President's Message

It’s officially summer with the hot weather to back it up.  If you were one of the 71 members that attended our annual picnic you were treated to games and some great Portuguese food on a very warm and humid evening.  

This annual event continues to be very popular.  Thanks to Maria Bawcutt and her team for putting together another successful outing.

Last month, unfortunately, I had to miss our General Meeting so that Alan and I could represent our club at the Ajax 55+ Seniors Barbeque.  Thank you, Ada, for stepping in and leading the meeting in my absence and Alan of course for helping out. 

The barbeque event which was held indoors at the Audley Recreation Centre is a very popular event with several hundred seniors in attendance.  We had a tabletop display and met many potential new members.  It was so nice to see several of our members who stopped by after our General Meeting to show their support and say hello. It was greatly appreciated.

This month many of us are looking forward to the Best of Barnful of Broadway at Westben.  It promises to be an uplifting and entertaining afternoon. I hope to see you there.

For those partaking in Canada Day celebrations, there are several events happening across our club’s area.  There are celebrations in Pickering at the Esplanade Park, in Ajax at Ajax Downs, in Whitby at Victoria Fields and in Oshawa at Lakeview Park.

Happy Canada Day everyone!

Walter Matias
President

New Need Help Link

On our website's Home Page, you will see the following new "Need Help?" wording, icon and link

Clicking on this icon will give new members access to helpful information to get them started using our Wild Apricot platform. This will also be useful to those members who may have forgotten how to use some of our features, such as logging in, updating privacy settings, resetting your password and registering and paying for events. We may add to the available links from time to time based on feedback.

Privacy Policy

Recently implemented data privacy laws in parts of the United States as well as Canada and Europe require that organizations which collect personal information or process credit card payments from their members, customers, or website visitors must have both a privacy policy and cookie policy for their website. We are not currently using cookies on our website so we don’t include that here.

We have updated the checkout process for all transactions made through our WildApricot website. As a part of the update, you will be prompted to review and accept our Privacy Policy as per the following screen:

You can also read our Privacy Policy by Clicking Here.

Coffee

Coffee and tea are available at our General Meetings, during the break.

To satisfy everyone’s taste three types of coffee will be available, regular, dark roast and instant decaffeinated (available at the "tea" counter).

Help Wanted!

Membership Chair

Next year we will need to fill the role of Membership Chair. 

With the use of Wild Apricot, this role has changed and been made less time-consuming.  New members now register and pay on our website.

As of June, Wild Apricot automatically sends new members all the information they need to get started. It will take you a couple of hours to become familiar with the platform and like the Treasurer role, the rest comes with practice. 

Part of the role is coordinating the printing of badges for new members, recognizing them at our general meetings and presenting them with their badges.

You will also be responsible for registering our guests at our monthly General Meetings.

You would also liaise with the Executive at our monthly management meetings, update our new member totals and work closely with our Treasurer.

In total, it's probably an 8-hour commitment per month.  A basic knowledge of computers and Excel is needed.

If you like meeting new people and want to help the club, contact Bev and Dave at dwprobus.membership@gmail.com

Volunteers to Act as Greeters

Are you a people person?  If you would like to get more involved with the Club but with a limited commitment of only 45 minutes once a month, then we have a role for you!

We are looking for Greeters for our General Meetings to help our Management Team make sure that our members and guests feel welcome by being addressed personally using their names as printed on their Membership Badge or Guest Lanyard.

If you are interested in helping us fill this role, there will be a signup sheet at the Membership Desk at the next General Meeting, or you can contact us at dwprobus.membership@gmail.com 

This is an opportunity to meet some of your fellow club members on a personal level.

Bev & Dave Bicknell
Membership Co-Chair

JULY SPEAKER

PHIL CRAIG
Liberation Tours

Phil Craig is Co-Founder, Lead Historian and Master Story-Teller for Liberation Tours. He's also a professional actor with numerous credits in film, television and stage including seasons with the prestigious Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Ontario. Phil has been guiding battlefield tours for over ten years where his combination of story-telling skills, knowledge and passion for history takes you inside the battle in a way that few historians can. 

Walk in the footsteps of our Canadian soldiers, who left their mark of service and sacrifice in the pursuit of democracy and freedom. A pilgrimage to the Canadian battlefields of both WW1 and WW2 where Canada came of age as a nation and forged a reputation as the army to be called upon for some of the most difficult and challenging battles.

For more information on Phil Craig and past speakers Click here.

MEMBERSHIP

Our current membership stands at 262.

Guests may attend up to two meetings before deciding to join the Club.

New members can be identified by a blue lanyard and guests by a yellow lanyard. Please ensure that we give them a special welcome, so they get to know us.

NOTE:  If you arrive late for a meeting (after the front desk greeters have moved into the meeting room) please stop by the Membership Desk to be checked in.

Name Badges

Due to a printing issue, no new badges were distributed at the June General Meeting.  New members will receive their badges at the next General Meeting on July 11.

Our Membership Co-Chair, Beverly Bicknell, caught up with Frank Hearns at our Annual Picnic on June 19 and presented him with his membership badge.

Welcome to Frank who joined us in January of this year.

Once you receive your badge please remember to wear it at ALL PROBUS meetings and events.

Your badge is important.  It identifies you as a member and makes it easier for your fellow members to greet you and get to know you. You may know your name but others don’t! It also serves as a level of security.

Note:  We have instituted a new procedure for those members attending our monthly meetings, who are not wearing their name badge. 

If you do not have your badge you will be asked to sign in using the "No Badge" sign-in sheet at the Membership desk. 

After two instances of not having your badge, you will be asked to purchase a replacement. The cost of a replacement badge is $25.00.

Replacement badges can be obtained by asking at the membership desk or contacting us at dwprobus.membership@gmail.com.

Using Our Directory

We are asked from time to time by members if we have contact information for another member.

Everyone’s name is in the directory in the main menu bar on our website. (See image below).  However, many members haven’t updated their privacy settings, so that their e-mail address and phone number is available to other members.

Since we have removed any references to personal email addresses from our website and newsletter, everyone needs to update their profile to include, at the very least, their email address so that other members can contact them.

If you want to change your settings, you can update your Profile and Privacy settings by logging into Wild Apricot and clicking on your name (on the top right - see screenshot below).  If you need a refresher on how to update your privacy settings Click Here.

Remember – the directory is only visible to logged-in members.  The general public does not see this.

For activity leaders wishing to check if someone still has an active membership, you can simply type in their name in the search field in the directory.  You must be logged in to gain access.

If you need help with technical issues related to Wild Apricot, please add your name to the Buddy System sign-up sheet located at the Membership Desk and someone will contact you to provide assistance.  

Suggestion Box

We have a Suggestion Box located at the Membership Desk. If you have any suggestions that you feel would make our club better, please write them down and put them in the suggestion box.  This might include proposed social events or activities. We are always looking for new ideas. 

The Management Team will review any suggestions received in the suggestion box that month, at their monthly management meeting, and post a response in the following month's Newsletter.

June Suggestion

A suggestion was made at the June meeting to have decaffeinated coffee available at our General Meetings.

This was discussed at our June Management Meeting and it was decided that instant decaffeinated coffee will be available to accommodate those who must avoid caffeine.

Suggestions from prior months are saved on the Members Only page of our website.  Click here to see past suggestions..

Share the Wealth

The Share the Wealth draw at our June General Meeting was won by Alan Dryden who received $68.00

Alan is pictured here with Deidrey Francois our June Speaker, and Ada Larock (Past President).

Congratulations Alan!

SOCIAL

Please note that there are NO REFUNDS if you sign up for an event and are unable to attend. You may have someone go in your place by getting payment from them and notifying the Convenor of the event of the change, along with the name and phone number of the person replacing you.

If registration for an event is currently at capacity, please feel free to join the waitlist. If someone has already registered but subsequently finds that they can't attend, you can purchase their ticket. In this case, the event convenor will contact the first person on the waitlist. This is done on a personal basis.  Wild Apricot is not involved.

Some of our members are unable to drive but would like to participate in social events.  If you are planning on driving to an event and are willing to share your ride with someone unable to drive, please contact the event convenor and let them know.  Likewise, if you need a ride, contact the event convenor so they can match you up with a driver.

PLEASE NOTE:  Many of our members suffer from allergies. In consideration of those who suffer from an allergy to scents, we ask that you please refrain from wearing perfume or aftershave when attending PROBUS gatherings or events. 

UPCOMING EVENTS

BARNFUL OF BROADWAY (Sold Out)

Tuesday, July 23 2024

To celebrate its 25th season, Westben is presenting the very best of its best Broadway music theatre presentations, with some favourite guest artists.

After the show, you may opt to join us for dinner at the Mill Restaurant and Pub, located at Cobourg Creek golf Club, 990 Ontario Street in Cobourg at your own cost.

For those registered, tickets will be available for pickup at our next General Meeting on July 11.

Cost:  $59.00 (show only)

For more details Go to the Event

SCENIC DRIVE SCAVENGER HUNT

Wednesday, August 7, 2024

Join us for a fun scavenger hunt around Durham Region!

We need a minimum of 24 people for this event to proceed.

Form a team of four and choose a leader. Leaders will register for the event online and add the other members of their team as guests.

Please contact Ada Larock if you would like to participate but don't have a team.

One team member must have a cell phone with data.

For more details Go to the Event

LET'S GO BLUE JAYS!

September 15, 2024

Hello, Blue Jays baseball fans. 

We have secured 50 tickets for Sunday, September 15^th at 1:37 p.m. against the St. Louis Cardinals.  

Cost:  $66.00

For more details Go to the Event

PAST EVENTS

Click here for information and pictures of past events

ACTIVITY GROUPS

The PROBUS Club provides its members with the opportunity to join a wide variety of Activity groups. If you are interested in joining a group, the activity leaders are looking forward to hearing from you. Each group has a group leader and their contact information is available on the related webpage.

New Cribbage Club

There was lots of interest in creating a new Cribbage Club.  This new activity will begin in the Fall.

If you are interested in joining but have not yet contacted anyone, please contact Terri Sullivan or Roseann Blake via our directory (Members Only).

Board Games

Do you like playing board games?

We have a few people who are interested in gathering on a monthly basis to play board games starting in the fall. If you would be interested in joining this group, please send an email to Laura Lemay. Her contact information is in our directory (Members Only). 

Click on Individual Clubs below.  Clubs with updates for this month are identified with  (**)

Food & Drink

Fitness & Fun

Arts/Special Interests

See Updates from:

Breakfast Club 

Dinner is Served  **

Nibbles at Night  **

Table Talk  

See Updates from:

Billiards 

Bowling  

Indoor Golf 

Nordic Pole Walking  **

Outdoor Golf  

Wednesday Walking  ** 

See Updates from:

The Cinema Club  **

Create & Chat  **

Friendly Euchre  **

Garden Club  **

Mah Jongg  **

Marathon Bridge  

Novel Readers  

Snapped Camera Club  **

Words Worth Reading  **

IN MEMORIAM

For bereavement notices of current or previous members, please obtain permission from the family and send information to durhamwestprobus@gmail.com.  

Nancy McDonald

We sadly acknowledge the passing of Nancy McDonald.

Nancy passed away on May 23rd at Markham-Stouffville Hospital.  She is survived by her husband, Ernie, children, Charles and Heather and son-in-law Michael.

Nancy and Ernie were long-time members of the Durham West Probus Club and particularly enjoyed participating in many of the bus trips organized by Karl and Sandy Clarke.

Hope Cranston

We also mourn the passing of Hope Cranston.

Hope passed away peacefully at Fairview Lodge in Whitby on Wednesday, June 26th, 2024, at the age of 78. She was the beloved wife of Don for 22 Years. Hope will be deeply missed by her extended family, friends and members of the CWL, Whitby Curling Club ladies league, Probus Club of Durham West, and her sorority sisters.

For more information please click here. 

Bill Pyke

Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family of Bill Pyke, a Durham West Probus member and husband of member Bernice Pyke, who passed away on Friday, June 28 while on holiday in Niagara Falls. There will be no funeral, just a private family interment.

For information on events occurring in Ajax for older adults Go to Member's Corner.

Sharing Our Recipe

Shrimp Scampi Fra Diavolo

It wasn’t long ago when “The Big Guy” and I would just stop at a restaurant on our way home from an appointment or event.  Now we try to cook at home and save the restaurant visits for special occasions. This recipe for Shrimp Scampi Fra Diavolo was found on one of my favourite recipe websites www.theviewfromgreatisland.com.  Fra Diavolo means “brother devil” in Italian and “The Big Guy’s” eyes instantly glaze over with risqué visions of living on the sharp razors edge!

Serve it all with a fresh baguette, a few garnishes and a bottle of Italian red or white wine. 

Courtesy of Patricia Bolger

Go to Recipes

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