • Open Euchre and bingo at The Chatham Legion, William & Colborne St., Chatham. Open euchre at 1:00pm, bingo starts at 7:00pm. Friday, May 12, 2017 • The Kent Branch Ontario Genealogical Society meeting at 7:00pm at the McKinlay Funeral Home reception Centre, 463 St. Clair St., Chatham. Ben Dawson will discuss several online cemetery resources which have become valuable tools for genealogists. PAWR at the animal shelter phone number for lost and stray pets and issues at the dog parks: 226-996-9969 daytime. Emergency and after-hours number: 519-784-6146. Animal Cruelty and neglect cases call direct 310-7722 or 310-SPCA. Chatham-Kent Metal Detecting Club - Meets last Thursday of the month. 7:00pm. Kinsman Room. Erickson Arena, new members welcome! Chatham branch of the CKPL is now accepting donations of gently used books for the upcoming Spectacular Spring Used Book sale being held May 31-June 3, 2017. For info call 519-354-2940 ex.248 Submit your coming events to bruce@chathamvoice.com or michelle@chathamvoice.com
What is the definition of a “nerd” these days? I think things have gotten so hazy that most everyone actually qualifies as one. And that’s a good thing. It’s one less stereotype and one less target for bullies. When I went to high school in the early 1980s, I believe the notion of who qualified as a nerd were the members of the audio/video club, the people on the Reach for the Top team, the non-jocks, really. Because I had a heart condition, the last time I played tackle football was when I still lived in Quebec. I really shouldn’t have played then, but the opportunity to suit up was too much to ignore. I played tight end and defensive lineman. When I arrived in North Bay, I became a fan rather than a player. I still loved sports, and played road hockey almost daily during the school year, but took interests elsewhere, and essentially became more nerdly. I worked on lighting for school plays. Nerd. I competed in Reach for the Top. Sure, I wore football shirts and had long hair, but ... nerd. I was a member of a strategy gaming club at school. Nerd. No pocket protector, however. And my attire – jean jackets, jean vests and rock concert T-shirts – hard rock, I must add – wasn’t exactly nerdly. Fast forward to today. Cliques in school still exist, but everyone is nerdly. Playing video games on smartphones is the first giveaway in that regard. Console video gaming, another nerd indicator. I don’t care if you play three sports in school, or more; if you’re playing Madden football, for example, you are a nerd. Taking advantage of the technol-
Bruce Corcoran ogy at our fingertips today throws everyone into the nerd zone. And it’s a fine place to be when you think about it. Our daughter is an incredibly graceful dancer (she didn’t inherit my two left feet), but her life revolves around her iPhone. From playing games on it to Face Time, to searching YouTube, she makes full use of it and her laptop. One of her best buddies in school plays pretty much every sport she can. But when they get together, chances are you’ll eventually find them playing Minecraft. Nerdly. And both are arguably two of the smartest kids in their grades. I guess there are degrees of nerdliness. Think TV’s Big Bang Theory. Those guys are nerd royalty. Yes, they are fictional characters, but there are such folks out there. I’m talking about adults who still read comic books (I haven’t in many years, but I do enjoy a slew of movies that have spawned from Marvel and DC Comics over the years). Or the folks who attend such things as this past weekend’s CK Expo, our own Cosplay/Comic Con-like event right here in Chatham. People dress up in movieand comic-inspired costumes and attend such events. Embrace who you are, and what you like. Technology draws us all closer together in many ways, really. All hail the nerds, I say.
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