Volunteer Association to Norfolk General Hospital and Norfolk Hospital Nursing President’s Message Home Our annual general meeting was once again a very Grade One Tours have once again begun. They successful and enjoyable event with many laughs are always a fun experience and the feedback is and good fellowship. Congratulations to all award always positive. If you come across a group of winners and recipients of Outstanding and Local grade one students walking through the corridors Life Pins as well as, Years and Hours of Service of NGH, you need only observe the faces of staff, Come on Out!! Pins. I would also like to congratulate the recipi- visitors and patients who see them pass by. Our ents of Ontario Volunteer Service Awards that were new Coordinator, Cara Blackwood, has done an NGH presented in Vittoria earlier this month. Although excellent job planning these tours! Foundation Provincial Life Membership Awards were unable to Tag Days for our branches are well underway and Golf be announced, we look forward to doing that at the so far Delhi and Simcoe branches have had very June branch meetings. successful days in spite of very challenging Tournament I would like to thank all volunteers who are step- weather! July 17, 18 ping down from leadership roles and welcome Invitations will soon be sent to all convenors, and 19 those stepping up. I would especially like to thank treasurers and coordinators for the annual Norfolk Golf Brian for his incredible leadership over the past “Leadership Appreciation Luncheon” which will be and Country Club three years. It has been an absolute pleasure to held on June 19 th . Register a team today. work by your side! I look forward to teaming up with I wish each and every one of you a warm, healthy See website at Mary Kokus and our new Volunteer Board as we and happy summer! ngh.on.ca start a brand new year! Sherri Schira-Ladosz, Director of Volunteers and Clergy Page 2 Branch News Vitality Simcoe Waterford It has been a busy and very successful spring for our fund rais- The Waterford Branch met March 28, 2017 at the Library with 14 ing. members present plus guests Brian Miller, Mary Kokus and Sherri Our Bakeless Bake Sale raised the highest donation amount to Schira-Ladosz. Waterford Tag Day will be June 23 and 24. Joan date! Thank you Lois Craig for organizing this fundraiser and Thompson reported variances in Tag Day collections over the past thank you to our many donors. few years and noted that she has added second shifts in two areas Tag Day was held on a miserable, cold, wet and windy day! We and circulated a volunteer schedule for review. Nancy Koski is col- were grateful to be inside at our various stations. Once again, it lecting $25 for the Bakeless Bake Sale plus $5 for member- was our highest take to date. Many thanks to Iris Smith for or- ship. Members were encouraged to attend the Annual Awards Ban- ganizing this event each year. quet and Annual General Meeting. Our branch meeting is June 21 and it will be a “brown bag” A contingency plan has been put in place for one year to fill the Wa- terford Chair position with the goal of ultimately filling the posi- lunch . This will be our last meeting before the summer break. tion. Recruitment of new volunteers will be a priority. It was decid- Have a great summer everyone and see you in September. ed to have meetings in March, June, October and December with Lyn Fraser, Branch Chair June and December being luncheon meetings. Members will share Delhi the responsibilities of the Branch; Nancy Koski volunteered to chair Our Annual AGM and Pot Luck Dinner was held March 22nd at St. the June meeting and Joan Thompson the December 2017 meet- Albans Anglican Church at 5pm. Chairman Len greeted the mem- ing. The secretary will write the reports for the Vitality. bership and welcomed invited guests, and Brian Miller, President The Waterford Volunteers appreciate the leadership and dedication of the board and his wife Jane, along with Vice-President Mary provided by Claudia King during her term as Chair of our group. Kokus. The next meeting will be a luncheon meeting on Wednesday, June President Brian Miller installed the new executive for 2017. Second 21, 2017 at 11:45 a.m. at Ritzy Cakes. Barbara Ann Swift, Secretary Vice Chair, Margaret Saunders, was added to the Delhi executive with all past positions filled by incumbent members. The Delhi Port Dover Executive for 2017-18 will be..... Chairman: Len Lasko; Vice Chair- man: Ray Watt; Treasurer: Angela Moyaert; Secretary: Pauline On Thursday, April 27th, we enjoyed another amazing Potluck AGM for the Port Dover branch, held at Silver Lake Market. There were Lasko; Sunshine: Maureen Ebdon; Recognition: Judy Boughner; 25 guests in attendance and everyone enjoyed all of the delicious Second Vice Chairman: Margaret Saunders. menu items, along with Sherri Schira-Ladosz and Brian and Jane President Brian addressed the members and praised the Delhi Miller joining our group for the evening. We welcomed new mem- branch for their outstanding contribution to the board and well or- bers in attendance as they introduced themselves to everyone. ganized executive and meetings. A regular business meeting was Once again, our Bakeless Bake Sale is underway, due to the amaz- held afterwards discussing Tag Day on May 5th. and our Bakeless ing efforts of Shirley Gibbons. Bake Sale. The membership was reminded of the AAB May 11th in Port Dover Tag Days will be held on the weekend of May 26 and 27, Vittoria. Our 25th Annual Golf Tournament, convened by Judy at various locations throughout our town. Thanks to Betty Lavallee Boughner and Maureen Ebdon will take place at the Delhi Golf & and Betty Brooks for organizing this event. Country Club on August 9th, 2017. Everyone is welcome to partic- The installation of new Board members took place at the end of the meeting. ipate. Our next meeting will be held June 20th at 9:30 a.m., Silver Lake Despite a cool and rainy day 11 Delhi Members and 24 non- Market . Bring along your own coffee or tea and get to know our members took to the busiest locations throughout Delhi on Friday group. May 5th to raise money for Tag Day. The LCBO location was can- On a closing note, I wish to personally thank Karen Sibbett for eve- vassed the prior Saturday, April 29. At the end of the day, a rough rything she has done for the Port Dover branch over the last three count indicated that we had a successful drive raising $2,824.75! years as Chair. It will be a hard act to follow but I really look forward Delhi members enjoyed a delicious meal at the Annual Awards to meeting this challenge, with the help of everyone in the Banquet May 11th. Noteworthy winners of the Local Life Award branch. There will be lots of questions!! were Irma Gouthro, Pauline Lasko and Betty Steiner. Dianne Looking forward to meeting everyone personally. McElhone picked up the Outstanding Service Award. Once again, Cheers To All! Carol Fillmore, Branch Chair those in attendance enjoyed an outstanding dinner, featuring beef roulade, fresh vegetables and roasted potatoes. Recycle of Pins Our next branch meeting is on June 21st at 10:00am at St. Albans JUST A REMINDER: If there are Hours of Service and Years of Anglican Church in Delhi. Service Pins in your possession that you wish to recycle, Stay safe and enjoy the wonderful summer! please give them to your Branch Chair or to Sherri. They can be Len Lasko, Branch Chair reused and reduce costs to the Volunteer Association. Vitality Getting to Know You Page 3 Brian Miller Abi Peck Simcoe Branch Junior Volunteer Brian's early years were Living in Vittoria, Abi is the fifth generation nomadic as his father to be living on the family farm...She at- worked for Ontario Hydro tended Walsh Public School and is in her and they moved constantly, last year at Simcoe Composite School thirteen times in eight and plans to pursue a career in Nursing years, often attending one but is undecided whether it will be at Lau- room schools so his early rentian or Trent. Abi has always had a education was varied and keen interest in Health Care reinforced by interrupted. Finally the fam- ily settled in Toronto. He the time she has spent volunteering at the went to Bathurst Collegiate hospital where she was inspired by the taking auto mechanics nurses on the third floor. While at SCS she took the Health Scienc- when one day working on a es course, spending time in different areas of the hospital also rein- car outdoors in the freezing forcing her desire to become a nurse. cold decided this was not Abi joined the volunteers in 2014 and has worked mainly on the for him, so in 1965 he went third floor where she was a nourishment helper, did odd jobs for the to work for Ontario Hydro, nurses, and enjoyed visiting with the patients. She is sad to be leav- moving to Simcoe in 1971 ing her hospital volunteer duties but is looking forward to her career and was employed in the in the health field. Nanticoke area until his A well rounded and capable young woman Abi has been involved in retirement in 2001. He and many other spheres as well. She has volunteered at Ryerson Camp his wife Jane, have two children and four grandchildren.