Lycia Sudama - Vice Chair
Welcome to our June 2024 newsletter and welcome new members who have recently joined our Club.
|
|
|
In this newsletter we are profiling Robert Rhodes - a very dedicated employee of Enbridge Gas (Legacy Union Gas), who I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know since NYorkers joined our club a couple of years ago. Please see the section below for more details.
For the second year in a row, Enbridge Gas Distribution will be donating $1,000 with their Fuelling Futures Community Projects Grant. Our club will be participating again at the Agincourt Community Services Association Foodbank on June 7th with 23 of our Club members volunteering. This is a great effort on the part of our Club. This year the total amount will go towards this project.
Just prior to publishing this newsletter, 53 of us enjoyed a Sunday Brunch Cruise around Lake Ontario aboard the luxury yacht - The Odyssey. We had a great time. We really do have a beautiful waterfront.
We have more exciting events planned for the upcoming months such as our annual BBQ Picnic in June, Steel Magnolias for our friends in the Barrie area in July, the Blue Jay’s game in August and our first ever golf game in September. Please refer to Ros’ Social Events section for more details.
We hope you join us in our upcoming events. Take full advantage of your membership discounts, while catching up with friends and colleagues from our time at Enbridge.
Thanks
Lycia
|
|
|
Technical Hint: With some browsers, links don’t always work properly. If you are experiencing problems, you can clear your cache and browser history or go to our website directly for the item of interest.
Need Help? Other technical help is available by clicking the Need Help link on the Home Page on our website. You’ll be directed to helpful links from there like - Log in/Forgot Password/Never Logged In
- Registering and Paying For An Event
- Privacy Settings
You can also Click Here |
|
|
|
|
To ensure your safety, remove the items that may cause you a slip, trip or fall.
- Remove throw rugs.
-
Clean up clutter.
-
Create more open space by discarding or donating unused furniture.
-
Avoid stretching extension cords across the floor.
-
Make sure your wear non-slip footwear when inside.
|
|
|
Profile – Robert Rhodes – by Lycia Sudama |
|
|
Robert Rhodes is a very distinguished and intriguing gentleman. I had the pleasure to meet Robert about 3 years ago and was truly impressed with his experiences and stories. He is a true gentleman and was a dedicated employee.
Robert has been married to his lovely wife Bev for 69 years. Together they have 3 children, 9 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren.
Robert taught his children and grandchildren to ski and sail. To this day he continues enjoying these activities. With the company of his wife, they drove across Canada 10 times.
Robert graduated from the University of Toronto specializing in Engineering and Business in 1954. After graduation he went to England for 2 years studying Industrial Engineering with the Rootes Group.
He was the 5th employee hired by Northern Ontario National Gas Company limited in 1957. On his retirement he became a consultant and kept working for many years.
Robert tells about his experiences in fascinating detail. I am sure he could write a book.
When the Company became part of Union Gas in 2005, several of the retirees formed The NYorkers Pension Club for the Toronto based retirees of Union Gas which by then had changed its name many times. It’s been 2 years since the NYorkers Pension Club merged into the GTA Lamplighter Club.
Robert has joined our organizing committee and shares many experiences and reveals a great sense of humour and wit. My encounters in dealing with Robert is that in retirement, life can be very fulfilling and rewarding.
I am ending by saying Robert & Bev Rhodes you are an amazing couple and thank you both for allowing us to share some of your accomplishments. |
|
|
Giving
Back to Our Community |
|
|
Enbridge supports charities and encourage their retirees to volunteer with our various local communities. Enbridge will donate $1,000 dollars to a charitable activity in which the members of GTA Lamplighters participate.
|
|
|
The program is called “Fueling Futures.” Twenty-three of our GTA LL members have volunteered their time at a local foodbank at the Agincourt Community Services.
Thank you to Lycia Sudama for working with Enbridge to arrange this event and organizing the volunteers. Agincourt Community Services. You can read more information on Agincourt Community Services by Clicking Here.
|
|
|
A few of our Committee just attended the Executive Meeting in London. As always it’s a real pleasure to meet with the Committee Members from the other 12 Pension Clubs.
This was the last meeting that was Coordinated by Warren Dickert.
Warren has been the Retiree Coordinator for the past 10 years for all the Enbridge Gas Distribution retiree clubs and helped us start our club. He has also supported us throughout our club's existence. He has communicated on our behalf with Enbridge as well as travelled from London annually to support of our social events.
He has decided to retire from this position earlier this year. It’s been a pleasure to have you lead our clubs. We wish Warren and his family all the best in his future endeavours. |
|
|
|
|
We continue working on another busy
year of social activities and bringing our retirees together. Your committee recently got together in person to continue our planning for the remainder of the year.
|
|
|
March - We saw a dazzling performance by Darcy Oake, an illusionist. We had thirty-seven members join us for this great event. Thanks goes out to Sharon DiPasquale for arranging this wonderful event.
|
|
|
|
|
May - We had a Meet and Greet at Wishing Well Park at 1700 Pharmacy Ave. We had a good turn out including four new members. We brought our lunch and chairs and had a good old catch up.
|
|
|
|
|
Also in May , 53 members and guests
enjoyed a Toronto Harbour Brunch/Cruise
on the Luxury Yacht the Odyssey. We
enjoyed a brunch while on a two-hour cruise around the Toronto Harbour and the
Islands. GTA LL covered a portion of
each ticket. Thank you to Sandra Butchey-Sawh for the suggestion and
initial research for this event. For photos Go To Social
Events |
|
|
|
|
June 19th - We are having our third annual GTA Lamplighter Picnic at Morningside Park. The park is located at 370 Morningside Ave. Community Events will cook our lunch while we enjoy each other’s company with a few games thrown in for good measure. Choose your own burger with your registration which is still available until June 12th. At the time of producing this newsletter, we had 50 members and guests registered. To register Go To Event |
|
|
|
|
July
17th - We will have twelve registered members and guests attend a
performance of Steel Magnolias at the King’s Wharf Theatre in Penetanguishene. Registration is now closed.
.
|
|
|
|
|
August 7th is the Oro-Medonte BBQ, John and Ros Craig will be your hosts for the day, everyone is welcome. More details to follow with registration.
|
|
|
|
|
Sunday, August 25th - We are booked to see the Blue Jays take on the Los Angeles Angels. Registration unfortunately is now closed. We have 39 members and guests registered. Thank you to Thomas Corrigan and Walter Matias for arranging this fabulous event.
|
|
|
|
|
Friday, September 13th - We are hosting our first Golf Tournament in Oshawa. Oshawa Airport Golf Course was selected for its great value. We will be playing a nine-hole course. Each member can bring one guest. We are limiting the numbers of foursomes to ten. Lunch will be provided by the GTA Lamplighters but all our members are welcome for lunch. More details and registration will follow. Thank you to Anne Whelan and Carol Adams for arranging this event.
|
|
|
|
|
October - We will replace our Meet and Greet in Heydenshore Park, with another activity. Details to follow.
|
|
|
November - We will host our Swiss Chalet Lunches. More details and registration will be provided.
The dates are as follows:
- November 13 – Whitby
-
November 20 – Near VPC
-
November 27 – Barrie
More details and registration to follow. |
|
|
You can see that we have lots planned and provide opportunities for our retirees to connect. We would love to hear from you on opportunities to get together or idea for events. You can reach Rosalyn Craig using our Members Only Directory or contact us at GTALAMPLIGHTERS@gmail.com |
|
|
Preventing
Dementia and Alzheimer’s: 8 Habits to Reduce Your Risk
|
|
|
I shot a one under at golf the other day….
One under a tree, one under a bush and one under the water |
|
|
Blast from the Past –
A Recipe from the Betty Bright Kitchen, submitted by Mae Cleaver
To save time, energy, and money by cooking whole meals in the oven at one time, with a modern clock-controlled GAS range, you can plan your meal in the morning and be free for the day. While you are away, the oven will turn itself on, cook dinner and then turn itself off. A complete meal will be ready to serve when you come home. |
|
|
350 degrees for one hour Pork Chops in Apple Gravy Baked Squash rings.
Dressed up Bake Potatoes
Peanut Butter Apple Crisp
Pork Chops in Apple Gravy
4 pork chops
2 tablespoons of flour
1 teaspoon of salt
1 ½ cups of boiling water
1 cup of applesauce
2 teaspoons of lemon juice (optional)
Brown the pork chops well in the skillet, using no fat. Arrange the pork chops in a baking dish or casserole. Add flour and seasoning to the fat left in the skillet and mix well. Add water and cooking stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Add apple sauce and lemon juice. Pour over chops. Bake in a 350-degree GAS oven for one hour.
|
|
|
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.
Kathy Chabot
I am happy to say that I have two big trips planned for this year. I am going on an Alaskan cruise last week of June and then I am heading back out west in September to take the Rocky Mountaineer to Vancouver. I am counting the days till I leave.
Walter Matias
My wife Tess and I retired in early 2019 and moved later that year with our son to Whitby to be closer to our daughter, son-in law, and grandchildren.
Being new to the area, we joined one of the local Probus Clubs for retirees in November of that year to make new friends and to keep busy. I’m currently heading up the club after initially starting with the role of webmaster in 2022 and helping them adopt Wild Apricot.
I also took on the role of webmaster, e-newsletter publisher, and Wild Apricot lead with GTA Lamplighters being one of the original members of our organizing committee.
Both clubs keep me busy for sure. With our Probus Club, we also keep busy with many of their activity groups such as one of their walking groups, dinner groups, happy hour groups, cinema club and their bowling group.
We also keep busy most days with our three grandkids, helping get them to school and sometimes from school and day care. In the summer, they enjoy coming over regularly for a swim. We cherish being part of their daily lives.
As for travel, we will be going on a cruise to celebrate a milestone anniversary later this year. |
|
|
Gary Thirsk
August 1936 – March 2024
On
Thursday, March 7th, peacefully and quietly at RVH, Gary left this life
for his eternal reward, reunited with the love of his life, Sally.
Gary
was a resident of Barrie for all his adult life and enjoyed a 35-year
career with Consumers Gas as a Serviceman. He was a people person
through and through, loved a good visit on the telephone or in person
& made friends everywhere he went. He loved to wheel and deal. He
loved to read the newspaper and Super Shopper. He was a big sports fan
and spent many years on the pitching mound in Vancouver as a teen, and
then in Barrie as an adult. He was a loyal Cowboys, Dodgers &
Canadiens fan. He volunteered as a porter for 17 years at Royal Victoria
Hospital. He was a dedicated and involved long time member of Hiway
Church. He was a giver to many.
Most
respected Dad of Rick and his wife Shona of Cardinal, Kerri and her
husband Curt of Cochrane, AB, Sherri and her husband Jason of Barrie and
Lee-Anne of London.
Proud Papa to Joel (Sarah), Sara (Simon), Amanda (Ross), Hannah, Harrison, and Lennon.
Great Papa to Ellis, Isla, and Poppy.
|
|
|
|
