December 2022 Newsletter

A year of Reflection

Lycia Sudama

Vice Chair

This year has been a very satisfying and busy year for the GTA Lamplighter committee. Hopefully you feel the same way.

We are trying to get back to a sense of a normal life during this pandemic. We have encountered many challenges and hurdles during this time.

Our committee has worked diligently to put together many activities for the club. We were able to organize two theatre outings, four outdoor events and several luncheons.

Moving forward in 2023 we are in the planning stages for an even more exciting new year for this club with new ideas. For more details on this year and plans for next year, read Ros’ section below.

We also now have the foundation to grow our club. With the introduction this year of our new Wild Apricot Management platform, we launched our new website. The website will help inform potential new members and make joining us even easier with its online application form.

The platform can grow with us and will allow for online event registration and payment as well as membership renewals. We are in the process of testing the online credit card payment feature and will update you shortly. We’ve also put in place a process with Enbridge’s Retiree Club so that new retirees are aware of our club.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone on this Committee who have made great contribution towards the success of 2022.

In closing the committee would like to wish each of you and your family a very safe and Happy Holidays.

Looking forward to 2023.

Welcome N. Yorkers

We are pleased to welcome 28 additional new members from the N. Yorkers to our club. N. Yorkers is the retiree club from legacy Union Gas Club that were based in North York. Their club will amalgamate into GTA Lamplighters on January 1, 2023. Vice Chair Lycia Sudama had the pleasure of meeting them recently at a luncheon event. Please help us in making them feel like part of the family.

Social Events

By Ros Craig

It has been a busy year since the GTA Lamplighters was created in 2021.

2022 In Review

First Annual Good Old Fashioned EGD Picnic:

We had our first annual picnic on July 19^th. A big thank you goes out to the Community Events Team for preparing a delicious lunch for us. Melissa Alphonso provided us with a Bollywood Dance lesson, it was fun. She graciously provided us with another lesson at our Whitby Meet and Greet on October 18^th.

Meet and Greets:

We had two Meet & Greets –bring your own lunch picnics. One was in held in Whitby and one was held in Scarborough.

Theatre Outings:

A group attended Herongate Theatre in Pickering on April 3 for lunch and a play. The lunch was delicious and the show was very entertaining. We had another Herongate Theatre event which was subsidized by the GTA LL on October 23. Great food, great company and a great show. We also arranged for a bus trip from Barrie to attend a Frankie Valli Tribute in Bright, Ont. It was great.

Barrie Area Barbeque:

A bbq was held in Oro-Medonte on August 31 to allow members who live local to enjoy catching up.

Swiss Chalet Christmas Lunches - There are four lunches in total through November and December – a great value with subsidies from GTALL.

Social Events 2023:

We have exciting events being planned for 2023. Possible outings include Blue Jay games, more theatre outings, lake cruises, wine tours, more Meet and Greet outings and of course our Second Annual Good Old Fashioned EGD Barbeque. For images from our previous events go to our Social Events page by Clicking Here.

Tell Us About Your Passion or Story

By Ros Craig

One of the most positive comments we have had regarding the GTA Lamplighters is how it allows our retirees to connect with each other. Personally, I love catching up with how everyone is doing and what is happening in their lives. Experts tell us that as we age, social interaction is an important part of healthy aging.

Tells us what makes you happy. What is your hobby? Do you volunteer? We all love to hear about each other. We want to publish your stories in our quarterly newsletter so that everyone can celebrate your success.

This month we share Tara's fascinating volunteer work with Doctors Without Borders.

My Year with Doctors Without Borders

By Tara Seon

When I retired, my husband and I undertook a trip to a long-desired destination: Patagonia. For close to three months, he and I traveled through South America, mostly by bus. It was even more spectacular an experience than he or I had imagined.

On my return, though, I was ready to be useful again so decided to visit the Doctors Without Borders - Medecins Sans Frontiers (MSF) office in downtown Toronto, to see about volunteering. I was open to doing whatever they needed of me and, within 10 or so minutes into the interview, I realized the questions coming my way were for something completely unexpected.

Perhaps you might still think MSF hires doctors and nurses. I did, going in (so much for researching a company before going in for an interview!). But HR and Logistics people? I was being recruited to go on a mission (as volunteer ‘jobs’ are called within MSF). My 12-month mission (I stayed 14 months) would be in South Sudan (SSD) as the Human Resources Coordinator, the HRCo.

Within weeks I was in the Netherlands for the required 2-week “PPD” (Preparation Pre-Departure) Training. All new MSF recruits being sent to the field go through this or similar survival training. We needed to understand the philosophy and practice of MSF to go where medical help is needed because of famine, war and ethnic violence, natural disaster.

We would learn MSF’s commitment to temoniages - to bear witness if needed, to crimes against humanity. (In 2009, for example, just before I started my mission, MSF was kicked out of North Sudan for charging Omar al-Bashir with using rape as a weapon of war. Bashir was later indicted by the International Criminal Court for mass killing, rape and pillage against civilians).

Danger for MSF staff, while not commonplace, is always expected and planned for. The “Preparation” part of our pre-departure training gave us some understanding of the potential danger we could face in the field, and survival techniques if things went wrong.

At the time of my mission just over 10 years ago, MSF had 3 field hospitals in SSD, with the head office where I was based, in the capital, Juba. A fifth location was in Kenya right at the SD-Kenya border. From there all required supplies were shipped to our hospitals in SSD. This included all medicines and medical supplies, building and other equipment, food for expats, famine-relief and supplies to handle medical outbreaks such as Kala-Azar (sleeping-sickness).

There are no navigable roads much outside Juba. Because of this all the field hospitals were only accessible every 10-days by 8-seat single-prop Cessnas leased by MSF. This meant, when I visited the field hospitals, they were each 10-day stints. The exception to this was during the rainy season when the landing-pasture was too muddy for planes to land so….20 days later…! The difficulty of this was, of course, that the planes bring in medical and other supplies for the hospital, and fresh food for expats. Food was sometimes scarce at the remote projects and expats had to look creatively at previously-rejected canned-goods on the shelves.

So what WAS my job/‘mission’? With two local assistants, I managed all HR requirements for the 680 local, 40 Kenyan and 70 expat staff. The local work included liaising with the government in Juba on MSF’s behalf on anything to do with local staff. This included cases of termination, unapproved absences because of elopement or because of problems with cows. I kid you not. It also included representing MSF when any changes needed to be made to the MSF-SSD Government agreement for working with local staff. MSF does not, under any circumstance, engage in bribery and I fully respect that. However, in a country where this is the way of life it was a challenge to get the simplest changes made when government approval was needed.

Also as part of my job I provided – or supported expat staff to provide - various training to local and expat staff. A huge project I undertook was trying to ensure previous and current training of local staff was assessed and logged so the paper-trail of their qualifications would lead to a higher rate of pay. With constant end-of-missions (mostly 3, 6, 9 or 12 months) for expats who are almost exclusively the ‘supervisors’ of the local staff), continuity of supervision is close to impossible. Each new expat invariably wanted ‘proof’ all over again. A frustrating, impossible situation for many of our South Sudanese Staff.

Expat staff missions were generally 1, 3, 6, 9 or 12 months. For them all I booked flights out of SSD for vacation or at their end of mission (felt like hundreds!). As well I arranged accommodation in Juba, conducted all orientations/exit interviews in Juba for expats arriving/those at the end of their mission. Key also was ensuring arrival-times for new expats coincided with flights carrying supplies to whichever hospital the expat would be working.

So, 10 years later, some things which have stayed with me:

Sleeping in a tukul (round mud-hut with thatched roof) when at the project-hospitals. All the hospital compounds were surrounded by a fence of sticks and branches – not terribly secure but it worked. Many nights I’d drag my bed and mosquito netting outside to sleep under the stars and often, watch the moon set as the sun rose.
Going out with the nursing staff to check for child-malnutrition. This entailed taking a measurement of the upper arm and leaving protein packages called Plumpynut, for severe cases.
The indomitable spirit of those same kids who would run after us and call out in Nuer – Nyakawht! Nyakawht! Hawaya? Hawaya? (White Lady! How are you?). Go figure, right?
Having one of the warlords jokingly (I hope!) offer 15 cows for me. (Cows are a top trading currency).
Going with the FinCo (Finance Co) to pick up the payroll IN MY BACKPACK for one of our projects - complete with vehicle engine running as our driver waited. Surreal.
The extended greetings each morning: Initial greeting: Maaleh or Maaleh Mgwa (hello/good day). Reply: Maaleh mdit (an even better day); Further response: Maaleh mlim lim (a sweet day) – and so the greeting can go on for many, many levels of good wishes. Three was my limit.
Feeling rather Rambo-esque when I needed to identify myself on the radio handset: This is Tembo Alpha Romeo Alpha (TARA) and their response: Oscar Kilo (OK!!) (See what I mean about Rambo?)
Forever now being able to recognize two major tribes – the Dinka and Nuer – by their physical body-markings. Though they may not have been particularly friendly to each other, they were generous, kind and friendly to me.
On a flight back to Juba from one of the projects, fetching a patient’s almost 4-foot-tall prosthesis leg that needed to be adjusted at the UN hospital.
Being in Malakal, a smaller town, for some work and fighting broke out. We were in lockdown - in a fortified bunker in our compound for 3 days – listening to the gunshots and running feet outside. A UN plane could finally land, to airlift me out.

A placement in South Sudan was and still is considered a hardship mission. Expat staff are required to go out of country for 1-week every 3 months for mental-health breaks. Because of the length of my mission, I came home once for my 2-week annual break and for one week at Christmas. I was also able to check off a couple of bucket-list items: visiting the Mountain Gorillas in Uganda, going on a safari on the Masai Mara, relaxing on the beautiful beaches of historic Mombasa on the Indian Ocean.

Yes, it was a hard placement, relatively speaking I suppose. But it is the learnings, joys, experiences and the people I met – local and expat - that stay with me now and have made all the difference.

Lighter Side of Life

Member Updates

For each newsletter, we reach out to members for their stories of what they have been up to. Whether its travel, spending time with the grand kids, volunteer work or what ever, we provide their short summaries. Its a great way to hear about colleagues we haven't seen for awhile.

Sandy Dodd

Betty and I are doing fine. We're living just outside Bracebridge, we have four grandchildren and three great grandchildren. I've been retired 20 years now. I've been working part time at a golf course. We just had our first snowfall of the year (Oct 20). Our travelling is watching our youngest granddaughter playing volleyball for Humber college. She is doing very well.

Rob Milne

This October marks a full year of retirement for me. It has been a year of surprises, rewards, changes, and activity. The surprise is how busy one can be in retirement and how the days can fly by.

The reward is the joy of being able to sleep in each morning to at least 7:00 am (no more 4:30 am wakeup alarms). The change is that my wife, Jennifer, has now joined me in retirement so now the two of us can start to cross items off our bucket list.

The activities cover many bases - ranging from caring for both my elderly parents in their 90's, taking several local trips (nothing overseas yet - that will be next year), starting to work my way through that large "project list" with rebuilding the cottage docks this summer.

Touring in the Ford Model A to upper Michigan, refining my Scotch collection, attending weddings as my family grows, and finally kicking back and enjoying those sunsets at the cottage. If I had known it would be like this, I may have thought about retirement sooner.

Dorothy Stewart

Life has been busy for sure since I retired! I cannot believe that was 2 years ago. My life changed in many ways since retirement. The best change was my two grandchildren, Jesse who is three and little Kendall who is 15 months.

I will be babysitting my grandkids full time starting in December and I can't wait. They keep me young, happy, and smiling! Never a dull moment with my little munchkins. I am so fortunate to be able to enjoy time with them before they start school.

I have also been trying to catch up for lost time by sneaking in social visits with family and friends when time permits.

Lynne Snowball

Wayne and I live in Ajax. I am retired for10 years in July.The day after I retired, Wayne and I left for a month for Alaska, traveling the highway down through the Yukon, Calgary, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota and across to Michigan for a family reunion.

Then we started going to Mississippi and Louisiana (New Orleans). On our last trip Maryanne and Brynn Gordon joined us. On all our trips we met my Dad. In 2017 we found out we had another sibling (we were 5 and now we are 6). I wedding Anniversary. In 2018 we lost my Dad in October. In December Wayne and I celebrated our fiftieth anniversary and in Jan 2019 we did a ten day cruise to celebrate. In 2020, we went to Florida for a week, then up the coast to North Carolina for a week’s visit at my Aunt and Uncles. We went to Michigan for a couple of days at my sisters then home. Two days later---- Lockdown----

I spent the time making a pandemic family tree quilt, diamond art pictures, knitted baby hats for the hospital, sweaters for relatives, baby outfits and gnomes and of course puzzles.

In the summers we increased our flower and vegetable gardens. (Wayne got me a green house so I started my own seeds). No travelling but we are staying healthy. My grandsons are all grown up and are both our working. (We’re waiting on great grandchildren but the boys tell me they have no time to meet anyone let alone think of babies.

Laura Safrance

Hello everyone! I retired three years ago, then a year later, Mike and I moved to Vancouver Island. We moved here for the Maritime Mediterranean climate, good air quality, beautiful scenery, and my younger sister. It was a difficult decision leaving our parents, but we are hoping my parents will move out here.

Many of the homes here are electric baseboard heated (no air ducts), which was quite a shock. Fortis BC provided great service getting us connected, and we now have five natural gas burner tips: Two fireplaces, tankless water heater, dryer, and a wall furnace. The photo of me hugging our new gas meter was from the middle of winter. No winter boots or coats needed, layering works best for outdoor activities. We enjoy walking or hiking about 25km a week, half of which is up hill! We are hoping to enjoy west coast cruises soon. I still miss research, so am often seeking out data to analyze.

Julio Carvahlo

Maria and I just returned from a two-week trip from the Azores (Portugal) on September 30th. We are currently in Myrtle Beach, SC for one month. Enjoying some surf fishing, the beautiful beach and great weather. Going home for Christmas and hopefully returning here in February for a couple of months.

Paul Green

Paul retired from Enbridge back in December 2016, and Gail retired from the Enercare family in May 2019. And we have not looked back! We have enjoyed living in the community of Brooklin for the past eight years after being in Mississauga for twenty-four years.

Since retirement we have enjoyed our cottage much more and continue to do as much travelling as we can. We added a new “toy” to our travelling with the addition of a new forty-one foot 5^th Wheel RV in 2021. We have enjoyed a number of trips with many more sites on the “bucket list”. And we never get enough golf in!

And our seven grandkids and kids keep us busy. We are thrilled to be involved with their soccer, volleyball, baseball, hockey and cricket games and tournaments. We find ourselves in numerous hockey rinks or baseball diamonds over the course of a weekend to watch various games. It is a blessing we do not take for granted. The family is so precious. We look forward to celebrating the arrival of an eighth grandchild next May.

We continue to connect with a number of past colleagues and friends from our Consumers Gas / Enbridge / Direct Energy / Enercare “days of labour”.

We hope all continue to be well through challenging times from the Pandemic. We wish good health to all.