Mills, Burlington Races, Bruce Park, HMCS Star Bicentennial, General Brock Was Here, and Nora Frances Henderson.

He writes a monthly herit-age column for the Hamil-ton Mountain News in which he presents new and entertaining interpreta-tions of local history.

He has received several awards for his heritage and community work includ-ing; the Canadian Forces Decoration for 30 years of service. the Corp of Com-missionaires Distinguished Service Medalthe Naval Officers Association Silver Medallion the Laura Secord Award, the Ontario Senior Achievement Award, the Governor Gen-eral's Caring Canadian Award.; the Queen's Dia-mond Jubilee Medal.; an inductee to the McMaster University Alumni Gallery

Robert James Wil-liamson was born and edu-cated in Hamilton. He re-ceived an

Honours BA Degree in Geography from McMas-ter University in 1962. He is a retired Hamilton Sec-ondary School Admin-istrator and form er Commanding Officer of H.M.C.S. Star, Hamilton's Naval Reserve. Having been appointed to the Hamilton Historical Board in 1999, and its Joint Plaquing Sub Committee in 2000, he is the longest serving member of the Board. However, his active in-volvement in the promo-tion and preservation of Hamilton's history goes back almost 25 years when he first created his popular "Hamilton Then and Now" slide programs for school children.

Having caught the atten-tion of local historians, his splendid teaching ability and commanding pres-

Www.probusclubofburlington.ca

Newsletter Probus Club of Burl ington

U pcoming

Speakers

December 8th, Christmas Gala

ence made him a natural advocate for promoting our local heritage. His speaking topics expanded to 45 Canadian heritage programs and a re-sounding 1,200 heritage presentation appear-ances. He has achieved international acclaim having presented several lectures at Ameri-can historical conferences and has been a guest speaker of the McMaster Alumni Association on several occasions.

He is an author and con-tributing author to 15 books, m any of them about ground breaking heritage subjects. Through the sale of these publica-tions, he has helped to raise $75,000.00 for herit-age projects in Hamilton. As a member of the plaqu-ing committee, he has composed the wording for 15 historic plaques: The Kings Head Inn, Gage Park, Municipal Airport, The Hamilton Psychiatric Hospital, Fernwood Park, Chedoke Hospital, The Summers Family Legacy, Rymal Family, Wilson

Three Hamilton Veterans-Then and Now

November 2015

T he next meeting of the Probus Club

of Burlington will be held on Thursday No-vember 12th, at 10:00AM at the Art Gallery of Burlington.

E xtending the hand

of welcome…

What better way to begin our morning than with a firm handshake and a friendly smile from our four greeters, Larry Dunsdon, John Arm-strong, James Walker John McCarthy, guar-antee this and will set the tone for the morning in true Probuscian style. Thanks Gentlemen.

O n the Member-

ship Desk…

For the November 12th meeting Walter Goldie and Bob Dickison will be on the membership desk .

ued in the RAF Reserves where he

received a commission. James emi-

grated to Canada in 1975 and served

in the Canadian Armed Forces Re-

serves as a Cadet Instructor.

He was employed by Digital Equip-

ment of Canada as a Field Service

Unit Manager in Toronto and Kitche-

ner and finally moved to the Head

office in Kanata. During his time in

Kanata he was assigned as projects

coordinator on the construction of

the Canada Call Centre and Repair

Depot in Hull Quebec and managed

the call centre until his retirement in

1991. After retirement James worked

for consultants assisting companies

achieve approval to ISO 9000.

James then relocated to Huntsville

Ontario and was a member of the

local Probus Club. He then took a

three year course in theological stud-

ies and served as a lay preacher in the

Presbyterian Church.

He and his wife Evelyn later moved

to Okotoks Alberta to be close to a

daughter.

Recently due to Evelyn’s health

issues they have come to Burling-

ton where they have another

Daughter. James and Evelyn have

four Daughters, two in Scotland

and two in Canada.

His personal interests are in paint-

ing, writing, fishing and cooking.

Dennis Brannan is in the hospital. Get well Dennis!

cheque book is fine, but not normal is when you don't know what the numbers mean. If you suspect de-mentia, it's important to make an appt. with your doctor as soon as possible. Early diagnosis may slow down the progression of the disease. Much of this information is shown in the six pages (just 36 images) of screen captures from the power point pro-gram she presented to us. If you did-n't get hard copies on the 15th. Email me at chambersr@cogeco.ca and I’ll bring copies for you to the next meeting, or www.acclaimhealth.ca. We've had many important speakers at our meetings and Sandi's message was another critical one for people like me in their eighth decade.

HERMANS,

Anthony

"Tony" 1929 -

2015 Passed away

suddenly on

Tuesday, October

20, 2015 at the

Joseph Brant Hospital, Burlington.

A letter of Condolence has been sent

to the family. A moment of silence in

his memory will be observed at our

November 12th Meeting.

James Walker

was born in Glas-

gow Scotland and

educated at Sir

John Stirling

Maxwell School.

He served in the

Royal Air Force

Police from 1951

to 1954 and contin-

At the October 15th meeting, our club set a modern milestone. Ever since I've been noting the looney (now tooney) bucket deposits, we've been short of the required per-person amount. This day though we exceeded it by $10.15. Perhaps it was because of our speaker’s topic -- dementia – the members were de-termined NOT to forget to show up, thus the good turnout (94), nor to forget our financial duties, so we coughed up even more than the re-quired tooney .... just about $2.11 each. And I thought we'd eliminat-ed, not decimated, the penny. So, on to dementia and yes, Alz-heimer Disease. This topic was very, well presented by Sandi Robinson, Education Coordinator for Acclaim Health in Halton. It's interesting, to me, that Acclaim was once, The Vic-torian Order of Nurses. Because, over 60 years ago a VON nurse, Mrs. Payne, cared for my grand-mother, a stroke victim. Who could forget a nurse named Payne? Guys, the good news is that there are at least three types of dementia where the symptoms can be treated and eversed. No, the bad news isn't, "You'll get the other types", but that while other types can be treated, they are NOT reversible. Sandi had more good news: forget-ting things is not all bad. It's what you forget that matters. For in-stance, forgetting where you put your car keys .... fine. Forgetting that you have a car ...... bad. She told of a fellow that had lived for years near a fire station, then one day heard a siren and asked, "What's that noise"? That, of course was also bad. Additionally, something like an oc-casional problem balancing a

Members Pages

Page 2 The Probus Club of Burlington Newsletter Www.probusclubofburl ington.ca

Meeting Review

By Bob Chambers

James Walker

New Members Members Health

Condolences

BURLINGTON PROBUS FINAL SUMMARY FROM MEMBERSHIP SURVEY

OCTOBER 2015 Executive Committee

Executive needs to spend more with general membership before meetings. A sense of cliques/closed shop is felt by some members. Executive needs to be approachable.

Timing: Immediate Meetings need to be adjusted/changed to be more effective.

Reduce business portion of meetings.

Timing: In effect Ensure that succession planning is in place, including follow-up on all members that have expressed interest in a com-mittee or the Executive.

Timing: Immediate Consider the $2 meeting fee to be included in the annual membership fee.

Timing: Review for 2016 budget Membership committee:

Conduct exit interviews with all resigned members to determine reason(s) for curtailing membership. Share results with Executive Committee. (Most recent numbers reflect 19 members resigned in 2015)

Timing: Immediate and ongoing Follow-up, along with sponsor, with all guests following the meeting they attended to determine if more information is required and their intent to join Probus.

Timing: Immediate and ongoing Develop special events to attract new members. Example - using an event like “bring a guest month”; establish new member mentorship. Timing: 2016

Shorten new member introduction by sponsor: eliminate responses from new members after introductions.

Timing: In effect Add a PR/Marketing person to Membership Committee to increase reach to community and draw more members; person to access Executive Committee for planning, reporting, etc. (similar to Auditor, Gala Chair, etc.) A Terms of Reference for this role will be developed.

Timing: 2016 Consider a Future Sustainability Sub Committee within Membership. PR/Marketing person to be included on this team (ideally as Chair) . Membership Committee would create the outline for the future of this initiative.

Timing: 2016 Investigate need and potential for member transportation to monthly meetings.

Timing: 2016 Speakers committee:

Identify potential speakers for regular meetings. Ensure the presentations will be of interest to the members and will be presented in an interesting manner prior to committing.

Timing: In effect Communicate the subject and presenter to the members in advance.

Timing: September House Committee

Parking is costly. Look at alternatives including a possible reduction from the City of Burlington. Timing: 2016

Meetings need to be more accessible, including room for walkers and the passing of microphone during question peri-od after speakers.

Timing: In effect Sport Committee

Review, consider and recommend to Executive the ideas that the membership survey provided. Timing: Immediate

Culture Committee Review, consider and recommend to Executive the ideas that the membership survey provided.

Timing: Immediate Gala Committee

Review, consider and recommend to Executive the ideas that the membership survey provided. Timing: Immediate

Members Pages

Page 3 The Probus Club of Burlington Newsletter Www.probusclubofburl ington.ca

Special Events

Page 4 The Probus Club of Burlington Newsletter Www.probusclubofburl ington.ca

Christmas Gala

Where: Royal Botanical Gardens

Date: Tuesday December 8, 2015

$60.00/person; Guests Welcome

Reserved Tables

Pre-Luncheon Cocktails (11:45– 12:30)

Doors Open for Lunch at 12:30

Buffet Lunch ( Roast Beef, Salmon, etc.)

Live Entertainment

Secure Cloak Room

Cash Bar

Tickets available November 12th, 2015

Only 200 Tickets available and they are going fast...

Computer

Interest Group

Our next meeting will be on Novem-ber 19th at 10am at Appleby Place.

Remember to send Robert your questions via email to Rob-ert.lalonde@me.com.

This month we will review 2015 Technology news.

Interest Group Activities

Page : 5 Www.probusclubofburlington.ca The Probus Club of Burlington Newsletter

Published monthly by The Probus Club of Burlington, Box 85098, Brant Plaza P.O., Burlington ON, L7R 4K3

President: Ken McCutcheon 905-632-5148 Editing & Distribution: Bob Lalonde, 905-332-1383.

Probus Bridge Club

The Monday Bridge Group

Meets every week at the Ca-

nadian Legion. Oin us for

lunch and friendly games of

bridge Starts at 12 Noon..

Hiking Group

Will see you again in

the spring

As I said last month I’m not a great

fan of Pinot Grigio but in my investi-

gation of wines of Sicily I have come

across some that are different. Last

month a pure Pinot Grigio and this

month one blended with the grape

Grillo which if one of the fine wine

grapes of Italy and adds flavours of

pineapple and melon which kick it

up a notch – at a very low price!

Cavallina Grillo Pinot Grigio – Sicily

– LCBO # 123166 - $8.15

My red find of the month is also from

Italy. It is Primitivo which is thought

to be the same grape as California

Zinfandel, ( a deep red – not the

sickly sweet white).

This is a rich chewy wine with

enough tannin to give it grip and bal-

ance. I tried it a couple of times with

pizza but it would stand up equally

well with steak. A lovely warming

Haney’s Wine Picks for November

Fall/Winter wine for the price.

Luccarelli Primitivo – Italy –

LCBO # 253856 - $10.95

Humour