Letters to the Editor 

The camp even is protected by a solar powered electric bear fence!

Base camps are at a fairly high elevation, allowing easier access to the wilderness. Five or six hikes are offered daily of varying lengths and difficulties, ranging from easier jaunts to a nearby waterfall or lake to a strenuous scramble to a mountain lookout. Distances usually range from 5 to 25 kilometers with elevation gains between 300 and 1500 meters. Details about this year’s site and cost (about $950) will be posted on the web-site in January.

If this interests you, check the website: www.skylinehikers. ca You can also contact Rosemary McVicar who has enjoyed going to Skyline for 15 summers at ramcvicar@mts.net

PO Box 717 The Pas, MB R9A 1K7

2012 September 25

Dear Editor:

As a non-Executive member of RTAM having the temerity to make a couple of suggestions (Summer 2012 issue) for improving the operation of the RTAM AGM, I was disappointed in the response letter in the Fall issue that fancifully misrepresented my position. As I have often stated in presentations, “The AGM is the supreme authority,” otherwise why hold one? Having attended retired teacher AGMs in four other provinces, however, I am always interested in what makes theirs so successful and focused on issues that are important to retired teachers instead of having the valuable AGM time spent on wasteful wrangling over the order of agenda items and little known or understood rules of order. Our previous AGMs have adopted the RTAM By-laws and Rules of Order, so why not use them to solve this problem? I am encouraged by some acceptance of my suggestion, first made in 2006, that an independent chair for the business portion of the RTAM AGM would allow the fuller participation in debate by the President, who was elected to lead our organization. I hope the RTAM Board gives serious consideration to these ideas.

Vaughn Wadelius

To the editor:

I am a retired teacher who made a disturbing discovery this morning, which may be of relevance to some other retired teachers ,but I have limited means of distributing what I discovered. My wife and I are both retired teachers. My wife retired in 2006 from the Winnipeg School Division. At retirement, my wife was eligible to roll over her extended health coverage with ManuLife. She signed the proper documents and deductions began to be made from her TRAF pension. At that point, my wife received documentation explaining all of the coverage to which we were entitled, since she took the family coverage option. Included in the documentation were cards and brochures about the ManuAssist group travel medical insurance. We were given everything required to prove our eligibility for ManuAssist coverage. Since that time, we have travelled extensively to Europe, the CaribbeanandtheUnitedStates. We were under the impression that we had comprehensive coverage for travel medical expenses. I am aware of horror stories of ManuLife working very hard to deny benefits to claimants who erred on the medical questionnaire. Since ManuAssist is offered through ManuLife, I thought it was wise to check the ManuAssist program carefully. To my surprise, I was told our ManuLife extended health coverage did not include ManuAssist. I then contacted the Winnipeg Teachers ' Association and was told that ManuAssist was only offered to active teachers. I then was told , emphatically, that my wife would have been informed at the time of retirement that there was no ManuAssist coverage. Contrary to what I was told, we received all the ManuAssist information at the time of her retirement and received no information indicating that there was no ManuAssist coverage for retirees. I am sending this message to you because, clearly ,we were mislead in

2006. I have concern that other 2006 retirees may well have been given erroneous information on ManuAssist as no one singled out my wife to receive misinformation. Clearly, we were sent all the ManuAssist information in error. There may well be other 2006 retirees from WSD who also received ManuAssist information in error. I am sharing what I have learned. WSD retirees from 2006 and other years must check their travel medical coverage. Sincerely, Jim Feasby

La Verendrye's 50th Anniversary

By John Sushelnitsky

La Verendrye School, in Portage la Prairie, celebrated 50 years of learning on September 20, 2012. Current principal Chuck Naish said,” It was surprising and pleasant to see so many faces from the history of LVS show up. It was great!” Former staff, students and guests joined the current staff and students in the school gym for an hour and half of entertainment. The grade 2/3 choir performed “O Canada” followed by “On the Back of an Eagle.” Opening remarks were made by principal Naish, former and first principal Morris Boychuk and chairman of the school board, Preston Meier. Performances then followed by members of the Ivan Flett Memorial Dancers, Portage Vesna Dancers, the Aboriginal School of Dance, and the Prairie Steppers. Ten other students performed as well. The ceremony was closed with a fiddle performance by former student and staff, Melissa St. Goddard. Once the students were dismissed, those in attendance were offered coffee and dainties, as well as tours of the school. Naish said,” It was very nice to see the former students come back and the pride they had to see current students perform on our stage. When we invited them and when they came to school we could see the excitement. They’re just happy to be here and to be part of us again. It was nice to see that.” He added that it was definitely a stepping stone to showing students how important engagement in your community is and how they are part of the larger picture.

MANITOBA NORMAL SCHOOL CELEBRATES 58th REUNION

By Janet Farough

OnSeptember22,2012,theUkrainian Reading Association Hall in Brandon was tastefully decorated with autumn leaves and ornaments to welcome approximately 60 former students from the 1953 - 1954 class and about 30 guests. The 12 round tables had beautiful centre pieces borrowed from and set up by Vona Cochrane, a friend of our committee. Registration began at 10:30 and the room was soon abuzz with greetings and reminscing. A new chart had been made in memory of the 19 classmates who had passed away since our last reunion in 2009. This brougnt the total number of deceased to 99 since our graduation in 1954 and had a sobering effect. Matt Kawchuk took the mike at 3:00 and introduced a group of four couples who capably entertained us with a number of square dances called by Ray Ommerli of Portage la Prairie and later joined by ready dancers from the audience. More enjoyable entertainment was supplied by the "Prairie Gem," lady barbershoppers from "Women in Harmony." A delicious roast beef dinner was provided by the Ukrainian Hall and consisted of extras such as perogies, cabbage rolls and meat balls with a dessert of strawberries and whipped cream on angel food cake. Following the meal, a questionaire was presented, prizes were distributed and draws were make for two potted plants. Our photograher for the evening, Ann Hlynsky, snapped pictures of former class-mates as well as former room-mates at the residences. One highlight of our reunion was the attendance of former Premier of MB, Howard Pawley and his wife, Adele, from Windsor, ON. Howard spoke briefly about his days in residence where he was the "house captain" and his pleasure in being at our reunion. At 8:00 p.m., Harold Kuiper's band, "Trail Mix," took the stage with music and singing from both the 1950's and more recent years. At 9:00 p.m., a scrumptious birthday cake was served to those remaining and a lovely time of celebration came to a close.

The conveners for the reunion were Matt Kawachuk and Marg Cullen. They were assisted by committee members: Phyllis Gillespie, Anne West, Vera Helwer, Carole Maguire, Lois Clark, Joyce Simms and Janet Farough. Winnipeg will host the 60th reunion.