KIT Magazine - Fall 2020

RETIRED TEACHERS’

ASSOCIATION OF MANITOBA

Vol. 32 | No. 2 | Fall 2020 206 - 1555 St. James St. Winnipeg, MB R3H 1B5 | 204-889-3660 | Toll Free: 1-888-393-8082 | info@rtam.mb.ca | www.rtam.mb.ca

NOTICE OF AGM MEETING

RTAM AGM Wednesday, September 30, 2020 To comply with Provincial requirements, the Retired Teachers' Asociation of Manitoba will be hosting a ZOOM Annual General Meeting at 9:00 a.m., Wednesday, September 30, 2020.

Registration is at 8:00 a.m. More details inside.

KEEP IN TOUCH Vol. 32 No.2 • Fall, 2020

Published by

RETIRED TEACHERS’

ASSOCIATION OF MANITOBA

Educatrices et Educateurs Manitobains a la Retraite (EMR)

CONTENTS Message From Bill Cann............................................................................................................................................ 3 Notice Of RTAM AGM 2020...................................................................................................................................... 3 ACER-CART AGM Report........................................................................................................................................... 5 Benefits Committee Report.................................................................................................................................... 8 Socially connected…at a distance......................................................................................................................10 Frances Ross, RTAM Bursary Recipient............................................................................................................ 11 Public Relations Report........................................................................................................................................... 12 RTAM Financial Report............................................................................................................................................. 12 Wellness Seminar and Photography Workshop Postponed................................................................ 12 2020 Distinguished Service Award Recipients............................................................................................13 Policy Changes For Section 16 Donations and Awards.......................................................................... 15 Student Success Portfolios................................................................................................................................... 16 “See if there is a letter from your Dad”............................................................................................................ 18 The Importance of Chapters............................................................................................................................... 20 Louis Riel Chapter...................................................................................................................................................... 20 Dauphin Area Retired Teachers' Association................................................................................................ 21 Thompson Association of Retired Educators (TARE)...............................................................................22 Educatrices et Educateurs Manitobains a la Retraite (EMR)................................................................23 Swan Valley Retired Teachers..............................................................................................................................24 Okanagan Chapter.....................................................................................................................................................25 NARTA Chapter Report............................................................................................................................................26 Photography Contest: Why I Chose The Winners......................................................................................29 Photo Contest Official Entry and Release Form........................................................................................ 30 Free Programming for Older Adults in Manitoba........................................................................................31 Puzzles, Sudokus, Crosswords, Memorizing … Huh?...............................................................................32 What I Did During COVID-19.................................................................................................................................34 The Return Of “Movie (Slide) Night!”.................................................................................................................35 My Life Has Taken On a New Look....................................................................................................................35 2020—The Year of Magical Thinking.................................................................................................................36 In Memoriam / Life Members............................................................................................................................... 37 Notices & Upcoming Events.................................................................................................................................38

206-1555 St. James Street Winnipeg, MB R3H 1B5 Phone 204-889-3660 • 1-888-393-8082 Email: info@rtam.mb.ca • www.rtam.mb.ca Editor-in-Chief: Doreen Sage Box 252, Neepawa, MB R0J 1H0 Email: dsage@mymts.net Executive Director: Gordon Fardoe Email: gfardoe@rtam.mb.ca Office Administrator: Denise Bellesia Email: dbellesia@rtam.mb.ca Member Services Coordinator: Dianne Casar Email: dcasar@rtam.mb.ca Board of Directors 2019-2020 President: William Cann Vice -President: JoAnne Hoyak Secretary: John Sushelnitsky Treasurer: Pat Bowslaugh Past President: Peggy Prendergast Directors-at-Large Linda Blair Bill Cann Ralph Cibula Joan Dawson Jack Fraser Guy Hansen Alison Logan Ken Malcolm Brian Paterson Doreen Sage Linda Scott Beth Smith Design: Gayl Punzalan Creative Director, Blue Ink Media Email: gayl@blueinkmedia.ca Website: blueinkmedia.ca Images : Adobe Stock, freepik.com and pixabay.com, except the ones provided by the contributors.

Copyright © 2020 by RTAM

All materials for the next issue of KIT must be emailed with no formatting to dsage@mymts.net and received by November 18, 2020, 5:00 p.m.

Materials published here do not necessarily represent the policies or views of RTAM. The Editorial Committee reserves the right to print, reject and/or edit for clarity, all materials received.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: RTAM, 206 - 1555 St. James St. Winnipeg, MB R3H 1B5

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Message From Bill Cann

A Bill Cann

RTAM President 2020 - 2021

RETIRED TEACHERS’

ASSOCIATION OF MANITOBA

s your newly elected President, I will provide effective, teambased leadership both within and outside of the organization especially with the Officers, Directors and Staff. My leadership style is grounded in respectful listening to all opinions and collaborative decision making. I am dedicated to improving relations with RTAM Chapters as well as with The Manitoba Teachers’ Society; getting a functional electronic membership list in place in 20202021; increasing our membership; and providing enhanced member benefits with Johnson Insurance and discounted travel programs with Trip Merchant.

Finally, I believe that the COVID-19

pandemic has exposed some of the most systemic deficiencies in Canadian society, including unjust treatment of marginalized and vulnerable citizens, such as older adults. I am committed to working with the Seniors’ Coalition to lobby the provincial government to create an Office of Seniors Advocate and with ACER-CART to lobby the federal government to quickly implement both a national universal pharmacare system and a National Seniors Strategy using the information from “A Declaration Concerning a National Health Care Strategy for Seniors.”

I am looking forward to serving as your president and working with all of you for the betterment of RTAM. 

NOTICE OF RTAM AGM 2020 To comply with Provincial requirements, the Retired Teachers' Association will be hosting a Zoom AGM on Wednesday, September 30, 2020 at 9:00 a.m., Winnipeg time. Registration will be at 8:00 a.m.

The purpose of the meeting is: • • •

The Presentation of the 2018 - 2019 Audited Financial Statements, The Appointment of the Directors of RTAM for the 2020 - 2021 Fiscal Year, The Appointment of the Auditors for the 2020 - 2021 Fiscal Year.

You must be able to log into Zoom to attend the meeting. Further details are available from the RTAM office. To preregister for the AGM call the RTAM office or check the website for the registration form. The deadline to register is Sunday, September 27, 2020. An AGM information package will be mailed out to registrants. 

In light of the Covid-19 pandemic and under current Corporation Policy, the RTAM Directors voted to have Bill Cann serve as President, 2020 - 2021.

The results of this election will be presented to RTAM members at the September 30 AGM. 

RTAM.MB.CA n 3

T Peggy Prendergast

RETIRED TEACHERS’

ASSOCIATION OF MANITOBA

his is my last message to you as RTAM President. I have been on the RTAM Board of Directors for the past 25 years. I am as passionate about our organization today as I was when I began in the late 1990s. I have been your President twice in that time.

We have come from a Working Board where we put KIT magazines into envelopes and board members mailed out our membership fee reminders and thanked MTS for giving us a little secretary time. I remember when Homer Gill was President he had to pay some RTAM bills with his own money near the end of June and wait for the $15 annual fee cheques to arrive in July to get repaid.

RTAM has come a long way over 25 years. We are now struggling to become a Governance Board and to follow a Strategic Plan that was initiated in 2017. RTAM’s mission is still the same: “to serve and advocate for all retired teachers.” And our vision “is the wellbeing of retired teachers through appropriate member services and strong partner relationships.” There are five pillars to the plan to help us set priorities for our future as an organization with over 10,000 members and 21 Chapters in our province. Those members are in various levels of vulnerability to a worldwide pandemic. I have a personal story of that vulnerability and its effect on our family. My first great grandchild was born prematurely just over three months ago. She will be in hospital for an undetermined length of time,

possibly a year or more, with a medical condition that requires surgery when she is physically able. Because of Covid 19 only three family members can visit. Her mother, my granddaughter, a nurse, spends all of her day with this baby. Her father visits on the weekends as they live out of town. With special permission, my daughter-in-law, the new grandmother, is able to visit in the evenings. No other family member has seen her. One of the most heart breaking and yet happiest moments of my life was to spend face-time with this amazing baby for a few moments and have her react to me as if I was there. I am sure many of our older RTAM members can relate to this situation. Being a grandparent and now a great grandparent is a very special privilege and adventure in living. Thank goodness for the marvels of technology that, by the way, are helping us carry on both as an extended family and as RTAM as well as our ability as older adults to fight social isolation as we age.

The RTAM Board has met monthly as usual with ZOOM since social isolation has become a must. The Officers meet twice or more monthly using ZOOM to keep as up to date as possible. Gordon Fardoe, Executive Director, was hired in November, supposedly part-time, but has been working full time since he started.

Learning what the position requires takes a lot of time, especially since all the staff new to RTAM work mainly from home since Covid 19. Nicole returned Continued on page 6 →

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COMMITTEE REPORTS

ACER-CART AGM Report Respectfully submitted by JoAnne Hoyak. ACER-CART Director and RTAM Vice President, 2019 - 2020 June 5, 2020, via ZOOM attended by JoAnne Hoyak: Director; Peggy Prendergast, Observer.

1.

The executive for 2020 - 2021: President: Gerry Tiede, BCRTA; V.P.: Martin Higgs, RTO/ERO; Regional Representatives: Eastern: Margaret Urquhart, NBSRT; ON: Martha Foster, RTO/ERO; Western: Marilyn Bossert, ARTA; Past President: Bill Berryman, RTO NSTU.

2.

Priorities for the upcoming year are Pharmacare and long-term care facility reforms, as well as strong defence of defined benefit pension plans.

3.

Marilyn Bossert is spear heading the ACERCART web page reform which is reaching completion and will be available soon. It is a HUGE improvement and will do us proud.

4. For those for whom this is an issue: the financial situation has our national organization operating with a surplus. This indicates two things: We owe a debt of gratitude to the CTF which provides a working space for Roger, as well as accessibility to office staff time as the minutes etc are done by them. Secondly, an increase in support dues doesn’t seem to be desired or needed.

5.

As far as the AGM ZOOM format is concerned: not the same as an in-the-flesh meeting, that’s for sure. BUT, the preparation and organizational pre-work done by Roger and Bill allowed us to accomplish in four hours what is usually a two-day affair. They deserve huge commendation for that. Having said that, the vote was taken to abrogate all the established policies and bylaws to allow for this. All motions had been previously moved and seconded, no nominations from the floor for Board positions were allowed and there was no election process.

A very strict three minute time limit per report was adhered to. This format was a welldisciplined meeting process and is certainly

a lesson for us. On a personal observation, the miracle of modern technology allowed directors and observers, from Newfoundland to BC, to visually meet together from our homes. I wondered what my parents would think of it all.

6.

Finally, my appreciation of our national organization and the connections it allows us to make with other stakeholder groups continues to deepen. It is invaluable to retired teachers specifically and all seniors generally.

In closing, I have included a message from newly elected ACER-CART President, Gerry Tiede, that elucidates succinctly the characteristics of our National Organization.

Message from newly elected ACER-CART President Gerry Tiede: Greetings to all thirteen Provincial and Territorial Associations and their membership that currently totals a growing number of over 160,000!

June 5, 2020, marked a first for ACER-CART – our first Annual General Meeting via Zoom. While we missed the social interactions, the exchange of ideas and camaraderie of being together in Ottawa, our meeting moved efficiently through our business.

COVID-19 generated a disturbing effect around the world, but it has brought those of us who are retired teachers closer together in a common purpose.

The pandemic has exposed issues that illustrate the overwhelming vulnerability of seniors. This directed us to adopt an ambitious agenda for this coming year in support of our members and other retired seniors across Canada.

• We will advocate for the development and implementation of a National Seniors’ Strategy that includes a universal pharmacare plan with a national formulary. We will monitor the bilateral health funding agreements and advocate for a Continued on page 38 → RTAM.MB.CA n 5

Peggy . . . continued from page 4 last July as Member Services Director but left us in November for a new career. Dianne Cesar was hired to replace her. Denise Bellisea, has been part of the office team since last April, so all of the staff was new at the beginning of May when I arrived from AGM. However, our list of accomplishments are many: revitalized website thanks to Ralph Cibula and his committee and Blue Ink Media, the postcard you received during the summer just before the provincial and federal elections thanks to John Sushelnitsky and the Political Advocacy Committee and Daryl Harvey, the acting Executive Director, Gayl Punzalan and Blue Ink Media and the office staff, the three wellness events, especially the Photography Workshop, thanks to Gayl and Blue Ink Media again, and Linda Blair, chair of the Wellness and Student Award Committee, the preretirement workshop in Winnipeg thanks to Linda Scott and the Membership and Chapter Committee, and the ZOOM pre-retirement workshop done in Brandon with the help of Brian Paterson and Pat Bowslaugh; the addition of Trip Merchant thanks to Brian Paterson and the Benefits Committee; and the amazing amount of work done on a draft Governance Manual done by the By Laws and Policy committee and particularly Joan Dawson and Beth Smith with the help of High Achievement, a consulting firm, and Gordon Fardoe.

I visited five chapters and conversed with a couple of out of province chapters where it was impossible to visit this year. The work is varied from Chapter to Chapter but now, especially with Covid 19, it is more evident than ever that activities to combat social isolation are more necessary than ever. Thank you for the work you do in your many communities throughout the province and how those of you “Keep In Touch” with Manitoba colleagues even though you live elsewhere. I have taken the RTAM message to the Manitoba Seniors Coalition for the past five years so the older adult world knows about RTAM, you as individuals who work in many not for profit organizations and belong to many Senior Centres but also because of RTAM’s outreach activities that have combined with the Manitoba Association of Senior Centres (MASC).

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I also attended the ACER-CART Western Regional Conference in Edmonton in November to join forces with other retired teacher organizations in western Canada. There is much to share and learn from other ACER-CART associations.

Since 1955 when I began teaching it has been a face to face, person to person world in which I have lived as have many of you. Now with Covid 19 we are faced with social isolation. The warmth of a handshake or hug is missing. The eye-to-eye contact and closeness of being in proximity to one another is not there. We now have to learn to express ourselves through the printed word, the spoken word through some kind of technological media that we choose, and, as in the past, again through the art we produce and teach and the music we make. Our passion somehow needs to be seen, heard and felt so the world will recognize our legacy.

I hope our legacy is recognized by you, as retired teachers, in the Student Awards Program that will grow in size and number with the RTAM Endowment Fund at the Winnipeg Foundation; FOR GOOD, FOREVER. RTAM has also donated a $1,000 bursary each year for the past two years to an indigenous student attending the University of the North.

In six years the Endowment awards have grown and the amount has doubled in size from 4 awards of $500 each to 4 awards of $1000 each. You, as members, can sponsor your young relatives graduating from Grade 12 and encourage them to become all they are meant to be. We are all, as retired educators, ambassadors of knowledge and know the value of education. We can pass that knowledge on to those we love the most, our children, grandchildren, and for those of us lucky enough to live a long life, our great grandchildren.

Donations to the RTAM Endowment Fund are always welcome especially when you remember a loved one or have something or someone to mention in your will. It is much appreciated and adds to the magical power of compounding interest.

Thank you to those of you who gave me support, good luck to those who didn’t and God Bless RTAM. 

Dear Prestige Travel customer, Although the world continues to be challenged by the pandemic, we continue to see increasing signs of recovery, along with a renewed interest in people looking to travel beyond their own borders. With that in mind, we are pleased to share an update on Prestige Travel and your travel coverage.

Given the exceptional travel circumstances we’re providing 4 months of travel coverage at no cost. Your current Prestige Travel deductions will be paused for September through December, 2020. Your premium deductions will resume in January 2021.

Medical Coverage for Travel NOW We are also pleased to announce that although travel advisories may still be in place, your Prestige Travel policy will now provide coverage for travel outside Canada with the exception of claims directly or indirectly related to COVID-19 or any other specific local travel advisory that is issued by the Government of Canada and in effect at the time (for example, areas of conflict in the Philippines).

Travel within Canada is also still covered as our provincial borders gradually begin to open for all Canadians. Trip Cancellation and Interruption coverage remains in place, and is also available for COVID-19 related cancellations if your trip was booked prior to the travel advisories being issued.

Please carefully review the details of the modifications to your Prestige Travel policy, which can be downloaded, printed and saved by clicking here.

Your New Prestige Travel Policy for 2021 We are working on terms for the 2021 renewal, and our plan remains to provide industry leading coverage. Our intention is to continue with the enhancement outlined above which will provide coverage for medical emergencies including COVID-19 once travel advisories are lifted, as well as continue to provide non-COVID-19 related coverage should advisories remain in place or be reinstated.

Our hope is that with more time we will have more certainty and stability within the Travel industry and we’ll all be able to benefit from our industry leading Prestige Travel insurance in the future.

Stay safe, Johnson Insurance RTAM.MB.CA n 7

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Benefits Committee Report Brian Paterson, Chair; Members: Bill Cann, Pat Bowslaugh, Doreen Sage

E

ven with the COVID-19 Crisis still ongoing, your Benefits Committee has had a very busy year. Beginning in September and through January 2020, your Benefits Committee worked in unison with Jessica Simpson and Jeff Bennett of Johnson Inc. to get the best rates for our RTAM Plan members. For example, when Des Jardin, the underwriter for the Johnson Travel Plan, wanted to raise rates by 36%, Johnson looked around and came up with Royal Sun Alliance who not only kept the rates stable for the first year, but raised the rate to 2.69% for the second year as of April 01, 2021. The plan was renamed the Prestige Travel Plan. As of April 1, 2020, travellers can return to Canada and land anywhere in Canada. They can return to their vacation as long as the member is travelling within their base plan of 62 days. As of April 1, 2020, all travel clients will be placed on the 62 day plan. If more time is wanted, they must notify Johnson by telephone, email, fax, or other method.

Note that there was a 0.6% increase in premium in the Dental Plan. The Extended Health Care premiums did not increase, 0%. EHC clients get an extra $100 for vaccinations. The Plan reserve fund was not used this year. House and Insurance funds are available.

Contact Johnson Inc. at 1-877-989-2600.

As regards Johnson and the COVID-19 Crisis, Johnson Inc. became really busy when the crisis began and when the travel ban was implemented as of March 13, 2020. Many people had cut their trips short and were returning home. Johnson Inc. had paid out over 30 million in travel claims during the time period of April 1, 2020 – June, 2020.

Johnson Insurance will be giving all Prestige Travel members a premium holiday of four months, from September, 2020, to December, 2020, inclusive.

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All members will be notified by email or mail in the coming months. Johnson had a 213% increase in 2020 from 2019.

These are different times and while the globe continues to confront the pandemic and travel uncertainty, Johnson wishes to share this quick update.

At Johnson insurance, their core objective is to protect their customers. They are proud that Prestige Travel Insurance has already supported a record number of customers who have had to cancel a future trip or whose trip was interrupted and needed help returning to Canada. Prestige Travel insurance is designed to cover multiple trips, allowing the customer flexibility to take advantage of trip cancellation and medical coverage throughout the year while still being priced competitively.

Following the Government of Canada's travel advisory, Johnson understands how this pandemic has impacted your plans. Johnson has heard your concerns. Prestige Travel insurance continues to provide medical coverage for many Canadians who have as yet been unable to return to their homes in Canada.

Trip Cancellation continues for trips booked prior to the travel advisory. Travel within Canada is still covered as our provincial borders may gradually begin to open and your policy is still in force. While there are many unknowns as to what the travel world will look like, Johnson has been working diligently with their stakeholders and their affinity partners to provide additional value to their policy holders.

Their hope is that with more time, more certainty and stability in the travel industry will emerge. It is Johnson's hope that we will all be able to enjoy Johnson's leading travel insurance in the future.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses closed. Many health care practitioners were offering

COMMITTEE REPORTS

services by way of 'virtual visits'. Members of our Health Plan were able to do the same, by virtual visits.

Despite all these uncertainties during this time, Johnson continues to focus on providing members with comprehensive coverage at a great value.

One of the best goals your Benefits Committee has achieved this past year is to partner with a travel agent for Manitoba RTAM members. This Travel agent, Trip Merchant or TM for short, also serves retired members in Alberta and British Columbia. During this pandemic, although nearly all travel has stopped, TM has not sat on their hands. RTAM members are encouraged to visit the RTAM website and get in on the free newsletters, webinars, free offers, blogs and videos provided by TM. TM also has a Loyalty program. Having access to many travel suppliers, TM can offer exclusive travel savings. Remember, once on our website, the password (protected) to TM is RTAMTM-18. The link is http://rtam.tripmerchant.ca/ The newsletter can be accessed at http:rtam.tripmerchant.ca/#subscribe.

This will make you aware of the latest deals. TM is currently focusing on national travel rather than international travel for obvious reasons, COVID-19.

TM offers savings to travellers of up to 30% - 50% because of their access to many suppliers.

TM is constantly keeping abreast of COVID-19 updates. Traveller safety is their number one concern. They provide tips on travel through their website and newsletter. They believe that sooner or later, it is not a matter of IF but WHEN and HOW we will be able to travel. This is why they are working continuously to provide opportunities to provide future travel opportunities. Dream Now, Travel later! TM will be ready when you are. To date, they have provided several trip give aways. Currently,

they offer two trip contests: a) three night mountain get-away with Fairmont Hotels & Resorts (entries expire September 30), b) seven night vacation in Algarve, Portugal (expires October 30). *To enter, you must subscribe to the RTAM Travel Newsletter and complete a short online form.

For other offers and future Group Departures, refer to your RTAM travel site. See what you can reserve for only a $10 deposit. Visit your RTAM travel site today or contact TM directly at info@tripmerchant. cm or call 1-800-481-9739.

So, remember: • see what suppliers are doing to protect travellers and build confidence in future travellers • domestic travel is now the focus of TM until they see more travel movement • TM is offering a 'Book with Confidence' option to members; for $10 deposit book a 2021 - / 2022 trip • see the latest contest / giveaway; three night getaway to Fairmont hotels in three possible location.

• watch for future trip contests in international locations.

• In March / April of 2021, TM will launch a new travel website platform that will include many more trips and packages.

Other news – the Pharmacy Agreement signed in 2014 has been resigned for EHC plan card holders as part of the Johnson support for users of this pharmaceutical service. Our Benefits Committee met once per month until the COVID-19 forced us to go virtual and attend meetings via Zoom. Advice from Johnson Inc. or TM has been an email or phone call away and the Committee appreciates this service.  RTAM.MB.CA n 9

Socially connected…at a distance Dr. Nancy Newall is an Associate Professor at Brandon University and Research Affiliate with the Centre on Aging, University of Manitoba. Her research primarily focuses on social isolation of older adults. She teaches courses at Brandon University on the Psychology of Aging and Aging and Mental Health. NOTE: This article was previously published in the Centre on Aging’s Spring 2020 Newsletter (Volume 38, No 1). You can find the Centre’s full newsletter here: http://umanitoba.ca/centres/aging/pubs/626.html We are all fish out of water right now.

As a researcher who studies the effects of social isolation and loneliness on health and well-being, I was shocked the first time I heard about the ‘social distancing’ efforts needed to manage the COVID-19 outbreak. In most emergencies (floods; blizzards), we as individuals come together. In this emergency we were being asked to stay apart and socially isolate ourselves. This idea was disturbing to me, as I am sure it was for many of you as well.

In a recent study, my colleague Verena Menec and I found that 8% of Canadians aged 65+ are socially isolated, having little in-person contact with others and little social activity (Newall & Menec, 2019). By any measure or scale most of us are now socially isolated. Many of us are lonely. That social isolation and loneliness have negative consequences to our health and well-being is well documented in the research literature.

However, over the past weeks we’ve also seen countless accounts of people connecting in new innovative ways… at a distance. Different technologies and communication platforms have helped us to do this. In some cities and streets, the nightly ritual of shouting thanks to health care workers (and banging pots, and playing tubas, etc.) also connects us over sound waves. These boosts of positivity, even in the midst of feeling socially isolated, are important: my research, for example, suggests that experiencing positive emotions lowers the detrimental effects of being lonely (Newall et al., 2013).

Of course, being socially connected at a distance is arguably easier done when already socially connected during ‘normal’ times. Those of us struggling with isolation or mental health difficulties pre- COVID-19 outbreak will undoubtedly 10 n RTAM KIT Fall 2020

be further struggling now. The potential lasting effects of forced social distancing will need to be better understood by future research as well: What helped people cope?

One of the first organizations I thought about when the social distancing efforts began was A & O: Support Services for Older Adults. Through their Manitoba-wide Senior Centre Without Walls program that delivers social and educational programming over the telephone, this service was already set up to reach Manitobans aged 55+ from their own homes. If you do not already know about this important Manitoban resource, I urge you to check it out. Further, A & O stepped up to the challenge and added a Daily Hello program that would connect with adults living anywhere in Manitoba on a daily basis. This is just one example of how organizations in Manitoba and elsewhere became creative and pro-active in their efforts to connect. More resources can be found on the Centre on Aging’s running list of COVID-19 resources for older adults here: http://umanitoba.ca/centres/ aging/coa_community-resources.html. Please send any information you have about social resources in your community to the Centre on Aging.

As the initial ‘shock’ of forced social distancing wears off, we might be left wondering what the ‘new normal’ will be like. I say let’s continue to be shocked (like that poor fish out of water) at social distancing so that we never become used to it and also awed by our new understanding of social connection. 

Resources Find the Centre on Aging’s running list of COVID-19 related social resources for older adults here: http://umanitoba.ca/ centres/aging/coa_community-resources.html Please send any information you have about social resources for older adults in your community to the Centre on Aging.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

FRANCES ROSS RTAM Bursary Recipient

S

Guy Hansen, Chair, Public Relations

he got out of the van, came towards me, quietly said “I’m Frances.”

Frances Ross, the second recipient of the RTAM Bursary for a worthy First Nations student, chosen by University College of the North. The term Bursary was used because this was not deemed to be a scholarship, to be “won” by the best candidate.

We already have four of these. This Bursary, through UCN, is rather an opportunity for RTAM, in the words of Marvin Kraweck , to help up, not just help out , It recognizes the many difficulties that Northerners, particularly First Nations Northerners, have in furthering their education.

Not that Frances it not a good student, she is incredibly eloquent; she has gotten very good grades throughout her school years. Grade school, High School, three years a Teacher’s Aide, then her UCN schooling towards a degree in Education, all in Cross Lake, her home town. She came with her a daughter, three years old, Cailee, a real sweetie.

Frances helped me set up my cell phone to use as a recording device. “I had to teach my Mom and Dad, too. They are not so young any more, like you. I had to be very patient.” Big smile.

We spent most of an afternoon together. Here are some snippets. “All my life I have wanted to be a teacher. I can’t wait for school to open again.” Frances will graduate next year in Education, from the Cross Lake UCN satellite program. She has 15 classmates.

Courses are offered as the area’s need is identified, if face to face instructors are available. Health Care Aide, Heavy Equipment Operator have also been offered.

“My people have lived in this area since time began.

I am First Nations Cree, you know. I have a treaty Number.” She smiled. “There is no hospital here, so I was born in Winnipeg. But my Mom was born in a log house here, with my Kokom helping out.” “When I go for groceries the people around all speak Cree”, she giggled.

“I’m 30 years old now, a Mom, and I still hear that little voice in the back of my head , “Frances, you must do everything well.” When I was a little girl weeding the potato garden, Mom and Dad were always encouraging me to do a good job. We would pick the potatoes, keep a couple bags, pass the rest out to

neighbours and elders.

“Of course the Award means a lot to me.” There was no smile this time, her expression was quite intense Frances Ross , ”How can you ask that? I do not have a place of my own, you know. My daughter and I have to live with my parents, or sometimes with a sister, or another sister.

Or sometimes with my boyfriend’s family, wherever there is room.”

“I have to arrange daycare for Cailee. I have to get rides all the time. I have to share in the groceries. It is not that easy.”

“Even so, if I really need, I know that Mom and Dad will always be there for me.”

Frances had some things she wanted to say to me as well.“Do you know about Cross Lake?” “That’s where I am from, you know. The river, the lake, the community are all very important to us. First my Mom and Dad, then my family, and then Cross Lake. I want to teach High school here, maybe Native Studies, and History. I want my students to understand, to know and ap-preciate our past.

“49 years ago Hydro decided to use the lake as a reservoir, they put in a control structure, raising and lowering the water at will. We depended on fishing and trapping. Suddenly the fish stocks could not be found, the animals had different habits. Ski-doos went through the weak-ened ice. The social core of the community was severely weakened.” Frances went on to say that there are still bad vibes about this.

I had earlier asked Frances from where the strength of her community came; she immediately replied “From the women. The mothers, the grandmothers, actually all the elders, they bring the nurturing and strength that we all depend on. Since time began, remember?”

Last night there was a small elder’s gathering at the WhiskeyJack campsite, lots of stories, laughing, and a feast. Once each summer, all speaking Cree.

It came as no surprise that Francis took her cell phone to record the event. She took some-thing else as well , her daughter, Cailee.  RTAM.MB.CA n 11

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Public Relations Report Guy Hansen, Chair

O

ur committee is still advancing the “ROOTS” book by our first recipient of the RTAM Award for a First Nations student. It is now ready for printing. Like most of our efforts, it was to be further promoted at our spring AGM, Telling YOU and the rest of Manitoba about our second award recipient, Frances Ross, another awesome candidate. See the write-up in this issue of KIT. These two young ladies exemplify the value inherent in supporting Northerners.

We have been promoting re-branding of Chapter names. There has been discussion at the Board level, an agreement that the issue would go to the Chapter Chair meeting at our spring AGM for discussion and hopefully, decision. In an informal telephone survey 15/18 chapter chairs agreed, with

the new name to be, for example, “RTAM, Dauphin Chapter."

This will emphasize the fact that we are ALL, all 10,000, members of RTAM, a provincial body.

A board motion was passed so that individual chapters can lay a wreath for November 11. for RTAM. In this year of co-vid, this will probably be a wobbly start, but a startup, nevertheless.. The Legion itself is uncertain right now about the future of wreath laying in Manitoba. We are assured that should this go ahead they will need little notice to ship you a wreath. Chapters will have to apply.

Continue to promote our “Memories” anthology of retired teacher’s experiences. This project can only succeed if you participate, so please check our Website for guidelines.

RTAM Financial Report Pat Bowslaugh, Treasurer

T

he advent of COVID -19 has resulted in several alternative methods in the planning of our AGM including providing a virtual meeting via a ZOOM platform. In preparation for the AGM on September30, 2020 Please note the following information: • We continue to use the services of Cambrian Credit Union as our banking institution.

• Reports of receipts, expenses and account balances are presented to the Board monthly.

• A package of motions is to be presented at the

AGM including: – acceptance of the Financial Report – approval of the budget for the 2020-21 year – acceptance of the Auditor’s Report – confirmation of the membership fee (proposed to remain at $3.00 monthly) – confirmation of rates for travel, lodging and food Please note that all financial records are on file at the RTAM Office.

Wellness Seminar and Photography Workshop Postponed The Wellness Seminar scheduled in October and the Photography Workshop slated for September are postponed to 2021.

Dates are to be determined, and will be posted on our website.

12 n RTAM KIT Fall 2020

2020

RTAM Distinguished Service Award Recipients RETIRED TEACHERS’

ASSOCIATION OF MANITOBA

Joan Dawson

Carol Pelton

Ray Sitter

The RTAMDistinguished Service Awards will be presented to these deserving RTAMmembers at the 2021 AGM. The RTAMDistinguished Service Award is presented to deserving RTAMmembers whose service to RTAM, as a whole, has been extraordinary.

RTAM CHAPTER

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD RETIRED TEACHERS’

ASSOCIATION OF MANITOBA

The RTAMChapter Member Distinguished Service Award was created to acknowledge a deserving Chapter member whose service to their chapter has been extraordinary.

MAVIS JOHNSTON Upon retiring from the Brandon School Division, where she began her career in 1961, Mavis Johnston demonstrated her lifelong interest in education beyond the classroom and immediately joined WREA. She was immediately elected to the Executive and soon served as President. Following her term as President Mavis served as Treasurer, a position she has held for approximately twenty years! She is invaluable to WREA in this capacity as she fulfills this position with integrity and precision. Mavis is one of WREA’s perpetual greeters at each of the events at which time she meticulously records attendance, receives annual membership fees, and distributes name tags. She is never hesitant to serve

on any sub-committee of WREA and her mentorship of new members, both general members and executive members, is invaluable.

Mavis has recognized and supported both WREA and RTAM events and programs. Not only does she honour WREA’s over-90 members with carefully chosen birthday cards suited to their interests, she delivers them to their homes and stays for a visit. Mavis is a very caring and is instrumental in making sure they all they feel valued as WREA/ RTAM members.

Mavis has been the WREA representative on the Brandon Teachers Association (BTA) Council and has done much to nurture and maintain this solid relationship. She was recently called upon by BTA to help with a project to honour hundred-year-old members in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of MTS. Next page → RTAM.MB.CA n 13

Mavis has attended most RTAM AGM’s in person and has taken an intense interest in the political/ financial components of RTAM; spending many hours in the planning of the 2019 RTAM AGM hosted

by WREA in Brandon. Mavis has participated in the presentation of responses to various legislative Bills which impacted retired teachers in this province including protesting Bill 45.

Mavis also supports and volunteers at the Humane Society; volunteers at the Daly House Museum, where she holds the position of Treasurer.

Mavis embodies the characteristics of a lifetime educator by continuing her passion in her front-line service to WREA and RTAM.

EMILY WILLIAMSON Emily Williamson is a perfect candidate to be awarded the RTAM (RWTA) Chapter Distinguished Service Award.

Emily has been a member of RWTA since she retired from teaching. She has served on the Retired Women Teachers' Association's Executive Board for 20+ years. She has held many positions including as Social Committee rep, as Membership Chair (for many years ) & presently as Visiting Committee Chair. She is compassionate, dedicated, incredibly talented, full of ideas, full of personality, fun loving, organized, creative, & always willing to go the extra mile for RWTA & its members. Emily is our "go to person" ready to help in any way. We thoroughly enjoy Emily

14 n RTAM KIT Fall 2020

dressed as "Mrs. Claus" each December luncheon bringing joy to our members. The Retired Women Teachers' Organization is proud to nominate Emily Williamson for this award.

WALLY STOYKO A former Permit Teacher in Manitoba, Wally Stoyko has been active with the Dr. Louisa Loeb Permit Teachers Reunion since its inception in 2003, where he served as President and a member-at-large over the years.

Wally brought with him his extensive knowledge and experience as a former Administrator in the St. Vital School Division and that of a School Trustee with the Transcona School Division.

As a committee member on the Special Personnel and Public relations committee, Wally had the idea to make a Gala Event due to the diminishing numbers of aging Permit Teachers. The event was held on July 12, 2019 with various dignitaries in attendance.

In an interview with CBC radio, Wally did an excellent job representing the need for Permit teachers in the one-room schoolhouse during both World Wars.

Wally represented the Permit Teachers committee by presenting the Manitoba Teachers Society with two Permit Teachers’ banners to be hung in the MTS offices to show the contribution of Permit Teachers to society. 

COMMITTEE REPORTS

POLICY CHANGES for SECTION 16 Donations and Awards Beth Smith, Chair, Bylaws & Policy

16.03 Distinguished Service Award (DSA) a.

A Distinguished Service Award is an award to an individual whose service to RTAM has been extraordinary.

16.04 Chapter Member Distinguished Service Award (CMDSA) a.

b. The DSA may be given posthumously. c.

More than one DSA may be given annually, with a maximum of two awards.

d. An individual can only receive one DSA. e.

The President of RTAM shall receive the nomination(s).

f.

The nominator must be a full member of RTAM for at least five years. The nominee must have served on the RTAM Board for at least five years.

A Chapter Member Distinguished Service Award is an award for a Chapter member whose service to the Chapter has been extraordinary.

b. The CMDSA may be given posthumously. c.

More than one CMDSA may be given annually, with a maximum of two per Chapter.

d. An individual can only receive one CMDSA. e.

The Chapter President shall receive the nomination(s).

f.

The nominator and the nominee must each be a full member of RTAM for at least five years.

g. The nomination(s) will be submitted to the Board for approval.

g. The nomination(s) will be submitted to the Chapter Officers for approval.

h. The Award shall consist of a framed certificate signed by the RTAM President.

h. The Award shall consist of a certificate signed by the RTAM President and the Chapter President.

i.

j.

If possible, the Award(s) shall be presented at the AGM (Annual General Meeting). RTAM shall assume all travel and accommodation expenses, incurred by the recipient(s), to attend the AGM, on the same basis and at the rates allotted to Chapter Presidents.

The final date for submissions shall be announced annually in RTAM media at least forty (40) days before the AGM.

i.

The final date for submitting the name(s) of the Chapter Member Distinguished Service Award recipient(s), to the RTAM office, is February 28, annually.

j.

The Chapter Member Distinguished Service Award(s) shall be presented at the Chapter AGM. 

RTAM.MB.CA n 15

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Student Success Portfolios For RTAM Members with Relatives Pursuing Further Education Linda Blair, Joan Dawson, Beth Smith, and Joan Zaretsky

T

he Retired Teachers’ Association of Manitoba (RTAM) would like to assist your grandchildren, nieces, and nephews, in their successful application for our annual Student Award Program. We are offering information for students to prepare their “Student Success Portfolio” as a tool to encourage them to collect their mementos and documents starting in Grade nine to support them in the development of their Student Award application.

While we anticipate that students will have many items in their portfolio, we view the collection process as important in allowing them to reflect upon all of their opportunities and experiences they have/had in high school. A portfolio gives a personal snapshot of all their interests, skills, and talents they have developed and refined in their high school completion.

The development of a portfolio would support students, not only in applying for our Student Awards, but for other scholarships and bursaries as it helps them to collectively organize all their accomplishments over their four years of high school.

The student’s specific portfolio will be different from everyone else’s. It will offer a unique portrayal of their participation in various school committees, sports teams, extra-curricular activities, and community involvement. Some sample entries for their portfolio may include photos of various activities, certificates received for their role in an

16 n RTAM KIT Fall 2020

activity, report cards, a favourite piece of work such as a story, science research, history essay or whatever interests them, newspaper articles, congratulatory letters, and anything that they believe is of significance to their personal growth and development over time.

A portfolio is more than a concrete product. The portfolio development process enables students to become active and thoughtful learners about their own personal growth and skills. Portfolios are the windows into a student’s successes over time.

The Student Award application asks for the completed application, a summary of school and community involvement, a reference/support letter from a non-relative and a transcript of final Grade twelve marks. We believe by having an ongoing collection of artifacts in their portfolio, the application process will be much easier to complete.

If you, as an RTAM member, have a relative you believe would be a candidate for the RTAM Student Award when they complete their high school education, you can get them thinking about their many skills and talents to build their own Student Success Portfolio. We believe this RTAM contribution to the preparation of the Student Award applications will facilitate your relative and add to their own self-reflection as they review what they have accomplished during their high school years. We look forward to future Student Award applications from relatives of RTAM members!

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Student Success Portfolio Checklist • Transcript - Have a copy of your High School transcript available to send with your applications.

Not all scholarships, bursaries and awards require high marks, but in case they do, high marks are essential for as many years of education as possible.

If it comes down to a few candidates with equal qualifications the committee will look further back in your mark statement. The transcript the school sends you has all of the years of your secondary education included.

• Participation in School - Being part of the school community is important. You need to be involved in school clubs, be in leadership roles within clubs and actively contributing to the quality of your school life.

• Work - Some organizations also want to know about your work experience. Getting and keeping a job shows that you are reliable and hard working. Your employer can attest to your work ethic and ability to follow directions, show initiative and be responsible as well as your ability to work well in a team with different age groups.

• Awards - List the name of the award, when you earned it (year/grade level), who you received it from and whether the award was at the school, community, province, or national level. Give the reason you earned it, what is the importance of the award and how meaningful the award was to you.

• References - Choose the people who will write your references wisely. You need to be sure that they will give you a positive reference as well as be good writers and effective communicators.

Try to vary them, someone from your education background, an employer, your supervisor from where you volunteer, etc.

• Personal Statement -This is a common element used in college and scholarship applications and should be included in your portfolio. The personal statement is used to gain insight into an applicant’s beliefs and core values, so it is important to take the time to draft a well-written description that does not simply regurgitate exactly what is in your resume or transcripts.

• Final Notes - Use adjectives when writing your descriptions and elaborate and give as much information as possible.

It is often a good idea to ask a teacher, mentor, or coach for several copies of any letters of recommendation they provide, especially if the letters do not contain any identifiable information, such as scholarship, bursary or award provider’s name or the name of the award itself.

Save both paper and electronic versions of your documentation, just in case something is accidentally lost. A well-organized Student Success Portfolio is often the key to an applicant’s success.  RTAM.MB.CA n 17

“See if there is a letter from your Dad. ” Dale Yeo

18 n RTAM KIT Fall 2020

I

t was a Saturday morning early in May of 1945, the slow-ebbing final days of World War II. Fourteen year-old Margie Scott of Sheho, Saskatchewan ,was in the family home when she heard her mother Sophie’s voice call out.

“Margie, the train will have just come in with the mail. I’d like you to go to the Post Office to see if there’s a letter from your Dad. We haven’t heard from him in a while now.”

“Dad” was Corporal Cecil Scott of the R.C.E.M.E. (Royal Canadian Electrical Mechanical Engineers). He had landed at Normandy in the D-Day assault of June 6, 1944, and then fought alongside his comrades through France and into Holland.

The post office was about three blocks away.

Margie got ready to go. Should she take her five year old brother with her? No, she decided. He could be such a little brat.

Leaving the house, Margie found her thoughts straying to her father, so far away from the family. These were perilous times, she knew, and death in the war was no stranger to the people of her little Sheho community.

Two years earlier the Ukranian Orthodox priest in Sheho had come up with the idea of showing light-hearted movies in the Ukranian Hall. For 15 cents per child, 25 cents per adult, the stress of wartime could be relieved by a western movie or an Abbot and Costello comedy.

But even then, the war could intervene.

Margie recalled the evening back in 1943 when the projectionist had halted that night’s showing part way through. Mr. Currie, the station-master, who received any telegram sent to Sheho, had walked through the hall and then onto the stage.

He delivered the tragic news. The son of the United Church minister and the son of the grocery store owner, both airmen and both friends, .had been killed in action over Europe.

The names of Airman Hector Monro and Airman Norman Leckie can be seen today on the great black granite memorial to RCAF personnel at the airfield outside Brandon.

Margie had never forgotten that sad evening and its sad news.

As she walked down the street, Margie spotted a man in uniform in the distance. That was hardly an uncommon sight in the little town. Nearly one in eleven Canadians was in uniform by the war’s end. Seeing someone so dressed was an everyday reminder that the war loomed over all.

She walked on, her thoughts those of any young teenager on a warm spring day.

Her attention was drawn again to the man in uniform who had by then drawn considerably closer to her.

The way he walked . . . .he was now striding more quickly towards her. His gait, no, it can’t. ”Yes.” “That’s my Dad! That’s my Dad!” She bounded toward him and then threw herself into his arms. He wrapped her up in an enormous bear hug.

Minutes later, they turned to go home. Together.

It was a moment that Margie would never see diminish in her memory.

Just before arriving at their house, Margie let go of her Dad and skipped ahead. She went to the back door of the house and entered the kitchen.

Her mother, hearing her enter, called out “Is there a letter from your dad?”

“No, said Margie, something much better than that.”    This is a true story. Margie is Marge Cherney, of Roblin, Manitoba. Now 89 years young. Marge is a long-ago teaching colleague and a much longer friend of the story writer. In 1962, when they first met, she was Mrs. Marge Perchaluk, a teacher in Roblin’s elementary school system, and the writer, Dale Yeo, a rookie teacher at Roblin Collegiate Institute.

She is a wonderful lady who, very deservedly, remains very proud of her father’s wartime service.

Her precise recall of details in this story of 75 years ago is amazing.

This story was sent in to be a part of our Book of Memories. RTAM is still receiving short stories. See our website for some guidelines, and a couple examples others have submitted. Everyone agrees that this book is a very worthwhile effort, yet few of our 10,000 members have submitted. Come on, folk, you had some interesting times in and around the classroom, help us compile these for ourselves and others to read. Marge, at 89, is mailing us, longhand, her story.

It was our intention to bring this request forward at our AGM in May, but. . . .

This story also is meant to stir some thoughts about Remembrance Day. If we wait till the next issue of KIT, November 11 will be well past, so we are sending out a heads up now.

This spring, the RTAM Board passed a motion to donate to any chapter $40 to purchase a wreath and lay it. This will cover the cost for a medium sized wreath. Contact office@ rtam.mb.ca The information we have now is that orders must be placed in Ottawa before September 18, phone 204 233-3405, or place your order with your local Legion.

Choose a youth, if you can, someone whose family has a military or country-serving background. Lay the wreath on behalf of all Retired Teachers at your local Remembrance Day ceremony. Yes, there will be COVID-19 cancellations, we know that, but we also know that last year, when the first wreath was laid for RTAM, not just for a chapter, it was well received.

And please, members, if you have, or know of such a remembrance story for next year, please contact us. And send in your classroom stories.

Thank you to Dale Yeo and Marge Cherney, both retired teachers. 

– RTAM Public Relations Committee

RTAM.MB.CA n 19

The Importance of Chapters “In order to be functional and to reach the objectives outlined in the constitution of the Retired Teachers’ Association of Manitoba it is necessary, we feel, to have a local organization that can express its concerns and to respond to the needs and wishes of our teachers locally. You are going to be asked the question – what can the RTAM do for me? The answer can only come from local organizations themselves. It is here that concerns, and ideas can be expressed. It is through the local organizations that the provincial body and the national body can act on our behalf. To me, what is more important, a local organization can respond to immediate needs and wishes.”

John Kastrukoff First President of RTAM All Chapters were invited to send in a report on what they had been doing during COVID19 and their future plans.

Louis Riel Chapter Respectfully submitted, Jack Fraser, President, Riel Chapter

D

espite COVID-19, our chapter was still able to participate in different ways in the graduations at each of our five high schools. We continued to provide a $500. bursary to a student at each location. Graduations, however, were very much different this year. Over the course of several days at the high school where I was asked to present, the grads and family appeared in small, socially distancing batches to be videoed receiving their awards and diplomas. I was asked for a photograph of myself as the “absentee” presenter.

The filmed segments along with other video, messages, and media were spliced into a graduation memento for the students. As former teachers we are able to fathom the disappointment of the grads in their feelings of being” robbed” of rites of passage, but we can also recognize the positivity, resilience, and

20 n RTAM KIT Fall 2020

Frank Bojarslki, Len Sul, Rick Shpiruk, Lou Sawkey

creativity of the students and their teachers in their making the best of a challenging times.

Thanks to hard work on the part of chapter members, our bursary refund was able to weather not receiving income this year. Since its inception, we have raised $102,472.5, with around 40% of that still in reserve. We reluctantly had to postpone and our spring and fall luncheons which are two mainstays of our fundraising. Our fall golf

RETIRED TEACHERS’

ASSOCIATION OF MANITOBA

tournament is also to be a casualty in that respect.

Golf, however, is still very much alive in our thoughts for a year from this fall, and we would like to take this opportunity belatedly to recognize our most recent champions. I am sure that the longer wait to play will only whet their appetite to defend their championship!

Without our main social events, this year has been challenging for keeping in touch. Our next newsletter will cover this past spring and the upcoming fall, and we continue to put out betweennewsletter emails to the members for whom we have emails. On that note, if you are a chapter member and not getting those emails drop me a line via email at info@rtam.mb.ca and I will be happy to add you to our list. … not a member? If you are a retiree from Louis Riel, or the former divisions of St. Boniface, St. Vital, or Norwood, or a retiree from another Division who would like to join our activities drop me a line at the above email and I will be happy to send you an application. 

Dauphin Area Retired Teachers' Association

D

auphin Area Retired Teachers’ Assoc. had their last meeting on March 10 at the Mountain View School Board Office. In place of our AGM meeting in April a notice was sent out to the membership informing them of the circumstances of our upcoming meetings. The notice included the nominating committee’s slate of officers for 2020-21, as well as the treasurer’s report.

Our plans for our Chapter Engagement grant are on hold for the time being. Our September meeting will depend on whether we are able to use the board office for our meetings. This is a time of many unknowns, waiting to see how events play out, and staying safe. 

RTAM.MB.CA n 21

CHAPTER REPORTS

Thompson Association of Retired Educators (TARE)

O

ur Chapter closed down in March and did not have an AGM. The Executive will continue in place until COVID-19 is over or until someone must step down for personal reasons.

We have our first event planned for Tuesday, August 18. “Lunch on the Lawn” will be hosted in the back yard of the Gobles where we may safely distance from one another. Each person must bring a chair or blanket to sit on and desired food and drink with no sharing except with “family." We hope to have time to catch up with one another and set some tentative plans for the fall.

Currently, we have no place large enough to meet safely but that may change if the School Board Office opens up to us. We are all safe here in Thompson and hope to stay that way.

Our last planned project was the PreRetirement Seminar for prospective retirees from the School District of Mystery Lake held just before COVID-19 shut everything down.. Our

22 n RTAM KIT Fall 2020

school year end project of delivering Rice Krispie cookies to the classroom of a retiring teacher had to be cancelled. Our June joint venture plant project with the local Library had to be cancelled so we did not have the opportunity to work with the children. However, after the snow finally disappeared and a few plants became available for purchase, a few of us got together and filled the four large planters in front of the Library.

We also weeded the side garden and the brick walkway to tidy up the area. We have plans to tackle the large front garden in a week or two.

It has not been tended to in years and requires heavy maintenance. We will start by removing the unwanted Manitoba maples that have encroached on the space and finding out what else is actually in there that is worth keeping and could be encouraged to grow. By late September or early October we will have to remove all plants from the planters so that will be a project for a few of us. 

CHAPTER REPORTS

Educatrices et Educateurs Manitobains a la Retraite (EMR) EMR Board of Directors meeting, June 2020 The Board meeting was held on June 16th, 2020 at Patricia’s house at 1:00 p.m. Unfortunately, the EMR AGA of April had to be canceled due to COVID-19. However, the 2020-21 Executive Board appointments were designated as follows: President: Patricia Thibodeau, Vice-president: Gisèle Grégoire, Secretary: Jocelyne Fraser, Treasurer: Rose-Marie Iafolla, Advisers: Denis Gautron/Marc Beaudry/Arsène Huberdeau/Lucille Daudet-Mitchell (communications) and Past President: Guy Gagnon.

We took advantage of the meeting to observe a minute of silence to commemorate Raymond Bisson, who had been our vice-president for the las few years. We miss him very much.

We established our Calendar of Activities for 20202021 as outlined in the list below (provided that there are no more restrictions due to COVID-19). As you know already, we had to cancel our meeting in September.

• October 22, 2020: Visit to the Anne Mulaire’s Boutique and workshop. 421-303 avenue Mulvey .

• November 19, 2020: A presentation of the Accueil francophone regarding their challenges, expectations, etc.

• December 17, 2020: Christmas dinner and sing along at Canad Inns Parc Windsor.

• April 15, 2021:EMR AGM at Windsor Park Canad Inns, 10:30 a.m. and lunch at 12 p.m.

• May 20, 2021: Visit to the 17th Wing military base, search and rescue.

• June 17, 2021: Visit to Thunderbird House, Market Square.

Patricia presented us with a copy of the Répertoire du concours de français compiled by Normand Boisvert that we reviewed with great interest. Some of us on the executive were proud to show that our name appeared in the book. We will make sure to bring it to all our activities so that our members can review it. Also, we decided to form a committee that would conduct a survey of our

members in order to get a better idea of their needs, interests and expectations of the Council. It was decided that the membership fee for the year 20202021 would remain the same this year payable on the expiration date of the membership.

We look forward to seeing you again at our activity on October 22nd.

– Your EMR 2020-2021Council

Rencontre du conseil d’administration des ÉMR juin 2020 La réunion du conseil des ÉMR s'est tenue le 16 juin 2020 à 13h Chez Patricia. On a profité de la réunion pour observer une minute de silence pour commémorer Raymond Bisson, qui a été, par les années passées, vice-président de notre conseil d'administration. Il nous manque beaucoup.

Malheureusement, l’AGA des ÉMR, prévue en avril, fut annulée en raison de la COVID-19. Malgré ce contre-temps, on a quand même fait la revue des nominations au Conseil d’adminsitration 2020-21 : Les postes ont étés distribués comme suit :présidente : Patricia Thibodeau,vice-présidente : Gisèle Grégoire, secrétaire : Jocelyne Fraser, trésorière : Rose-Marie Iafolla, conseillers : Denis Gautron/ Marc Beaudry/ Arsène Huberdeau/Lucille Daudet-Mitchell (communications) et président sortant : Guy Gagnon.

On a établi le Calendrier des activités des ÉMR - 2020-2021 en commençant par déplorer le fait que les 3 dernières activités de l’année 2019-2020 avaient été annulées en raison de la pandémie.

Next page → RTAM.MB.CA n 23

CHAPTER REPORTS

Swan Valley Retired Teachers Jean Keillor, Secretary SVRT

G

reetings from the Swan Valley Chapter of Retired Teachers. We are a small group of about twenty members that meet bi-monthly for a luncheon meeting at the home of Walter and Myrna Zinkiew. We are treated with a wonderful home cooked meal and have an opportunity to socialize with colleagues and discuss topics of interest.

We postponed our AGM scheduled for March due to COVID-19. We have been an inactive chapter, as a result. We are planning to have our AGM soon and to adhere to the Health Directives.

• • •

•

Executive Officers: 2019 - 2020 President: Aldrich Novotny Vice President: Ed Richenhaller Secretary: Jean Keillor Treasurer: Henry Barkowsk Past President: Barb Plumb

• • •

Activities of our chapter Our chapter send get well/sympathy cars to our colleagues.

• We participated in the Retirement Banquet of the

•

teachers of the Swan Valley Division in June We agreed to donate $200 to the local Ag. Society.

The money would go schoolwork entry prizes at the Northwest Roundup and Exhibition.

In November, three members volunteered to judge Remembrance Day Contest entries. On behalf of the Local Chapter, a wreath was presented at the community Remembrance Day Service.

Members of our chapter, Aldrich Novotny and Ed Richenhaller encouraged others to join in delivering meals in the"Meals on Wheels" program. They reported that the people receiving meals were very appreciative.

On one of the coldest days of 2019, 24 members drove to the Rawhides in Stenen, SK, for a Christmas Get-Together! Forty-two pounds of food were donated by the retired teachers to the local food bank.

Julie Kooistra made retired teachers aware of the recreational/entertainment available in Swan River i.e. Pickle Ball, Square Dancing, Community Band, Christmas Carol Festival.

The SVRT welcomed retired superintendent, Tim Mendel, to our meeting in February. 

EMR . . . continued from previous page Justement, à cause des restrictions, on a été obligé d'annuler notre rencontre de septembre.Cependant, voici ce qu'on propose comme activités pour 20202021 (à condition que les restrictions imposées pour la COVID-19 soient levées) : • 22 octobre 2020 : Visite de la Boutique Anne Mulaire et l’atelier. 421 avenue Mulvey bur. 303.

• 19 novembre 2020 : Présentation de l’Accueil francophone ses défis, ses attentes, etc.

• 17 décembre 2020 Souper de Noël : Souper de Noël au Canad Inns Parc Windsor avec chansonnier.

• 15 avril 2021 AGA des ÉMR : AGA au Canad Inns Parc Windsor 10h30 et diner à 12h.

• 20 mai 2021: Visite à la base militaire de la 17e escadre, recherche et sauvetage.

• 17 juin 2021 : Visite à Thunderbird House, au Market Square.

24 n RTAM KIT Fall 2020

Patricia nous a présenté une copie du Répertoire du concours de français préparé par Normand Boisvert qu'on a revu avec grand intérêt. Certains, avec grand honneur, y ont même retrouvé leur nom. On va s'assurer de l’apporter à toutes nos activités afin que les membres puissent le regarder et s’y retrouver. Aussi, on a pris la résolution de préparer un sondage à envoyer aux membres afin de connaitre leurs besoins, leurs intérêts et leurs attentes. À suivre. Finalement, on a décidé que la cotisation pour l’année 2020-2021 demeurerait la même cette année, payable à la date d’échéance de la carte de membre.

Au plaisir de vous revoir à notre activité du 22 octobre.  – Votre conseil d’administration des ÉMR

CHAPTER REPORTS

Okanagan Chapter Lorna Rothwell

W

hile the members and associates of the Okanagan Chapter of RTAM have been suffering, like everyone else, from isolation due to the ravages of COVID-19, we have some individual news to share.

In Oliver, Margaret Ingebrigtson was gifted a piano by a friend who knew she could no longer play at the three3 senior centres. “I think he thought I might get rusty (He was right)!”

Ken and Gene Ferg in Penticton were proud from afar as their grandson, Denin Koch, obtained his masters in jazz performance and was accepted at the University of Northern Colorado for a Doctorate degree. "He also just released his first album."

Gary and Gerry Little, in Salmon Arm, added a seven year old Labradoodle, from Winnipeg, to their family. “She has enriched our lives in a month.”

“With all activities cancelled, there was a lot of time for working in the yard and the rewards that brings!” Lorne and Sue Lisik in West Kelowna (photo attached).

Poet, Fern G. Z. Carr, (website: www.ferngzcarr. com), developed a YouTube channel curating videos including practical educational guides and beautifully illustrated poetry readings.

Glenda Waugh added a beautiful smoky gray kitten named Daisy to their family, painted her bathroom and added new paintings to her collection. “Sounds trivial but that’s what going on.”

Nancy Kostiuk learned “to make hooch” and grow her own tomatoes from seed.

Roy and Betty Lycar have moved to a smaller two bedroom condo near Gyro Beach in Kelowna.

Doris Habermann and Lorna Rothwell took advantage of phase three opening in BC to travel by car from Kelowna to Nanaimo and Qualicum Beach to visit friends.

Pete and Carol Rykszynski have been taking numerous day trips to a variety of provincial parks in the Okanagan valley.

Alex Carr was awarded a Simple Generosity Volunteer Award for his work with Project Literacy Central Okanagan Society, tutoring English, Math and Physics and serving on the Board.

Leon and Doris Tonn have been serving other seniors, including celebrating Herb, who turned 103 years old, and Betty who turned 95, as they were slowly driven by in the church parking lot.

“Next week we will have another highlight because Harold (brother of Herb) will turn 100.”  RTAM.MB.CA n 25

CHAPTER REPORTS

NARTA Chapter Report Richard Kulbacki, A Member Of Narta, Surviving Pandemic 2020

S

ince the Corona Virus Lockdown, my days on the farm have been as busy as ever in three categories.

The first involves reorganizing my orchid greenhouse collection and growing an extensive garden to fully stock the root cellar. This year`s experimental plantings are Virginia Gold and Aztec Wild Tobacco for drying, aging, and hand rolling into Churchillian stogies. And of course the basics: 5 varieties of corn, 10 of tomatoes, 9 of potatoes, 2 of strawberries, 3 of raspberries, egg plants, peppers, 8 of cucumbers, 3 of beets, 4 of carrots, 4 of peas, 4 of beans, 5 of pumpkins, 1 squash, citron, watermelon, 5 of onion, garlic, glads, dahlias, Carpathian culinary poppies (1878 variety) and many annual and perennial plants. Produce has been outstanding-own private Safeway.

26 n RTAM KIT Fall 2020

Next is creating a good variety of straw art commissioned products for the Manitoba Straw Weavers Kollektiv and preparing lessons for the new inventive straw art techniques for both the Manitoba Collective Organization as well as the NAWW (National Association of Wheat Weavers) based in the USA and the International Biannual Straw Symposiums held in a series of European countries: Belarus, Lithuania, Ukraine, Poland, Serbia, Hungary ,etc. where artists from all over the world gather for innovative ideas and techniques presenting, teaching, and taking classes

CHAPTER REPORTS

in multilingual classroom settings. Local tours, museums and entertainments are part of it, too.

The straw for all this art I must grow in my garden as modern straw is unsuitable being short and brittle. Ancient grains I grow are: Red Fife, Thatcher Egyptian Pharoah’s , Kanrute, Russian Medieval Multi head, Stinton and pioneer oats and barley.

The third activity is teaching languages, English, Polish, French to selected serious students who are chosen only after an interview as well as a mandatory tongue flexibility test in their rendering of the specific 58 English phonetic sounds. The free individualized language experience model course is designed for each individual or group (3 is the best) which proceeds from listening and speaking for rapid access to basic communication followed by reading and writing. Since this is not a crash course, it could last a number of years, for an adult, for proficiency. A child below age 11 is a rapid learner of languages so a year + is usual, especially if they start at a grade 2, 3 or 4 level having been exposed to a school structure of learning, wherever.

One must is proper Canadian handwriting at all times (also taught.)

Since the farm has many animals, milk cow, donkeys, geese, chickens. etc. and is basically self-sufficient, I don’t notice any constraints unless venturing to town (local only) doctor, or dentist, and the local relatives or neighbors. A horse for transportation around the farm is in order.

However, the inconvenience of a lockdown without an end in sight is now a serious concern as retirees’ hour glasses are getting to be ¼ full.

Many NARTA members were busy these past months. Doreen Sage travelled to Swan River and visited the site and marker where she attended grade school, Roaring River. Bill Fraser of Neepawa went picking saskatoons in the wild and the bears did keep their social distance.

Bill Fraser picking saskatoons.

Doreen Sage visiting the site and marker where she attended grade school.

RTAM.MB.CA n 27

RTAM

Photography CONTEST KIT Editorial Committee SUMMER 2020 PHOTO CONTEST The two categories are: • LINE: We encounter lines on a daily basis, providing interesting photographic opportunities. This can be vertical lines, parallel lines, curved lines, diagonal lines, and even strong horizontal lines. See examples at https://rtam.mb.ca/rtam-media/photography-examples • THIS TREASURE OF NATURE: Animal, plant, rock formation, clouds, sunset, sunrise. Anything from nature that gives you joy.

Judging by Gayl Punzalan Creative Director of Blue Ink Media Full contest rules and entry forms available at www.rtam.mb.ca and at the RTAM office.

All entries to be sent by mail, email, or delivered to RTAM no later than 4:00 p.m., October 7, 2020.

28 n RTAM KIT Fall 2020

Photography Contest: Why I Chose The Winners Gayl Punzalan, Creative Director, Blue Ink Media

Category: CLOSE UP The little spider: The first question when judging a photo is: did the participant follow the direction?

A lot of people might not agree with this spider, but looking at the instruction: it should be xx centimeters in size, and photographer has to make it look big. This spider is I’m quite sure, some centimeters small, and it looks gigantic in the image.

The other spider picture is okay, but there’s camera shake when the shot was taken. Another is the bee on a dandelion, which is also okay, but I would have zoomed in 50% more to make the bee look big.

The runner up is a miniature of parked vehicles in front of Pete’s. It’s not the best picture, but it did follow the instruction. I had to give credit to the photographer because I know in his/her mind “oh this is small, and I can zoom in to make it big, that it will look life-size.” Depth of field he/she used is correct, and the angle is acceptable.

The honourable mention is a butterfly on a flower.

Again, if it were me, I would have zoomed in, about 70% more to get the face of the butterfly and a bit of its wings – so I can adhere to the instruction. I like the depth of field – the butterfly and flower being sharp, and the background a bit blurry. I like the angle too. I can imagine the photographer looking at the butterfly and maybe took several shots and he/she submitted the best angle you can get in that scene.

Just because these three were chosen, doesn’t mean the rest is not good. When I judge, I pick about half of all the entries, look at them one by one, and ask myself, why is this better than the next picture.

There is a set of criteria I follow when judging: 1.

2.

Choosing the right subject Effort of the photographer (carefully picking where to take the shot from)

3.

Sharpness of the image (no matter how wellchosen the subject is, if your camera shook when you took the shot, it’s not going to make the cut).

4. Angle – correct application of rule of thirds 5. Creative use of depth of field – should the background be blurry or not?

6. Difficulty of shot – is the photographer lying down when he/she took the shot? Or maybe he twisted his body, arms, and legs just to capture this picture?

Good photographers are good judges of a scene. If there’s no shot, don’t take it.

Category: BLACK AND WHITE The Zion Grandeur – The black and white, landscape shot of a mountain. Well, this is one of those pictures where the photographer was in the right place, and the right time. It’s probably about 3 or 4 pm, blue sky, the sun is ultra-bright.

But then there are no burnt parts in the image meaning the shutter speed and the setting of the depth of field is correct. Rule of thirds is correct, image is sharp.

The runner up is a shot of a lake. I picked this because of the image’s balance. While the focal point is at the dead center, the photographer compensates that with the horizontal island where your eyes are led to. The subject is very fitting for a black and white picture.

The honourable mention is called “Cuba”, and I like it because of the leading lines, because of the angle of the shot, and because the depth of field is excellently used.

For me personally, photo judging is subjective.

Most judges, if not all, have their own influences, tastes and feelings when deciding which photo is the best.

RTAM.MB.CA n 29

RETIRED TEACHERS’

RTAM Summer 2020 Photo Contest Official Entry and Release Form

ASSOCIATION OF MANITOBA

A copy of this form must be completed for each entry submitted to the photo contest. Photos cannot be entered into more than one category. Complete Photo Contest Rules are posted on the RTAM Website (see below).

NAME ADDRESS CITY

PROVINCE

POSTAL CODE

TELEPHONE

EMAIL

PHOTOGRAPH TITLE Please check:

❏ Line

❏ This Treasure of Nature

We encounter lines on a daily basis, providing interesting Animal, plant, rock formation, clouds, sunset, sunrise. photographic opportunities. This can be vertical lines, Anything from nature that gives you joy. parallel lines, curved lines, diagonal lines, and even strong horizontal lines. See examples at https://rtam.mb.ca/ rtam-media/photography-examples

I hereby grant permission to the Retired Teachers’ Association (RTAM) to use / edit / reuse my photograph in any and all of its publications and on its website.

• •

•

I agree to abide by the RTAM Photo Contest rules as set forth by RTAM and posted on the RTAM Website and in KIT.

By signing this release form, I acknowledge that I have completely read and understand what this permission signifies.

There is no time limit on the validity of this release.

I confirm that I am a member in good standing of RTAM.

ENTRY DEADLINE

Name in Print / Signature / Date Signed

October 7, 2020 at 4:00 P.M.

RTAM Photo Contest Rules Submission Requirements: Print Entries: • All entries sent must have an image which is no smaller than 5” x 7” or larger than 12” x 12”. Square formatted images will be accepted provided that they are not smaller than 7” x 7” or larger than 12” x 12”. Panoramic photos will not be accepted.

• Matted or framed photos will not be accepted.

• Photo titles are mandatory, must be written on the back of prints and match the title on the Contest Official Entry Form.

• Send to 206-1555 St. James St., Winnipeg, MB R3H 1B5

30 n RTAM KIT Fall 2020

Electronic Entries: • Electronic photos can also be emailed to office@rtam.mb.ca. The covering email or file name must include the photo title which must match the title on the Contest Official Entry Form. Electronic photos will be printed by RTAM for judging purposes.

Please read the full contest rules at https://rtam.mb.ca/rtam-media/ photo-contest

Free Programming for Older Adults in Manitoba

S

enior Centre Without Walls through A & O: Support Services for Older Adults offers free educational and recreational programs over the phone. The program reaches out to socially isolated older adults 55+ living in Manitoba.

Individuals and groups are welcome. There is no cost to register. We can call participants into the program, or provide a phone number and access code for them to call in on their own.

Please view our current Program Guide using the following link to our website: https://www.aosupportservices.ca/our-threepillars/social-engagement/senior-centre-withoutwalls/ In our guide you will find the following topics plus a whole lot more!

• • • •

Welcome to Senior Centre Without Walls!

What Zoos Do: Conservation and Research Falls Prevention Taking Care of Your Mental Health During COVID-19 • Health and Wellness Presentations: Parkinson's

• •

• • • •

disease 101, Heart Disease and Eye Health Lessons: With the Beatles in German, Finish the Year With Finnish Travelogues: Galapagos Islands, Maritimes and Newfoundland, Spain (Camino de Santiago) and More!

Music Therapy, Art Therapy and Meditation Celebrity Bingo, Fun and Games Book Club, Short Stories and Poetry (read aloud) Observances & Celebrations: Remembrance Day and Celtic Christmas

If you would like to receive copies of our guide or posters (front page of the guide) mailed to you, please respond to this e-mail stating your mailing address and quantity desired. Quantities will be limited. Thank you for helping us get the word out about this program to older adults across the province. It's more important than ever for us to stay connected to one another!

NOTE: A new order is required for each term.

Please contact us to receive guides, even if you have received them in the past. Thank you.

RTAM.MB.CA n 31

Puzzles, Sudokus, Crosswords, Memorizing … Huh?

By Richard Oakden

NOTE: This article was written prior to the onslaught of the conronavirus pandemic. If social distancing and staying home are still in effect, memorization may be a welcome, new and useful personal activity during times of isolation.

M

y first attempt at training my memory was provided by Akela, our Wolf Cub pack leader, who showed us Kim’s Game, a display of fifteen or so small items sitting on a tray under a towel. He removed the towel and we Cubs had thirty seconds to silently study the items. They were then covered, and we were to write down all the items we could remember. Quite a challenge for young boys! Next came Mother’s advice for how to learn my French vocabulary words: use a piece of brown paper bag and write out the words until you knew them. That was all the direct instruction on memory training that I can remember ever receiving – none in high school, none in university, and none on the job.

Recently, while reading Anthony Glise’s* text, Classical Guitar Pedagogy: A Handbook for Teachers, I was stunned to discover straightforward and useful directions for how to memorize! Just what I needed to fight the dreaded late-in-life onslaught of memory loss! At least, that was my first thought. After trying the techniques, and expanding them a little, I realized that memorization could be a challenging, enjoyable and rewarding activity, and one especially useful for seniors! It is low-to-no cost, doable anywhere and anytime, and requires no special coaching, clothing

32 n RTAM KIT Fall 2020

or equipment – great for all budgets and activity levels. Couch potatoes can excel at this! So, if you have tried puzzle books, Sudokus, or crosswords, read on and consider another way to exercise and retain the powers of your brain!

Preliminary steps, include: • Determine a set time each day (if possible) for this new, cerebral activity: same time and place is best. Keep your material there, too.

• Find a copy or two of a short first item you want to memorize. You can use a photocopy, your cellphone, iPad, tablet or laptop to store your copy. Or, go oldschool and use a book or a hand-written copy.

• Keep one copy at your usual place for memorization and use the other wherever and whenever you like. Examples: A limerick. Your SIN number. Your bank card number. A Psalm. A prayer. A poem or song.

• Begin with a small goal. Start with just one long number or a short verse or stanza.

Use the following “overlapping strategy” to memorize your piece: it is simple and direct.

1. Repeat the first section or line from your piece, out loud to yourself, seven times or more until you feel you have ‘got it’. If it is a long first line or number, divide it into sections.

2. Repeat the next section or line, out loud to yourself, seven times or more, until you ‘get it’.

3. Now put the two together - repeat both parts, sections or lines, out loud, seven times or more.

4. Select the next section or line and repeat aloud seven times or more, as before. Then, add another section or line.

5. Repeat this ‘overlapping’ process until you have completed the entire number, verse or stanza.

6. Say aloud the complete number, verse or stanza.

Repeat, yes, seven times.

7. If you are working on a longer poem or song, do not go back to the beginning for each repetition.

Work at the current verse or the last two or three, depending on what you feel you need.

8. Continue adding lines, verses etc. until you have finished your piece.

It is important to mentally rehearse when away from your printed copy. For example, try to recall and repeat the passage when you have muted the TV during a commercial, or when doing the dishes, or when out for a walk, sitting somewhere waiting, or when counting sheep doesn’t work. If you become ‘stuck’ on a word or section, check that later in the printed copy.

Study tips to consider.

• Note your own capacity and take it easy. Are you comfortable memorizing two, four, six or more lines per day?

• Look carefully for meaning, alliteration, cadence and phrasing: these become ‘triggers’ to help with recall.

• Break down difficult passages to shorter phrases and work on them separately.

• There won’t be a test on this next week! Take your time, feel confident before adding new lines or verses. Appreciate your successes!

• Repetition is your friend when memorizing. The more times you test your recall, the more accurate you will become. And, yes, repeating sections at least seven times is your goal.

• Repeating aloud quietly increases your ability to recall. You can also just ‘think it through’ with equal benefits.

• As you practice, use your ‘mind’s eye’ to try to visualize key words and lines from your target pieces.

• Consider sharing your memory task with a spouse, partner or friend. Then you may also enjoy helping each other to memorize – it isn’t a contest, just a shared, enjoyable challenge.

As we age, some of us become more reflective and appreciative of the nuances of written expression.

That type of appreciation is part of the personal pleasure you may obtain from memorizing a passage that has importance to you or that you simply enjoy. Plus, you will really feel like you have accomplished something! So, what comes next: “The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed …” 

*Glise, A. (1997). Classical Guitar Pedagogy: A Handbook for Teachers. St. Joseph, Montana: Mel Bay Publications, pp 90.

RTAM.MB.CA n 33

All Directors were invited to send in a report on what they had been doing during COVID-19.

What I Did During COVID-19 Joan Dawson, RTAM Past President

O

n July 13 my husband and I stood in our kitchen, looking out over Paint Lake, watching a wind shear come over the water towards us. The dark clouds, loaded with rain, swept towards at an amazing rate. As it came closer the trees started to sway dramatically and with a loud bang one of them toppled over, landing on our roof.

We were startled and prepared to see major damage.

When the weather cleared my husband, Brian, and I examined the damage. It wasn’t bad, needing only minor repairs. Brian and our neighbour got to work, taking the tree down and clearing up the mess in a very short time.

To me, watching this happen made me think of how, in February and March, we watched COVID-19 spread from China to sweep around the world, changing life as we know it. I was nowhere near prepared for a pandemic. We hustled to purchase the supplies the experts decided that we needed to survive the duration of the crisis and to rearrange our plans for travel and any commitments that we had made for the near future. Now we know that we are in for the long haul and have to make even more accommodations to survive this unprecedented time.

Knowing that I wasn’t going anywhere and would have a lot of time on our hands, I made plans to complete as many unfinished projects as I could including several quilting projects, some stained glass repairs for friends, as well as an unfinished piece and definitely cleaning every closet in the

34 n RTAM KIT Fall 2020

house. Brian and I would cook together and I would spend lots of time gardening.

A few quilting projects were finished, we cooked together without too much stress and I did clean a few closets. Time has slowed down and so have I. My major accomplishment was working with a great nephew and his grandmother, my beloved twin sister, Janice, to teach him how to read. He is a reluctant reader and would have gone into grade three with very few reading skills. We are doing this over the phone with Janice and Brody sitting at a table with a laptop and whatever materials Janice and I have devised for them to work with. We have read stories, written sentences, done reading and writing assessments, played word games and held races to see who can print the fastest. I have listened to a reluctant and unhappy boy become an enthusiastic reader and writer. I am becoming a better writer by devising the stories that have helped him develop into a skilled reader. I have discovered what a determined and resourceful person my sister is. She knew what skills Brody needed and is ensuring that he acquires them. This has been an amazing experience which wouldn’t have happened this particular way without the social distancing and isolation rules created to deal with COVID-19.

I wish that we weren’t dealing with the terrible outcomes of a global pandemic but I am glad for the time spent with my great nephew and my sister. It has been a bright time in the middle of adversity. 

The Return Of “Movie (Slide) Night!”

Beth Smith, Chair, Bylaws & Policy

W

hen we were young (three girls), Mom took lots of pictures of us, our relatives, our Siamese cats, and our poodle named Butch. She had the pictures developed onto slides – lots and lots of slides. When I was old enough, I would set up the projector, make popcorn and we would have “Movie (Slide) Night.”

My niece and nephew loved looking at the funny pictures of their Mom and 2 Aunties in their funny clothes, crazy situations and would ask, “What was the dog’s name again?” We would have these nights often. These slides were so familiar to the kids that they knew the names of everyone and where the pictures were taken.

Eventually, Mom and Dad needed to downsize and moved into assisted living accommodations, so it was time to clean out their home. My two older sisters decided that since I was the one who looked after the entertainment with the Slide Show that I should inherit the slides and, of course, I was tasked to do ‘something’ with them.

Every now and then I get asked about the slides and somehow, I steer the conversation in a different direction. Years have passed since I inherited the slides.

March 2020 happened, and the World was told to Stay Safe, Social Distance, Wash our Hands and Stay Home as much as possible! After cleaning, purging, and rearranging everything in my one-bedroom apartment I came across Mom’s boxes of slides.

I have since made the slides into pictures, put them on USB Flash Drives and plan to make photo books for my immediate family members. These will be my gifts to them along with a bag of popcorn for each of them to enjoy as they peruse our family pictures once again. There are now younger members of our family who will enjoy seeing these funny pictures of us.

Once our Stay at Home orders are lifted, I will once again be able to enjoy the old family pictures, with my family, while enjoying the smell and taste of newly popped popcorn. Our “Move (Slide) Nights” will happen again, with just a few small changes! 

My Life Has Taken On a New Look Alison Logan, Chair, Pension Committee

T

he winter of 2020 certainly brought changes none of us have experienced in the past. The work of RTAM has carried on, albeit with a different look. The Board continues to meet on a monthly basis, via zoom. Although things have slowed down, the Committee continues to monitor our pension.

On a personal note, my life has taken on a new look. I managed to sustain a third degree tear in my hamstring while cross country skiing at the beginning of February, so I had a head start of a month in terms of things slowing down.

During that time, I caught up on some reading, sewed many masks for my family, friends and my

church. I attended church services via computer which turned out to be very fulfilling. I learned to bake bread (didn’t everyone).

Come spring, I discovered that I had a passion for gardening and had a relative amount of beautiful results. During the summer, through the generosity of friends, I was able to swim laps in their backyard pool while public pools remained closed. Happy hour via zoom took place with my dearest friends on Fridays.

When my “bubble” slowly began to open up, there are no words to describe the feeling of hugging my grandchildren again.

Most of all I feel truly blessed for the gifts I have been given, and to live in Canada. Stay well. 

RTAM.MB.CA n 35

2020—The Year of Magical Thinking Respectfully submitted by JoAnne Hoyak, RTAM Vice President and ACER-CART Director

S

ome years ago I read Joan Didion’s book “The Year of Magical Thinking” which was written the year after her husband’s sudden death and is recognized as a classic in terms of describing how we experience mourning. So far, this year, to me, is a year when we are all experiencing loss of several different kinds and we are challenged by the need to not only cope with, but also adapt to the new reality we are facing now and for the foreseeable future.

I am bereft, of course, by the cancelation of so many events that sustain me and that fill my soul with joy and awe—the theater, live music concerts-both rock and classical, choir participation, jamming with the guys, travel and socially connecting with people I love. I also have worries regarding the maintenance and continued efficacy of volunteer organizations, including those with which I participate. I also am as appalled as everyone as the dire conditions of long term elder care facilities are revealed. And, not in the least, I have fears that unscrupulous leaders may use the cover of the pandemic to surreptitiously establish ideological reforms that negatively impact the citizens they represent.

However, as Joan Didion eloquently reveals, the resilience and ingenuity of humankind is admirable and reassuring. I have discovered the amazing attributes of YOU TUBE and the fabulous posts created specifically for this time representing all musical genres. We are happily ZOOMING as a family and PJ, Sheila and Addy in their dining room in Winnipeg, Kristy from her Vancouver deck, and Julianne, Kyle and Alice from their sailboat on the waters of the inside passage celebrated their Father’s 75th birthday with a virtual party. Like all of you, I wonder what my parents would think of this marvel. While we are concerned with the lack of fund raising projects, our local Lion’s club has adopted strategies to continue to manage our

36 n RTAM KIT Fall 2020

two senior housing residences and make progress on our Legacy project. Concerning RTAM, I was pleased to participate as the Director from Manitoba in the ACER-CART virtual AGM and hope we will learn from that particular success. I am grateful to our Executive Director for his acumen with ZOOM which he passed on to us, so we can stay in contact as a Board to continue to work on the behalf of Manitoba’s retired teachers.

The incredible ability of our active teaching colleagues to provide continued meaningful learning experiences including scope, sequence and assessment during this time is laudable. I viewed super lessons with my granddaughter in grade two that included science [a bean growing / water experiment], Social Studies { a community planning with zoning project], Physical Education { a jumping lesson] and an amazing music lesson on the basics of harmony. All these with personal contact, encouragement and feedback from her teachers.

So, while we mourn the aspects of life that we have lost in this unprecedented year, we have all magically gained in terms of discovering strategies to adapt to our new situation, as well as learning new opportunities that provide the joy and fulfillment of living. Most importantly, we have been made aware of how privileged we are in the security of our retirement with our defined benefit pension and reliable national public health care.

Personally, during these “end of days”, I have developed a new affection for the cello. Google Hauser and 2Cellos. I suggested to my husband that he should take this isolation time and learn the cello so he could play it for me in his bare feet. He declined, but said he would play his guitar for me in his bedroom slippers. Well, I guess that’s something.

I wish for everyone the appreciation for the magical thinking this year has stimulated for us all.

Be safe and well. 

In Memoriam

March 2020 Joseph L. Gieni – Aweres TWP, ON

April 2020 Ruby G. Alexander – Roblin, MB Virginia D. Andrew – Melbourne, FL, USA Rosemarie Campbell – Winnipeg, MB Betty M. Ford – Winnipeg, MB Malcolm Ford – Portage la Prairie, MB Raymond W. Guenther – Winnipeg, MB Alan Gurney – Winnipeg, MB Sr. Agnes Jolicoeur – Winnipeg, MB Walter Manulak – Winnipeg, MB Edythe M. Pople – Winnipeg, MB Marvin T. Prystupa – Stonewall, MB Isabelle T. Schykulski – Winnipeg, MB Elizabeth M. Spencer – Winnipeg, MB Richard G. Sturtz – St. Andrews, MB Margaret A. Tidsbury – Portage la Prairie, MB Douglas M. Wilchowy – Winnipeg, MB Daphne E. Woods – Winnipeg, MB Dennis Wrightson – Langley, BC Gladys F. Wyatt – Mafeking, MB

Life Members April 2020 G. Kris Breckman – Winnipeg, MB Bohden Hanuschak – Winnipeg, MB Patricia Syrette – Calgary, AB May 2020 William A. Fraser – Neepawa, MB Olga Gorrie – Lac du Bonnet, MB Claire A. Lacroix – Winnipeg, MB

May 2020 Earl R. Allen – La Salle, MB Robert J. Brown – Winnipeg, MB Bonita M. Edkins – Pinawa, MB Betty M. Gingrich – Gimli, MB Matt Kawchuk – Brandon, MB Surrendra Nath – Regina, SK Leslie V. Prizeman – Winnipeg, MB Daniel A. Sernyk – Winnipeg, MB Lorraine G. Smith – Winnipeg, MB Richard S. Stepaniuk – Winnipeg, MB Imogene Williams – Seattle, WA, USA A. Sharni Willms – Winnipeg, MB Yvette A. Zemcak – Winnipeg, MB June 2020 George C. Aitkens – Winnipeg, MB Jessie Butterfield – Brandon, MB Janice L. Chance – Winnipeg, MB Carol L. Cherrey – Winnipeg, MB Wilbert T. Heather – Lorette, MB Walter Krochak – Calgary, AB Alfred Laser – Winnipeg, MB William C. March – Winnipeg, MB Rodnie V. Peppler – Winnipeg, MB

Gerard Price – Rossport, ON Anneliese Reimer – Winnipeg, MB Hilliard E. Sawchuk – Brandon, MB Thomas J. Smith – Steinbach, MB Paul Stein – Winnipeg, MB Gerald J. Stunick – Winnipeg, MB Lewis C. Taylor – Swan River, MB July 2020 William A. Adkins – Qualicum Beach, BC Maxine Geller – St. Andrews, MB Forbes R. George – Ottawa, ON Judith A. Grant – Powerview, MB George R. Hart – Winnipeg, MB Joyce E. Hay – Winnipeg, MB Edward A. Husack – Winnipeg, MB Henry G. Izatt – Chilliwack, BC Gene G. Lakusiak – Winnipeg, MB Louise A. Lane – Portage la Prairie, MB Valerie G. McKelvey – Dauphin, MB Alexander B. Paul – Dauphin, MB Dorothy G. Robillard – Regina, SK Angela E. Sherwood – Flin Flon, MB Marion J. Widlake – Winnipeg, MB

(Presented at age 90 to RTAM members)

Muriel A. Smith – Winnipeg, MB Dorothy C. White – Brandon, MB June 2020 Jerry Baltesson – Winnipeg, MB Joyce E. Hay – Winnipeg, MB Shirley D. Mitchell – Winnipeg, MB Gordon G. Sanguin – Winnipeg, MB June M. Wieler – Winnipeg, MB

Belva J. Wilson – Carman, MB Margaret C. Wilson – Winnipeg, MB Rose Windjack – West Kelowna, BC July 2020 Doris E. Backman – Winnipeg, MB M. Irene Garand – Winnipeg, MB Joyce Ellen Rich – Winnipeg, MB S. M. Wasi Rizvi – Oakville, ON

RTAM.MB.CA n 37

ACER-CART . . . continued from page 5 system that prioritizes home care for seniors and enforces regulations that govern Retirement and Long-Term care homes, emphasizing the need for patient respect, and the working conditions, training and wages of staff.

• We will continue to defend defined benefit pension plans, focusing on how the pandemic will affect pension plan funding obligations. Given the current low investment returns and the huge debt load that governments are amassing, our concern is that pension plan sponsors, including governments, will seek relief through weakening pension promises and downloading risk on seniors.

• We recognize that TOGETHER we are stronger and will have a greater impact than one group acting alone. Our Seniors’ Issues for the 2019 Federal Election Brochure which was distributed right across Canada and the 13,720 signatures that we collected in support of pension security and the withdrawal of Bill C-27 show the benefits of collective action.

• ACER-CART will seek to elevate our profile and collaborate within our Provincial Associations.

We have Executive members spread across the country and encourage Provincial Associations to regularly include reports and visits from ACERCART Directors or Executive members at your general meetings.

Many of our concerns are shared by other Associations representing other groups of active and retired members. We will continue to seek out and work with other like-minded groups such as the Canadian Health Coalition, The Canadian Teachers’ Federation and the National Association of Federal Retires using bodies such as Vibrant Voices to coordinate our efforts.

Please join us as we speak, for not just the retired educators, but for all seniors in Canada. 

NOTICES & COMING EVENTS THANK YOU, FROM DOREEN SAGE

Thank you to all who co-operated with me when my laptop was compromised. I realize that it did cause some confusion in some lives, but I do hope that that this has been a learning experience for all of us.

McCreary Homecoming August 2021

Former teachers and students of McCreary School are invited to attend a Tea at the school, the long weekend of August 2021, in the afternoon. School tours will be available.

Winnipeg Normal School Class of '54

Hold the Date: Friday, September 17, 2021, 11:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m. at Canad Inn Polo Park, Winnipeg Celebrating 67th Reunion. This will be the 12th Reunion for this class. For further information contact: Mary Starodub, Winnipeg: 204-889-6046 Morris Demkiw, Winnipeg: 204-832-5413. Also watch KIT for further information. - Mary and Morris

38 n RTAM KIT Fall 2020

Schoolmasters' Curling

The Schoolmasters Curling League was started the late ’60’s and although it started as a league for teachers, their families and school support staff, we now have lawyers, independent business people, nurses, and pharmacists who participate, in addition to teachers and retired teachers. Our league is looking for more curlers for the coming season, to avoid folding. We curl out of the Fort Rouge Curling Club at 750 Daly Street S, and draw time is 8:45 a.m. on Saturdays.

Please consider signing up for the 2020/2021 School Masters curling season. If you want to join as a team, that is great and no curling experience is necessary.

Please email Carol Dubnicoff (jandc@shaw.ca) or Barb Hodge (b_a_hodge@icloud.com) and let them know of your intentions. If there are only 2 or 3 of you, let us know and we will try to make a team for you. Thanks for your consideration and we hope you will help keep the Schoolmasters League Rocking!

K IT I S N O

W MOBILE-R

YOUR RT A

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DABLE EA

To receive your digital copy of KIT instead of a paper copy, send your e-mail address to dsage@mymts.net including your Canada post mailing address.

Not available for non-RTAM members.

Voluntary Benefits for RTAM Members. the insurance needs of the majority of retired teachers. Since 1998, we achieved this through RTAM’s sponsorship of an increasing range of voluntary insurance A variety of voluntary insurance options are available to RTAM members and their eligible dependents including: • • • •

Extended Health Care Dental Care Prestige Travel with Trip Cancellation Additional Stand Alone Trip Cancellation

• Guaranteed Issue Life Insurance • Term Life Insurance • Home Insurance

For more information please contact the plan administrator, Johnson Insurance.

1.877.989.2600 | pbservicewest@johnson.ca www.johnson.ca/rtam #100, 17203 – 103 Avenue NW, Edmonton, AB. T5S 1J4

GROUP BENEFITS

RTAM sponsors pre-retirement seminars for teachers.

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