April 30, 2017
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It was an appropriately sunny and warm morning April 27, as the members of the South Bruce Retired Women Teachers of Ontario (RWTO) gathered at the Pine River United Church for their annual spring meeting.
After a short but lively social time, president Pat Emmerton opened the meeting, extending a warm welcome to 28 members and two guests.
Secretary Lois Davey read the minutes of the Oct. 27 and Nov. 17, highlighting the fashion show and donation of 26 boxes to the Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child program. She then read minutes from the April 16, 1997, meeting. This prompted many memories and inquiries about the people mentioned in the report.
Treasurer Carole Machan gave the financial report, followed by an insurance update by Betty Johnson.
Emmerton and past-president Leslie Uttley presented yellow roses to three new members: Melanie Clark, Barb Ross and Eva Marcone, and invited them to each give a brief self-introduction.
Judy Watt gave an update on the progress of the refugee family living in Kincardine. Three members of the family have jobs in the area but are hoping to move to Toronto to pursue higher education opportunities.
The next significant RWTO event is the annual convention being held in Ajax, June 6-8. Emmerton will attend as a voting delegate with alternate Christina Weylie. Also attending, will be Leslie Uttley, Betty Johnson and Audrey MacDonald. The theme of this year’s gathering is, “Follow the Dream.”
Three members; Merri Macartney, Eva Wilken and Christine Roberts, were invited to supply a brief description of their retirement aspirations to be displayed at the convention.
The six branches of Area 1, of which South Bruce is a member, will partner with the East Parry Sound branch to host the 2018 convention June 4-6 at the Nottawasaga Inn near Alliston. Planning is well underway by the executive who brought funding and organizational issues to the membership for discussion and resolution.
Just as the enticing aromas were becoming too much to bear, resident wordsmith Wilken gave an inspirational blessing to commence the meal portion of the gathering. Many thanks are extended to the ladies of the Pine River United Church who provided a delicious assortment of dishes and desserts which were heartily enjoyed by all.
Following lunch, Emmerton proposed the introduction of interest groups such as golf, book club or lunch and a movie as a means to become better acquainted through the sharing of pass times. She encouraged members to indicate their interest on a sign-up poster.
Uttley invited members to join her and past provincial presidents mid-August as they meet in Kincardine for their annual gathering. Many tours and activities related to local attractions are planned.
With typical teacher efficiency, the dates for the next two meetings of 2017 are already booked: Oct. 26 at the Ripley Legion and Nov. 16 at the Kincardine Baptist Church.
The business and meal taken care of, Emmerton introduced guest speakers Barb Smith and Marj Bellingham. Close friends and retired teachers from the Waterloo area, these energetic ladies are also 10-year volunteer veterans who now represent the Alzheimer’s Society of Waterloo-Wellington as Touch Quilt project co-ordinators.
They began their presentation with reference to the many programs available through the local Grey-Bruce Alzheimer Society headquartered in Owen Sound, and encouraged the members to visit the national website www.alzheimer.ca .
Their introductory theme, “knowledge is power,” certainly resonated with the audience of former teachers but in the case of brain health, dementia and Alzheimer Disease, it was intended as a reminder to arm ourselves with as much knowledge as possible.
Employing illustrative analogies, often humorous, and personal anecdotes to illustrate symptoms and varied causes of dementia, Bellingham and Smith helped the group understand the need for diagnosis and compassion for people suffering from disorders of the brain.
Although medication can help slow the debilitating progression, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s and some risk factors cannot be changed. However, many things can be done to slow the process and possibly prevent it. One simple rule of thumb: whatever’s good for the heart is also good for the brain. Another easily adopted change is to challenge the brain by doing familiar things differently or learn a new skill. The most important preventative measure is socializing, something the South Bruce RWTO members accomplish by maintaining personal relationships among peers.
Smith and Bellingham began looking for volunteer opportunities upon retiring from teaching and hit upon the notion of sewing a Touch Quilt for a friend’s mother after seeing an advertisement calling for donations of sensory quilts to the Waterloo-Wellington Alzheimer Society. This initial inspiration led them on a journey of volunteerism that had Bellingham’s basement filled with donated fabric and nine years later, has resulted in the creation and donation of more than 6,000 Touch Quilt kits.
As they concluded their presentation, showing examples of Touch Quilts and Twiddle Muffs, this dynamic duo surprised everyone by offering kits and quilts to anyone who wanted to either make a quilt or who knew of someone who might benefit from a quilt.
They were given a heartfelt thank you by member Barb Ross, the friend whose mother served as their original inspiration. The South Bruce RWTO brought donations of fabric and made monetary donations to both the Grey-Bruce and Waterloo-Wellington Alzheimer Societies. When the meeting ended, many ladies were eager to talk to the presenters and examine the quilts.
Through their passionate presentation, these two remarkable women left their audience feeling powerful and inspired. They certainly exemplify the RWTO motto of “caring and sharing.”
To learn more about the South Bruce branch of the Retired Women Teachers of Ontario, contact Pat Emmerton at 519-396-1120. New members are warmly welcome.
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