December 2017 issue

THE 

VOL 42 No 4 DECEMBER 2017 

T S - D 2017

2 

RR 2, 5016 Well. Rd 29, Guelph 519.856.4622 

www.edenhousecarehome.ca 

Member of OLTCA & ORCA 

Licenced by RHRA & MOHLTC 

Better Quality Better Health 

T S - D 2017 — V. 42, N. 4

3 

The Guelph/Wellington Seniors Association 

A non-profit organization based at the 

Evergreen Seniors Community Centre 

http://www.gwsa-guelph.ca 

Webmaster — Ross Knechtel 

Directors & Officers 

Dorothe Fair — President 

Ken Chupa — Vice-President 

Jennifer Blackie — Secretary 

Wendi Hake — Interim Treasurer 

Judith Carson Doris Thornington 

Gail Moore Kerry Detlor 

Jean McClelland Tony Pellizzari 

Ross Coulter Ross Knechtel 

Nick Harris 

The Sentinel Team 

Carol Croft — Team Leader, 

Adminstrator, Printer 

Linda Green — Editor, Printer 

George Hughes, Ken Pagniez, 

— Printers 

George Smith — Delivery 

Don Hillman — Mentor 

GWSA Community Support Services Staff 

Maryanne Wilford — Manager 

Pat Gage — Administrative Assistant 

Margaret Iutzi — Move Well Co-ordinator 

Molly Roberts — Eat Well Co-ordinator 

Paula Frappier — Outreach Co-ordinator 

City Staff 

Wendy Kornelsen — Manager, 

Volunteers & Senior Services 

Kerry Schinck — Customer Services Clerk 

Jocelyn Pedersen — Recreation 

Co-ordinator — Senior Services 

Becky MacDonald — Recreation 

Co-ordinator — Volunteers 

Jocelynn Desroches — Chef 

Janice Walls, Brian Treleaven — Assistant 

Chefs 

Kim Barton—Facility Maintainer 

Lorne Wollis — Part-time 

Cleaner 

Harvinder Marjara, Farial Hashimi, Mary 

Loudoun, Juan da Silva — Evening & 

Weekend Reception 

Lynne Briggs — Acting Manager, Recreation 

Services 

All others working at the Evergreen 

Seniors Community Centre are Volunteers. 

E S C C 

A City of Guelph Recreation Facility run in 

partnership with the Community Services Department 

of the City of Guelph and the Guelph/ 

Wellington Seniors Association 

683 Woolwich St., Guelph, ON, N1H 3Y8 

Tel.: 519-823-1291 / Fax: 519-823-8972 

Hours: 8:30 am to 4:00 pm M-F 

(closed Statutory Holidays) 

Read The Sentinel on our website, 

www.gwsa-guelph.ca 

ISSN: 0383 817X 

President’s Message from Dorothe Fair 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS 

and MERRY CHRIST- 

MAS to everyone!! 

First let's reflect on 

another amazing November filled 

with Special GWSA Events. 

Nov. 2 was the Annual Volunteer 

Appreciation Dinner. We can never 

stop saying "THANK YOU" to all 

the GWSA Volunteers. This was a 

special evening to recognize the 

time and energy given every day to 

make the GWSA an incredible place 

to enjoy activities and spend time 

with friends. Did you know that 

from January 2017 to September 30, 

the GWSA Volunteers registered 

26,500 volunteer hours? An incredible 

number of dedicated hours of 

service were provided and a portion 

of those hours are devoted to helping 

the City with their programs or 

in the cafeteria. The Volunteers help 

more than many of us realize. That's 

how generous and kind our Volunteers 

are. 

I've had quite a few Members suggest 

the GWSA offer 'mini Member/ 

Volunteer drop-in' sessions throughout 

the year where GWSA volunteers 

can enjoy complimentary coffee 

and cookies and chat about 

'anything'. Tell me what you think 

about this idea. My card is at the 

front counter: email me or phone 

me. 

Nov. 6: Ken Chupa, GWSA Vice 

President, and I attended Guelph 

City Council and presented to the 

Committee of the Whole. 

Our title was "The GWSA -WHO 

WE ARE, WHAT WE DO and 

HOW WE DO". Our presentation 

was very well received by City 

Councillors. I think we've signed up 

a few more Councillors besides Phil 

Alt, James Gordon and June 

Hofland to the GWSA members list. 

Thank you to the GWSA Members 

who sat in the gallery for our 

presentation. It was great moral support. 

Nov. 10: Our very first special 

Tribute Event called "The Day Before" 

took place on Fri., Nov 10th. 

The Event focused on Honouring 

our Military Veterans, Active Military 

and Families touched by any 

Military Experience. 

The show featured the Silvertones 

Choir who sang military songs reflecting 

the time in history, songs 

like Battle Hymn of the Republic, 

Pack Up Your Troubles, The White 

Cliffs of Dover, The Maple Leaf 

Forever, and many others. 

Guest Speaker was Moe Ferris 

C.D. from the Guelph Legion. Moe 

gave a touching tribute and our 

GWSA Members, Madeline Bentley, 

Derek Cooper and Barbara 

Webster, also shared their military 

experiences. 

I'd like to give special recognition 

to our GWSA Member June Gionet 

who made the beautiful Poppy quilt 

that hangs in our hallway during the 

month of November. This incredible 

quilt was hung in the Auditorium for 

the Show and we thank June very 

much for giving us permission to 

add her quilt to the Poppy atmosphere. 

Our Silvertones singer and 

resident decorator Betty Wilson- 

McGhee did an outstanding job with 

the Auditorium decorations - the 

Military Tribute. 

I'd also like to thank the Guelph 

Legion Poppy Fund for all their support 

and involvement in presenting 

this very special show, especially 

Moe Ferris, Ken Budd and Neil 

Forbes (PIPER). The Tribute Show 

was free admission but we did collect 

donations for the Guelph Legion 

Poppy fund. 

Nov. 13 & 14: OACAO Conference 

(Older Adult Centres of Ontario). 

(Continued on page 30) 

NOTE: Disclaimer—The Sentinel and the GWSA do not necessarily agree 

with or support statements in the Sentinel made by advertisers, or submissions 

by writers. Do you like what you see here in The Sentinel? Stop by the Evergreen 

Seniors Community Centre at 683 Woolwich St. to get more! Single issues 

(or an extra copy) are available at the Front Desk at the cost of $3.00 each + HST. 


4 

Special Printing For Members 

Looking for that 

Special Unique Christmas Gift? 

The Sentinel can print a custom 2018 Calendar using 

your own photographs (14 pictures-landscape style) for 

$10.00 + HST per calendar. Email us your request or 

leave us a message in our mailbox. You can usually find 

us in the office on Monday, Wednesday, or Friday 

mornings. 

THE EDITOR’S PAGE from The Sentinel Team 

jx ãÉâÄw Ä|~x àÉ ã|á{ ÉÇx tÇw tÄÄ 

T ixÜç `xÜÜç V{Ü|áàÅtá tÇw 

T ixÜç [tÑÑç axã lxtÜ ECDK4 

DONATIONS 

To donate easily, with a credit 

card, visit our website www.gwsaguelph.ca 

and click on the 

‘Donate’ button or call: 

519-823-1291 

December 1, 2017, is the deadline for 

submissions for the 

January 2018 Sentinel. 

Email submissions to: sentinel@gwsa-guelph.ca 

or drop yours off at the Evergreen Front Desk. 

Distribution of the January issue 

is on December 21, 2017. 

Editor is not responsible for quality of submitted photos 

(but we’ll do our best). 


Evergreen Restaurant - December 2017 

5 

The Evergreen Restaurant is open to the public 

and serves a large variety of menu items that are 

available from 8:30 am to 1:00 pm, Monday to 

Friday (except holidays): 

Breakfast Foods 

Homemade Soups 

Bakery Items 

Sandwiches 

Salads 

Beverages 

The daily featured Lunch is served from 11:30 am 

to 1:00 pm and the menu is below. Take-out is 

available for your convenience. 

Our goal is to provide balanced, nutritious meals. 

We provide great quality, while keeping costs reasonable. 

The tremendous support of volunteers in 

the restaurant help us achieve this goal. 

Featured Hot Lunch 

$6.95 + tax 

Each hot lunch is served with 2 sides to ensure a 

balanced nutritional meal. 

LUNCH DELIVERED 

We offer free delivery to the following adjacent 

apartments —Riverside Gardens, Riverside Residences 

on the Park, The Driftwood, and The Diplomat, 

provided we get the order by 9:30 am the 

day the delivery is required. Please call 519-823- 

1291 x2696 to order. 

Catering 

Catering is available by special order: Hot/cold 

drinks, sweet trays, sandwiches, etc. Please have 

your order to the customer service clerk in the 

office at least 48 hours prior to your event. This 

allows staff to ensure that your catering needs will 

be met. Thank you for your co-operation in this 

matter. 

FEATURED LUNCH served 11:30 am to 1:00 pm 

All menu items available 8:30 am to 1:00 pm 

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 

Vegetarian/gluten 

free options are 

available daily. 

Please enquire 

with the Chef. 

1 

Salmon 

4 

Stuffed Chicken 

5 

Roast Pork 

6 

Veal Parmesan 

7 

Pork Chops 

8 

Liver & Onions 

or 2nd Choice 

11 

Meat Pies 

12 

Lasagna 

13 

Fish & Chips 

14 

Christmas Dinner 

(purchase tickets) 

15 

Salisbury Steak 

18 

Beef Stew 

19 

Baked Ham 

20 

Cabbage Rolls 

21 

Roast Beef 

22 

Ribs 

25 

CLOSED FOR 

CHRISTMAS 

26 

CLOSED FOR 

BOXING DAY 

27 

$5 Philly Steak 

Sandwich 

28 

$5 Western 

Sandwich 

29 

$5 BLT 

Sandwich 


6 

Volunteer Corner from Becky MacDonald 

Volunteer Appreciation 

November 2 

To be a volunteer, it takes... 

Generosity, a willingness to give 

your time to others 

Understanding, because their lives 

might be very different from your 

own 

Empathy, an ability to put yourself 

in someone else's shoes and feel 

what they must feel 

Compassion, to truly care about 

making someone else's life better 

Patience, because the process 

doesn't always go as smoothly as it 

might 

Dedication, to stick with the project 

and see it through 

You've shown these qualities and 

so much more, so thank you for all 

that you do! 

A fabulous night enjoyed by all! 

A special thanks to all the Evergreen 

staff for all your dedication, 

assistance and support with the 

planning and implementation. 

Thank you to all the city staff, 

family and friends who were able 

to join us in the celebration in honoring 

all of the wonderful volunteers. 

Thank you to you all… for 

all your continuous support, dedication 

and passion in everything 

you do. Thank You, Thank You, 

Thank You! 

Upcoming Volunteer Awards 

Ontario Volunteer Service 

Awards: This award recognizes 

volunteers for providing committed 

and dedicated service to an organization. 

Deadline for submissions: 

December 13 th 

Please fully complete the Nomination 

Form located at the front desk 

and return it to Becky in the main 

office. Those who are eligible for 

an award will be chosen. Your assistance 

and input is greatly appreciated 

with this process. If you 

have any further questions, please 

feel free to speak to Becky from 

T S - D 2017 — V. 42, N. 4 

Monday to Friday between 8:30- 

4:30. 

All Volunteers – Training and 

Orientation: Anyone new to the 

volunteer team within the last 2 

years, or who has not completed 

their AODA and training, will be 

required to register for one of the 

trainings. It is a great refresher for 

anyone, speaks to your role as a 

volunteer, policies and procedures 

and how the GWSA and City work 

together. Please speak to Becky in 

the main office for more details 

and to register. 

December 11 th -9:00-11:00 

2018 

January 15 th – 9:00-11:00 

January 15 th – 1:30-3:30 

April 4 th – 1:30-3:30 

April 12 th – 9:00-11:00 

July 10 th – 9:00-11:00 

September 27 th – 9:00-11:00 

October 3 rd – 1:30-3:30 

Reception Desk 

Registration Desk: volunteers are 

needed to assist on the front desk 

on Wednesday afternoons 12:00- 

3:45 or every other Thursday 

morning 8:45-12:15 or every other 

Friday afternoon 12:00-3:45. If 

you enjoy working with a great 

team of volunteers, providing customer 

service and working on the 

computer, please speak to Becky 

in the main office. 

AGE FRIENDLY GUELPH 

By 2031, Guelph’s population is 

projected to be 175,000 with 

57,000 people over the age of 55. 

The City’s Age Friendly Guelph 

(AFG) is recruiting volunteers in 

the following areas: 

Marketing 

Communications 

Community Outreach 

Working Group members are being 

recruited to assist with the implementation 

and hands on guiding 

of the working groups. 

For more information on how to 

become a volunteer with Age 

Friendly Guelph or any of the current 

roles with the committees, 

please speak to Becky in the main 

office. 

2018 VARIETY SHOW 

The Variety Show Committee is 

looking for volunteers who are interested 

in a joining a fabulous 

team of volunteers. 

GWSA COMMITTEES 

GWSA Governance committee is 

looking for interested candidates. 

For more details and to explore 

further please contact Becky. 

Travel Committee: Travel Club 

is looking for new members to assist 

on the committee with organizing, 

booking and hosting monthly 

trips for the GWSA members. 

GWSA Golf: The Golf Activity 

Group is looking for 10 Greeters 

to volunteer their time once a 

week in the 2018 season for a few 

hours (8:00-10:30 am). Please contact 

Becky in the main office for 

more information. 

Book Club 2: If you enjoy reading, 

organizing and leading a 

monthly discussion on the book of 

the month, this might be for you! 

A second Book Club is needed to 

accommodate all the enthusiastic 

(Continued on page 7)

7 

Program Manager, Senior Services from Wendy Kornelsen 

We are fortunate to have a very 

dedicated group of individuals 

working diligently to ensure the 

well-being of the senior population 

in Guelph. November 2nd we formally 

recognized this dedicated 

group of volunteers with an appreciation 

event. Your work truly 

makes a difference, and we are 

thankful for all you do. 

On behalf of all the staff at the 

Centre, I would like to thank all of 

our volunteers for their hard work 

and dedication. Please remember 

to be kind and show your gratitude 

to the many volunteers who give 

of their time to ensure that services 

and activities are in place for others. 

If you would like to learn 

more about volunteer opportunities 

please speak to Becky MacDonald 

at volunteer@guelph.ca. 

We have had a beautiful fall and I 

hope everyone has had a chance to 

enjoy it. Hard to believe, but 2017 

is just about over, and 2018 is fast 

approaching. As you plan your 

holiday festivities, take time to 

drop in to the Centre and enjoy 

some of the special events: 

 

 

 

The Variety Show is scheduled 

for November 30, December 1, 

and 2. All shows take place at 

1:30 pm. A dedicated committee 

of volunteers began planning 

this show over a year ago 

and have been diligently hard 

at work ever since! They have 

many new acts and some great 

skits planned. I would recommend 

you purchase your ticket 

for this show soon, before it 

sells out. 

Annual Pottery Exhibition and 

Sale takes place at Victoria 

Road Recreation Centre on 

December 2nd from 10 am to 

4 pm. This is a great time to 

browse, shop and enjoy the 

refreshments. Learn more 

about classes you might like to 

take in the new year. 

Follow this great sale up with 

some more holiday festivities 

at the Mayor’s Christmas 

Tree Lighting, Dec. 2nd, at 

City Hall, from 6-8 pm. 

 

 

 

On December 7th, get connected 

directly with the North 

Pole! Santa, Mrs. Claus and 

the reindeers are busy preparing 

for the big day, and making 

special calls. Cost to sign up 

for a call is $2.00. Money 

raised supports the Children’s 

Foundation fee assistance program. 

Christmas Dinner in the Evergreen 

Restaurant is December 

14th. Enjoy roasted turkey 

with gravy, mashed potatoes, 

vegetables and trifle. Reservations 

are now being taken for 

sittings at 11:30 am, and 12:30 

pm. You can also reserve takeout 

dinners to share with others! 

Registration for all winter programs 

is ongoing. Secure your 

spot by signing up today for a 

computer course, fitness class, 

or maybe an art class! 

Volunteers are unpaid, not because they’re worthless, but because 

they are priceless!! 

readers. For more information, 

please speak to Becky in the main 

office. 

COMMUNITY SUPPORT 

SERVICES 

Gentle Exercise Volunteers: 

Please consider volunteering with 

the Feeling Better Move Well Program. 

We are currently seeking 

volunteers to help facilitate onehour 

gentle exercise classes in the 

community. No fitness experience 

is necessary. Full training program 

provided. 

Volunteer Drivers: Help make a 

difference to support seniors who 

have trouble getting out on their 

own. The Outreach Program needs 

volunteers who are willing to use 

their own car to drive participants 

between their home and the Program. 

The commitment is one half 

day per month. 

Seniors Offering Support Telephone 

Visiting Volunteers: Help 

brighten another senior's day by 

making a telephone visiting call 

from your home to theirs. 

Scheduling and time commitment 

are flexible according to your 

availability. 

Please contact Maryanne Wilford 

at 519-837-5665 for more information 

about these volunteer opportunities. 

If you are interested in volunteering 

in any of the areas listed above 

and joining the dynamic team, 

please contact Becky MacDonald 

in the office for more information 

and to get started with your volunteering 

experience. Ph. 519-823- 

1291 Ext. 2096 or by email at 

becky.macdonald@guelph.ca 


8 

Administraon Office — 519‐837‐5696 

Happy Holidays from the staff with the 

GWSA Community Support Services. 

Wishing you all peace, health and 

happiness in 2018. 

Feeling Better Move Well Gentle Exercise: 

Join us for fun and fitness at one of our Feeling Better 

Move Well gentle exercise sites! The hour long classes 

consist of cardiovascular strength, a balance and 

muscular strength portion, followed by the stretching 

segment. The class is free, although a $2 donation is 

always gratefully accepted. 

All classes can be adapted to any fitness level and 

you can start at any time. For more information on 

class times and locations, contact Margaret at 519- 

822-1260 #2747 

Food Tasting Event: 

Please note there will not be a food tasting event this 

month in the front lobby. We'll be back in January! 

Spotlight on the Victorian Order of Nurses 

The Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) is Canada’s 

oldest health care agency, celebrating 120 years in 

2017. The not-for-profit organization that began delivering 

health care in rural communities in 1897 after 

Lady Aberdeen, then wife of the Governor General, 

identified a dangerous lack of access to doctors and 

nurses while touring rural Nova Scotia. VON began 

offering Community Services in the 1960s to further 

address fundamental needs in Canadian communities. 

Today in Guelph, VON is responsible for the delivery 

of several programs aimed at supporting seniors 

and adults living with physical disabilities. These services 

aim to enable clients to live independently in 

their homes for as long as possible. 

The Meals on Wheels program offers both hot and 

frozen meal options that are delivered to a client’s 

home. The hot meals are made fresh daily and the frozen 

meals offer a wide variety of meal options for all 

tastes. There is a small fee for the meals. 

Our Transportation service offers rides to medical 

appointments for a small fee for seniors and adults 


with disabilities. Wheelchair accessible vehicles are 

available upon request. 

SMART (Seniors Maintaining Active Roles Together) 

is a gentle exercise program that offers both 

in-home and group exercise for seniors and adults 

with physical disabilities. The group exercise classes 

are offered in various locations around Guelph for 

different abilities. 

Visit: http://www.vonsmartexercise.com/ to find a 

class near you. 

Seniors and adults with disabilities who are living 

isolated have options to increase their social contact 

through our Friendly Visiting and Telephone Reassurance 

programs. Our Friendly Visiting program offers 

a weekly social visit and the Telephone Reassurance 

program offers a safety check and friendly chat from 

a VON volunteer. The frequency of these phone calls 

is decided by the client and volunteer. 

VON’s newest program is the Senior Supportive 

Living Program. Senior Support Workers provide 

in-home services to promote independence and support 

to get you back on your feet. SSWs can assist 

temporarily with meal prep, laundry and safety 

checks, as well as refer you to formal and community 

supports. Other tasks may include assistance with the 

completion of forms, accompaniment to appointments, 

picking up emergency groceries, and providing 

urgent respite to caregivers. SSW support is intended 

to be unique to your individual needs, is completely 

free, and can be accessed simply by a phone 

call from you! 

Volunteers are the heart of VON and are depended 

on to deliver many of our services. We are always 

looking for new members of our incredible VON Volunteer. 

To access any of VON’s services, or to become 

a volunteer, please call toll free at 519-323- 

2330.

9 

THURSDAY, DEC. 14th 

Two sittings available: 

11:30 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. 

Take-out also available. 

Purchase your tickets from the front desk: 

$15+HST 


10 


Organizers of the Friday afternoon dances, Anne 

Thompson a.k.a. The Lady in Black, and Julie 

Herod a.k.a. The Ghost of an Indian Princess, 

shown here enjoying some fun times at the GWSA 

Halloween Howl Dance on Friday, October 27th.

COSY CHRISTMAS HATS 

From the GWSA Craft Group 

The Shoebox Project for Shelters will have 114 colourful 

knitted hats for Christmas boxes this year, 

thanks to the 43 knitters of Evergreen Craft Group 

who produced this windfall in less than four weeks. 

Group leader Judy Montgomery says “98% of our 

work is produced at home. Our meeting here on Fridays 

is really mainly social.” 

The crafters put in about 1200 hours a month 

(collectively), explains Judy, making the lovely knitted 

and sewn articles that appear in the Evergreen 

gift shop, the Treasure Chest. But they still have time 

to knit winter hats for Christmas boxes for shelter 

residents and the homeless. 

“We have lots of support,” smiles Judy, as she talks 

about the many non-members who donate items they 

have made or collected and indicates the overflowing 

bags of knitted goods on the crafter tables. 

The Shoebox Project for Shelters was originally 

started by four women in Toronto but has spread 

throughout Ontario and three years ago, Jennifer Ferron 

and Kara Thurston started a branch in Guelph. 

The organization aims to fill and give Christmas boxes 

to women in shelters. Jennifer points out that the 

boxes are often the only gift that sheltered women 

receive at Christmas. 

“Everyone remembers the kids,” she comments, 

“but no one remembers the women.” 

The gift boxes are filled with hats, scarves, and 

pretty accessories like makeup and jewelry as well as 

creams, toothpaste or other little niceties. They go to 

Guelph Wellington Women in Crisis Shelter and the 

Family Counseling and Support Service for Guelph 

Wellington for distribution. 

Also benefitting from the Craft Group’s knitting 

ability will be TieOneOn, the brain child of Sian 

Matway. Sian collects donated hats and scarves to tie 

on the Christmas trees placed in St. Georges Square 

in downtown Guelph each year. The items are designed 

as gifts for anyone needing a little warmth. 

Melissa Otter is Sian’s primary knitter and makes 

many of the items. 

The donation drive runs from November 13 to December 

8. Knitted items can be donated to the 

GWSA Craft Group through Judy Montgomery, 519- 

824-8047, at the Evergreen Community Centre; or to 

Jennifer and Kara, the Shoebox Project at 519-265- 

3590, guelph@shoeboxproject.com. 

11 

The picture includes members of the Guelph Wellington Seniors Association’s Craft Group and 

myself (Jennifer Ferron, Guelph-Wellington Chapter Co-ordinator for The Shoebox Project for 

Shelters), and we are posing with the 114 hats that these generous ladies made and donated to our 

Chapter. Each hat will accompany a Shoebox filled with little luxuries for women in the region who 

are either homeless or at risk. The Shoeboxes will be delivered to Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis 

and to Family Counselling & Support Services for Guelph-Wellington, and these agencies will then 

distribute them to women in need in our community. 

Picture by Ross Knechtel – Into Focus Photography Club. 


12 

EVERGREEN OPEN HOUSE — SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28 

The activity groups and clubs were well represented at the Open House. 

DARTS TEXAS HOLD ‘EM COMPUTER CLUB 

PEER LEARNING PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB SILVERTONES CHOIR 

VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION NIGHT 

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2 

There was a big turnout for this year’s Volunteer Appreciation Night. A tasty meal of beef stew, coleslaw 

and a dessert tray were enjoyed by all. The musical group, the Graytones, had lots of people up dancing and 

singing along to their tunes. All of the volunteers were acknowledged including Art and Dorothy Riley who 

have been volunteering for over 30 years. 


GWSA Groups & Activities Contact Information 

You may be required to show your up-to-date GWSA membership card at any activity. 

13 

A I T H 

Evergreen Hallway 

Ted Pritchard (519-826-6121) 

tpritcha@rogers.com 

Art Studio In 2 

Evergreen Room 2 

Ted Pritchard (519-826-6121) 

tpritcha@rogers.com 

Tuesday December 4 and 18 - 

6:30pm-9:30pm 

Wednesday December 12 and 26 – 

1:00pm-4:00pm 

B 

Eleanor Stern (519-837-2702) 

Tues. - 7:00-9:30 pm - E 

Thurs. - 9:00 am-12:00 noon - E 

Fri. - 10:00 am-12:30 pm - E 

Sun. - 1:15-3:15 pm - E 

Mon. - 1:00-4:00 pm - West End 

Wed. - 1:00-3:30 pm - West End 

B E 


Helen James (519-856-4434) 

Mondays - 6:30-9:00 pm 

Thursdays - 1:00-4:00 pm 

6-H B E 


Dot Smith (519-836-6448) 


B C 

Evergreen Board Room 

Diana Cormier (519-780-2074) 

(dianacormier@sympatico.ca) 

Last Friday of month - 1-3 pm 

B - W E L’ L 

Brian Doucet (519-837-1107) 

Mondays - 12:30-3:15 pm 

B - E 


David Pinkney (519-780-5302) 

Tuesdays - 6:45-9:15 pm 

Peter Traulsen (519-265-2376) 


I B 


Conny Budarick (519-763-6651) 

Fridays - 9:00-11:30 am 

B A G 


Ruby Brent (519-767-1954) 

(Bunka B&B) 

Wednesdays - 9:15 am-noon 

C C 

Ken Fugler (519-767-0145) 

Debbie Williams (519-820-7215) 

C C 


Dave Wurr (519-509-1032) 

Fridays - 9:30 am-noon 

C C 


Ross Knechtel (226-706-4058) 

Ken Chupa (519-829-2476) 

April, June, Sept., Nov. 

Second Monday - 7:00-9:00 pm 

C C 


Judy Montgomery (519-824-8047) 

Fridays - 8:30 am-2:00 pm 

C 


Elaine Miller (519-836-7874) 

Audrey Young 

Joy Halliburton 


D C 

Evergreen Auditorium - Stage 

Ken Orchard (519-826-9335) 

Margaret Waldron (519-836-8534) 

Wednesdays, Fridays & Saturdays 

10:00 am to 12:00 noon 

D S G 


Meet 2nd & 4th Tuesday 

9:00-10:00 am 

D 

Evergreen Dining Room 

Jean Simpson (519-822-6193) 

Every Tuesday - 1:30 pm 

E M 


Sandra Rennick (519-824-2044) 

Maureen Baird (647-519-2006) 

Mondays - 1:00-3:30 pm 

E W 


Audrey Young (519-821-7471) 

4th Wednesday monthly 

1:30-4:00 pm 

E F 


Ray Barnes (519-824-6004) 

Fridays - 1:00-4:00 pm 

G 

Ken Hills (519-836-8414) 

kenandlouisehills@yahoo.ca 

Mondays, May to September 

H I 


Sharing Information about 

HEARING 

Meet first Wed. of every month 

From October to May 

2:00-3:00 pm - it’s free 

Call Marianne at 519-822-3946 

L D 

Evergreen Auditorium 

Margaret Waldron (519-836-8534) 

Phyllis Carnochan (519-836-9415) 

Mondays - 

Beginners 9:30-10:30 am 

Intermediate 10:45-11:45 am 

(except Holidays) 


M J 


Georgia Taylor (519-265-8816) 


Instruction available 


14 

P L 


Malcolm Coutts (519-822-5789) 

Mon., Tues., Thurs. 

(times as assigned) 

I F P 


Jean McClelland (519-763-4881) 

jeanmcclelland@rogers.com 

2:30-5 pm - last Monday of every 

month - $24.00 a year 

P 

Garry Dagenais (519-823-1172) 

Neville Newman (519-400-9136) 

gwsapickleball@gmail.com 

Evergreen Centre 

Tues - 9:00 - 12:00 noon 

(all levels of play) 

Friday -12:45 - 4 pm 

West End Rec Centre 

Tues - 12:00 noon - 4:00 pm 

(advanced play) 

Thurs - 2:15 - 5:00 pm 

(all levels of play) 

Q 


Beryl Drohan (519-827-0120) 

June Gionet (519-766-7692) 

Mondays - 12:30-4:00 pm 

S 


Paul Brummer (519-265-0629) 

Linda Robinson (226-343-0426) 


S 


Jean Campbell (519-821-2695) 

Veronica Fowler (519-836-4105) 

Tues. afternoon - 1:30-3:00 pm 

Wed. afternoon - 1:30-3:00 pm 

S S S C 

Exhibition Park Arena 

Corner of Exhibition & 

Division Sts. 

Saturdays - 8:00-9:50 pm 

Sharon O’Sullivan (519-848-2084) 

S C 


Arlene McEllistrum 

(519-821-4332) 

Choir Director - Ann Sneyd 

Pianist - Mary Lynne Woods 

Fridays 1:00-3:30 pm 

S C 

Evergreen Parking Lot by 

The Enabling Garden 

Shane Hamilton, 

519-824-8001 

Cathy Densmore 

cathy.densmore@gmail.com 

Mondays from January 2018 to the 

end of March, 2018 

8:00 am car pool at Evergreen 

Centre to Blue Mountain 

6:00 pm return to Evergreen 

E S C 

Evergreen Snooker Room 

Nick Harris (519-836-4547) 

Daily - 9:00 am-4:00 pm 

Tuesday - 7:00-9:30 pm 

1st Thursday of every month 

7:00-9:30 pm 

T T 


Gordon Field (519-822-4976) 

Ursula Rodrigues (519-837-3782) 

Evergreen: Monday - 

3:30-6:30 pm 

Wednesday - 9:00 am-12:45 pm 

Saturday - 9:00 am-12:00 noon 

West End: Friday - 1:00-3:45 pm 

(WE - except July/August) 

T H-E P 


Mike Rooke (519-824-2472) 

Gord Knox (519-763-5795) 


W C 

April to October 

Brenda Langham (519-836-8366) 

Thursdays - 9:30 am-12:30 pm 

Gord Clegg (519-824-3293) 

January and February 

W P C 


Ann Peters (519-836-3554) 

1st & 5th Wed. - 12:30-4:00 pm 

3rd Wed. - 9:00 am-4:00 pm 

W E A G 

Rm 2 West End Rec Centre 

Nancy Baker (519-822-6653) 

September - June 


Membership is $20.00 

W H A G 

Rm 2 West End Rec Centre 

Ross Hamilton (519-835-9181) 

hamiltongalleries@rogers.com 

Jan. - June; Sept. - Dec. 

Thursdays - noon-4:00 pm 

Membership is $25.00 

W C 


Ross Coulter (519-821-3993) 

2nd & 4th Thursdays - 1:00 pm 

W C D 

Evergreen Front Desk 

Anton Pavlis (519-823-4289) 


GWSA Group & Activity Reports 

You may be required to show your up-to-date GWSA 

membership card at any activity. 

15 

Art in the Hall 

The Art in the Hall project is mandated 

to display good art work in the 

halls of the Evergreen Centre. The 

art for December is produced by 

Vicky LoFreda and Irene Smedley. 

If you are interested in having your 

work in a solo exhibition, or if you 

are interested in having a few pieces 

of your work as part of a group display 

at the Evergreen Centre in 

2018, contact Ted Pritchard at 519- 

826-6121 or tpritcha@rogers.com 

by the end of December, 2017. 

If you are interested in sitting on 

the Art in the Hall Committee for 

selecting art for display at the Evergreen 

Centre, and assisting with the 

hanging of the art, also contact Ted. 

Art Studio in 2 

Art Studio in 2 is an Art group 

working out of Room 2 at the Evergreen 

Centre on alternate Tuesday 

evenings from 6:30 pm until 9:30 

pm starting the first week of the 

month and on alternate Wednesday 

afternoons from 12:00 pm until 4:00 

pm starting the second week of the 

month. The artists in this club 

choose their own media to work 

with, examples of which are acrylic 

painting, Bunka, drawing, pastels, 

porcelain painting, printmaking, 

stitchery/textile arts, watercolour 

painting and others. Artists will need 

to provide all the materials they need 

to complete their work and be prepared 

to share their technique and 

insights with other artists. The membership 

in Art Studio in 2 is limited 

to 24 and yearly membership costs 

$27.00 including HST, in addition to 

the GWSA membership. If you are 

interested in joining Art Studio in 2 

for 2018, contact Ted Pritchard at 

519- 826-6121 or 

tpritcha@rogers.com in the month of 

November. 

Badminton 

Our Badminton Club welcomes all 

from beginners to experienced and 

competitive players. Join us as many 

as 6 times a week for friendly, active 

games and competition at two locations. 

We play at the West End 

Community Centre on Monday and 

Wednesday afternoons at 1:00 pm. 

At the Evergreen Centre, play is on 

Tuesday evening at 7 pm, Thursday 

at 9 am, Friday at 10 am and Sunday 

afternoons at 1:15 pm. 

We do our best to keep members 

alerted of any changes to our times. 

Racquets are available for shortterm 

loan and players require indoor 

court shoes. 

Your membership fee covers participation 

at both locations. We allow 

3 free visits to give you a 

chance to discover if you are able 

and will enjoy this very active 

sport. The yearly fee is $60.00 and 

you must have an up-to-date membership 

with GWSA to be a member 

of our club. For further information 

regarding our activities and membership, 

contact Eleanor Stern at 519- 

837-2702. 

Bid Euchre 

Come in and enjoy a friendly game 

of 4-Handed Bid Euchre, Monday 

evening from 6:30 until 9:00 pm, 

and Thursday from 1 until 4 pm. 

There will also be 6-Handed Bid 

Euchre on Thursday afternoons. 

Don’t know how to play? We will 

teach you at no charge. Come and 

enjoy a visit; we would love to meet 

some new members. Guests are always 

welcome. For information on 4 

-Handed Bid Euchre, phone Helen 

James (519-856-4434) or Dot Smith 

(519-836-6448) for 6-Handed Bid 

Euchre. 

Book Club 

Our group meets in the Boardroom 

on the last Friday of each month 

from 1:00 to 2:30 pm. 

In December, we will be having 

our annual Christmas “tea” and discussing 

Barbarian Lost: Travels in 

New China by Alexandre Trudeau. 

In January, we will be talking about 

our favourite Canadian authors. 

Monthly fee is $3.00. 

Bridge 

We invite all bridge players to come 

and join us in a friendly game of 

bridge. We play three times a week 

as follows: 

Monday at the West End in the Lions 

Lair from 12:45 until 3:15 pm. 

Tuesday at the Evergreen in Room 3 

from 6:45 pm until 9:15 pm. 

Thursday at the Evergreen in Room 

3 from 12:30 pm until 3:30 pm. 

We hope you will come out and 

have a friendly game with us; we 

will be delighted to welcome you. 

Bunka 

Bunka embroidery is created by using 

a unique combination of punch 

needle and special silk-like rayon 

thread (yarn). When completed, 

many pictures resemble delicately 

shaded paintings. In fact, the needle 

is held and operates in much the 

same manner as an artist’s brush or 

pencil. The Bunka artist uses many 

different stitch techniques in order to 

achieve the desired effect of depth 

and interest but unlike other forms 

of needle art, there are no knots to 

tie and mistakes are easily corrected. 

This group is for all skill levels and 

meets every Wednesday from 9:15 

a.m. to noon. 

Craft Group 

Our group is growing every week!! 

The ladies have made so many hats 

for the Shoe Box Project — thank 

you all! By the time you read this, 

we will have had our Craft Show — 

I hope you all came. Check out our 

store for your Christmas shopping! 

Cribbage 

If you enjoy a game of cribbage, join 

us on Tuesdays at 1:00 pm. We have 

a good time and everyone is welcome. 



16 

(Continued from page 15) 

Darts 

The High Scorers for October were: 

Marjorie S. 180; Bob McG. 140; 

Gord K. 135; Bill A. 222 out/113 

out/133; Barry A. 132; Ken O. 131; 

Barry S. 130; Kathryn W. 126; 

Audrey B. 125; Vera G. 124; Ed W. 

121; Bruce F 118; Fred L 118; Janet 

O. 118; Hester W. 117; Reno F. 

116; Stan F. 113; Len P. 111 

out/110; David W. 108; Margaret 

W. 222 out/105; Judy K. 105; Derek 

C. 105. 

Dominoes 

The Dominoes club meets every 

Tuesday at 1:30 pm in the Dining 

Room. The club will be playing 

Mexican Train. The cost is $1.50 

per visit. Please contact Jean Simpson 

519-822-6193 regarding any 

questions about the club. Come and 

have some fun. 

Golf 

The season is over for 2017. In 

2018, we will play on Mondays at 

different courses around Guelph, 

Cambridge and Kitchener/Waterloo 

from the first week in May to the 

last Monday of September. Traditionally 

we have over 300 members 

split into 3 golf groups (see below). 

For information and/or to register 

for golf, do so at the Evergreen front 

desk starting in March 2018. 

The executive of the Evergreen 

Golf Club is looking for new members 

to help organize the golf. If you 

are interested, contact Ted Pritchard 

at 519-826-6121 or Ken Hills at 519 

-836-8414. The co-ordinators for 

2018 are 18 Hole A Group, Wayne 

Vokey, 18 Hole B Group, George 

Hughes, and 9 Hole Group, David 

Halfpenny. The cost to join the Evergreen 

Golf Club for the 2018 season 

is $10.00 plus HST. Merry 

Christmas! 

Line Dancing 

Come dance with us all year long. 

Mondays: Beginners 9:30 to 10:30 

a.m. 

Intermediate: 10:45 to 11:45 a.m. 

Thursdays: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. 


(Basic line dance experience recommended 

for this class.) 

Your first three visits are free, after 

which the fee is $1.50 per visit. 

Everyone Welcome 

Line Dancing would like to thank 

those who participated in the Open 

House on October 28. Our instructors, 

Marg G., Betty C. and Kathy 

K. for guiding us through all the 

dances, and dancers, Kay M, Linda 

W., Valerie H. and Lenore R., for 

participating in our activity. Special 

thanks to Tony S. for setting up our 

sound system. Thank you for your 

support. 

Into Focus Photography Club 

The November theme for our club 

photographs was waterfalls. These 

can be good opportunities to see the 

effect of different shutter speeds and 

apertures. With a longer exposure, 

the water looks like a smooth flow. 

At a high speed, the water drops can 

be frozen in time. 

On November 10, our member 

Ross Knechtel showed a special 

slide show presentation of photographs 

our members took as they 

visited different parts of Canada. It 

was part of a Remembrance Day 

event, “The Day Before.” On November 

13 we had a special photo 

sharing session during which we 

showed some of the pictures we’ve 

taken during our field trips and vacations. 

We are a friendly group of amateur 

photographers with equipment 

ranging from mobile phones and 

point and shoot cameras to fancy 

DSLR models. We share a common 

interest in photography as a hobby 

and we learn from each other. New 

members are always welcome. 

If you are interested in joining, 

contact Jean McClelland by e-mail: 

jeanmcclelland@rogers.com. 

Pickleball 

Pickleball is a sport in which four 

players use solid paddles made of 

wood or composite materials to hit a 

perforated polymer ball over a net. 

The sport shares features of other 

racquet sports: the dimensions and 

layout of a badminton court and a 

net and rules similar to tennis, with 

a few modifications. 

This sport is for people of all ages 

who are looking for some fun, 

laughter, socialization and exercise. 

It’s easy to learn, but can be challenging 

for those with a competitive 

nature. All levels of skill invited. 

Pickleball equipment is provided. 

Shuffleboard 

Shuffleboard will continue on Tuesdays 

and Wednesdays from 1:30 to 

3:00 pm. The fees will be: 

$10.00 — September to December 

$10.00 — January to May 

$1.00 per visit for everyone for the 

summer months of June, July and 

August. We hope everyone will 

come and enjoy the day. Instruction 

is available. 

Silvertones 

The Silvertones Choir was formed 

over 37 years ago and now boasts 

over 50 members. The mixed group 

of seniors share the love of singing - 

songs old and new. They also love 

to entertain with their singing and to 

spread cheer. 

The Silvertones are now preparing 

for the CWSA’s 2017 Annual 

Christmas Variety Show which will 

be held on November 30, December 

1 and 2 at 1:30 p.m. at Evergreen. 

They will be singing: 

Always Look on the Bright Side of 

Life from Monty Python’s Spamalot 

Consider Yourself and It’s a Fine 

Life from Lionel Bart’s Oliver 

With a Little Bit of Luck from My 

Fair Lady 

Christmas in Killarney and 

Christmas Sing-a-long songs 

At this time the choir is welcoming 

new members, especially those 

with tenor or bass voices. 

For more information about joining 

the choir, please call Arlene 

McEllistrum at 519-821-4332. 

Skiing 

It costs $10.00 plus HST to join the 

Everwhite Ski Club. You register 

and pay for Downhill Skiing at the 

front desk of the Evergreen Centre. 

It helps to own a 5-7 Pass purchased 


17 

Assessment 

Callous and Corn Treatment 

Nail Trimming 

Fungal Nail Treatment 

Gi 

Cerficates 

Available 

Helping families to buy and sell since 2007. 

Contact Jackie to enquire about Riverside Residence on the 

Park — We have a waing list, so call today. 

HOMELIFE POWER REALTY INC., BROKERAGE* 


18 


from Blue Mountain. We ski every 

Monday at Blue Mountain while 

there is snow. We carpool by meeting 

at the lower Evergreen Parking 

Lot by the Enabling Garden at 8:00 

am and return to Guelph by 6:00 

pm. Merry Christmas — think 

snow! 

Contact Cathy Densmore (519) 822- 

2220, for Ski Club information. 

Evergreen Snooker Club 

The Evergreen Snooker Club is 

composed of a group of active, 

friendly players with skill levels 

covering the full spectrum from 

learner/beginner to accomplished 

player. If you are interested in 

learning the game, or have played in 

the past and want to get back into it, 

please drop by the snooker room. 

You will be assured a warm welcome 

and a place to try your hand at 

one of our three tables. The snooker 

room is open weekdays between 

9:00 am and 4:00 pm and any other 

time the Evergreen Centre may be 

open. 

The primary focus of the club is 

to have fun, build friendships and 

socialize. Your snooker skill level is 

irrelevant so don’t feel intimidated 

if you are a beginner. Prospective 

members may visit the club room up 

to three times without charge to help 

with their decision on whether to 

join. While most of the current 

members are men, there is a small 

group of women who play regularly 

(typically on Tuesday mornings) so 

ladies, don’t be shy to give it a try. 

Membership is available to all 

paid-up members of the GWSA on 

payment of the prescribed annual 

snooker activity fee. The current fee 

of $70 (plus tax) buys you access to 

the snooker room anytime it is open 

and all the snooker you care to play. 

Texas Hold’Em 

Why not come out and have fun 

with us? We are averaging about 16 

players a week and are situated in 

the Dining Room. 

We charge $1.50 per week and 

pretty well all of that goes back to 

the GWSA. We play from 6:30 to 


8:30 pm. 

Each player starts off with $500 

in real casino chips and, as we do 

not play for money, we work on a 

point system; the one with the most 

points each week is the winner. We 

play until there is only one player 

left or 8:30 pm comes, whichever 

comes first. 

We will gladly teach anyone who 

is interested in playing. Just follow 

the laughter to find us. 

We have about six ladies playing 

at present and would always welcome 

more; we do not want to become 

a men’s club! Remember, you 

have to be a member of GWSA to 

play. 

Walking Club 

Our walking club season has come 

to an end. Unfortunately we had 

some rainy mornings this year but 

had many enjoyable walks both in 

and out of Guelph. To wind up our 

season, we had a delicious pot luck 

supper on Thursday, October 19 and 

enjoyed some excellent food and 

laughter. Thanks to all the helpers 

for making it a very enjoyable evening. 

Our winter socials will be held on 

Thursdays, January 11, February 8 

and March 8, 2018 at the Evergreen 

Centre from 1:30 to 4:00 p.m. Remember 

to mark your calendars. If 

you have any questions, call Gord or 

Brenda. Have a most enjoyable 

Christmas and New Year and we 

look forward to seeing everyone in 

2018. 

Watercolour Painters Club 

The Evergreen Watercolour Painters 

Club provides an opportunity for 

watercolour painters to practice 

their hobby along with others sharing 

the same interest, while encouraging 

one another and receiving information, 

ideas and inspiration. 

While we do not offer classes or 

lessons, we welcome accomplished 

watercolour painters. There is a 

small annual membership fee and 

membership with the GWSA is required. 

We meet on the 1st and 5th 

Wednesday from 12:30 to 4:00 pm 

and 3rd Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. 

- 4:00 pm in Room 2. 

You Have Mail! 

The GWSA would like to send emails to provide information in a 

timely manner to you, our members. Here are some examples of the 

type of information we would like to distribute: 

Announcements and important or urgent notices. 

Promotions for upcoming GWSA events, such as the Variety 

Show, dances, and the AGM. 

Reminders to renew memberships. 

The Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) requires the GWSA 

to obtain your permission to send emails to you. We have a consent 

form for you to fill out. Forms are available at the information desk, 

and will also be available when you pick up your Sentinel. 

You may change your mind and revoke your consent at any time. 

Every email we send will have an unsubscribe link. 

If you do not use email, or decline to receive emails from the 

GWSA, be assured that you will continue to receive all the same 

information by other means, such as the Sentinel, posted notices, 

and regular mail.

19 


20 

Order a Garden Fresh Box of fruit and vegetables. Please pay (in advance) 

for your next order when you pick up your current order on the 

3 rd Wednesday of each month from 12:00 - 2:00 pm in the Evergreen Foyer. 

Small box of vegetables and fruit—$15.00 

Large box of vegetables and fruit—$20.00 

The Garden Fresh attempts to provide as locally fresh grown produce as possible. 

Solutions on pg. 36 


21 

SPECIAL BIRTHDAYS 

OF NOTE 

“Our Young Seniors” 

‘We’re not over the hill; we’re just gaining speed!’ 

Corcoran, Charlie - October 25 (103) 

Kelly, Carol - November 29 (75) 

Nelles, Geraldine - November 29 (86) 

SPECIAL WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES 

Langham, Bob and Brenda - December 16, 1967 

Happy 50th Anniversary 

If you have a birthday or anniversary that 

you would like to include in the Sentinel, 

please let us know the month before. 

This column is NOT done automatically. 

We DON’T have access to your 

personal information. 

We need YOUR INPUT 

to be able to keep this column going. 

Members enjoy being able to 

wish each other a Happy Birthday 

or a Happy Anniversary! 

“Passages” 

We would like to convey our condolences 

To Association Members and their Families 

Fleming, Carolyn Gale passed away on Friday, October 

6, 2017 at the age of 71. Gale was a long-time 

member of the Soprano section of the Silvertones 

Choir. 

Hume, Margaret passed away on Monday, October 

16, 2017. She was a long-time GWSA member. 

Barefoot, Herb passed away on Tuesday, October 

17, 2017, in his 78th year. Husband of Fay, brotherin-law 

of Judy & Jim Sweeney, and dear friend of 

Carol & Jim Croft. 

If you know of the passing of any GWSA member, please let 

the Sentinel know, so that we can share it with the other 

members. And please be sure to give us the correct 

information to be included. 

Thank you. 


22 

RECREATION & LEISURE PROGRAMS for SENIORS 55+ 

held at the Evergreen Seniors Community Centre 

unless otherwise indicated — call 519-823-1291. 

Your Community Guide is available at the Centre and online at www.guelph.ca. 

PLEASE REGISTER EARLY SO YOUR COURSE DOESN’T GET CANCELLED 

DUE TO LATE OR LOW REGISTRATION. (All fees are plus HST.) 

FITNESS AND HEALTH 

Ballroom Dancing 

Get up off the couch and come out 

and have some fun! In no time at 

all, you will be moving and grooving 

to jive, waltz, cha cha, merengue, 

quickstep, bachata and foxtrot 

music. Couples and singles welcome. 

Class length: 45 mins Classes:12 

Fee: $79.20 Members, 

$94.20 Non-Members 

Tue Jan 9, 11:15 a.m. 

Code: 205236 

Beginner Jazz 

Try out our new beginner adult jazz 

class; no dance experience needed. 

Classes start with a warm up, followed 

by learning basic steps and 

putting them together in combinations. 

Class length: 60 mins Classes:11 

Location: Victoria Road Rec 

Centre 



Mon Jan 15, 2 p.m. Code: 207576 

Cardio Dance 

This innovative, fun and exciting 

dance fitness class is guaranteed to 

get you moving into shape. This 

safe and effective total body 

workout is specifically designed for 

beginners and seniors. 

Class length: 60 mins Classes: 12 



Tue Jan 9, 2 p.m. Code: 205237 

Celtic Dance and Beyond 

Enjoy and learn the dances of the 

Celtic nations of Ireland, Scotland, 

Wales and Brittany. Also experience 

the dances of other countries 

which have been influenced by the 

Celtic music, rhythms and dances. 

This is a low-impact activity. No 

partners are required. 




Thu Jan 11, 9:45 a.m. 

Code: 205238 

Salsa Dancing 

Experience the fun and exciting 

world of salsa dancing! Your instructor 

will take you through the 

basic steps and choreography. A 

great way to stay in shape and aid 

in mental health for adults and seniors. 

No partner needed, just a pair 

of comfy, non-rubber soled shoes, 

and a desire to learn. 




Tue Jan 9, 7 p.m. Code: 205318 

Salsa Dancing Level 2 

Continue your salsa dancing education 

in Salsa Dancing Level 2! If you 

have the fundamentals of salsa, join 

us in building on your foundation with 

more intricate choreography and footwork. 

We will work together in developing 

your technique and musicality. 

This will enable the introduction of 

styling and its proper execution. No 

partner needed. Beginner salsa is required. 




Tue Jan 9, 7 p.m. Code: 205319 

Chair Yoga 

Chair yoga offers the same benefits 

as other yoga practices, such as increased 

flexibility, strengthening, 

proper breathing and increasing 

range of motion in the joints. Simply 

use a chair to assist with postures! 

Chair yoga is for everyone 

and especially those who may have 

limited mobility and/or are unable 

to get up and down on a yoga mat. 

Postures can be modified to meet 

students’ needs. Please bring your 

own yoga mat to class to be placed 

under your chair. 




Mon Jan 8, 1 p.m. Code: 205240 

Class cancellation: Feb 19 




Wed Jan 10, 9:15 a.m. 

Code: 205239 



Centre 



Thu Jan11, 2 p.m. Code: 207031 

Gentle Yoga 

This program is open to everyone. 

We will explore this centuries-old 

discipline which brings health and 

vitality to the body, peace to the 

mind and joy to the spirit. Ability to 

move from standing to lying on the 

floor needed. 




Thu Jan 11, 6:45 p.m. 

Code: 205279 




Fri Jan 12, 10:30 a.m. 

Code: 205278 



Centre 





23 


24 


Tue Jan 9, 2 p.m. Code: 207024 

Intro to Fitness 

This course will provide an introduction 

to fitness for all body types 

and fitness levels. The class will 

incorporate cardio, strength training, 

flexibility and stretching in a 

safe and accessible environment. 

Become familiar with all areas of 

fitness and the equipment you can 

use to have an active lifestyle. Two 

classes will take place in the fitness 

room at West End Community Centre 

so that participants learn how to 

use the equipment and become confident 

with working out on their 

own. 

Location: West End Community 

Centre 




Wed Jan 10, 9 a.m. Code: 205280 

Intro to Mindfulness Meditation 

Each class will consist of instructions 

followed by a guided meditation 

and then a period for questions. 

Participants are welcome to sit on 

chairs or on cushions. The course 

will begin with attention to posture 

and the practice of focusing awareness 

on the breath, and then move 

to include mindfulness of body, of 

thinking and of emotions. Participants 

will begin learning to notice 

the movement of mind, how it shifts 

and changes, and how to observe 

these changes skillfully. The course 

is open to everyone; however, those 

in the midst of extremely challenging 

life circumstances or experiencing 

moderate to severe depression 

might benefit more by taking the 

course at another time. 


Fee: $84 Members, 

$99 Non-Members 

Tue Jan 9, 12:45 p.m. 

Code: 205281 


Pilates 

Achieve better posture, balance, 

core strength and everyday movement 

through the exercises of Joseph 

Pilates. Pilates can benefit 

everyone and offers a refreshing 

change from the traditional types of 

exercise. Please bring a mat to the 

program. 




Wed Jan 10, 1:30 p.m. 

Code: 205306 

Qi Gong 1 (Chi Kung) 

This class is a Chinese blend of exercise, 

stretching and meditation. 

The program focuses on ‘Eighteen 

Postures for Daily Practice,’ a Qi 

Gong set that integrates East and 

West in a series of gentle exercises 

designed to maintain and enhance 

health. Adapting classical Qi Gong 

forms, this style incorporates therapeutic 

exercise, self massage and 

meditation. Qi Gong 1 class focuses 

on the core routines. Both Monday 

and Thursday classes are suitable 

for beginning or returning students. 




Mon Jan 8, 10:30 a.m. 

Code: 205307 



Centre 




Tue Jan 9, 6:15 p.m. 

Code: 207027 




Fri Jan 12, 1 p.m. Code: 207028 

Qi Gong 2 (Chi Kung) 

This class is a Chinese blend of exercise, 

stretching and meditation. 

The classes focus on ‘Eighteen Postures 

for Daily Practice,’ a Qi Gong 

set that integrates East and West in 

a series of gentle exercises designed 

to maintain and enhance health. 

Adapting classical Qi Gong forms, 

this style incorporates therapeutic 

exercise, self-massage and meditation. 

Qi Gong 2 class explores variations, 

including qigong walking. 




Thu Jan 11, 11 a.m. Code: 205308 

Stability Ball Sculpt and Fit 

Roll, balance, stretch, toss and 

catch large stability balls and small 

soft balls. This class will safely take 

you through a series of exercises, 

which will incorporate cardiovascular 

movements, muscle toning, balance, 

flexibility and co-ordination. 

Improve your posture, smile and 

have a ball! 




Wed Jan 10, 10:30 a.m. 

Code: 207693 

Strength and Balance 

This beginner class will focus on 

fall prevention, whole body movements 

and balance. It is designed to 

improve general mobility and overall 

strength to make everyday tasks 

easier. You will expect to see improvement 

in posture. The class 

presents an excellent opportunity 

for beginners to start exercising 

with an aerobic, strength and flexibility 

component. 




Wed Jan 10, 12:15 p.m. Code: 205326 

Strength and Cardio Level 1 

The beginner strength training class 

focuses on functional exercises that 

include balance, flexibility and cardiovascular 

movements. Exercises 

are performed both sitting and 

standing. Hand weights are used for 

strengthening and toning muscles. 

Join us to keep your body fit! 



Centre 



Mon Jan 15, 9:30 a.m. 

Code: 205324 


Wed Jan 17, 9:30 a.m. 


25 

1 & 2 Bedroom Units Available for Rent at 

671 Woolwich Street, Guelph 

• Clean & quiet seniors building next to the senior centre 

• Walking distance to Wal‐Mart plaza 

• Ensuite bathrooms available 

• On site laundry 

• Heat, Hydro & Parking included 

For viewings and more informaon call Michel at: 519‐400‐0297 


26 


Code: 205325 


The intermediate/advanced strength 

training class focuses on a low impact 

cardio warm up. This class performs 

functional exercises that include 

balance, flexibility and cardiovascular 

movements. Exercises are 

performed sitting and standing. A 

variety of equipment is used 

throughout the classes which may 

include bands, stability balls and 

weights of your choice. Join us to 

keep your body fit! 




Mon Jan 8, 8:55 a.m. Code: 205322 


Fri Jan 12, 8:55 a.m. Code: 205323 


Come and challenge your fitness 

level in the advanced strength training 

class. Focusing on a low impact 

cardio warm up, this class performs 

functional exercises that include 

balance, flexibility and cardiovascular 

movements. A variety of 

equipment is used throughout the 

classes which may include bands, 

stability balls and weights of your 

choice. Join us to keep your body 

fit! 




Mon Jan 8, 8 a.m. Code: 205320 


Fri Jan 12, 8 a.m. Code: 205321 

Stretch and Strengthen 

Come and learn body awareness 

through core strengthening, muscle 

toning and stretching. You will see 

improvements in your posture and 

fitness abilities. This entry-level 

fitness class will prepare to take 

your fitness to the next level. 

(Formerly Strength Training - Beginner) 




Tue Jan 9, 8:45 a.m. 


Code: 207698 

Thu Jan 11, 8:45 a.m. 

Code: 207696 

Tai Chi – All Levels 

Continue to learn the complete sequence 

of Tai Chi Ch’uan moves. 

This program is suitable for anyone 

who has completed Tai Chi Beginner 

or has had previous experience 

with a similar style of Tai Chi. 




Tue Jan 9, 9:45 a.m. 

Code: 205328 

Tai Chi Chih 

Are you having problems with 

blood pressure, balance or flexibility? 

Tai Chi Chih can help. You 

will learn 19 gentle movements that 

are rooted from one posture. These 

actions are designed to have the 

same benefits as Tai Chi. Classes 

are for all fitness levels and can be 

done seated or standing. This relaxing 

practice improves your balance, 

flexibility, mindfulness, and leads 

to better all-round health. Regular 

participation results in improved 

body strength, better sleep and 

weight loss. 



Centre 



Wed Jan 10, 2 p.m. Code: 207701 

Total Body Conditioning 

This Total Body Conditioning class 

will challenge the active 55+ individual. 

A cardio warm up will prepare 

you for a resistance training, 

balance, flexibility, core strength 

and floor workout. The benefits of 

regular exercise consisting of these 

major components will improve 

your mental, physical and emotional 

health, increase your energy level 

to be able to carry out daily tasks 

and reduce your chances of osteoporosis. 




Wed Jan 10, 8 a.m. Code: 205330 

Total Mat Class 

Join us for this class which focuses 

on core strength while engaging 

back, hips, shoulder strengthening 

exercises. Learn breathing and 

stretching techniques while exercising. 

Come lie down and workout! 


Centre 




Mon Jan 8, 9 a.m. Code: 205331 

Class cancellation: Mar 15 

COMPUTERS & 

TECHNOLOGY 

Computers – ANDROID Tablets 

During this private lesson, the instructor 

will assist you with any 

problems or concerns you have with 

your tablet! Please bring your AN- 

DROID tablet to the class. 




Mon Mar 5, 10 a.m. 

Code: 205241 

Mon Mar 5, 11 a.m. 

Code: 205242 

Computer Maintenance and Peak 

Performance 

Is your computer running slow? Got 

a lot of ‘garbage’ on your computer? 

Need to understand antivirus 

software? You can use your existing 

Windows software to clean that 

up and get peak performance to 

keep your computer running 

smoothly. 

Class length: 2 hours Classes: 3 



Wed Jan 10, 1 p.m. Code: 205249 

Computer Mentoring 

Just about everyone with a computer 

runs into problems! Don’t struggle 

when there is help available at 

these weekly mentoring sessions. 

Volunteers from the GWSA Computer 

Club are available to assist 


27 

$25.00 discount coupon 

with this ad 

Please call 519-821-6683 


28 


you with your specific problem areas. 




See the box at the bottom of this 

page for dates and codes. 

Computers – Smartphone 

Looking to purchase a smartphone? 

This course will walk you through 

options for cell phone plans, what 

types of phones are available, and 

discuss what your phone needs are. 




Mon Feb 12, 10 a.m. Code: 205265 

Computer Tablets – iPad 

This course is to help the new Apple 

iPad user navigate through the 

functions of this type of computer 

tablet. Please bring your iPad to 

class so you are ready to get started. 




Mon Jan 15, 10 a.m. Code: 205266 

Computers - Internet Basics 

Are you new to the Internet and 

want to learn more about going 

online? Would you like to better 

understand Internet jargon? Has 

using an Internet browser left you 

frustrated and confused? This workshop 

will guide you through the Internet 

basics, including how to use a 

browser, navigate websites and use 

a search engine, as well as understanding 

Internet jargon. This session 

will also help you to identify 

Internet threats and stay safe when 

online. To get the most out of this 

session, you should already know 

how to use a mouse. 




Fri Feb 2, 9:30 a.m. Code: 205247 

Computers – File Management 

Thought file management was just for 

paper files? Think again! It’s just as 

important to keep the files on your 

computer organized and up-to-date. 

Just as with paper files, the goal of 

computer file management is to ensure 

that you can find what you’re 

looking for, even if you’re looking for 

it years after its creation. This file 

management workshop will help you 

keep your files organized and accessible. 




Tue Feb 20, 1 p.m. Code: 205246 

Computers - Email Basics 

Are you new to email and want to 

learn how to better communicate with 

friends, family and even businesses? 

Do you want to learn how to better 

use your current email service? This 

workshop will teach you how to use 

an Internet-based email service to 

send and receive messages, attach 

documents and photos, as well as 

identifying and avoiding email viruses. 

If you already have an email account, 

bring your login and password, 

as there will be time to practice and to 

have your questions answered. To get 

the most out of this session, you 

should know how to use a mouse. 




Fri Mar 2, 9:30 a.m. Code: 205244 

Computers - Let’s Get Started 

This entry level course is for those 

who would like to try computing at its 

most basic level. Your instructor will 

give hands on experience while learning 

at your own speed. 




Tue Jan 16, 1 p.m. Code: 205248 

Microsoft Office – Word 

With Microsoft Word, you can create 

fantastic cards, flyers, meeting 

minutes, newsletters - basically, any 

kind of document. It’s not just for typing 

letters anymore! Come learn the 

basics of this fabulous program and 

how templates can give you a head 

start on all your projects. This is for 

Windows. 




Fri Mar 9, 9 a.m. Code: 205263 


COMPUTER MENTORING 

All computer mentoring sessions are held on Monday afternoons from 1-3 pm for $3.00 for Members 

and $5.00 for Non-Members. 

Participants pay in advance at the registration desk. 

** The Computer Lab is open all day for member use as long as there isn’t a scheduled class using it. ** 

Computer Free Time: 

Every Wednesday morning 

from 9:30-11:30 am, 

and Friday afternoon 

from 1:00-3:00 pm, 

open to all members of the 

GWSA 

free of charge. 

DATE CODE DATE CODE 

Dec 4 205156 Jan 8 205250 

Dec 11 205157 Jan 15 205255 

Dec 18 205158 Jan 22 205253 

DATE 

Jan 29 

Feb 5 

Feb 12 

CODE 

205259 

205251 

205258 


29 


GENERAL INTEREST 

Cooking - A Taste of Greece 

Opa! Learn how to cook an authentic 

Greek dinner including chicken and 

pork souvlaki, tzatziki and Greek salad. 

Please bring containers for any 

possible leftovers and a water bottle. 

Class length: 2.5 hours Classes: 1 

Fee: $35 Members, 

$45 Non-Members 

Tue Feb 27, 6:30 p.m. Code: 205267 

Transit Talks 

Want to learn about Guelph’s transit 

system? Join us to learn about the options 

for public transit in Guelph. 


Fee: No cost 

Tue Feb 27, 9:30 a.m. Code: 205282 

Peer Learning - Great World 

Events and Discoveries 

Join us in a round table discussion 

of some of the great events and discoveries 

that have opened up our 

minds to the mysteries of our planet, 

the limits of human endurance 

and the advancements in science 

over the centuries. 




Mon Jan 8, 9:30 a.m. 

Code: 207335 

No class: Jan 15, Feb 19 

Peer Learning - Current Events 

If current events, whether they be 

local, national or international, interest 

you and you’d like to share 

and discuss your views with others 

of like mind, come and join us. We 

get together once a week and explore 

what’s happening in today’s 

world—politics, science, the economy 

or the arts. 




Tue Jan 9, 1:30 p.m. 

Code: 207336 

No class: Jan 16 

Peer Learning - 

New Technologies 

Let’s discuss amazing new developments 

in medicine, weaponry, cars, 

green technology, astronomy, artificial 

intelligence, communications, 

agriculture — you name it. How are 

they changing our world? 




Thu Jan 11, 9:30 a.m. 

Code: 207337 

No class: Jan 18 

Photography – Camera Basics 

This course looks at the most common 

features found on digital cameras. 

Topics include using the camera’s 

menus and modes to take better pictures, 

downloading pictures onto your 

computer, and organizing them into 

folders and albums. 

Class length: 2-1/2 hours Classes: 1 



Fri Jan 19, 9 a.m. Code: 205298 

Location: Victoria Road Rec Centre 

Tue Mar 20, 6 p.m. Code: 207032 

Photography – 

Photography Subjects 

Let’s make your photos wonderful! 

Use photo editing software to alter 

photos, brighten and darken, crop, 

remove red eye, etc. Add captions and 

special effects. Learn how to change a 

picture’s file size before emailing or 

uploading to a website. 




Fri Feb 9, 9 a.m. Code: 205299 

Photography – Software 

Let’s learn how to use your computer 

software. This workshop will cover 

how to understand your computer and 

use the applications with your camera. 

A variety of software may be discussed. 




Fri Jan 26, 9 a.m. Code: 205300 

Piano Lessons 

Have you always wanted to learn 

piano? Haven’t played for a while 

and would like some instruction? 

All levels of learners are welcome 

to take lessons in a 10-week session, 

1/2-hour private lessons each 

week. 




Wed Jan 10, 12 noon 

Code: 205305 

Wed Jan 10, 12:30 p.m. 

Code: 205303 

Wed Jan 10, 1:15 p.m. 

Code: 205301 

Wed Jan 10, 1:45 p.m. 

Code: 205302 

Wed Jan 10, 2:30 p.m. 

Code: 205304 

VISUAL AND CREATIVE 

ARTS 

Acrylic Painting 

Join us for informative lessons in 

painting with acrylics. Stroke types, 

techniques and form will be the focus 

of this hands-on class. Be inspired, 

have an open mind and create 

your masterpiece with this form 

of art. This class is intended for individuals 

with some previous painting 

experience. 




Thu Jan 11, 9 a.m. Code: 205230 

Class cancellations: Feb 1 & 

March 1 

Fundamentals of Drawing 

This course is ideal for the beginner, 

or those who may be taking 

other painting courses and need a 

refresher course to hone their skills. 

Participants will be introduced to 

exercises in drawing from observation 

and the creation of threedimensional 

effects through the use 

of light and shade and perspective. 

Tips and tech-niques for drawing 

accurately will be introduced with 

still life and people as the main subject 

matter for this course. Materials 

for this course will be discussed in 

the first lesson. 




30 




Tue Jan 30, 10:15 a.m. 

Code: 205231 

Expressive Arts 

This class is focused on drawing 

and painting. Suited to all artistic 

levels, this course will appeal to 

those interested in non-traditional 

art, but the principles learned can 

also apply to representational work. 

Instruction is process oriented to 

guide you away from being attached 

to outcome, break through 

creative barriers, and move toward 

developing your own unique style 

of self-expression. Exploration and 

experimentation are key, but drawing 

exercises to help train the eye, 

are also incorporated to strengthen 

drawing skills. 




Tue Jan 9, 1 p.m. Code: 207578 

Intermediate Pastels 

This pastel course is a continuation of 

the Beginning Pastels course. The 

course will focus on understanding 

value, colour connections, and various 

types of composition to enhance 

the mood or feeling that the student is 

attempting to convey in the piece. The 

student will have the choice to work 

from their own personal photo references 

or from still life set up in the 

classroom. There will be lots of individual 

attention to each student at his/ 

her level. 

Class length: 2.5 hours Classes: 8 



Thur Jan 11, 1:00 p.m. Code: 207275 

Portrait Drawing and Painting 

This class is structured to develop 

and nurture the student's aesthetic 

vision concerning painting portraits. 

Students will learn basic 

structure and proportions of cranial 

and facial parts of a head and the 

first steps in art of painting portrait. 

They will learn to incorporate light, 

shadow (tone) and colour to make 

portraits alive. Students will also 

paint their self-portraits. The selfportraits 

will employ subjective 

approach. Students will be encouraged 

to value not only resemblance 

but also an expressive content. The 

class is open to both methods: 

working from a model and photographs. 



Centre 



Wed Jan 10, 1 p.m. Code: 207383 

Watercolours 

This watercolours class is for all 

levels of painters. The instructor 

will work with participants on an 

individual basis or in small groups 

of similar interest or skill. 




Mon Jan 8, 9 a.m. Code: 205234 


Did you know that you can 

purchase your Guelph transit 

tickets and monthly passes at the 

Evergreen Seniors Community 

Centre? Tickets are also available 

at all City recreation centres and at 

ServiceGuelph at City Hall. 


GWSA Board of Directors Jennifer Blackie and Nick 

Harris attended and brought back new ideas from across 

the province to share with the Board. 

Nov. 17: We celebrated the 100Year Old 

Club. On Friday, November 17 at 12 noon, the "100 Year 

Old" Club sign, Charlie Corcoran who is 103 years old 

and others in the 100 + Club were honoured. 

Nov. 19: Santa Claus Parade in downtown Guelph. The 

GWSA had a float in the parade and we were delighted 

with the GWSA Members who joined us. Special thanks 

to Darlene Pembleton and Ross Coulter who got us organized 

and to members from the Silvertones Choir and 

different Activity Groups who participated. 

Nov. 30, December 1 and 2: Variety Show, what an incredible 

performance. Every year I think it's the best but 

this year was superb. There will be terrific pictures and a 

special article written by Ross Coulter in the next issue. 

Special thanks to the Variety Show committee who did 


an outstanding job with all the details involved with producing 

an entertainment show that runs for 3 consecutive 

days. Thank you Ann Sneyd, Russ Milner, Barry Scutt 

and John Snowden. 

Special applause to the ushers, decorators, sound, lighting, 

parking people and the many Santa Helpers who 

made the Show happen. Please plan to attend next year, 

you will never be disappointed. 

DOROTHE'S DECEMBER MESSAGE 

Whether you decorate a tree, bake Christmas cookies, 

partake in grog, over-indulge with turkey and mashed 

potatoes, sing carols, light candles or watch countless 

hours of White Christmas, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, 

Wonderful Life or a Christmas Carol — always remember 

that YOU are thought of with great warmth and 

affection by ME and all the GWSA Members. 

Take care and see you next year, 2018. 

Merry Christmas, 

Dorothe

Molly in a Bag – Xmas 1948! 

by Ross Coulter 

Unlike today when the Christmas hype starts sometime 

mid-October, lining up alongside that already 

long in place promoting Halloween, the simpler days 

of the late nineteen forties saw no such activity until 

the second week of December. At least that’s what I 

recall because my birthday the first week of December 

took precedence over anything else. 

In December 1948, having just celebrated my 9 th 

birthday, Christmas was now looming just weeks 

away. World peace had only been in place for three 

years but the conflagration of WWII was still large in 

people’s minds. My grandfather had died the previous 

year, accidentally drowning somewhere in the St. 

Lawrence while on a shakedown cruise of a Corvette 

mine sweeper built in the Collingwood ship yards. 

Despite this loss, my grandmother, a resilient and 

determined old gal having raised 7 children to adulthood 

predominantly on her own, decided she wanted 

family around her to celebrate Christmas, and so it 

came to pass. 

My mother, father, sister and I, all my aunts, uncles, 

and cousins, along with two Brit boarders she 

had taken in, were in attendance. Some gifts were 

exchanged during the course of events, but the primary 

focus was on my father’s gift for my mother, 

which was the last to be given. There seemed to be 

great anticipation for this gift giving as everyone apparently 

knew what was to transpire. As my father 

momentarily disappeared to retrieve the gift from its 

hiding place, my mother was seated, a bit confused 

as everyone gathered around her. My father reappeared 

carrying a large brown paper bag and plunked 

it on my mother’s lap. Something in the bag moved 

and my mother dropped it to the floor with a look of 

horror on her face. Those gathered around began to 

A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER 

by Dr. Nadezda Rajcan 

It was a tradition in our family to have a Christmas 

tree decorated in accordance with our budget. 

After the Second World War, we were all poor in 

Yugoslavia. The Christmas tree was small: we could 

only put a few pieces of cotton wool and several pine 

cones on the branches. If we had some candies 

wrapped in colourful paper, it was a luxury. 

Our standard of living improved and I was able to 

decorate the Christmas tree for my little children with 

flashy baubles and the other usual things, including 

candles. 

One Christmas, after we lit the candles, some 

branches caught on fire; the fire spread to nearby curtains. 

laugh and oohed and aahed as a 

little puppy with soft, black, curly 

fur slowly crawled out of the bag. 

Everyone but my mother, sister 

and I had known in advance what 

the gift was and were anxious to see 

the reaction. 

It was well known that my mother had a fear of 

dogs and this was my father’s way of helping her to 

overcome it, he having been raised with a dog. Who 

could not fall in love with a cute little puppy. Only a 

few moments passed before she had it up in her arms 

cuddling it while trying to avoid its attempts to lick 

her face. It was by far the gift that drew the most attention 

that Christmas. 

As we settled in back home with a new member of 

the family, naming the pup was next in order. While 

my grandfather had been born and raised in Scotland, 

his father, my great grandfather, had been born in 

Ireland, emigrating to Scotland during the potato 

famine. The pup was a purebred Kerry Blue Terrier, 

the breed originating in Ireland, so the christening 

was a no brainer. An Irish name it would be! Our 

new family member became known around the house 

as Molly Malone, or simply Molly in the neighbourhood 

as she endeared herself to all who met her. 

Molly was certainly the antidote to overcoming my 

mother’s fear as on Molly’s eventual demise my 

mother could not do without canine company. As a 

result, in ensuing years, as I grew from young boy to 

teenager to manhood, several other dogs became 

family pets each in their turn, an Irish Terrier mix, a 

Yorkshire Terrier, a Toy Poodle and two Poms. My 

mother lavished love and attention on all equally, but 

Molly Malone and Christmas 1948 were never forgotten. 

Molly and her rather strange entry into the 

family will be forever memorialized. 

My husband was not at home and we were in a 

panic, running to the kitchen to get water to put on 

the fire. 

I must admit that two preschool kids were more 

efficient extinguishers than me. 

Although we succeeded in playing the role of fire 

fighters, that Christmas was one of the saddest to remember. 

I never again used candles to decorate a 

Christmas tree. 

31 


32 

CHRISTMAS EVE ON THE FARM 

by Gladys Robson 

On the last day of school before the Christmas holidays, 

my brother Shawn and I were as excited as the 

school bus dropped us at the end of our lane. We ran 

up to the house where Mom was baking biscuits. 

Dad was out in the shed making sure the tractor with 

the snow blower on it was in working order. The 

weather report on the radio said that a huge snow 

storm would be moving in on Christmas day. 

After supper we all jumped in the car to drive 

down the road to St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church 

for the Christmas Eve Service. The candles glowed 

in the darkened sanctuary as we sang Christmas carols 

and listened to the story of how Jesus was born in 

a stable in Bethlehem. On the way out of the church, 

Merry Christmas wishes could be heard ringing in 

the crisp night air. 

At home, we plugged in the Christmas tree lights 

while we opened the one present Mom and Dad allowed 

us to open. Oh no, pajamas which Mom had 

made for us. We wanted to open more but reluctantly 

we went off to bed. 

During the night, I felt someone shaking my arm. 

Shawn said, “Let’s go down and open the rest of our 

presents”. I didn’t need much coaching. While our 

parents slept, we opened all our presents. It was a 

magical night for us. We played with all the toys until 

morning. When our parents got up, they were disappointed 

in us. They had missed all the fun. 

After breakfast, we went out to the barn to do the 

chores. In the barn we found a Christmas tree decorated 

with mitts, hats and homemade scarves. 

It was then that Shawn and I realized what wonderful 

parents we had and that they truly loved us. Christmas 

is all about sharing. We decided right then and 

there that from now on when we opened our gifts, 

everyone will participate in the fun. 

Unfortunately our parents are no longer with us. 

But we still continued the traditions we enjoyed as 

children. Opening our presents together on Christmas 

morning, and then going out to the barn to see what 

has been left on the Christmas tree. 

TIS THE SEASON 

by Julie Jane Dowdle 

Christmas bells ring out loud and clear 

Spreading joy, love, happiness and good cheer. 

Away with the Thanksgiving decorations, 

And straight into another season of jubilations! 

But wait….We can’t get too excited yet, 

It’s not even the middle of November! 

Let’s put the whole concept on hold, 

Til at least the middle of a wintry December! 

We may do some shopping here and there 

But our hearts aren’t quite in it yet. 

This commercial push is just too soon, 

By December we should be all set. 

Finally…. out comes the tree and all the 

decorations… 

Fancy ornaments, baubles, and brightly-coloured 

lights. 

We become enveloped in good spirits and cozy 

sensations, 

Wrapped in the warmth of such pleasurable sights. 

Pretty soon we’re listening to 

Christmas music…. 

Carols and old standards all the 

day long. 

We find our excitement brewing 

and growing, 

And soon we’re loudly singing along. 

The Christmas gifts are all bought and wrapped…. 

Taking pride of place under the sparkling tree… 

Glowing in papers of red, green, silver and gold…. 

The best display ever – we all agree. 

And now for some final touches we plan – 

The baking of cakes, cookies, sausage rolls and 

mince pies – 

The crowning glory of the Christmas table – 

A marvelous feast for our eyes. 

We gather round on this joyous Christmas Day – 

Safe, secure, loved and so blessed, 

And give thanks for all our good fortune, 

To this we toast, and best wishes are expressed. 

Winter greenery and holly adorns the porch… 

A pinecone wreath graces the front door. 

It all looks so perfect, and yet 

We can’t resist adding just a little bit more. 


CHRISTMAS IN MAUI 

by Sandra Millar 

It was almost noon. Little David was already down 

for his afternoon nap. Dave and I had booked a flight 

to Maui for December 23 rd . It took our last cent but it 

appealed to us as sort of an adventure. What did we 

know? We were just a couple of twenty year olds. 

The day had finally arrived. Life was good. Here I 

was looking down into the eyes of our beautiful baby. 

I had to take a second to pause, as it was one of 

those rare moments you feel when joy envelopes 

your entire body. 

After enduring all the usual discomforts of a flight 

with babe in arms, we proceeded to rent a car, and 

finally reached our destination. It was just your typical 

rental cottage; standard veranda, small deck and 

an old black barbecue off to one side. However, what 

raised our curiosity the most was what lay beyond the 

front door. 

Dave reached for the keys. As the lock sprung open 

and the door flung wide, both our mouths fell wide 

open. I could not help but let out a tiny gasp. Dave 

was speechless. There were beer cans everywhere 

and half eaten pizza slices mottled the filthy linoleum 

floor. To make matters worse, a pair of women’s underwear 

lay on the floor in one of the two bedrooms. 

Clearly a party had taken place just hours before and 

no one had bothered to check the place out. 

What were we to do? I surveyed the situation and I 

realized in no short order, this was going to be my 

job. After all, it was still the sixties. 

I started with the women’s underwear. That had to 

go. Dave went out to check on the condition of the 

barbecue; suppertime was soon approaching. Little 

Dave was placed in an old high chair in the corner of 

the kitchen, but he continuously squirmed as the tension 

in the air had now affected all of us. 

Sometime later, I heard Dave calling me to the veranda. 

When I approached, he pointed to the water 

out front and zeroed in on a small waterspout about 

halfway down the lake. He told me not to worry as 

phenomenon like this were common here. 

It was certainly an interesting point but not unmatched 

by the splendour of the Maui countryside: 

magnificent flowers, intriguing cottages, and glorious 

palm trees. Boats of every size and colour rested dutifully 

on the shore. A sense of wonder briefly captured 

my eyes, but work was calling. 

On my way back into our “house of misery”, I noticed 

a nest of tiny birds on a branch overhanging the 

deck. I was confident that good old mom was nearby, 

so I left them untouched. Anyway, it was time for 

little David to nap once again as he was only a few 

months old, and definitely cranky. 

Not an hour had passed, with steaks now sizzling 

on the grill, that I heard Dave once again calling to 

me, this time with urgency in his voice. I rushed to 

his side, where he pointed to the waterspout. I surveyed 

the waters. There it was, only now it had tripled 

in size. As we both stared in disbelief, thrashing 

waves began circling the spout and I could hear the 

boats crashing rhythmically into one another like angry 

tribal drums. 

It was all so sudden. The skies darkened and 

opened up almost before our eyes. We both dashed 

into the security of the cottage while I managed to 

reach for the nest on the way. There was no time to 

lose. Little David was all alone now sleeping in the 

back bedroom: but it was too late. The entire front of 

the cottage snapped in two like a twig; me in the 

kitchen, Dave in the living room. A gaping hole in 

the floor lay between us. 

We glared at each other, shaking in disbelief. I 

grabbed a cupboard handle to regain my balance as 

the baby birds came toppling off the fridge and into 

my arms. I yelled to Dave to get little David as the 

floor had now split, barring me from the back hall. 

Dave crawled his way out through the living room 

window, as the front door was now covered in debris. 

I waited anxiously clinging to the baby birds as Dave 

headed off to rescue our infant son. 

I cautiously clambered over sharp nails and slivery 

boards when I suddenly noticed a change. Everything 

was silent. It was over. I could hear it. It had left as 

quickly as it had come. 

I made it through the living room window and was 

now standing on the front lawn which reminded me 

of a war torn Cambodia; uprooted trees everywhere. 

Night had fallen. In the distance I thought I could see 

Dave stumbling over the rubble toward me, little David 

in his arms. The anxiety was too much. I fell to 

the ground, tears streaming from my face. Dave drew 

near and knelt before me. He slid the blanket from 

our baby’s precious face. I looked down. He was 

sound asleep. He had slept through the entire ordeal. 

33 


34 

A VIEW FROM THE BOOK NOOK 

Chris Fraser 

The Book Nook — 

“A Lending Library” 

We are open Monday to 

Friday 9:00 am - 4:00 pm 

* * * * 

I just finished reading an incredible 

book called “The Sting” by 

Sandra Brown. 

This book is about Jordie and her 

brother Josh who has escaped custody 

and is wanted by all the federal 

agencies. After receiving a 

phone call, Jordie goes into a bar 

that she would not normally go 

into, hoping to meet her brother. 

When she leaves, two hit men who 

have been hired to kill her by Panella, 

follow her but one of them, 

Shaw Kinnard, kills his partner 

instead and then kidnaps Jordie 

and takes her to an abandoned 

building, where she is held prisoner. 

He is hoping to find out where 

her brother stashed the $30 million 

he stole from Panella. However, 

Shaw is not the only one looking 

for the fortune; the FBI are also 

looking, but nothing is what is 

seems and nobody is telling the 

truth. 

There are many twists and turns 

as the story unfolds, and it is full 

of deception, mystery and romance 

that will keep you intrigued until 

the very last page. 

I hope you enjoy reading this as 

much as I did. 

I hope you will also enjoy reading 

some of the new books that 

have recently been purchased and 

can be found in the “new additions” 

section. 

Happy reading! 

Your Bookworm & Librarian, 

Chris Fraser 

EVERGREEN MARKET 

‘For Sale’ ads will be left in for 3 issues from first insertion (i.e., in 

Sept issue - removed from Dec. issue), if you wish it to remain in 

longer, please contact The Sentinel office and/or leave us a message. 

NO ‘Accommodation’ or ‘Vehicle’ ads will be included in 

the Evergreen Market. Such ads will be treated as advertising inserted 

within these pages at the current Sentinel advertising rates 

plus HST. 

Thank you, Sentinel Administrator. 

ARTICLES FOR SALE 

Ramp 

Solid folding ramp suitable for loading scooter into 

vehicle. $40. Phone 519-836-0215. 

Adult Tricycle 

Manual, 2 baskets. Asking $225. Phone 519-830- 

3776. 

Lawnmower 

12” lawnmower. Electric. 10 years old but still runs 

well. $20. Call 519-265-8963. 

WANTED 

Space 

Space wanted to do staining and varnishing of quality 

pieces of furniture to be donated to Guelph General 

Hospital Gala (Winter 2018). Please phone 519-265- 

3591. 

PLEASE REMEMBER TO INCLUDE YOUR 

NAME AND PHONE NUMBER WITH YOUR 

ITEM(S). 

PLEASE CHECK THE ‘LOST & FOUND’ AT 

THE FRONT DESK FOR LOST OR MIS- 

PLACED KEYS, GLASSES, OR OTHER 

ITEMS. 

Winter Tires 

Four winter tires for a Honda Civic. Used one year. 

Best offer. Call 519-836-3316. 


35 

At Your Service 

Going OUT OF TOWN? 

Need PEACE OF MIND? 

- Mature lady will check your home, 

pet, loved one 

- Collect your mail, water your 

plants 

- House sit/pet sit 

- Let in repair/serviceman/real 

estate 

- Other requests/errands 

CONTACT BETH @ 

519‐766‐2933 

TEXT OR PHONE 

(Guelph area) 


36 

See Puzzles on pgs. 20 & 21 


37 

"Have Yourself A Merry 

Little Christmas" 

by Frank Sinatra 

Have yourself a merry little Christmas 

Let your heart be light 

From now on our troubles 

Will be out of sight 

Have yourself a merry little Christmas 

Make the Yuletide gay 

From now on our troubles 

Will be miles away, oh ooh 

Here we are as in olden days 

Happy golden days of yore, 

Faithful friends who are dear to us 

Gather near to us, once more 

Through the years we all will be together 

If the fates allow 

Hang a shining star upon the highest bough, oh 

And have yourself a merry little Christmas now, 

ooh 

Merry Christmas 

Merry Christmas 

Here we are as in olden days 

Happy golden days of yore, ah 

Faithful friends who are dear to us 

Gather near to us, once more, ooh 

Through the years we all will be together 

If the fates allow 

Hang a shining star upon the highest bough, 

And have yourself a merry little Christmas now, 


38 

Process for GWSA Trips 

General: (1) All travelers on GWSA Travel Club trips should be members of the Guelph Wellington Seniors Association. 

Non-members are now able to book trips two weeks prior to the day of departure provided room is still available. 

(2) Memberships are payable to the City of Guelph — Visa, MasterCard, Cash or Cheque may be used unless otherwise indicated. 

(3) Please refrain from using scented products during GWSA trips. 

Booking Your Trip : (1) Service numbers will be issued at the Centre starting at 8:00 am the day of trip bookings. (2) 

Phone bookings to 519-823-1291 will start at 9:00 am on the same day. (3) Travellers may book for two GWSA members the first 

morning of the trip bookings starting at 9:00 am. (4) The purchaser of day trip tickets is responsible for finding a replacement if he 

or she is unable to travel. A waiting list may be consulted. A Doctor’s certificate is required for a refund. 

Accessibility : (1) Please inquire about accessible seating prior to booking your ticket. As with all buses, accessible seating 

is limited. You can help us ensure that we use this seating as efficiently as possible by providing information about your assistive 

device. Please note that: 

Travellers who will be using a powered wheelchair on trips are advised to note this when registering. While our trips are accessible, 

seating for a powered wheelchair on the bus is limited and will be spoken for on a first come first serve basis. 

Travellers who can transfer to a bus seat may have their collapsible, manual wheelchair or walker stored in the cargo area of 

the bus if required. 

Travellers who wish to take their scooter should note this when registering. Not all scooters fit within the cargo hold of a bus. 

A Travel Committee member will follow up with you prior to the trip to discuss further. 

Lift Limit: 500 lbs maximum weight (wheelchair/scooter and person combined) 

Lift Width: 32 inches 

(2) Travellers with a disability, who require assistance during the trip, must be accompanied by a person who is fully capable 

of rendering such assistance (this person must be an adult for some trips). If there is a cost for this assistant, that fee will be published 

along with other trip fees. 

TRAVEL in JAN. 2018 - ALREADY BOOKED 

NOTE: TOTAL COSTS SHOWN INCLUDE TAX 

PLEASE REMEMBER, WE DO NOT TAKE $50 OR $100 BILLS. 

Friday, January 5, 2018 — Greg Frewin Theatre Total Cost: $107.50 Code: 212202 

Join us as we enjoy the day at the Greg Frewin Theatre in Niagara Falls. There will be a buffet lunch followed by the 

highlight of the day—the Wild Magic Illusion Show starring Greg Frewin (one of the most decorated magicians in the 

world). 

Leave Evergreen: 9 am Carousel: 9:05 am Square: 9:20 am Return: ~ 4:30-5:00 pm 

It takes time to put these trips together and we need YOUR commitment to make these trips actually happen! 

DON’T WAIT! That means booking your seat BEFORE the trip has to be cancelled due to low numbers. 

The Travel Committee must give the number of bookings a MONTH before the date of the trip and, if there 

aren’t enough reservations AT THAT TIME, the trip will be cancelled! If you have already booked your seat, 

you will get a refund. 

NEW: The GWSA will not provide refunds if the trip itinerary is altered due to circumstances beyond the control of 

the GWSA Travel Club. 

If there is a 'refund or compensation' to the travellers as determined by the refund policy of the Transportation 

Company or the Booking Company, the GWSA travellers will receive the refund. 

NEWS: Members or Non-Members can now book any trip from the Great Canadian Holidays catalogue by phoning 

Great Canadian Holidays at 1-800-461-8687 and book your trip yourself. Just say you’re a member of the Evergreen 

Seniors Community Centre in Guelph and we will receive a commission for that trip. If you have any questions, 

please call Joanne White at 519-822-0851. 

PLEASE do not park your vehicles in the Evergreen parking lot while you are on a day trip. You are being 

picked up at the Carousel. Vehicles must be left at the Carousel parking area in Riverside Park. This allows for other 

members to have a place to park when they come throughout the day.

December 2017 issue

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?