Chapter Reports 

NEEPAWA RETIRED TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION

RTW ACTIVITY REPORT

By Wayne Hollier, President

Presenter Maxine Brown.

The Neepawa Area Retired Teachers' Association (NARTA) held its regular monthly luncheon meeting on Monday, October 16, 2012, with 26 members / spouses present.

Our guest presenter was Maxine Brown, a representative from the Manitoba Branch of the Canadian Heart and Stroke Association.

This excellent presentation covered all aspects of heart and stroke problems. This included descriptions of stroke as well as causes, symptoms and preventation and an overall presentation on how to live a healthier and longer life.

I think that all of us present came away believing that this was one of the best and most relevant presentations that we had experienced. The Canadian Heart and Stroke Association is receptive to other presentations and we highly recommend Maxine, our capable presenter.

By Doreen Pruden, President

Small is beautiful – or at least VERY interesting. The group size for tours of the Hydro Building on Portage Avenue is usually limited, so a small number of RTW members, led by Dick Marshall, benefited from an excellent visit led by a knowledgeable guide on Monday, October 29, 2012. Although some members had been concerned about Hydro’s warnings about vertigo and stairs, there was absolutely no difficulty – the view down from the 18th floor might have disconcerted some of us, but no one fled the group!

The building is like a living entity, with climate controls fully automated, but where the people working can override the computer. Fantastic natural light, excellent air quality, worker friendly lighting, comfortable, attractive lounge areas . . . many of us harked back to less than optimal conditions in our schools! Hydro is obviously a responsible corporate citizen; to mention only one detail, a very high proportion of their employees get to work by public transport. The background stories about what went into the design and construction were very interesting indeed.

As well as the building tour (which we would recommend considering for other RTAM groups), Hydro offers a tour examining the local artwork which is on display. We plan to follow up with that, and probably a repeat of the basic tour. Tourists in our own town!

OKANAGAN RTAM CHAPTER

By glenda Waugh, Secretary

Glenda Waugh, Lorna Rothwell, Lorne Lisik, Susan Forsyth, Ken Ferg (missing Roy Lycar) at our AGM in April Leo and Roy, Louise and Gary. Glenn, Ken and Lorne, the barbecue cooks.

This summer has been a busy one for RTAM Members. The annual meeting was held in April, 2012. Following a lovely lunch at Shannon Lake Golf Course, West Kelowna, the executive members for 2012-13 were elected as follows: Co-Presidents Lorna Rothwell and Lorne Lisik, VP Ken Ferg, Treasurer Roy Lycar, Secretary Glenda Waugh and Member-at-Large (photography) Susan Forsyth.

In June, a BBQ was held in West Kelowna at the home of Lorne and Susan Lisik. This event was well attended with members and friends enjoying the day, chatting, making new friends and renewing old acquaintanceships. In August, a second BBQ was held in Oyama at the home of Pete and Carol Rykszynski. We really are a chatty bunch when we get together. The food was great at both BBQs and the wine flowed freely.

Currently, a Christmas party with a re-gifting exchange is being planned for December.

Who knows what adventures 2013 holds for us?

ÉMR HOSTS A GROUP OF RETIRED ACADIANS FROM NOVA SCOTIA By Norma Lacroix-gagné

On September 20, forty-one members of the ÉMR Chapter welcomed 17 retired Acadians at our annual corn-husking event at the home of Dolorès Gosselin and Albert Lepage by the Roseau River in Stuartburn. The Acadians were touring Saint-Boniface and southern Manitoba to visit the area and meet francophones in our communities.

Victor Tétrault, their guide, was an educator here in Manitoba for many years. He has been living in Nova Scotia for twenty years and is now the general director of the National Historic Site of Grand-Pré, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site this year.

This was for us a wonderful occasion to become friends with fellow French-Canadians from the various regions of Nova Scotia and to discover family links with them.

In this wonderful ambiance of joie de vivre, we all enjoyed a truly lovely day. Our heartfelt thanks to Dolorès Gosselin and Albert Lepage, our warm and charming hosts!

To learn more about the ÉMR Chapter, you may visit our website at www.members.shaw.ca/emr. You may contact us at emr@shaw.ca

LES ÉMR REÇOIVENT UN GROUPE D’AÎNÉS ACADIENS Par Norma Lacroix-gagné

Le 20 septembre fut une merveilleuse journée de soleil et de couleurs d’automne à Stuartburn. Nous étions 58 participants à notre épluchette de blé-d’Inde annuelle, dont 41 membres ÉMR et 17 aînés acadiens en visite-tournée à Saint-Boniface et ses alentours.

Victor Tétrault, leur guide, est un ancien enseignant manitobain qui vit en Nouvelle-Écosse depuis une vingtaine d’années. Il est maintenant directeur-général du lieu historique national de Grand-Pré, qui est maintenant désigné site du patrimoine mondial de l’UNESCO.

Cette journée fut pour nous une occasion par excellence pour faire connaissance et se lier d’amitié avec ces gens venant de différentes régions de la Nouvelle-Écosse. De descendance acadienne ils ont comme nous, les francophones du Manitoba, une histoire et une culture riche et passionnante.

L’ambiance de se retrouver dans une si belle région du Manitoba et la joie de vivre qui régnaient ont fait en sorte que nous avons tous et toutes apprécié une très belle soirée. Grand merci à Dolorès Gosselin et Albert Lepage, nos hôtes chaleureux et charmants.

Pour en savoir plus au sujet des ÉMR, vous pouvez visiter notre site-web à www.members.shaw.ca/emr . Vous pouvez nous contacter à emr@shaw.ca