NORD - BRIDGE SENIORS Newsletter March 2014 “The Friendly Centre” 1904—13th Ave. North Lethbridge, Alberta T1H 4W9 Open Monday to Friday - 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Telephone 403-329-3222 Fax 403-329-8824 E-mail: [email protected] 2013-2014 Computer Training Lethbridge Community Network NORD-BRIDGE SENIORS Library Marie Areshenko, Janet Bobinec EXECUTIVE Mind Joggers Judy Knox, Jack Simmons President Jim Hahn Ted Sillito, Melvin Horn Vice-President Pat Santa FUNDRAISING Pat Santa *, Board Rep Treasurer Roberta Svennes Secretary Marilynn Heaton GAMING Harry Fischer *, Board Rep Past-President Harry Fischer Casino Coordinator Mike Bennett In-House Bingo Coordinators Shirley Cavanaugh & Frances BOARD OF DIRECTORS Wallace FIRST YEAR SECOND YEAR THIRD YEAR Monday Jam Draws Helen Gepneris, Blaine Hyggen Delores Bourk Kaz Tomomitsu Eva Deringer Winners Bingo Rep/Co-ord Bonnie Hammond Clay Olsen Rodney Foster Walter “Red” Nowell Winners Bingo Alternate Leonard Hutchinson Donna Takeda Elaine Molyneux Paul White HEALTH & FITNESS Paul White *, Board Rep ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF Keep Fit Classes Erin Ko & Melanie Hillaby Executive Director Randy Smith Tai Chi Lynn Hunter-Johnston Sr. Administrative Ass’t Kathleen Filkowski (Wed, Thur, Fri) Yoga/Pilates Melanie Hillaby Administrative Assistant Shirley Trefan (Mon, Tues, Wed) Fitball/Exercise With Arthritis T. J. Dunn Financial Officer Roberta Svennes Zumba Jeannie Williamson Bookkeeper Tracy Beauchemin Fitness 55 Club Jim Scott (Volunteer Trainer) Director of Programming David Ng Reception Supervisor Valerie Arkinstall Reception Assistant Heather Belle OUTREACH Donna Takeda*, Board Rep Rentals Kathleen Filkowski / Shirley Trefan Bereavement Cards Valerie Arkinstall Chef Manager Kayla Little Get Well Cards & Visits Lydia Prokop/Chris Figenshau Cook II Sally Reyna Keep-in-Touch Program Valerie Arkinstall DR/Kitchen Assistant Gail Krysak Outreach Program Mary Potvin Janitorial Marco & Carla Escobar SOCIAL ACTIVITIES Eva Deringer*, Board Rep ON-SITE PARTNER PROGRAMS & SERVICES Decorations Eva Deringer Alberta Health Call Centre 1-877-644-9992 Monday Music Jams Roy Swidinsky FSNA Allyn Mills 403-328-0801 Senior Music Makers Barbara Stewart Chinook Lifecare Assoc.Jane-Anne 403-330-1170 Socials Committee & Specials Eva Deringer Leth. Community Network Alan Schneider 403-317-7799 Social Dance Karen Hooper Clogging Sandy Nowell Line Dancing A.M./P.M. Della Howg Handbells Lucy Graham PROGRAMS, COMMITTEES, CONVENERS, & BOARD REPRESENTATIVES* SPORTS & RECREATION Walter Nowell *, Board Rep (* indicates individual on Board responsible for Program Area) Bocce Clay Olsen (** indicates “Emeritus”) Carpet Bowling Norene Irwin, Woody Neely Darts Ken Bobinec Dragon Boat Team Eileen Sawatsky, Dawn Vickers ADMIN. PROGRAMS Floor Curling Audrey Nishikawa, Audrey Gillies, Harold Moore By-Laws & Policies Comm. Marilynn Heaton * (Chair), Harry Fis- Golf Harry Fischer cher, Gordon Kometz, Judy Cartwright Pool Vacant Crafts Boutique Heather Newsham Shuffleboard Clay Olsen Finance Committee Roberta Svennes * (Chair), Jim Hahn, Table Tennis Jerry Mikusek, Dave Bergen Clay Olsen, Frank Deane, Harry Fischer, Mike Bennett TRAVEL Vacant, Board Rep Memberships Shirley Trefan Travel Trip Bookings Valerie Arkinstall Newsletter Kathy Filkowski (Production & Billing) Bus Bookings Kathy Filkowski, Shirley Trefan Newsletter Advertising Sales Jim Hahn Driver Co-ordination —Travel Trips Valerie Arkinstall Nominations Committee Harry Fischer * (Chair), Mary Potvin, Driver Co-ordination — Card Trips Mike Bennett Clay Olsen, Dan Deringer Vehicle (Bus 2) Maintenance Clay Olsen Seniors Helping Seniors Harry Fischer, Norene Easthope VOLUNTEERISM Delores Bourk *, Board Rep CARDS & BOARD GAMES Rodney Foster*, Board Rep Building Set-up Volunteers Clay Olsen, Harry Fischer Contract Bridge Kathy Ludwig Volunteer Committee Delores Bourk, Eva D., Elaine M. Crib Mike Bennett Euchre Rodney Foster AFFILIATIONS Clay Olsen *, Board Rep Military Whist Ruth Balogh ACA Representative Harry Fischer Trump Whist Pat Veres Alberta 55 Plus—Zone 1 Mike Bennett, Clay Olsen Norwegian Whist Pat Veres 2015 AB 55 Plus Winter Games Liais. David Ng Scrabble Sheila Brust, Jenny Oleksy** Economic Development Leth. Mike Bennett (through Feb. 2015) Texas Hold’em Butch Olsen Health Education Presentations David Ng (and Alberta Health) Duplicate Bridge Pat Kincade Lethbridge Seniors Forum David Ng N-B Income Tax Program Harry Fischer, David Ng, Sheila Brust EDUCATION Elaine Molyneux *, Board Rep SASCC (So AB Srs Centre Coalition) Jim Hahn, Roberta Svennes, Oil Painting Yosh Hattori Harry Fischer, Randy Smith Paper Tole Hazel Harvie Alberta Assoc. of Senior Centres Randy Smith Wood Carving Don Johnson Go Seniors Society Clay Olsen, Delores Bourk Watercolor Glenice Caffyn New Horizons for Seniors Program Harry Fischer Drawing Glenice Caffyn Watercolor Club Sandy Baceda, Bea Crawford** Krafters Koffee Klub Jo-Ann Adams View our Website Quilters Group Marilyn Martens Nord-Bridge Card Crafters Pat Kincade www.nordbridgeseniors.com for information, photos, video, Newsletters and more. MEMBERSHIP: OPEN TO ALL SENIORS AGE 55 PLUS. ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP: TO YOUNGER INDIVIDUALS WHOSE SPOUSE IS 55 AND A MEMBER. 3 PRESIDENT’S REPORT by Jim Hahn WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Tickets sales for our annual Miner’s Raffle are selling well. The comment is mostly that we have some very nice prizes for the raffle this year from some very supportive donors! Our target is to have record raffle Mary Zimmer Betty Sackman ticket sales. I still have no response to a letter sent to Minis- Don Morling Arthur Atkinson ter Horne on December 18, 2013. Our members and Board have ex- pressed concerns about proposed changes to ambulance dispatch. Harriette Ruggles Blaine Anderson We were encouraged to read a January 31 announcement by MLA Greg Weadick about ambulance dispatch, only later to be disappoint- Lena Schalk Robert Richardson ed to hear the Minister on February 11 suggest that Lethbridge’s ambulance system should anticipate changes, the details of which we Debra Turnbull Stan Forczek have yet to learn. The Minister’s statement that we should not expect the status quo is worrisome. Murray Skelding Robert Hirano Bob Tarleck, recently appointed to the Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta, is already hard at work. Bob attended our Feb- Ken Oler Sheila Oler ruary Board Meeting to get a feel for issues facing Nord-Bridge Cen- tre and its members. Luanne Witmarsh from the Kirby Centre in Ronald Huisman Joan Szilagyi Calgary will accompany Bob as they intend to visit our Board meet- ing on March 12. Luanne is specifically appointed to speak on be- Raymond van Schouwen half of Senior Centre issues for southern Alberta. We are now facing yet another challenge in the reorganiza- tion of the delivery model for Alberta Seniors Benefit Programs. We hope you enjoy your Harry Fischer has worked long and hard with his volunteers to de- velop and deliver an important program “Seniors Helping Seniors” association with at our Centre. The Province’s change to a “one stop delivery model” “The Friendly Centre” is not really how it is working. You will hear more about this in the near future as we attempt to manage this issue. Time flies when you are having fun! It’s hard to believe that my second year of a possible 3 year term as President is coming to a close. The AGM is coming next week and I have been nominated for Nord-Bridge Meetings Reminder Each Month election for one more year! We have a lot of interesting projects on Outreach Committee First Monday 9:30 a.m. the go, and so I look forward to serving in some capacity! Executive Meeting First Wednesday 9:30 a.m. Before I go, I want to wish a belated Happy Birthday to Winners Bingo Committee Second Tuesday 9:00 a.m. Clint Dunford. Clint is a great supporter of our centre and as MLA, Board of Directors Meeting Second Wednesday 9:00 a.m. he provided much appreciated assistance in receipt of grants for the Finance Committee Last Thursday 9:00 a.m. Annually redevelopment of a strip mall which has been recycled into one of Annual General Meeting First Wed of March 9:30 a.m. the best senior centres in our province. Stop by our Friendly Centre General Member Meeting First Wed of November 9:30 a.m. and see for yourself. Have a visit and lunch in our Dunford Diner! Go Seniors Society Remember – Keep Active and Stay Connected! Regular Board Meetings Feb, April, June, October Second Tuesday 9:00 a.m. , President Annually Annual General Meeting First Tuesday of April 9:00 a.m. www.medichair.com PLEASE NOTE OUR NEW ADDRESS #16, 495 W.T. Hill Blvd. S., Lethbridge T1J 1Y6 (403) 320-1488 or 1-800-561-7749 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT Greg Weadick, MLA reetings Members; L E T H B R I D G E W E S T G Associate Minister of Regional Recovery And Reconstruction - Southeast In January and February Newsletters, along within our building over the same period, you have seen information on the Ambulance Dispatch Con- solidation issue. We also posted within the building a copy of the letter Nord-Bridge sent to Hon. Fred Horne, Minister of Health, advising that our Board was strongly opposed to the centralization of ambulance dispatch to Calgary and Edmonton. This is a position we have maintained since Contact Greg at (403)329-4644 December, and have communicated to both Lethbridge MLA’s. On or via e-mail at: January 31, we happily read in a article in the Lethbridge Herald by MLA Greg Weadick the “City will continue to have a regional ambu- [email protected] lance dispatch service that will support our integrated fire and EMS or drop by 402 - 8 Street South service”. We also read on February 1 comments from His Worship Lethbridge, AB T1J 2J7 Mayor Chris Spearman on the City’s pleasure with the indication that regional ambulance dispatch would remain in Lethbridge. During the course of this entire discussion, we made available to members a peti- tion that encourages Government to maintain Ambulance Dispatch in SHROVE TUESDAY PANCAKE BUFFET Lethbridge.