Messages From Our President
May, 2024
Dear Members,
With ANZAC day behind us, we are all no doubt enjoying watching the leaves change their colour as Autumn heads into winter. There are so many hues and shades around us and it is a thing of beauty to me, watching the trees change their leaves or shed them altogether. I guess the people who manage the cleanliness of schools and other venues with outdoor areas wouldn't be enjoying it as much.
At our last meeting we spoke about how we are unable to meet at Vikings Town Centre after June 2024, for the foreseeable future. Our 9 July meeting will be our first at the new venue, downstairs at the Vikings Lanyon Club. From July, our start time will be delayed 30 minutes and we will commence at 11am. Members will be able to enter the club from 10:30 onward. We will no longer incorporate morning tea into the meeting, so you might want to have a cuppa before you leave home. Anyone wanting to join others for lunch after the meeting is welcome to do so. Lanyon has similar lunch choices to Town Centre. We'll remind everyone about the changes at our June meeting.
Thank you to members who are taking up the challenge to participate in the Probus President's Poem and Photography Proposition. I'm aiming to publish at least one poem and one photo in each newsletter, with as many as possible going onto our website. I'm giving you the starter themes for the next few months so you have a bit more time to dig out an earlier piece of work or to create something fresh.
Lets have some fun!
Noela
President
April, 2024
Dear Members,
I am excited to step into the role of President. Our committee looks a little different as we farewell Glenda and John and welcome Pam and Chris. Change is inevitable and new challenges keep us on our toes. My aim for the year is to support the Committee in maintaining a fun and interesting club which will remain attractive to our existing members while also growing our membership.
To take us all out of our comfort zone, today I am launching the 'Probus President’s Poetry and Photography Proposal’. To participate, members can share a poem they've written or a photo they've taken that fits the 'starter theme’. As long as you can explain how your work is connected to the starter theme, you can interpret it anyway you like. I challenged the committee to show us how it's done, with a starter theme of "Water". Sandra B chose a waterfall and I wrote a bad poem.I'll pick one poem and photo each month for the newsletter. We‟ve created a webpage with information about P3&P2 and a place to show off our work. If you want to give it a crack, April's theme is ‘Friendship and Fun’. Entries need to be with me by the third Tuesday (the week after our monthly meeting.) You can email me a digital copy or bring a printed version to the meeting.
Lets have some fun!
Noela
President
March, 2024
Dear Members,
As you know our general meeting for March will be followed immediately by the 2024 AGM. President Paul has assured me he will be back in time to chair our general meeting. He‘s hoping he won‘t be suffering from too much jet lag. At the same time as our AGM, about 15 of our members will be enjoying a trip to Linga Longa. This trip was organised before we realised the double booking of our AGM date. Never fear though, we are holding committee nominations from several of the Linga Longa group in advance of the AGM. I‘m still calling on members to consider nominating for Vice President, Secretary or Webmaster. If you take on any of these roles I promise you that you will be supported in your role. If you have planned any trip/s away during the next 12 months, the committee would arrange to cover your role while you‘re out of town. We absolutely must have a Secretary for the club to function and the Secretary role is being split into several small, more manageable positions which we will refer to as Assistant Secretary roles. The Secretary role (for which we are seeking your nomination) will be one of five signatories to the bank account, be the first point of contact for external points and liaise with PSPL about membership matters. The Assistant Secretaries (for which we already have nominations) will manage all other secretarial tasks. The Vice President is a support role for the rest of the committee and if needed we can appoint more than one Vice President. The Webmaster maintains our website. John and I are both happy to tutor you in that role. I assure you that if you have a laptop or computer and even a small amount of technical know-how it‘s not difficult, or onerous.
Being on the committee can be very rewarding and it is appreciated by our club‘s members.
Please take care and make the choice every day, to be happy.
Noela
Vice President/Acting President
February, 2024
Dear Members,
I’ve been thinking about how important it is for us to keep participating in society. Many of us have lived in Canberra for years but only find out about interesting Canberra events after the fact, or when it is too late to plan an outing. This happens to me nearly every year when Enlighten comes to Canberra, so this year I’ve started researching early. To coincide with Canberra Day on 11 March, many activities are being planned between 1 March and 17 March 2024, under the Enlighten banner. On 8 March the annual competition for Canberra film-makers called “Lights! Canberra! Action!” will screen the finalists’ films outdoor in the Senate Rose Gardens. No tickets are required, but it’s a very popular event so get there early and take a rug or chair so sit on. At Symphony in the Park on 10 March, the Canberra Symphony Orchestra will be performing with Hoodoo Gurus an Australian rock band which formed in Sydney in 1981. No tickets are required but this is also a very popular event, so plan to arrive early at Commonwealth Park, Commonwealth Avenue, Parkes.Between 9 and 17 March at the Canberra Balloon Spectacular expect to see approx. 30 balloons dotting our early morning skies. This event is recognised as one of the four leading balloon events in the world! Thousands of locals and tourists are expected to be watching this spectacular sight, with great viewing from anywhere around Lake Burley Griffin and the Parliamentary Triangle. You can find details about events and sign up for the Enlighten newsletter at www.enlightencanberra.com. I encourage you to find an interested family member or a friend or two and make plans to participate in Enlighten this year!
Noela
Vice President/Acting President
January, 2024
Dear Members,
Now Christmas and New Year’s day are behind us, it is time to think about what 2024 has in store for us. It will be the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese Zodiac. 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964 and every 12 years after that, belong to Year of the Dragon. Very sad news is that Alan Parker passed away peacefully on Christmas Day surrounded by his family. Alan was a longstanding member of Greenway Probus and will be sorely missed. President Paul (in Hungary until March on family business) wrote a few words, below. In December we had a delightful Christmas Party at the Kambah Woolshed. I’d like to say a big thank you to Gail L and Linda T for organising the fun event and my thanks go to members who assisted with the catering and logistics on the day.
It is time once again for our annual membership renewals. The $30 renewal fee should be paid to the Treasurer on or before our annual general meeting (AGM) on 12/3/2024 please. As we draw closer to our AGM, please consider nominating for a position on the 2024 Committee. The Committee meets on the first Tuesday monthly at 11am. We hold responsibility for keeping the club running smoothly. We have a lot of fun at our meetings, with most of us staying on for lunch. You can chat with any of the current Committee members if you need more information or reassurance about the roles.
Noela
Vice President/Acting President
December, 2023
Dear Members,
Welcome to the end of another year. A scary thought is that in just a few weeks we"ll probably see hot-cross buns in local supermarkets. By the time you"re reading this, President Paul will be in Hungary fighting off another bout of jet lag. We don"t expect to see Paul again in person until our AGM in March. He has thrown me his conductor"s baton in the hope that I can keep us all playing in tune during his absence.
On 12 December, I"m hoping to see you all at our Christmas Party at Kambah Woolshed from 11.30am. It"s a shady venue with a public toilet nearby and plenty of parking available.m We"re excited to be doing our own catering this year and this has kept the costs down for all of us which is always welcome. You"re invited to participate in Secret Santa as part of the fun. If you"re keen to join in, you"ll find more information in this newsletter.
If you can"t make it to the Christmas Party, here"s hoping you have a happy, fun and healthy Christmas with those you love. We look forward to seeing you bright and fresh in 2024!
Noela
Vice-President/Acting President
October, 2023
Dear Members,
Having returned from Europe, Marti and I are slowly recovering from our jet lag, which seems to get
worse with every year we age. I guess it‟s the price we oldies pay for the fantastic mobility which air
travel offers. I‟d like to extend a thank you to all those who filled in various roles during the last few
months, as a number of Committee members were absent. Ours is a very good team, it‟s heartwarming
to see them pull together. Our club continues to thrive.
However, as I look into my crystal ball, I‟m becoming anxious.
I advised members in June that the positions of Treasurer, Speaker Seeker and Webmaster would be
needing new blood by March next year. Hats off to Glenda and John for doing a superb job in those
roles. But the best way to say thank you for their service is to volunteer to take on one of these
positions.
Our Committee is facing something of an aging crisis, and we should take sensible steps to get around
it. If you are in your 60s we need you on the Committee. I‟m asking you to consider becoming an
assistant now to the Treasurer, Speaker Seeker and Webmaster. We need to have people ready to move
into these vital roles come the end of the current terms. And experience as an assistant would give you
a chance to suck it and see.
So please give it some thought. Generational change is on the move: we need to be ahead of the curve.
Paul
June, 2023
Dear Members,
By the time you read this, Marti and I will have winged our way across to Europe and have recovered from jetlag at our little house in Esztergom, on the Danube Bend.
Your committee will continue to be engaged in issues of consequence. Amongst these is a proposal for a more elegant form of gift for our Guest Speakers. I would like to take this further opportunity to ask you to consider becoming an Assistant to the roles of Treasurer, Speaker Seeker and Webmaster. We need to have people ready to move into these vital roles, possibly by the end of Glenda and John’s current terms. And experience as an Assistant would give folks a chance to suck it and see. So please give it some thought Generational change is on the move: we need to be ahead of the curve.
For the next few months, this space in the Newsletter will be occupied by other C’tee members, as I will be unable to keep abreast of current developments. We have a great prog.ram of outings, lunches and movies for you to enjoy during this hard winter. Enjoy.
Paul
May 4th., 2023
Dear Members,
With Easter and Anzac Day having come and gone, the mornings are becoming chilly, and the heaters are coming on. Even without a decent frost, Canberra"s Autumn colours are quite vivid and a pleasure to behold. Now is the time for walks and hikes.
With this issue of the Newsletter we welcome our new Editor, Maria Polmeer, who has immediately gotten down to work and produced her first one. As well as the usual items of importance to us, Maria has given us some lighter fare to put a smile on our faces. And she asks that members with stories to tell, or other interesting contributions, forward them to her for inclusion in future issues.
It is apparent that many folks who have been putting off travel during the last four years are now stirring, and preparing to head off for breaks domestically and even overseas. Your Committee is no exception. A number of members are planning breaks away during 2023. There will be a fair degree of standing in for each other at upcoming meetings. But we"ll manage, as we always have.
Starting in June, Noela Power will be acting President for a few months, and chairing our Committee and General Meetings. You will be in good hands.
There is still plent
Paul
April 28th., 2023
Dear Members,
Everything old is new again. Even Probus ex-Presidents. I’m very happy to give this role another shot, and look forward to another good year for our Club.
I’m grateful to Sandra Barker for leading the Club so well for nearly two years, first as acting then substantive President. I have been bequeathed an outfit that is operating superbly as a team, and delivering the goods on all fronts.
I’m most grateful for those Committee and Member Support folks who have stayed on, and sad to lose Lola Ensbey, Carol Martin and Peter Howitt. I welcome Linda Tregonning and Chris Baxter to the team, and welcome back Linda Dack and Janice Petrie.
We will continue to run a Club known for its friendliness, while featuring exceptional speakers, and great outings, activities and dining opportunities. And we’ll maintain our focus on new member recruitment. That’s our lifeblood.
Stay safe and well.
Paul Varsanyi
March 12th., 2023
Dear Members
My time as your President comes to an end. I have thoroughly enjoyed being in this role as I have being
a member of our Greenway PROBUS Club for the past fifteen years.
I would like to extend a special vote of thanks to the Committee for their assistance, support and friendship throughout the last year. Their willingness to take on any additional tasks has been
tremendous.
I also appreciate the work done by our volunteers who assist each month by collecting fees, selling raffle tickets and providing our chocolate
frog treats for our birthdays!
Lastly, I’d like to thank all of our members for supporting our club and making it such a welcoming environment for new members when they first join. I certainly consider that is what makes our club so special!
Take care, stay safe and keep smiling.
Sandra
February 14th., 2023
Dear Members
Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone. I hope you are enjoying this beautiful weather that we arehaving. I wasn’t sure that we were even going to experience any warm temperatures this summer.
I am pleased to report that your Committee has received nominations for all of the positions which
will be declared vacant at the AGM in March. A very big thank you for all of those members who
have volunteered. Your willingness to give up your time to work for your club is greatly appreciated.
The Committee has decided to maintain the existing membership fees at $28 for another year. PSPL increased the Capitation Fees for each registered member by just under $2 per person. Our wonderful treasurer Glenda, advised that the club had sufficient funds to absorb this increase.
I’m looking forward to seeing what creative ideas members come up with for Tuesday!
Take care, stay safe and keep smiling.
Sandra
January 10th., 2023
Dear Members,
Happy New Year and welcome to 2023! I always have a sense of excitement as each new year begins, wondering what the year will hold. The last few years have held a lot of changes but I know that we have a strong Club and will manage whatever we are faced with together. I am looking forward to seeing everyone at our first meeting for the year on 10 January 2023.
What a wonderful Xmas party we had! It was so lovely to see everyone laughing and chatting and enjoying each other's company. So much fun with Santa even putting in an appearance with his helpers.
Justice of the Peace. One of our new members, Karen Kidd who is a JP, has very kindly offered to bring her stamps along to meetings to witness documents for our members. Please contact Karen on 0407 484 567 before a meeting to discuss your requirements. Many thanks for your generous offer, Karen!
Take care, stay safe and keep smiling.
Sandra
December 13th., 2022
Dear Members I would like to wish everyone and their families a very merry Xmas and an even happier New Year for 2023. For those of you that are travelling, I hope you have a safe journey.
This year seems to have just flown by. In hindsight, we have learnt to live with Covid and have managed to do this in a way that we are comfortable with. It is nice to see that numbers are gradually increasing at our monthly meetings, and we certainly have a good turnout for our Xmas party.
I know that you will join me in thanking all of our committee for the wonderful efforts that have gone into organising the many outings, trips and interesting guest speakers that we have enjoyed throughout the year. The tireless efforts that the entire Committee put in make it very easy for my job as President.
Some of our Committee members would like to have a break next year and I would encourage all members to consider volunteering. There are many ways to do this, for example, by “shadowing” another Committee member for a while with the view of taking over that role once you feel comfortable. You might also like to try another less challenging role to begin with, such as being the person who collects the money at the start of our monthly meetings. There are a variety of ways to become involved so please give me or another Committee member a call as we would love to hear from you. A club cannot function without a Committee and some clubs have had to close simply because they couldn’t get enough volunteers.
I’m looking forward to seeing everyone at either our Xmas party or our first meeting in January.
Take care, stay safe and keep smiling.
Sandra
November 5th, 2022
Dear Members
It is hard to believe that it is November, and we will all have to start planning for Xmas soon. It only seems like a couple of months ago that we were organising for the last Xmas!
Congratulations to Glenda and Kevin Sullivan who have just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, well done!
Also, I’d like to welcome back Noela Power who has just returned from her extensive overseas trip. I’m looking forward to the talk Noela will be giving in January on Norway, which she has said was the highlight of her trip.
At our next meeting I will be asking members if they would like to individually nominate someone for the COTA Positive Ageing Award. This award is given to a person who has made a difference to the senior community in Canberra. There are seven categories and more information and nomination forms are available on the COTA website. I will also be asking if members would like to be involved in choosing nominations for the Probian of the Year and the PROBUS Day Awards or would you rather this be left with your committee. So have a think about it and we will discuss the matter at our November meeting.
Take care, stay safe and keep smiling.
Sandra
October 11th., 2022
Dear Members
Congratulation to Karen Nastvogel for her PROBUS Day Award. Karen has worked tirelessly at the front desk for many years during our monthly meetings. She is a quiet achiever who always carries out her duties with a smile and a cheerful greeting to members as they arrive. Well done, Karen!
The birthday lunch went very well with over forty members attending. A big thank you must go to Gail and Noela for organising such a wonderful meal and venue. Also, Glenda for organising all the prizes and always managing to produce such innovative ones as well. Gail has been working on the arrangements for our Xmas lunch which will be held on the 13th of December at the Town Centre Club. So, I hope many of you will come as it will certainly be a happy, fun filled day.
Take care, stay safe and keep smiling.
Sandra
September 4th 2022
Dear Members
I can hardly believe that it is fifteen years ago that I saw the notice by Rotary in the Chronicle for a meeting to discuss the formation of the Greenway PROBUS Club. Peter and I attended and as they say “the rest is history”. Today there are still eleven foundation members still attending the club. I have been thinking about all of the members that have been and gone over the years and the wonderful contributions that each member made over that time.
To our current members, I’d like to thank each and every one of you for what you added to the club, to make itwhat it is today! I also anticipate sharing a lot more happy times and experiences over the coming years.I look forward to celebrating and sharing our Birthday lunch with you next week.
Take care, stay safe and keep smiling.]
Sandra
June 11th, 2022
Dear Members,
I would like to thank everyone for all of your kind phone calls and messages after Peter’s latest misadventure. I really appreciated the care and concern that you showed for his recovery.
Winter has finally arrived! I had nearly forgotten how beautiful the Brindabella Mountains looked covered with snow.
Noela, Tom, Peter and myself attended the PROBUS Orientation Day held on Friday 27 May. It was an informative day with nineteen clubs represented out of a total of twenty-three Probus clubs in Canberra. The meeting broke into various groups to exchange ideas and share information.
My group consisted of nineteen Presidents and one Vice President, with their club sizes ranging from 25 to 93 members. The emphasis of our discussions focused on the importance of inclusiveness, communication amongst members, providing opportunities for members to get to know each other and making the meetings fun. It was interesting to discover how the various clubs’ committees operated. One particular club has three Vice Presidents and several sub-committees under each, sharing all of the roles. Club fees also varied and ranged from $25 to $50 so our club has done very well by keeping our fees at $28 for some years now.
One club, which has 93 members was going to close down because the President wasn’t able to get enough volunteers to form a committee. I have trouble understanding this, given the size of their membership. It emphasised the point for me that although we are smaller in number we have never had a problem forming a viable committee.
On another note, Fiona Hunt has had to stand down as our Welfare Officer due to personal reasons but Glenda has kindly offered to fill this role until our next AGM. I would like to thank Fiona for all of the caring and empathy that she has shown our members.
Take care, stay warm and keep smiling.
Sandra
January 7th, 2022, from our Acting President
Dear Members
I’d like to wish everyone a Happy New Year and hope that you were able to share a happy Xmas with family and friends. It was disappointing to cancel our January meeting but your Committee decided that it was better to be safe given the age profile of our members. Hopefully, the situation will settle down and we can meet again in February. In the meantime, Gail and Noela have organised a lunch at the Tuggeranong Southern Cross Club for the 24th of January for those who are happy to socialise. So thank you very much for arranging this. Further details are provided in the newsletter. A number of your Committee would like to take a break this year so I’d like to encourage members to consider volunteering for a position. This could be done in many ways. You might like to shadow a current committee member to see what
their role entails or you could share with another member and perform the role together. There are numerous possibilities and I would welcome your creative ideas. Maybe you feel like a new challenge for 2022, so why not join a fun group of people! All committee positions are open for nominations and will be decided on at our AGM in March. Please feel free to contact me or any other committee member to discuss. Our committee is a vital part of making our club so successful. I look forward to being able to get together with members very soon. Don’t forget that you have many PROBUS friends out there who are just at the other end of the phone so please call if you would like to have a chat.
Take care, stay safe and keep smiling.
Sandra
September 2021, from our Acting President
Dear MembersWhat interesting and challenging times we live in! I must admit that when Chief Minister Barr announced that we would be in lockdown for another month my heart dropped, as I suppose, like most people, I was expecting the lockdown to be extended for another fortnight, but not a month. When I thought about it, I’d rather that than risk losing any family member or friends to Covid.
I have been looking backwards and thinking a lot about our wonderful club, and the decision that Peter and I made fourteen years ago to attend the first meeting held to discuss the formation of the Greenway PROBUS Club. We had no idea what PROBUS was, but as we had recently retired, we were looking at what other activities we could become involved in. Little did we know that the club would become such a large part of our lives, and the many friends that we have made.
We were still motorhoming at the time, which meant that we would be away on our travels for large periods of time each year. In discussions with the Committee at the time, we were told that this wouldn’t be a problem as long as we advised them of when we would be absent. This was our first example of how flexible our club was prepared to be. Over our years of travelling and being “grey nomads”, we received such a warm welcome from members each time on our return, and were treated like long lost relatives. This response meant a lot to us, so much so that we didn’t feel like we had been away at all.
I have talked to many members over the years and discussed the reasons why they chose to join our club. Many said that they had visited other PROBUS clubs but were very impressed with how friendly Greenway was. I want to thank all of our club members for helping to create such a truly inclusive and friendly environment for new and old members.
Over the years I have watched the club grow and develop. Numbers fluctuate from time to time but remain fairly stable. Recently we have had a few resignations. We wish them well in their new endeavours, and thank them for their contributions to the club.
Although we haven’t been able to meet in person, your Committee has been busy looking at ways that we can make our club even better than what it is now. This will be based on the survey of members that we recently conducted. Clubs need to evolve to keep meeting the needs of their members, and we will endeavour to do this.
I welcome any feedback from members, and I am more than happy to take your phone calls and have a chat.
Until we can get back together, take care, stay safe and keep smiling.
Sandra Barker
August 2021
Dear friends.
What unusual times we now find ourselves in. Each day seems to present a new challenge.
It is unfortunate that at present we are unable have our usual Probus meeting so that we can catch up with friends and that so many of our planned outings have been cancelled or put on hold. However, there is little we can except to keep telling ourselves that someday soon we will find ourselves back in our very normal world.
I have been very fortunate in that I am spending lockdown with my family in Weston and have been learning all about the Economics of Crime while listening to my son delivering lectures and tutorials online to his students. In fact, I think by the end of lockdown I will probably be awarded my PhD!
I sincerely hope that you are all keeping safe and well and I look forward to catching up with everyone very, very soon. As the author Oscar Wilde once quoted “ We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars”.
Until we can all meet again my friends “keep looking at the stars”.
Barb
June 2021
Hello fellow Club members,
Once again we are plunged into a chilly Canberra winter. However, I am happy to see so many smiling faces braving the elements to attend our Greenway Probus meetings.
Thanks to our Speaker Seeker, John Payne, we are very lucky to be treated to interesting and entertaining guest speakers. At our May meeting David Harding from Neighbourhood Watch spoke about creating safer communities and spoke of many safety issues we could all take on board to keep us and our property safe. David certainly provided us with food for thought.
A thank you to our Vice President, Sandra, who has stepped into the breach to act as secretary of your committee while our friend Alan Parker is unwell. Keep up your shorthand skills, Sandra.
Until next month my best wishes to all at Greenway Probus. Keep safe and warm.
Barb Manning
May 2021
Hello everyone,
As I’m sure you are all aware Probus is an association of active retirees who meet together as clubs and whose main aim is one of connection or fellowship, and from that connection develops friendship and fun. At Greenway club we endeavour to provide opportunities to expand our individual interests, keep our minds active and enjoy new and not so new friendships.
The reasons people join Greenway club are many and varied and although personalities may differ, we can all get back what we contribute. Without you we wouldn’t survive.
As your committee we are working for you. However, we are also working with you and we respect and look forward to any worthwhile contribution you have to offer. By doing so it will ensure we all look forward to attending the meetings on every second Tuesday of the month as well participating in our many and varied social activities.
As your president it is my wish that we embrace the spirit of the club as we move together through the coming year.
Best wishes
Barb Manning
March 2021
A Few Words From Our new President
I would like to take this opportunity to tell you, my fellow Probus members, how honoured I am to be afforded the opportunity to serve on the Executive Committee of our great Club.
As the role of a Committee Member is not one that should be taken lightly, I decided prior to accepting a position to find out exactly why the members of Greenway Club keep coming back year after year. The unanimous responses were that it was because of the friendly and inclusive atmosphere that was experienced at each meeting. Such wonderful feedback certainly made my decision easy.
I am looking forward to a happy and rewarding year working for you and with you.
Kind Regards
Barb
March 4th., 2021
Dear Friends,
Our March meeting will be quite ambitious. As well as our General Meeting, we will hold our AGM, and then enjoy a presentation from Prof. Peter Stanley of UNSW Canberra.
At the meeting we will also be conducting a survey of members, seeking your views of the club, its activities and its administration. This will take the form a questionnaire you will be asked to complete during the course of the morning, and hand in as you depart.
The AGM will elect the Committee for 2021-22, and I am pleased to say we have a full list of candidates, another indication of the healthy state of our club. I have enjoyed working with this most capable and energetic group of people.
I will move to the position of Immediate Past President, thereby remaining part of the Committee for the next twelve months. It promises to be another busy period for our club.
Regards,
Paul
February, 2021
Dear Friends,
It’s good to see we arefully back in action, albeit having to live within COVID guidelines.
Next month we are having our AGM. This gives you an opportunity to consider nominating for a Committee position. We are fortunate with the Committee we presently have, but we also need to think about the future. All positions are genuinely available to newcomers. So have a think about what you might wish to contribute to the running of your club. We know there is a lot of talent out there.
The lift at the Town Centre Club (TCC) is still out of order. A critical part, which can only be sourced from the USA, has been ordered.
However, the club has ben told by the contractor that it could be end of March by the time the job is completed. There is an alternativ
e to using the stairs at the front. Drive around to the back, and enter at the ground level via the rear entrance.The club has a wheelchair service you can call on. You can ask for it at Reception. TCC staff will guide the wheelchair to your destination, and settle you into your seat at the meeting. This service is also claimable at the rear entrance,
Regards,
Paul
January 12th., 2021
Dear Friends,
It is great that we are up and running again. Our October meeting was very well attended, and the trivia game allowed us to chat amongst ourselves and have a few laughs.
At the same time, we appreciate that not all members are ready to attend meetings at this point. We can take heart from the fact that the ACT’s virus record is the best in the nation and look forward to things opening up even more at the Town Centre Club. We do miss our coffees and teas.
Last meeting’s crop of six visitors turned into three new members, and we are now hovering at a membership total of 58. That is good news for our club, and augurs well for our future.
Regards,
Paul
September 12, 2020
Dear Friends,
At last there are signs we can return to our regular routines – albeit carefully, and in line with current COVID-19 restrictions.
Sunday dining has re-commenced, and members also enjoyed a special lunch at the Mawson Club.
Our next target is to re-start our monthly General Meetings. We have been in negotiations with the Town Centre Club. Our usual spot – the third Tuesday of the month – is no longer available for us. So we have secured the second Tuesday. The next General Meeting is set for 13 October, and will continue every month thereafter on the second Tuesday.
Planning is also well advanced for the Christmas Party on 8 December, to be held downstairs at the Town Centre Club.
We are saddened to hear of the passing away of Elaine Pennock, an enthusiastic member of our club. She will be fondly remembered by her friends.
The Committee is aware that our members are at different stages of comfort with the idea of re-engaging due to COVID-19, and we respect those views. Our survey of members revealed a majority of support for getting back together, and we leave it to individual members to participate when they feel ready.
Let’s hope the ACT will continue its COVID-free track record of a couple of months.
Take care and be safe.
Regards,
Paul
July 7th., 2020
Dear Friends,
The COVID-19 situation in the ACT has become something of an “on again off again” situation, while Victoria is experiencing a most unwelcome resurgence. So,we bide our time somewhat longer regarding meetings.
In any event, we do not have a venue: Town Centre Vikings has only partially re-opened, and its spaces for meetings are not available. I have taken the opportunity to raise once again with the club our wish to retain the booking for the third Tuesday of the month, and they have recently re-confirmed with me that the spot remains ours.
With the passage of time our membership is undergoing changes. In a few short weeks, Joy Chandler is leaving Canberra to take up residence in Coffs Harbour, together with her daughter Toni.
Long-time members will recall that Joy was the first President of Greenway Combined Probus. She took up that appointment at the establishment of our club in 2007. She had been President of the GreenwayLadies Club, which had been suffering from a chronicdecline in membership. With the help of Rotary Club, the Greenway Combined Probus Club was established, and the Greenway Ladies Club amalgamated with it.
Her valuable contributions over the years were recognised in her being made a Life Member. So, she will continue to be one of us, and will continue to receive notices and newsletters. Her new email address is [email protected] new postal address will be 69 Adelines Way, Coffs Harbour, NSW 2450.
We could not let her departure happen without a final acknowledgment of Joy’s valuable role in the club. On 12 July, Alan Parker and I visited Joy and Toni at their home andpresented Joy with flowers and a Certificate of Appreciation.
Joy mentioned that she would love to hear from us, and I’m sure many of you will maintain contact with her.
Take care and be safe.
Paul
June 14th.,2020
Dear Friends,
Our isolated state continues apace. I hope you have all found ways to keep yourselves occupied, and to maintain contact with those important to you.
A question for our club is: when do we resume meetings? Against the background of some loosening up of restrictions, it was interesting to read the Canberra Times editorial of 29 May. Headed “Coronavirus threat has not gone away”, the editorial goes on to say: “The clear message is that while we may think we have this disease under control thanks to the success of social distancing restrictions the situation is still very fluid. Outbreaks can occur at any place and at any time”. It concludes with the advice: “Stay sensible, stay safe, and stay home for now.”
As we are all aware, this message is particularly relevant to our senior demographic. Hence, we will continue to lay low for the time being. I sense that our members are supportive of this approach.
Your Committee continues to meet monthly, thanks to Zoom. Our aim is to make sure we stay abreast of developments, and to ensure we are ready for an eventual return to normal.
For those not feeling well, or recovering from treatments, we wish you a smooth recovery. Stay safe.
Paul
14 June 2020
April 1st., 2020
Dear Friends,
Firstly, let me congratulate the new Committee, and welcome newbies Peter, Fiona and Gail. A big thanks to Graham for undertaking his Returning Officer role in difficult circumstances. And also thank you to Peter for devising the vehicle for conducting the AGM online.
I know you will all share with me your appreciation to departing members of the previous Committee: Linda, Rhoda, Louise and Charlie. We have done very well through their contributions over a considerable period of time. They deserve their well earned break.
Of course, the break we are now all compelled to take means we need to do some creative thinking.
Your new Committee will look at ways for us to maintain contact with each other. On the one hand, the Committee itself will need to meet in some manner that is not physical. We have commenced looking at software that would allow us to do this online. More about that later.
Meanwhile, Committee members please note that the meeting scheduled for 7 April is cancelled. However, Committee members should continue to set aside 10.30 am on the first Tuesday of the month for our alternative means of meeting. Next scheduled Committee meeting will therefore be 5 May.
As for our whole group, we are looking at ways to maintain contact. One possible solution would be a Probus Greenway Facebook page. In fact, that notion was canvassed by the Working Group report you have all read. This would allow members to post images, text and video, and message individuals or the whole group. And don’t forget we already have our Greenway Probus web page with – thanks to John – updated information.
A reminder that to access the web page you should enter “tinyurl.com/probusclub” (without quotation marks) in your browser. Then don’t forget to save it in your “Favorites”.
And also a reminder to those who have yet to pay their membership fee. The following are options which Glenda has proposed:
-
A cheque for $28 pp made out to “Combined Probus Club of Greenway”, sent to Glenda at 12 Broad Place, Kambah ACT 2902.
-
Drop around to Glenda’s place with the cash.
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A bank transfer to this account:
Commonwealth Bank, Tuggeranong
BSB 062-914
Account No. 10634121
Account Name. Combined Probus Club of Greenway
Reference: at this spot enter your surname.
Finally, I hope you are all keeping well in this difficult time. For many, it’s an opportunity to catch up on things they have been unable to attend to. Our garden is certainly getting a lot of attention.
Kind regards,
Paul Varsanyi
President, Greenway Probus
March 17th., 2020
Dear Friends,
Further to the cancellation of our March GM and the AGM, your Committee met today to consider the near term future for our activities.
The GMs for April and May have been cancelled, and the program from June onwards remains to be confirmed. We are looking at the outings and assessing which ones are capable of going ahead.
Because we are not meeting for a while, we need to think about how we get the annual membership fees in. Most of us have been happy to drop an envelope on Glenda at the meetings. And a big thanks to those who have already done just that.
We need the funds to pay our capitation fees to PSPL. The following are options which Glenda has proposed.
1. A cheque for $28 pp made out to “Combined Probus Club of Greenway”, sent to Glenda at 12 Broad Place, Kambah ACT 2902.
2. Drop around to Glenda’s place with the cash.
3. A bank transfer to this account: Commonwealth Bank, Tuggeranong BSB 062-914 Account No. 10634121 Account Name. Combined Probus Club of Greenway Reference: at this spot enter your surname.
And another important matter. The AGM we haven’t had needs to be conducted by some means, and the best option for us is online. The AGM comprises the President’s Report, the Annual Financial Report, and the ballot for the new Committee. We are working up a package to get this material out to you in your inbox. For those without email we are making separate arrangements. We expect to move on this in the next few days. That’s it for now. Please take care.
Kind regards,
Paul Varsanyi
President, Greenway Probus
March 15th., 2020
Dear Friend,
Your Committee has been monitoring the progression of coronavirus.
While there has been just one case confirmed in the ACT to date, nevertheless it is
clear that both our Territory and Federal Governments are preparing for a
worsening of the situation. The Europe and United States experience suggests that
such a deterioration, should it eventuate, could be quite sudden.
Our demographic has been identified as the most at risk in the population. Our
situation as seniors means that even if the risk of contraction is low, the potential
consequences for our group could be more serious than for other segments of the
population.
That leaves a large question mark over our monthly meetings and our program of
outings. We need to consider them in terms of the heightened risk of infection
afforded by group interactions.
We are receiving feedback from members who are concerned about this, and re-
considering the wisdom of their own individual attendance at the forthcoming
General Meeting and Annual General Meeting, scheduled for 17 March.
Your Committee has carefully considered these issues, and has decided to (1) not
proceed with the March GM, and (2) defer the AGM to a date to be determined.
We feel just as disappointed about this development as we know most of you will.
But our duty of care suggests we should err on the side of caution. We hope you
will understand.
The fate of future General Meetings will be determined on a month by month basis
in the light of coronavirus developments in Australia.
At this stage we suggest that participation in outings be up to individuals.
There is one important item of business scheduled for Tuesday which we cannot
leave undone. And that is the selection of your new Committee. This is a
requirement under our Constitution. We propose to conduct the voting process
on-line, and will advise you separately in the next few days. Members without
email will each be contacted separately.
I am pleased to say that we have a full complement of candidates for the new
Committee. We say farewell to Rhoda, Louise and Charlie as Committee
members, and thank them for their exceptional contributions to our club, over
many years.
In these circumstances, we recommend that you access our web page for
information. As outlined in Peter’s latest newsletter, enter
“tinyurl.com/probusclub” (without quotation marks) in your browser. Then don’t
forget to save it in your “Favourites”.
Please take care of yourselves, and let’s look forward to a time when we can once
again get together safely.
Kind regards,
Paul Varsanyi
President, Greenway Probus
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