President's Message
Caroline Bacher
Dear Members,
The beautiful Fall colours no longer brighten our days. The month of November may keep some of us indoors and hopefully you have a good hobby to keep you busy during this time between seasons. I personally like to get dressed warmly and go out for a walk, no matter what the weather brings.
Though we have not been able to hold in-person meetings our Management Committee has been very busy working behind the scenes to keep you connected. The monthly meetings feature a Virtual Speaker Presentation. We have upgraded our Zoom license in order to allow more participants to take part in these meetings.
We also keep in touch with our members via the Grapevine. This newsletter contains information of interest to all. Submissions for our Grapevine from members are encouraged. In this issue there is some important information about Membership Renewal and Management Committee Openings.
Our website is there for your enjoyment and up-to-date information. Please check it regularly to find out what new photos or recipes have been submitted, see what Activities are listed and to view the Master Gardener’s tips and much more.
During this resurgence of COVID many of us could not celebrate Thanksgiving with our families. Christmas is coming and we are uncertain about how we will be able to gather. Unfortunately, our Annual Christmas Luncheon has been cancelled this year.
The situation in which we find ourselves seems like it is going to be with us for much longer than we anticipated. However, we can still connect with friends and family in different ways. We are certainly learning how to use the technology available to us whether it be Zoom, Facebook or Skype. We can still get outside and go for a walk with a friend or two. We can get together with friends who are in our “bubble”. With the snow coming, we can look forward to our winter activities such as snowshoeing and skiing.
In the meantime, I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a Happy Holiday Season. Until we can meet again, ”Keep Calm and Carry On”.
New Easy Membership Renewal
Vicki and Terry Kellar
Along with all the new options available on our BVPC web site we can soon proceed with On Line renewals and payments. This new process will make Membership renewals and payments as easy as a few clicks on your own profile and avoid the waste of paper and need for intensive handling of forms and personal cheques by our volunteers.
When you receive the renewal email on December 1st, please click on the renewal button. You will be prompted to login and then be guided through the secure payment process. If you have never logged in before, a password will also be included in the email.
With the issues related to Covid our renewal fee, as noted in last month’s newsletter, has been reduced by 50% to only $15 each. While reducing our cash flow this amount will allow us to continue to operate and to reopen for meetings and activities when permissible.
Secure credit card payments will be made by you, with no record kept by BVPC of your confidential information.
Stay tuned for an email on December 1st and please complete the renewal at that time. Reminder: This is a cheque-free process. A Help Team will be available at that time if you have any questions.
Lifetime Membership Award
The Beaver Valley Probus Club Management Team awarded Lifetime Membership to Vicki and Terry Kellar during the October monthly meeting held online. After 10 years on the Management Committee, 7 as Membership Chairs, and with Vicki also serving 3 years as VP, President, and Past-President, and Terry as Technical Advisor, the Kellars have contributed tremendously to the success of our Club.
They have organized an annual outing to the King's Wharf Theatre in Penetanguishene, and previously to DanCap Productions in North York. Vicki and Terry were also enthusiastic members of the hiking group, often acting as leaders. This photo was taken recently for their 48th Anniversary. Congratulations to the Kellars!
Speaker Recordings
We have just started recording our monthly speakers, so if you are unable to join us live via zoom, you can view the video later at your convenience!
Click on the image to see October's speaker, Norine Baron, discuss her experiences with the Stephen Lewis Foundation: Grandmothers to Grandmothers campaign. You can also go to the Beaver Valley Probus Club YouTube channel and see the other videos posted there!
Our Speaker on November 24
Linda Murphy
Hiking Home for Shelter
Although our regular, in-person meeting at the Community Center is cancelled in November due to COVID-19, Linda Murphy will give her presentation online.
You no longer have to register to join! We will send the Zoom link to all our members a couple of days before the meeting, as we now have a license for up to 200 households! (For help on how to use Zoom click here!)
The cycle of domestic abuse must be broken. Linda Murphy believed she could make a start at doing so through her backpacking and fundraising expedition: “Hiking Home for Shelter”. In 2019, Linda spent 6 months back-packing over 3,000km, through the wild and rugged mountainous terrain of the Pacific Crest Trail, from Mexico to Canada.
Completely solo for most of her journey, 58-year-old Linda ventured on this profoundly challenging trek, surviving illness, injury, and loneliness, in order to raise funds for our local shelter, My Friend’s House, and national domestic violence-prevention education programs. To date, Linda’s single-handed fundraising campaign has raised OVER $32,000!
After raising three girls, Linda, and her husband of 30 years, Gord Llewellyn, moved to Nottawa from Unionville, in 2013. Linda’s career path has continuously led her towards positions of education, motivation, and leadership. She started as a high school drama teacher in the 80’s, became a corporate communication coach in the 90’s, and since 2003, an award-winning realtor, with Royal LePage.
Linda has enjoyed volunteering with Southern Georgian Bay Association of Realtors, Trinity United Church, Collingwood G & M Hospital, Craigleith Ski Club Race Crew, and Theatre Collingwood. She looks forward every year to the Fall, when she usually plays a leading role in The Gaslight Community Theatre Tour, but her greatest love is outdoor adventures, and especially, long-distance hiking!
To view Linda’s video logs from her Hiking Home for Shelter expedition, go to: https://www.youtube.com/c/thehealthyhiker/
Questions? Please contact:
Heather Buscher (Zoom information)
Ann Parsons (speaker information)
Photo Corner
Autumn Slideshow
Vicki K provided this wonderful photo of the Blue Mountain Village. You can click on the image to see all the autumn photos sent in by our members so far in our Autumn Slideshow!
Video Corner
Forgot your Mask? "This Hour has 22 Minutes" has some ideas! This hilarious video was shared by Pat Wright. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9bPvTC4TEQ
Please keep your videos, photos & ideas coming!
(Email Heather Buscher).
Trivia Contest 
Nancy Dixon
Congratulations to the winners Gloria Thompson and Brian Fifield, who answered all the questions correctly. Honorable mention goes to Terry Kellar.
Here are the answers to the October Trivia Contest!
- What year did the Beaver Valley Probus Club begin?
A: 2001 (53% answered correctly)
- What year was the first Wimbledon held?
A: 1877 (59% answered correctly)
- What is the approximate vertical drop (in metres) of the Blue Mountain ski hills?
A: 200-220 m (44% answered correctly)
- Who is often called the father of the computer?
A: Charles Babbage (81% answered correctly with spelling errors. Also accepted Konrad Zuse and Alan Turing.)
- What part of the atom has no charge?
A: Neutrons (56% answered correctly)
- Where did the Beaver River Rat race begin?
A: Heathcote, ON (53% answered correctly)
Look out for our Holiday Trivia Contest in December!
Activity Groups Update
Winter Walkers
Nancy Dixon
The Winter Walkers group had their first walk on Wednesday, November 4th. It was a beautiful day and the highlight was seeing some alpacas. It was an enjoyable outing and we would really welcome more members joining us.
The Winter Walkers is a newly formed group, that meets every week for a relaxing stroll through a neighbourhood in Thornbury, Meaford or the Collingwood area. The walking is easy, and we are encouraging photographs for posting on our website. The plan is to meet now on Monday mornings at 9:30 for approximately an hour walk. Next week we meet in Collingwood.
Please register for the Winter Walkers Activity Group if you are interested in joining any of sessions, or contact Nancy. Notices will be sent out via email the week before, with the meeting point and additional sign-up instructions. For more information see the Winter Walkers Activity webpage.
Ski Legends
Louise Donegani
Probus Ski Legends organizing committee is meeting on a regular basis to discuss what may be offered this upcoming winter. As the Covid outbreak and Public Health guidelines are frequently changing, please check the Ski Legends website www.probusskilegends.ca for the most up to date information.
People who are currently members of Ski Legends for the 2019-2020 year will continue to receive emails as new information is available. We all hope to have a great winter of skiing and that Ski Legends can be a part of that, so stay tuned!”
The Master Gardener’s Corner
Our Master Gardener's Corner by John Hethrington, Past President, Master Gardeners of Ontario, has moved online.
Look for the Gardening Tips on our web Homepage (scroll down on the right-hand side) or click here to see what you need to be doing in your garden in November!
Remembering Mom's Clothesline:
Shared by Pat Wright
This is fun to read and quite true. We "oldies" are probably the last generation that will remember what a clothesline was. And in lots of places they are now illegal (because some suburban communities consider them “unsightly”!). It's the poem at the end that's the best!!!
THE BASIC RULES FOR CLOTHESLINES:
- You had to hang the socks by the toes... NOT the top.
- You hung pants by the BOTTOM/cuffs... NOT the waistbands.
- You had to WASH the clothesline(s) before hanging any clothes. Walk the entire length of each line with a damp cloth around the lines.
- You had to hang the clothes in a certain order, and always hang "whites" with "whites," and hang them first.
- You NEVER hung a shirt by the shoulders – always by the tail! What would the neighbours think?
- Wash day was Monday! NEVER hang clothes on the weekend, especially on Sunday, for Heaven's sake!
- Hang the sheets and towels on the OUTSIDE lines so you could hide your "unmentionables" in the middle (perverts & busybodies, you know!)
- It didn't matter if it was sub-zero weather... clothes would "freeze-dry"
- ALWAYS gather the clothes pins when taking down dry clothes! Pins left on the lines were seen as "tacky".
- If you were efficient, you would line the clothes up so that each item did not need two clothes pins but shared one of the clothes pins with the next washed item.
- Clothes off of the line and neatly folded in the clothes basket before supper time, and ready to be ironed ... IRONED??!! Well, that's a whole OTHER subject!
- Long wooden pole (clothes pole) that was used to push the clotheslines up so that longer items (sheets/pants/etc.) didn't brush the ground and get dirty.
And now a POEM...
A clothesline was a news forecast 
To neighbours passing by,
There were no secrets you could keep,
When clothes were hung to dry.
It also was a friendly link, for neighbours always knew,
If company had stopped on by to spend a night or two.
For then you'd see the "fancy sheets", and towels upon the line;
You'd see the "company table cloths" with intricate designs.
The line announced a baby's birth,
From folks who lived inside,
As brand new infant clothes were hung,
So carefully with pride!
The ages of the children could,
So readily be known,
By watching how the sizes changed,
You’d know how much they'd grown!
It also told when illness struck,
As extra sheets were hung;
Then nightclothes, and a bathrobe too,
Haphazardly were strung.
It also said, "On vacation now",
When lines hung limp and bare
It told, "We're back!" when full lines sagged,
With not an inch to spare!
New folks in town were scorned upon,
If wash was dingy and gray,
As neighbours carefully raised their brows,
And looked the other way.
But clotheslines now are of the past,
For dryers make work much less.
Now what goes on inside a home
Is anybody's guess!
I really miss that way of life,
It was a friendly sign,
When neighbours knew each other best
By what hung on the line.
BVPC Management Committee Openings
This is a great opportunity to get involved! Volunteer to be on the 2021 Management Committee, while we are waiting to gear up to full activities hopefully in the new year. The following positions are still open:
Please contact any Nominating Committee member if you have questions or would like to put your name forward.
Nominating Committee
Marion Stewart, Martin Buscher & Sandra Whitehead
Announcements
Remembrance Day:
On November 11, we observe a moment of silence to honour the courage, valour and sacrifice of the heroes who have served – and continue to serve – Canada during times of war and conflict.
In response to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, the Town of The Blue Mountains, in partnership with the Royal Canadian Beaver Valley Legion Branch 281, will be hosting virtual Remembrance Day ceremonies to honour Canada’s Veterans. The first ceremony will take place at the 229 Bruce Street Cenotaph beginning at 11:00 a.m. The second ceremony will take place at the Ravenna Cenotaph beginning at 1:00 p.m. Both ceremonies will be live-streamed to the Town of The Blue Mountains website. The Queen’s Park Ceremony of Remembrance livestream will also take place at 10:45 am.
In Memoriam
David Morgan, a founding member of BVPC passed away in October. He was a past Membership Chair with his wife Margaret, and was also our newsletter editor. He was also active in Rotary and was a past president there.
Support Group
Lynn Corrigan
Do you know of a member who needs encouragement to get through a difficult period? Please do not hesitate to call on Lynn Corrigan or any of the management team.
The Last Word
Marion Stewart, Past President
The Last Word: “Happiness is not by chance, but by choice.”
John Rohn
Grapevine Team
| Editor |
Chris Rickard |
| Photography |
Cheryl Besley |
| Distribution |
Nancy Dixon |
| Website |
Nancy Dixon
Heather Buscher |
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Please be advised that all events and activities of the Beaver Valley Probus Club are organized for the benefit and enjoyment of its Members. Individuals who participate do so at their own risk and are responsible for their own safety. |
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Beaver Valley Probus Club