April, May, June 2013 - wcbra
April, May, June 2013 - wcbra
April, May, June 2013 - wcbra
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WORKERS’ COMPENSATION BOARD RETIREE’S ASSOCIATION Vol . 6 Issue 2<br />
<strong>April</strong>/<strong>May</strong>/<strong>June</strong> <strong>2013</strong><br />
WCB RETIREES ASSOCIATION<br />
Inside this issue:<br />
Special points<br />
of interest:<br />
• <strong>2013</strong> Calendar of<br />
Events<br />
• Butchart Gardens<br />
Daytrip<br />
• Christmas Lunch<br />
• New Members<br />
• Blood Drive<br />
• Notice of Retirement<br />
Pg<br />
Current Executive 1<br />
Report from the<br />
President<br />
Contest 2<br />
B Social Club 3<br />
Hastings Park Race 5<br />
In Memoriam 8<br />
Contact Us 8<br />
2<br />
Annual General Meeting<br />
The AGM was held at the offices of Work-<br />
SafeBC on <strong>April</strong> 17, <strong>2013</strong>. Sixty five (65)<br />
members attended the luncheon and the<br />
meeting afterwards. The President, Maryanne<br />
Schulz, presented her report, an<br />
abridged version of which is contained on<br />
page 2 of this newsletter. Everyone said<br />
the lunch was the best in recent memory<br />
and people enjoyed visiting with former colleagues.<br />
At 1:00 p.m. we adjourned to the auditorium<br />
where Maryanne introduced the present<br />
Executive and announced that we now<br />
have 400 members with 18 new members<br />
joining us in 2012. Although Emmy Kamaldnieks<br />
was elected as a Director, she<br />
has declined due to health reasons. Luckily,<br />
Ralph McGinn has agreed to stay on for<br />
another year.<br />
Events for the coming year were talked<br />
about. They include a day at the horse<br />
races at Exhibition Park in <strong>June</strong>, the October<br />
General Meeting which will again include<br />
an art/craft/hobby element, and the<br />
Christmas luncheon on December 11,<br />
<strong>2013</strong>. In a show of hands, members<br />
showed enthusiasm to attend other social<br />
events such as Harness Racing at Cloverdale,<br />
a tour of VanDusen Gardens, picnic<br />
and walk through Reifel Wildlife Refuge,<br />
day trip to Butchart Gardens in Victoria,<br />
train trip to Whistler for the day, lunch at the<br />
River Rock buffet ($21.95 for seniors).<br />
Three upcoming retirements were announced<br />
and draws for Tim Horton’s Gift<br />
Certificates were held just before the meeting<br />
was adjourned.<br />
Current Executive<br />
Maryanne Schulz President<br />
Ralph McGinn Past President<br />
Carol Christopher Secretary<br />
Carol Sallenback Treasurer<br />
Eldon Johnston Director<br />
Rina Luchin<br />
Director<br />
Margaret Perry Director<br />
Carole Peterson Director<br />
Rae McInnes Director<br />
Wendy Pantages Director, Editor<br />
Welcome Mat<br />
Brewer, William (Bill)<br />
Chan, Wai Kit<br />
Charron, Barb<br />
Gustafson, Carmia<br />
Kwan, Joseph<br />
McCloskey, Ed<br />
Morse, Sandy<br />
Pirs, Betty<br />
Scribilo, Darlene
Report from the President<br />
All the organized events of the past year proved to be a<br />
great success. I would like to comment on the excellent<br />
job that your editor, Wendy Pantages, is doing on the<br />
newsletter as well as Rae McInnis on the Web Site.<br />
There is a wealth of information on the site, and I would<br />
encourage everyone to visit the site at www.<strong>wcbra</strong>.com.<br />
No password is required. If you have an e-mail address,<br />
please leave your e-mail address with us and receive the<br />
newsletter electronically. That way we are able to easily<br />
get in touch with you and send you additional information<br />
as needed. I would also like to give thanks to Margaret<br />
Perry for organizing the incredible art show in September<br />
and to Rina Luchin for organizing the Race Day in <strong>June</strong>.<br />
In addition to meeting with WorkSafeBC yearly on your<br />
behalf, the Retiree Association participates in the Wellness<br />
Fair in October.<br />
Page 2<br />
Results of the meeting held with WorkSafeBC are as follows:<br />
• Cindy Swenson will now be asking all new retirees<br />
if they would like a call from a member of the Retirees<br />
Association to let them know about the association.<br />
• Scott McCloy has offered to provide an e-mail to<br />
our Association quarterly to keep interested retirees<br />
generally informed about various programs<br />
and initiatives underway at WorkSafeBC<br />
• We discussed benefits such as increased deductible<br />
for eyeglasses, an increase to our total lifetime<br />
maximum for extended benefits, and the possibility<br />
of the EFAP program being available to retirees.<br />
These cost items are important and will be kept on<br />
the agenda but for now are not in the budget.<br />
The Retiree Association provides a speaker at each Retirement<br />
Seminar to share information on our Association and<br />
some thoughts on retirement.<br />
Not Politically Correct (NOTES FROM THE EDITOR)<br />
I know it wasn’t<br />
politically correct<br />
because I specifically<br />
remember<br />
one issue from<br />
around 1980 with<br />
a picture of myself<br />
shaking hands and<br />
the caption said...<br />
There were no articles or pictures submitted<br />
from members for this issue so I get to blather<br />
on a bit. <strong>May</strong>be this will nudge you into sending<br />
me a note or sharing what you’re doing in<br />
your retirement! It doesn’t have to be an exotic<br />
trip – not everyone can afford that. How<br />
about a book club you belong to or something<br />
you volunteer for or something funny that happened<br />
when you were golfing? Tips on gardening?<br />
A recipe?<br />
You might see in the abridged Minutes from<br />
the AGM there appeared to be quite a bit of<br />
enthusiasm from members to attend various<br />
social functions. We saw your hands up! We<br />
have pictures of you! (just kidding about that<br />
part). With that in mind, in addition to a day<br />
at the races at Hastings Park, we are planning<br />
a day trip to Butchart Gardens, the details of<br />
which are outlined later in this newsletter.<br />
Did you know that your former employer,<br />
WorkSafeBC, has put out safety videos that<br />
are being downloaded worldwide, some of<br />
which have won international awards, and are<br />
a huge hit on You Tube and Google? They<br />
have also developed a safety video application<br />
that can be downloaded onto a smart<br />
phone or tablet for free. There is an app for<br />
that! There is a new column in this issue with<br />
some of the information provided by Scott<br />
McCloy, entitled News from WorkSafeBC.<br />
Don’t you think it’s time we had a title for<br />
this newsletter? It says “WCB Retiree Association”<br />
on the front page, but there is no<br />
actual title. If you have any thoughts, send<br />
them to me at wpantages@telus.net. In<br />
fact, let’s have a contest.<br />
Remember the “in house” newsletter the<br />
Board (it was called the Board in those<br />
days) put out in the old days? It was called<br />
Board Talk. Probably not politically correct<br />
by today’s standards, it was fun because<br />
the first thing we’d do is flip to the back<br />
page to see new hirees (and their pictures)<br />
and harmless chatter as to what was going<br />
on. I know it wasn’t politically correct because<br />
I specifically remember one issue<br />
from around 1980 or 1981 with a picture of<br />
myself shaking hands with an OSO and the<br />
caption was “pretty, young Wendy Mellor is<br />
shown here...” (my name at the time). Oh,<br />
to be called pretty and young again. The<br />
point of this story is that the newsletter had<br />
a great name!<br />
The Prize for coming up with a winning<br />
name? I’ll buy you lunch!<br />
Wendy Pantages, Editor
Credit Union<br />
Page 3<br />
Great newsletter<br />
Pam Price 03.06.13<br />
You may be rich! The WCB Credit Union is trying<br />
to get in touch with some retirees who have dormant<br />
accounts with them. If you have a dormant<br />
account, contact Shelagh at 604-276-3079 or e-<br />
mail her at shardern@cecu.ca and cash out!<br />
What an excellent newsletter! It is always a<br />
pleasure to learn what our retirees have been doing<br />
recently, and to see how young all the retirees<br />
look;...they are doing something right.<br />
Carol Vandermeyden 03.06.13<br />
That was a great newsletter as always. I will be<br />
in Toronto and area visiting family on <strong>April</strong> 17 so<br />
regrettably won’t make the meeting. I hope all goes<br />
well on the 17th. As an aside, I enjoyed Sid’s<br />
travel log story. Having done the trip to Hong<br />
Kong numerous times myself over the years past, I<br />
was very familiar with some of his travel experiences,<br />
and he gave me a chuckle or two.<br />
Regards, Bob Bucher 03.08.13<br />
Art and Hobby Show October 16, <strong>2013</strong><br />
At our Business Meeting on October 16, <strong>2013</strong> we<br />
will be hosting another Art and Hobby Show by<br />
popular demand. If you are interested in showing<br />
some of your art or hobbies, please contact Margaret<br />
Perry (604)583-0025 or e-mail<br />
mgm_cons@hotmail.com<br />
THE ’B’ SOCIAL CLUB allows members of the Association to participate in their sponsored “offers” and<br />
events.<br />
PLAYLAND DISCOUNT TICKETS<br />
WorkSafeBC <strong>2013</strong> Online Promotion Code is: Kuh84sfp (this is now currently active & ready to use). This<br />
promotion code will enable employees to purchase discounted tickets for Playland, Fright Nites at Playland<br />
and other select special events held at the PNE, such as Disney on Ice. Visit the Group Sales Online Ticket<br />
Program Events Web Page www.pne.ca/groupsales
News from WorkSafeBC<br />
Scott McCloy has forwarded some information to<br />
the Retiree Assn. about some initiatives undertaken<br />
by WorksafeBC, and this document will be<br />
sent out separately. Some community related<br />
events you might find of interest are:<br />
Home Shows – So far this year WorkSafeBC had<br />
booths at the BC Home & Garden Shows in Vancouver,<br />
Victoria, Central Okanagan and Prince<br />
George.<br />
Parades - WorkSafeBC took part in the 1st parade<br />
of <strong>2013</strong> which was the Celtic Festival Parade in<br />
Vancouver in mid March. They will participate in<br />
upcoming parades this summer.<br />
Page 4<br />
In December 2012, WorkSafeBC launched a safety<br />
videos application for smart phones and tablets to provide<br />
easier access to more than 150 of our most popular<br />
workplace safety videos on iTunes and Google Play<br />
(Android app store), which will facilitate increased use<br />
of OH&S material.<br />
The website stats show an increase of more than 900<br />
percent in the past two years. The app has already<br />
received a 4-star user rating in both iTunes and the<br />
Google store. To access the app on iTunes and<br />
Google, users can go to their respective App Store and<br />
search for “WorkSafeBC Safety Videos”, then<br />
download the app, which is free.<br />
A Rather Select Club – by Wendy Pantages<br />
I was in denial when I turned 65 (okay, my high<br />
school friends will tell you I’ve been in denial<br />
since I turned 60) – nevertheless there are<br />
some monetary advantages to being in this<br />
select club. I’ll expand the list in the next<br />
newsletter. Here are some cost saving tips:<br />
• FREE ferry rides (Mon – Thurs)<br />
• Cheap car insurance<br />
• Cheap movie tickets<br />
• FREE coffee at McDonalds<br />
• No bank fees<br />
• Being able to order from a “senior” menu at<br />
a restaurant – the smaller portions may<br />
more reflect your eating habits as well as<br />
what’s in your wallet<br />
• Eligible for OAS (Old Age Security) benefits<br />
• <strong>May</strong> be eligible for GIS (guaranteed income<br />
supplement)<br />
• <strong>May</strong> be eligible for a caregiver tax credit (if<br />
a dependent relative lives with you)<br />
• Cheaper property taxes<br />
• Eligibility for Pharmacare<br />
• Cheap PNE tickets<br />
A website dedicated to Canadian senior discounts<br />
(http://forum.smartcanucks.ca/88988-places-offersenior-discounts-age-55-over-canada/)<br />
lists the<br />
following:<br />
• Via Rail – special discounts<br />
• Greyhound – special discounts<br />
• M & M Meats discounts every Tuesday*<br />
• Laura Secord – 15% off on 1 st Monday of every<br />
month*<br />
• Salvation Army – 15% off every day<br />
• Shoppers Drug Mart - 20% - usually last<br />
Thursday of every month*<br />
• London Drugs<br />
• Carlton Cards<br />
• The Bay – Seniors Day<br />
*As for the days of the week listed above, please<br />
check directly with your local retailer as the senior<br />
discount days may vary from store to store.<br />
Banks<br />
Many Canadian chartered banks and financial institutions<br />
offer discounts for people, 60-plus. For<br />
example, service charges on transactions such as<br />
certified cheques, utility and cellular phone bills,<br />
and traveller's cheques are eliminated.<br />
These are only a few of the cost advantages I’ve<br />
unearthed. I will expand on this on the next<br />
issue, space permitting.<br />
To be continued
Page 5<br />
The Horses<br />
The Jockeys<br />
This time last year we were excited about our own Vancouver<br />
jockey, Mario Gutierrez, as he had just won<br />
both the 2012 Kentucky Derby and the Preakness. At<br />
the time of our outing, Mr. Gutierrez was preparing for<br />
the Belmont Park race in a bid for the Triple Crown. His<br />
incredible feats of horsemanship put Hastings Park on<br />
the map.<br />
Aaron Gryder has raced horses for kings, queens and<br />
sheiks and was the winner of the 2012 Breeders’ Cup<br />
Marathon and 2009 Dubai World Cup Classic. He is in<br />
Vancouver for the first time this year.<br />
Richard Hamel- Fans always get their money’s worth<br />
with Hamel as King Richard, the leading rider at Hastings<br />
in 2010 and 2011, won the BC Derby aboard Second<br />
City last year.<br />
Devil In Disguise—This four-year-old may be the<br />
best horse at Hastings this year. The offspring of<br />
Kentucky Derby winner Smarty Jones won the<br />
River Rock Casino Stakes and the Chris Loseth<br />
Stakes last year and will be a threat early this season.<br />
Herbie D—The winner of the $50,000 Derby Bar &<br />
Grill Express and last year's Sprinter of the Year is<br />
a formidable sprint distance runner.<br />
Boston Bound—This untried two-year-old is one to<br />
watch. A half brother to Kentucky Derby favourite<br />
Normandy Invasion by North America's hottest<br />
stallion Hard Spun, he has the genes of a champion.<br />
Evelyn's Dancer—This mare won four stake races<br />
over the Vancouver oval in 2012, including the<br />
$100,000 BC Oaks, earning the Queen of Hastings<br />
top honours as the province’s champion three<br />
-year-old filly.<br />
Marlo Dunn - Hasting's leading apprentice in 2011 and<br />
2012, Dunn has put together an excellent race record.<br />
As a journeyman this year he’s ready to win again.<br />
Buffet at Silks Restaurant<br />
Hastings Park Race Day Sunday, <strong>June</strong> 23, <strong>2013</strong><br />
Doors open at 11:00 a.m. Buffet: 1:00 p.m. Races: 1:50 p.m.<br />
Cost: $27 which includes taxes and gratuities.<br />
**Parking is $10 if parked on the PNE lot (If there is a scheduled event at the Coliseum on the same day,<br />
parking will be $20). **So far there is no event scheduled <strong>June</strong> 23. If you park in the PNE parking lot, bring<br />
your parking stub with you to Silks to receive a program free of charge.<br />
Please contact Rina Luchin at 604-253-8547 or e-mail rluchin@telus.net no later than <strong>June</strong> 9, <strong>2013</strong>. Payment<br />
of $27 is to be made payable to Carol Sallenback at 2555 - 127 St., Surrey, BC V4A 6J8. Payment<br />
must be received by Carol no later than <strong>June</strong> 12, <strong>2013</strong><br />
Deadline to sign up: <strong>June</strong> 9 Deadline for payment: <strong>June</strong> 10<br />
Expect contact from the Phone Committee to confirm your reservation
Page 6<br />
Donate blood through WorkSafeBC’s Partners for Life program!<br />
WorkSafeBC has joined many other local organizations, including BC Hydro, ICBC, and TELUS, as well<br />
as other WCBs in Canada, in taking up the cause to save lives through blood donation.<br />
How can you help?<br />
As a WorkSafeBC retiree, you can join too! Help reach WorkSafeBC’s <strong>2013</strong> goal of 415 units by donating<br />
at any clinic across the province. To find a clinic near you go to www.blood.ca or call 1-888-2-<br />
DONATE.<br />
Make sure you register as a WorkSafeBC Partner for Life before your first donation. You can register<br />
online or directly at the clinic by quoting the WorkSafeBC ID # WORK008914.<br />
Why donate?<br />
Approximately every 60 seconds, someone in Canada needs blood. In fact, 52 percent of Canadians<br />
say they, or a family member, have needed blood or blood products. The good news is that one blood<br />
donation - in just one hour - can save up to three lives.<br />
What are the basic requirements for donating blood?<br />
1. You must be between the ages of 17 and 71 (I.D. required)<br />
2. You must weigh at least 110 lbs<br />
3. You must wait one day after basic dental treatments (cleaning/fillings) and 72 hours after major<br />
dental procedures<br />
4. Full recovery from a cold or the flu<br />
5. If you've travelled outside of North America within the past year, please contact Canadian<br />
Blood Services toll free at 1-888-2-DONATE, and speak to a clinic nurse to make sure you did<br />
not travel to a 'malaria risk area'<br />
If you have questions about the Partners for Life program, contact Shannon Battersby, Senior HR Advisor,<br />
WorkSafeBC: shannon.battersby@worksafebc.com or 604.244.6130.<br />
A retired man who volunteers to entertain patients in nursing<br />
homes and hospitals went to one local hospital in Richmond<br />
and took his portable keyboard along. He told some jokes<br />
and sang some funny songs at patients’ bedsides. When he<br />
finished he said, in farewell, “I hope you get better.”<br />
One elderly gentleman replied, “I hope you get better, too.”
Day Trip to Butchart Gardens, Monday, September 9, <strong>2013</strong> – 9:a.m. ferry<br />
Page 7<br />
It will be up to each individual to arrange his or her own travel to the ferry, but we plan to meet in the<br />
ferry terminal waiting room prior to the 9:00 a.m. sailing.<br />
We can then take the same bus to Butchart Gardens and tour together.<br />
Travel<br />
There is a bus (Route620) that leaves the Ladner Exchange daily starting at 8:22 a.m. (which will get<br />
you to the terminal in time for the 9 a.m. sailing). Arriving in Victoria (Sydney) there is a direct local<br />
bus (Route 81) which will take you right to Butchart Gardens. This same bus will take you back to the<br />
ferry terminal, the last one leaving the Gardens at 3:56 pm<br />
Parking<br />
If you wish to drive your car right to the ferry terminal, cost will be $19.00 per day in short term parking<br />
or $16.00 in the long term parking lot.<br />
The ferry is free for seniors (M – T) with valid care card. Entry to the Gardens will cost $30.29 (plus<br />
tax)<br />
Food<br />
The coffee shop offers hot and cold drinks, fresh pastries and sandwiches<br />
The Blue Poppy Restaurant offers cafeteria-style service for quick and easy meals.<br />
The Dining Room Restaurant offers professionally prepared fine dining with elegance.<br />
On the return ferry trip, try out the Coastal Buffet supper served on the 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. sailings.<br />
Cost is $22.00 per person with a choice of hot roast beef, several salads, fish entrees such as<br />
salmon or shrimp and chocolate desserts that will please everyone.<br />
We hope to see you at the ferry terminal in Tsawwassen for the 9:a.m. sailing!
Contact Us<br />
Page 8<br />
Social Committee<br />
Margaret Perry<br />
604-583-0025<br />
Rumour Has It<br />
Phone Committee<br />
Rina Luchin<br />
604-253-8547<br />
Treasurer<br />
Carol Sallenback<br />
2555 127 th St.<br />
Surrey, BC V4A 6J8<br />
csallenback@me.com<br />
Newsletter<br />
Wendy Pantages,<br />
wpantages@telus.net or<br />
info@<strong>wcbra</strong>.com<br />
<strong>June</strong> 23<br />
Sept. 9<br />
Oct 16<br />
Dec 11<br />
Calendar of Events<br />
Hastings Park Races<br />
Butchart Gardens<br />
Meeting/lunch/art show<br />
at WorksafeBC<br />
Christmas Lunch<br />
Upcoming Retirements<br />
Jillian Baxter, executive admin<br />
assistant after 25 years.<br />
Celebration on Thursday, <strong>June</strong><br />
20, Richmond Curling Club after<br />
5:00 Cost $23<br />
RSVP by <strong>June</strong> 7 to Marlene Jones<br />
604-231-8556 or Audrey O’Brien<br />
604-279-7613<br />
Congratulations Jilly!<br />
We Need you!!!!<br />
Thinking ahead to the next<br />
AGM, consider serving as a member<br />
of the Executive. We will be losing one or possibly two Directors who have served for<br />
quite a while so there will be a vacancy.<br />
As a Director you will attend approx. 5 meetings per year (these are lunch meetings<br />
and are fun) and share the workload of organizing events and gathering information.<br />
You may enjoy speaking at a Retirement Seminar or working the booth at the Wellness<br />
Fair. New ideas are always welcome. We need you.<br />
In Memoriam<br />
Neely, Ann March 29, <strong>2013</strong><br />
Seville, Ronald <strong>2013</strong><br />
Rabson, David <strong>2013</strong>