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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20231212T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20231212T110000
DTSTAMP:20260404T064231
CREATED:20230220T164912Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240120T003139Z
UID:5198-1702375200-1702378800@probusstcatharines.com
SUMMARY:Dan Laroche\, Site Supervisor\, Fort George National Historic Site
DESCRIPTION:Dan Laroche\, – Site Supervisor\, Fort George National Historic Site \nTopic:  Fort George\, in an interesting Show & Tell presentation\n \nBattle of Fort George played key role in war of 1812 \nDuncan McLaren introduced Dan LaRoche\, Site Supervisor of the Fort George National Historic Site. Dan presented the background of the War of 1812 and specifically the battle of Fort George in 1813. The Fort George property extended four miles inland from the Niagara River and was purchased from the Anishinaabe people in 1781. \nThe interests of the Anishinaabe people and the British in the lakes and rivers in the late 16th century were the same – transportation. The upper lakes and rivers connecting to the St. Lawrence River were the route to the middle of the continent along with the Mississippi River. From a strategic perspective\, waterways were everything and if you owned the waterways\, you won wars. \nThe American strategy was the same each year: a three-pronged attack on Montreal\, Niagara and Detroit. In 1813\, the Americans attacked York which was a major naval facility. They defeated York on April 27 and proceeded to Fort George with a flotilla of 14 ships with which they controlled the Great Lakes.\nThe British were fighting Napoleon in Europe and the war in the Americas was a “side-show” and there was little assistance available. The Americans built up their forces at Queenston with five artillery batteries that bombarded Fort George with “hot shot”\, 24-pounder cannonballs heated in a furnace before being fired. These set buildings on fire and all wooden structures perished except the powder magazine which miraculously survived and remains today.\nDan said that after heavy bombardment of the fort\, the American landing craft were beaten back three times before successfully landing and forcing the Canadian troops to retire. British Brigadier General John Vincent feared being caught in a pincer movement and moved his troops all the way back to Burlington Bay. \nDan brought many artifacts of the battle era including a musket and rifle\, bayonet\, tomahawk\, cannon ball\, canister shot plus a diagram of the fort. He explained the use and limitations of the artifacts including the musket’s misfire rate of 30% and inaccuracy due to the ball wobbling as it passed through the smooth bore barrel. He pointed out that rifles were more accurate but took much longer to reload. \nDan said that the War of 1812 is important to everybody because a different outcome could have changed what our country looks like today.\nA map showing Fort George in 1804-1806 that was acquired on eBay helped with the reconstruction of the palisade and buildings. A cache of artillery buttons from the time period were found during the reconstruction. \nIn the Q&A period\, Dan profiled the local militia and the coloured corps that included men aged between 16 and 60 who volunteered and drilled once or twice per year and provided their own weapons and uniforms. The British had disdain for the militia\, so they trained them into a more traditional fighting force and provided weapons and uniforms in the second year of the war. Together they became an effective fighting force.\nDuncan thanked Dan for his informative and knowledgeable presentation and for bringing the artifacts that gave a real perspective to this important part of Niagara’s history. \n 
URL:https://probusstcatharines.com/event/dan-laroche-site-supervisor-fort-george-national-historic-site/
LOCATION:Lions Hall\, 732 Niagara Street\, St. Catharines\, Ontario\, L2M 7W7\, Canada
CATEGORIES:2023 Past Speakers
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://probusstcatharines.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Dan-Laroche.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20231114T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20231114T110000
DTSTAMP:20260404T064231
CREATED:20221109T164415Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240120T003146Z
UID:5022-1699956000-1699959600@probusstcatharines.com
SUMMARY:John Bullen - Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum
DESCRIPTION:John Bullen – Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum \nTopic:  Pilot Officer Andrew Mynarski\, VC\, RCAF \nSpeaker details heroic role of Andrew Mynarski \nAndy Redman introduced guest speaker John Bullen\, a member and volunteer with the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum. John’s interest in the museum was inspired by his uncle who was a senior Harvard flight instructor during WWII where he was based at the Kingston\, Ontario airport. \n John’s topic was pilot officer Andrew Mynarski\, VC and his role as a member of the RCAF. John pointed out that the Lancaster was one of three heavy bombers produced during the war. It was the fastest\, had the greatest range – up to 4\,000 km – and could carry the largest bombs. He noted that of 430 Lancasters built at Malton\, 320 were sent overseas. By 1945\, Canada was building 400 Lancasters per month. The plane carried six tons of ordinance and flew night-time missions which lasted four to seven hours. Crew members signed on for 30 missions but in 1943 the survival rate was just 18%. \nJohn said that Andrew Mynarski\, who was born in Winnipeg in 1916\, joined the army at age 25 but was assigned to RCAF Bomber Squadron in 1944 as part of a crew of seven. Mynarski\, a mid-upper gunner\, developed a close relationship with tail gunner Pat Brophy. The two positions were considered the most dangerous and most isolated on the plane. \n \nJohn described the events of the bomber’s mission on the night of 12-13 June 1944. The plane was picked up enemy spotlights and attacked and hit by night fighters. With two engines knocked out and fire starting to spread\, the pilot ordered the crew to evacuate but just as Mynarski was about to bail out\, he noticed that his friend Brophy was trapped inside his tail gunner turret. Mynarski crawled through flames to try to free Brophy but finally\, at Brophy’s urging\, he left the plane with his uniform and parachute on fire. He landed but died from his burns in hospital the next day at the age of 27. He is buried near Amiens\, France. \nAmazingly\, Brophy went down with the plane but was thrown clear still in his turret and survived with hardly a scratch. He and three other members of the crew were picked up by French Resistance and eventually made their way back to England. Bullen noted that after the war\, Brophy moved to Niagara and died in St. Catharines in 1991. \nMynarski was awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously in 1946 for his valour and bravery in giving his life trying to save his fellow crew member. Mynarski was further honoured in 1984 when the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum restored a Lancaster Mk X to full flying condition — one of only two still flying in the world — and dedicated it to his memory. A large bronze statue was dedicated to Mynarski’s memory at the Middleton St. George bomber base where he served in England. \nDuncan McLaren thanked John for his moving presentation\, so appropriate for a day of remembrance. \n  \n \n 
URL:https://probusstcatharines.com/event/john-bullen-canadian-warplane-heritage-museum/
LOCATION:Lions Hall\, 732 Niagara Street\, St. Catharines\, Ontario\, L2M 7W7\, Canada
CATEGORIES:2023 Past Speakers
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://probusstcatharines.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/John-Bullen.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20231010T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20231010T110000
DTSTAMP:20260404T064231
CREATED:20221206T151324Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240120T003219Z
UID:5111-1696932000-1696935600@probusstcatharines.com
SUMMARY:Ernie Sibbett - Crime Stoppers of Niagara 
DESCRIPTION:Niagara Elder Abuse Prevention Network (NEAPN) in partnership with Crime Stoppers of Niagara presents “Be Aware…Take Care: A Safety Guide for Our Community”.  \n \nErnie Sibbett warns of scams\, threats directed at seniors \nDuncan McLaren introduced speaker Ernie Sibbett\, chair of the board of Crimestoppers Niagara\, who was accompanied by Dorothy Nugent and Carolyn Robinson from Crimestoppers. \nErnie talked about the Niagara Elder Abuse Prevention Network and its safety guide called “Be Aware…Take Care.” Ernie said that Crime Stoppers\, which receives a yearly grant of $50\,000 from Niagara Region\, fields 60 to 70 calls per day related to elder abuse. \nThe program’s aim is to provide information on fraud\, scams\, and threats to elders and to assist them if they are victims. He reviewed some of the scams directed at seniors such as telemarketing\, mail or newspaper marketing\, cyber scams\, thefts by deception or distraction\, bank related scams and identity theft. \nErnie offered examples of scams such as someone calling claiming to be from your bank or from the CRA demanding immediate payment; someone calling to warn that your computer has been infected with a virus but they can fix it if you give them access to your computer. A common one is someone calling pretending to be a friend or relative in an emergency and in need of money. \nHe warned of two red flags related to such calls: an immediate request for money or a request for personal information. He advised that in such cases\, you should hang up immediately. He noted that many people fail to do so but recommended that if potential victims have concerns\, they should notify the police. \nErnie also warned about door-to-door sales. Provincial laws ban door-to-door sales for certain household appliances\, but he said you shouldn’t feel pressured and should never allow strangers into your home. As a rule\, don’t enter into any contract with someone that you didn’t initiate contact with. \nErnie recommended signing up with the National Do Not Call List. Although this won’t eliminate all unsolicited calls\, it can reduce the number and type of calls you receive. \nErnie also spoke about the Niagara Community Information Database which can be reached by calling 211 to receive information about a wide variety of government and other service providers. Ernie mentioned the importance of having a legal Power of Attorney for both personal care and for property to designate someone to make important decisions if you become incapable. \nFurther information is available at www.crimestoppersniagara.com and a complete list of contact information for Niagara community resources is available in the safety guide booklet. \nDuncan thanked Ernie for his important and informative presentation and presented him with a gift certificate.
URL:https://probusstcatharines.com/event/brooklyn-mercer-crime-stoppers-of-niagara/
LOCATION:Lions Hall\, 732 Niagara Street\, St. Catharines\, Ontario\, L2M 7W7\, Canada
CATEGORIES:2023 Past Speakers
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://probusstcatharines.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Be-Aware-Take-Care.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20230912T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20230912T110000
DTSTAMP:20260404T064231
CREATED:20221107T153239Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240120T003227Z
UID:5018-1694512800-1694516400@probusstcatharines.com
SUMMARY:Jesse M. Abbott - University of Waterloo
DESCRIPTION:Jesse M. Abbott Ph.D. Graduate Department of History University of Waterloo \nTopic: Soldiers on the Niagara Frontier \n\nDuncan McLaren introduced guest speaker Jesse Abbott whose topic was the life of soldiers on the Niagara Frontier in the war of 1812. Jesse’s presentation\, which consisted of a portion of his thesis presented to the University of Waterloo for his Doctor of Philosophy in History\, looked mainly at the role alcoholic consumption played in the conduct of soldiers.\nJesse’s research indicated that although heavy drinking was common in that period\, the reputation of some groups\, especially the Irish\, meant that all soldiers were labelled the same. He said that drinking and bad behaviour was not as common as many officers indicated.\nHe pointed out that the class system was much in evidence in the army. Soldiers faced flogging as a form of discipline for various incidents of bad behaviour and were generally held in disrespect and often believed to have joined the army to escape accepted life responsibilities. On the other hand\, officers were often allowed to bring their wives and children to the battle area.\nBut alcohol certainly was in common use. Soldiers were granted daily rum rations including sometimes prior to going into battle. Rum was also provided to help cope with the severe climate. Jesse said that if army rations ran out\, soldiers were often able to obtain spirits from outside sources and regularly gambled for spirits.\nHe said that at the time\, Britain recruited soldiers as young as 13 and their lack of experience\nand the style of fighting — solid lines of men firing muskets — sometimes contributed to the lack of discipline.\nJesse concluded his presentation with a quote from Dylan Thomas who said\, “an alcoholic is someone you don’t like who drinks as much as you do.”\nFollowing a question-and-answer period\, Duncan thanked Jesse and presented him with an LCBO gift certificate. \n  \n 
URL:https://probusstcatharines.com/event/jesse-m-abbott-university-of-waterloo/
LOCATION:Lions Hall\, 732 Niagara Street\, St. Catharines\, Ontario\, L2M 7W7\, Canada
CATEGORIES:2023 Past Speakers
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://probusstcatharines.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Jesse-Abbott.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20230808T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20230808T110000
DTSTAMP:20260404T064231
CREATED:20221112T192348Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240120T003234Z
UID:5042-1691488800-1691492400@probusstcatharines.com
SUMMARY:Brian Narhi - St. Catharines Historian
DESCRIPTION:Brian Narhi – St. Catharines Historian \nTopic: Hydraulic raceways played key role in St. Catharine’s growth \nDuncan McLaren introduced guest speaker\, local historian Brian Narhi whose presentation was entitled “Hydraulic Raceways and the St. Catharines Economy in the 19th Century.” \nBrian\, who obtained his first of several degrees from Brock University and has over 20 years experience as an historian and archival researcher\, said that William Hamilton Merritt built an early mill on Twelve Mile Creek but experienced problems with low water levels and looked for a solution to provide a consistent source of water. A man by the name of Henry Mittelberger proposed the idea of a separate ditch feeding from Chippawa Creek. \nBut when the first Welland Canal\, which followed the path of Twelve Mile Creek\, was opened in 1830\, there was no room for the original feeder ditch. Merritt combined with Oliver Phelps\, chief builder of the canal\, to create a new ditch\, drawing water from the canal and emptying back into the canal\, from near Lock 19 of the canal in Merritton to the Taylor and Bate Brewery\, which was located just north of the present Burgoyne Bridge\, below Yates Street. \nBrian used Power Point to display old maps and diagrams showing the path the raceway took across the city. He explained that there was a three-tiered raceway and that it had a 56-foot drop from top to bottom. \nBrian said that although the raceway suffered regular breakdowns it sparked tremendous economic growth for the city as more and more mills were built to take advantage of the waterpower. \nLocal businessman Thomas McIntyre was one of the early builders with his Norris Mills. Others included Canada Haircloth\, McKinnon Industries and Wood Brothers Tannery. Brian pointed out that in 1827 there were just 384 people here and by 1834 the population had grown to about 700 and by the 1940’s to about 2\,000. Canada Haircloth was the first to make use of the waterpower to generate electricity. \nHe pointed out that many of the buildings that face St. Paul Street and backed onto the old canal were built on stilts because the tiered raceways didn’t allow room to build right down to ground level. \nBrian explained that the raceways were owned by the government which at one point granted leases for water rights to various businesses The city finally took possession of the raceways in 1935 and as electricity started to diminish the demand for waterpower much of the raceway was covered over and\, in some cases\, converted to sewer lines. \nMuch of the old canal and the raceway were filled in as children and adults frequently drowned in the open raceway. \nAfter a question-and-answer session\, Duncan thanked Brian for his fascinating look at part of our history and presented him with a gift certificate. \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://probusstcatharines.com/event/brian-narhi-st-catharines-historian/
LOCATION:Lions Hall\, 732 Niagara Street\, St. Catharines\, Ontario\, L2M 7W7\, Canada
CATEGORIES:2023 Past Speakers
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://probusstcatharines.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/brian-narhi-e1689020613473.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20230711T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20230711T110000
DTSTAMP:20260404T064231
CREATED:20221109T180058Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240120T003243Z
UID:5030-1689069600-1689073200@probusstcatharines.com
SUMMARY:Ed Telenko - St. Catharines Academy of Fine Artists
DESCRIPTION:Ed Telenko\,  Executive Director  St. Catharines Academy of Fine Artists \nTopic: Participation in art has therapeutic benefits \n Duncan McLaren introduced guest speaker Ed Telenko\, a new member of the PROBUS Club and a graduate of the Ontario School of Art and Design\, whose topic was art for older adults stressing the therapeutic benefits of participating in art. Ed is the executive director and lead instructor at the St. Catharines Academy of Fine Artists. \nEd pointed out that art has helped shape thousands of years of culture around the world. He referred to the evolution of art over the years and said that in the 20th century all the rules gave way to a greater freedom of expression. \nEd explained that there is no need to feel intimidated by the idea of art. It is the act of doing art and not the final product that carries the benefits. He pointed out that anyone can begin with simple sketches in black and white and from there perhaps move on to using basic coloured pencils and progress to using simple water colours without every venturing into oil. \nEd offered a quote from Picasso who said\, “Art washes the dust from the soul.” Dr. Ann McMillen\, a physician\, has done much for modern art stressing its therapeutic benefits and how it enhances cognitive impairment allowing people to cope with stress\, anxiety\, and depression. \nEd said that children are attracted to pen and paper to create something which to their mind is artistic. He added that art connects kids to people and the world. \nWorking in art offers creative expression and can boost self esteem while enhancing cognitive abilities. Ed said that he has been influenced by Lawrence Katz whose book “Keep Your Brain Alive” stresses the need to use all five senses to keep your brain strong and healthy. He says that art stimulates brain and nerve connections and promotes the production of Dopamine\, a motivational molecule that helps maintain brain plasticity. \nEd also mentioned another influencer for him and showed examples for the creative work of famous glass blower Dale Chihuly. \nEd said that his own artwork has progressed through various stages. He showed examples of the caricatures he has done of prominent St. Catharines people as well as more recent works of Lyrical Surrealism. He added that he has tried to disprove the idea that water colours are “wimpy” and can be vibrant. \nDuncan thanked Ed for his interesting talk and presented him with a gift certificate in token of appreciation.
URL:https://probusstcatharines.com/event/ed-telenko-st-catharines-academy-of-fine-artists/
LOCATION:Lions Hall\, 732 Niagara Street\, St. Catharines\, Ontario\, L2M 7W7\, Canada
CATEGORIES:2023 Past Speakers
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://probusstcatharines.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Ed-Telenko.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20230613T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20230613T110000
DTSTAMP:20260404T064231
CREATED:20220912T170343Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240120T003251Z
UID:4913-1686650400-1686654000@probusstcatharines.com
SUMMARY:Brenda McPhail\, Ph.D.  - currently on leave from the Canadian Civil Liberties Association
DESCRIPTION:Brenda McPhail\, Ph.D. – currently on leave from the Canadian Civil Liberties Association\nBrenda is “Acting Executive Director of the Master Program in Public Policy in Digital Society” \n \nTopic: “Nothing to Hide? Privacy protects more than just secrets in the big-data world” \nPeople urged to take precautions to protect their privacy \nDuncan McLaren introduced guest speaker Brenda McPhail\, Ph.D\, currently on leave from the Canadian Civil Liberties Association\, who is acting executive director of the master program in public policy in Digital Society. \nShe advised that privacy is the right to be left alone. It is about its relevance\, myths and protection. Privacy is the right of people to control\, edit\, manage and delete information about themselves and decide when\, how and what information is shared. It is a dynamic process of control and negotiating boundaries and intersubjective relations and exists for the social good in an interconnected society. \nShe pointed out that some companies use algorithms to put people into classes to direct specific ads at them. \nBrenda gave recent examples of privacy rights violations by corporate giants in Canada — Home Depot and Tim Hortons. Each was found guilty and disciplined for gathering el \n \nectronic customer information without proper permission beyond what was needed for a business transaction and then passing such information to other corporations to help them understand a person’s buying and location habits. In the case of Home Depot\, the information was collected when customers chose to have receipts e-mailed to them. The data was then shared with Meta\, the owners of Facebook. \nAlthough not an official policy\, Toronto police and other police services in Canada made use of facial recognition software through “Clearview AI” in criminal investigations. The facial images were collected without consent off various internet sites across Canada. The actions led to 84 investigations and a subsequent ruling that barred police from using such data. \nBrenda said that more recent commercial propaganda touts the death of privacy due to social and other electronic media. \nThis is untrue\, a myth. So too is “Nothing to Hide\, Nothing to Fear”. One’s own knowledge is power; use it! \n \nShe cautioned people to not assume that they are safe from computer attacks. She urged people to keep their software up to date\, beware of phishing\, practice good password management and use anti-virus protection. \nShe said when browsing online\, it’s OK to make stuff up when it is none of their business. She also recommended clicking “No” if you are asked to agree to cookies. For those with smart phones\, she recommended turning off location tracking when you don’t need it. \nBrenda urged people to watch for legal reforms such as Bill C-27 now working its way through Parliament which will impact regulations around privacy protection. She recommended the website www.ccla.org to find more information about your rights regarding privacy. \nDuncan thanked Brenda for her presentation and presented her with a gift certificate in appreciation. \nTo view Brenda’s presentation  video please click here.
URL:https://probusstcatharines.com/event/brenda-mcphail/
LOCATION:Lions Hall\, 732 Niagara Street\, St. Catharines\, Ontario\, L2M 7W7\, Canada
CATEGORIES:2023 Past Speakers
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://probusstcatharines.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/brenda-mcphail.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20230509T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20230509T110000
DTSTAMP:20260404T064231
CREATED:20220428T173640Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240120T003257Z
UID:4750-1683626400-1683630000@probusstcatharines.com
SUMMARY:Dr Riley Moynes - "The Four Phases of Retirement"
DESCRIPTION:Dr Riley Moynes “The Four Phases of Retirement – and the Psychological Challenges” \n  \n  \nHow to get ‘Juice’ out of retirement \nDuncan McLaren introduced guest speaker\, Dr. Riley Moynes\, author of the book “Four Phases of Retirement: How to Squeeze all the “Juice Out”.  \nRiley\, a former educator and financial planner\, is the author of several books on a variety of topics and is a current Toronto Probus Club member. He gave much thought to the process of retirement which led him to pen his book. This led him to an arduous audition with “Ted Talk” and an eventual YouTube presentation which garnered 3.5 million views. \nRiley explained that you obviously must prepare financially for retirement but what is often over-looked is the need to prepare psychologically. \nHis research indicates that the last of the baby boomers will turn 65 in 2030. Over the next seven years in North America 10\,000 people will retire every day and those people could spend one third of their lives in retirement. The fastest ageing group is the 85+ demographic. \nRiley said that it is vitally important that retirees learn how to do meaningful and productive things by “squeezing the juice”. This needs a framework or phases. \nPhase 1: Based on retirement at age 65. Usually\, people will do as they please\, vacation\, travel\, buy a boat and sail\, fulfil a bucket list such as buying a vacation home\, skydiving and other such things. \nBut then\, boredom starts to set in and leads to a need to create structure to avoid being insignificant/irrelevant. \nPhase 2. At about age 68\, many of these people start to feel the loss of life structure\, identity\, relationships\, purpose and power. Unchecked\, these things can lead to anxiety\, depression\, decline in mental and physical health\, and even divorce. \nDivorce\, he explained\, has doubled in five years and tripled for those over 65. Riley said that this can be a difficult stage and retirees must be prepared for the challenges and “buckle-up”. \nPhase 3: Leads people to ask themselves\, how can I contribute to the better good? There is no question that there will be false starts\, but determination will lead to finding a successful outlet for one’s talents and skills. \nPhase 4: Many people break through and those who do\, are the happiest when contributing. Those who struggle (50-60%) need to find ways to re-invent or rewire themselves; asking themselves: what is my mission/purpose in service to others? \nHow to get there: \n    #1. Find your unique ability…things one loves to do and really do it well and do well superbly. One needs to really think about that…What am I competent at? What do I do really well? \n    #2. List your five highest attributes. \n    #3. What are the common thread links over the past three years or so? \n    #4. What does the world need that I am good at? The sweet spot! Do I want to get paid for what I do or not? Extrinsic/Intrinsic needs. \nRiley noted that a Harvard University study of over 15\,000 people noted that many do nothing productive beyond self-pleasure and they are the unhappiest retirees. \nIn summary\, Riley emphasized that retirement not only needs rest and adventure but also needs structure\, identity\, relationships\, purpose\, power\, revival and being good at what we do. \nRiley concluded by saying that you are not alone in this transition. You have a huge opportunity to combine your passions and your strengths to make the world a better place. He urged people don’t retire – rewire. \nMany complements and questions were posed to Riley during a question-and-answer period. Duncan thanked him warmly for his presentation and offered a gift certificate in a token of appreciation. \nNote: the original edition of Dr. Moynes’ book is out of print\, but a revision is in progress and availability will be communicated to Duncan in due course. \nTo view a video of the presentation click here.
URL:https://probusstcatharines.com/event/dr-riley-moynes/
LOCATION:Lions Hall\, 732 Niagara Street\, St. Catharines\, Ontario\, L2M 7W7\, Canada
CATEGORIES:2023 Past Speakers
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://probusstcatharines.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Dr-Riley-Moynes-e1651167326895.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20230411T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20230411T110000
DTSTAMP:20260404T064231
CREATED:20220727T185124Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240120T003308Z
UID:4801-1681207200-1681210800@probusstcatharines.com
SUMMARY:Carol Nagy - Hospice Niagara
DESCRIPTION:Hospice Niagara: Carol Nagy Executive Director (pictured above)\n \nTOPIC: Helping people live well. Hospice palliative care in your community \nHospice Niagara works hard to meet growing demands \nJohn Senn introduced guest speaker\, Carol Nagy\, Executive Director for Hospice Niagara. Carol began her career as a front-line social worker in child welfare in Toronto. While at the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies\, she helped to develop provincial training curriculums and programs in particular for Indigenous communities in Northern Ontario. She returned to Niagara in 2013 and now works with staff\, more than 350 volunteers and a Board of Directors to help people and their families live well by providing exceptional and compassionate care to everyone\, every where\, every time. \nCarol provided an excellent presentation about the present and future structure of Hospice Niagara and its role\, both to the community in general and to end of life clients/families. \nSuch services are at zero cost. The costs are covered by active fundraising and certain government funding which Carol said has not increased. \nHospice offers walking therapy to help maintain mobility; a bereavement day camp for children and support programs for caregivers to help keep them strong and able to advocate. \nNeeds for these services are increasing by 45% per year with more than 50% of service needs coming from South Niagara. \nThere are about 250 intakes for services and about the same number leaving the service that strives to maintain an in-home environment. \nCarol advised that in England\, the entire cost of Hospice is covered under the NHS (National Health Service). Their system works within a ward style system as most patients prefer to be with other people. \nCarol spoke about expansion plans for the south Niagara area meaning that\, when completed in 2024\, people in Niagara will be no more than 20 to 30 minutes from a hospice bed. She said that the Fort Erie hospice to be called Willson House will be located beside the new Gilmore Lodge long-term care home and Walker House in Welland will   be located inside the renovated Foyer Richelieu\, a bilingual long-term care home. Together they will add 20 hospice suites for people at end of life. Outreach services and bereavement care will also expand once these hospices open. Ground-breaking in Welland is scheduled for May 1. \nThe new facilities will feature larger rooms to accommodate mobility issues\, newer equipment such as overhead lifts and spa-like washrooms plus guest and children’s quiet rooms. The additions hope to serve 900 clients per year. \nThe new facilities\, along with the Stabler Centre in St. Catharines\, provide supportive counselling for people and families\, nutritious meals made by a hospice chef and wellness programs for people living at home with life-limiting illness. \nCarol said that 350 volunteers give approximately 75\,000 hours toward all aspects of the operation. \nDuring an extensive question and answer period\, Carol said that every week a waiting list of some 500 names is reviewed looking at family conditions\, immediate needs and other factors to determine client priority. \nShe pointed out that volunteers are always needed. Volunteers are placed according to their personal experiences and strengths. The amount of training depends on the volunteer position whether it is in resident care or administration. \nCarol\, who was accompanied by Executive Assistant Pamela Mackie\, provided a number of information pamphlets and encouraged people to check out www.hospiceniagara.ca for further information and to support their Close to Home fund-raising drive. \nHugh Gayler thanked Carol and presented a gift certificate in token of appreciation. \n  \nTo view a video of the presentation click here. \n 
URL:https://probusstcatharines.com/event/mary-maida-hospice-niagara/
LOCATION:Lions Hall\, 732 Niagara Street\, St. Catharines\, Ontario\, L2M 7W7\, Canada
CATEGORIES:2023 Past Speakers
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://probusstcatharines.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Carol-Nagy.jpg
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20230314T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20230314T110000
DTSTAMP:20260404T064231
CREATED:20220926T213419Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240120T003317Z
UID:4952-1678788000-1678791600@probusstcatharines.com
SUMMARY:Marnie Donaldson - Sound Hearing Care Niagara
DESCRIPTION:Marnie Donaldson – Sound Hearing Care Niagara \nHearing\, Hearing Loss and Hearing Aids \n  \n \nSpeakers explain hearing loss and treatments \nAndy Redman introduced guest speaker Marnie Donaldson\, a hearing instrument specialist and her colleague\, Jessica Cekan\, an audiologist from Sound Hearing Care\, Niagara. A graduate of Conestoga College\, Jessica has worked in a clinical setting since 2006. She rotates among Sound Hearing Clinics in Niagara and in the Hamilton area where she lives. \nAndy related his personal experience in seeking hearing help and his pleasure with the excellent outcome of the work by Marnie and her colleagues. \nMarnie and Jessica began their presentation with a video that illustrated the reactions of infants with hearing impairment when they were first able to hear. \nWith a PowerPoint presentation\, Marnie pointed out that\, according to the World Health Organization\, hearing loss is the fifth leading cause of disability\, affecting 50% of the population worldwide and 11.5% in Canada.  Currently 65% of adults over 65 have some hearing impairment. \nShe said common causes of hearing loss include such things as ear wax\, foreign objects in the ear\, perforations to the ear drum\, aging\, noise exposure\, toxic medication\, injuries\, viruses\, tumors and hereditary conditions. \nHeart disease\, hypertension\, balance and diabetes are all symptoms related to untreated hearing loss. Also associated with hearing loss and balance issues can be a greater risk of falls\, kidney disease\, tinnitus\, depression\, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. \nJessica pointed out that tinnitus\, a ringing or buzzing in the ear\, can only be felt by the sufferer and can’t be measured but it can be reduced through lowered stress and anxiety. \nShe advised that if a friend or family member is suspected of hearing loss\, they should be offered support and encouraged to book a hearing test. \n \nDuring an extensive question and answer session\, it was pointed out that hearing aids only help to hear\, they will not restore hearing. Upper frequency or high pitch sounds are the first sound levels to be adversely affected in hearing loss. Different speech styles and speeds can also affect hearing. The recommended method of clearing ear wax is the use of oil and water or seeking professional help but avoiding the use of any tools such as Q-tips. In reference to the opening video\, it was pointed out that hearing screening is done now in hospitals for all babies with follow-up done as needed. \nDuncan McLaren thanked Marnie and Jessica for their informative presentation and presented a gift certificate in token of appreciation. \n \n  \n 
URL:https://probusstcatharines.com/event/marnie-sound-hearing-care-niagara/
LOCATION:Lions Hall\, 732 Niagara Street\, St. Catharines\, Ontario\, L2M 7W7\, Canada
CATEGORIES:2023 Past Speakers
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://probusstcatharines.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Marnie-Donaldson.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20230214T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20230214T110000
DTSTAMP:20260404T064231
CREATED:20220727T192847Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240120T003325Z
UID:4804-1676368800-1676372400@probusstcatharines.com
SUMMARY:Rachel Braithwaite - St. Catharines Downtown Association
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0WQBRLTmBY”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Rachel Braithwaite – St. Catharines Downtown Association \nTOPIC: St. Catharines Downtown Association challenges and successes \n \nExecutive Director remains upbeat about the future of our downtown \nDuncan McLaren introduced guest speaker Rachel Braithwaite\, Executive Director of St. Catharines Downtown Association and the Business Improvement Association. \nRachel used a video and Power Point slides to illustrate her presentation about how her organizations work in partnership with the city. She pointed out that Business Improvement Associations (BIAs) evolved in the 1960s in Toronto with the move from downtown to shopping malls. Rachel said that the Bloor West Village developed the first BIA in Canada and indeed the world in 1970. The idea of BIAs spread rapidly as the need for overall co-operation was recognized. There are now 300 BIAs in Ontario and 500 in Canada. \nRachel said that there are four pillars upon which BIAs operate: 1. Public realm investing; 2. Area brand marketing; 3. Policy and partnerships; 4. Events. She added that the focus for the past three years has been advocacy due to the toll on businesses caused by the COVID 19 pandemic. \nShe said that downtowns have much to offer. They are iconic and provide powerful symbols for a city and often contain the most iconic landmarks. \nShe said that the public realm investing involves spending money on downtown beautification. In St. Catharines that involved an investment of $75\,000 in 2022. She added that another $25\,000 was ear-marked for publicity on social media. She argued that one of the problems behind the perceived lack of parking in the downtown was the lack of publicity about the two parking garages near both the Performing Arts Centre and the Meridian Centre. \nRachel said the focus for 2023 will be on Downtown Premium from early June until October 1. Special events have proven their worth in attracting people to the downtown. This year a Spring Festival is being planned for April 22 and a Summer Festival is slated for July 15. The festivals aim to spotlight businesses with collaboration and community support. \nDuring an extensive question and answer period\, Rachel said that the trial period of blocking off part of St. Paul Street was met with opposition from merchants because those on the south side of the street have no other access for deliveries. She pointed out that part of James Street was converted to a pedestrian-only area and the BIA will be pushing for more patio areas this summer. \nShe admitted that the boarding up of a number of stores on St. Paul Street detracts from the look of the street and said the BIA is working on making improvements in that area while also pushing for lower special event parking fees. \nDuncan thanked Rachel for her presentation and suggested her talk invited not only questions but a number of opinions. He presented her with a gift certificate in appreciation. \n \n \n  \nVideo of Rachel Braithwaite’s presentation click here.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:https://probusstcatharines.com/event/rachel-braithwaite-st-catharines-downtown-association/
LOCATION:Lions Hall\, 732 Niagara Street\, St. Catharines\, Ontario\, L2M 7W7\, Canada
CATEGORIES:2023 Past Speakers
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20230110T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20230110T110000
DTSTAMP:20260404T064231
CREATED:20220713T145049Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240120T003332Z
UID:4790-1673344800-1673348400@probusstcatharines.com
SUMMARY:Hugh Fraser
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzaBRQ76ifA”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Speaker unveils hidden features of swing beam barns \n \nBob Halfyard introduced guest speaker Hugh Fraser\, the author and publisher of a book entitled “Swing Beam Barns of Niagara – stories of 50 barns built in Ontario between 1819 and 1884.” \nHugh was raised on a farm and has been connected to farming his whole life. He owns the consulting firm OTB Farm Solutions and specializes in issues facing farmers within the urban shadow. He is also a certified auditor for the Ontario Viticulture and Winery Sustainability Program. \nHugh started his presentation by asking how many members were raised on farms and about 25% affirmed such a connection. \n  \n  \nHe said that swing beam barns were built to store wheat and other grains so that farmers could sell the grain for hard-to-find cash. The first barns were built by Mennonite Communities\, then United Empire Loyalists coming from United States and later by English immigrants. \nHugh\, who illustrated his talk with a Power Point presentation\, said that swing beam barns featured a single beam\, tapered in the middle\, across the width of the barn leaving plenty of open space on the threshing floor. This allowed room to swing horses around and out of the barn after being unhitched from a wagon. The open area allowed for the threshing of grain with swing flails and\, in some cases\, horses\, without shoes\, were used to trod over the grain walking in a merry-go-round fashion. \nHugh said that Neutral tribes in this area were farmers in the very early days and cut down many trees\, but they left the area about 1650 and the land was allowed to re-wild for about 150 years before other settlers moved into the Niagara or Upper Canada area. \nBy that time there were again huge trees and Hugh said that he has seen a barn board that measured 48-inches wide. The massive trees also meant that huge beams\, up to 65 feet or more in length\, were available for construction. He suggested that trees of that size will never be seen again. As a result\, newer barns must make use of smaller beams and require more support braces that the earlier barns. \nHe pointed out that most early barns were built with softwood – most white pine – while hardwoods such as ash\, oak and even walnut were used. He reported that he had even discovered a barn where black cherry was used. \nHe admitted that it is often difficult to recognize early swing beam barns from the outside because they have often been altered with concrete or block foundations added or with roof lines raised to create more room. He said that the reason so many of these barns are still in existence in Niagara is that their size and open nature meant that they were  relatively easy to convert for fruit farming. \nHugh\, who is director with Ontario Barn Preservation\, is already working on a second book. He said that while exploring barns he has discovered old inscriptions left on beams that many current owners have never noticed. \nHugh\, who passed around a copy of his book\, said that each chapter contains an imagined dialogue between the owner of that specific barn and someone else\, technical details about the construction of the barn and then the history of what happened between the time it was built and now. \nDuncan McLaren thanked Hugh from his enthusiastic and informative talk and presented him with a gift certificate as a token of appreciation. \n  \nVideo of Hugh Fraser’s presentation click here. \n  \n  \n  \n  \n[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:https://probusstcatharines.com/event/hugh-fraser/
LOCATION:Lions Hall\, 732 Niagara Street\, St. Catharines\, Ontario\, L2M 7W7\, Canada
CATEGORIES:2023 Past Speakers
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