Executive Notes Brock University Retirees’ Association

December 2014

A Message from BURA’s President ear BURA members, On Wednesday mid-morning, November 19, I took someone heading home for the holidays to Pearson Airport. On the way there, between Vineland and Grimsby, I counted five traffic accidents: a jack knife, pile up, rear ender, etc. It was very cautious going until Casablanca Blvd. From there the road was dry and it was normal driving to the airport. I was glad I was not driving; I was thankful the pileups were on the opposite side of the QEW and that we arrived at the airport in good time for an international flight.

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It was a different story for the return trip: snow the entire route with very, very cautious driving. A normally 80 minute drive took three hours!! But I saw only one accident. Perhaps by the afternoon people had processed the reality---it is winter and we need to drive extra carefully. Next morning (Thursday, November 20), I heard on the news that there were 150 accidents on the highways. Later a friend came by for lunch. She said she went to get her snow tires installed before going to work at Brock that morning and was told, “Lady, there are 120 people ahead of you. If you want it done right away you have to be here at 6 a.m.!” Winter is here! And once again, the snow caught us unprepared. If it comes in October, we are not ready; if it comes in November, we are not ready; if it comes in December we are not ready. Yet we know it is coming---a sure thing---every year. On such a day as Wednesday was, do you get up in the morning, stretch, and think, “Am I glad

I am not going to work this morning?” Stretch again and think, “Ah! The leisure of retirement!” With the arrival of winter we know that the calendar year is over and another begins. Among all our reminiscences of the year we can look back at BURA’s events of the fall term and think, “Yes, I enjoyed the programs and the venues and the lunches, and best of all, the fellowship.” We worked in the same institution for many years and some of us knew others by name only and some not at all, so the name tags really help. Perhaps now at BURA we can get to know one another more than by name, and deepen the fellowship. About this time we begin looking ahead to next year and anticipate the rhythm of the year. If you have recently retired, then you have a rhythm change to contemplate. It is a huge change from the imposed work routine (which you have wanted to escape---maybe) to creating your own routines; you have time to do so and to adjust to the new rhythm. Please include BURA meetings in your new schedule. If you have been retired for awhile and you have already established new routines, new rituals, and rhythms, be sure to add BURA’s monthly meetings. Mark the dates and times and venues on your Here is a brief calendar. overview of what is coming January to After the quiet or June 2015. noisy, restrained or animated, individual BURA Executive Notes, December 2014

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or group, slower or faster paced celebrations of December, be they Christian (Christmas) or Jewish (Hanukkah), or Buddhist (Bodhi Day) or Muslim (Id Ul Fitr, Id Ul Adah, Id Ul Hajra), we come together in our BURA community in January to recognize Robbie Burns Day with a jolly time of Scottish dancing. We will see and feel and experience the rhythms of Scotland. What a fun way to begin the New Year! At this time of writing, the BUFS film scheduled for February is unknown so we cannot give you a preview, but as in past years, it is sure to provoke thought and conversation. In March, Professor Schmidt who introduced us last year to the marvel of the Mars Rover, will bring us an update. In April and again in May we will indulge the artist in us. In April we will be privileged to see some of our colleagues’ artistic creations. Some of us who think we have no musical or other artistic talent may be challenged to rethink that self assessment. In May we will be invited to see one of our past Prime Ministers through the eyes of a

photographer’s lens. In June, we close our year with our Annual General Meeting. There is usually plenty of time for catch-up talk: “How is it going?” . . . “What’s on for summer?” . . . “So glad to see you.” . . . “Haven’t seen you for awhile.” It is a good opportunity to remind us, in person, that you are still with us, as well as a convenient time to pay your membership dues. I hope the more detailed descriptions that follow (The Events Schedule for 2015) will capture your interest and motivate you to come out for a fun time of sharing and learning enhanced by good food and enduring fellowship. On behalf of the Executive of BURA, I thank you for your presence and participation in the events of 2014. May the New Year hold many joys for you: good health, close friends, happy family, peace, and contentment. Sincerely Sybil Wilson

Program Information for 2015 1.

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Those who noted in our survey (2010) Anyone who has not been notified by their preference for telephone telephone or email one week prior to an event communication will be called by a should call the specific member of the Telephone Committee. event coordinator. All others will be contacted through email. Those who need transportation may contact Evelyn Janke who will arrange for someone to pick them up. Evelyn can be reached at 905-688-9788 or [email protected]. Members who know of others who are indisposed are asked to forward that information to BURA Secretary Lynette Fast at 905-562-7056 or [email protected].

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he BURA Newsletter needs your contributions!

Please send your photos (jpeg, please), travelogues, news items, and other communications to [email protected]. The next newsletter is scheduled for April 1.

We want to hear from you!

Executive for 2014 - 2015 President Sybil Wilson [email protected] 905-227-2652

Treasurer Harold Leece [email protected] 905-682-2456

Past President Don MacRae [email protected] 905-892-6884

Newsletter Editor Joan Preston [email protected] 289-969-2589

Vice President Evelyn Janke [email protected] 905-688-9788

Membership Chair and Event Communications Jim Lennard [email protected] 905-682-5953

Secretary Lynette Fast [email protected] 905-562-7056

Councillor Carol Gaspari [email protected] 905-934-0453 Councillor Stephen Hartman [email protected] 905-685-3839

BURA’s web master is Jim Kerr. Helga MacRae heads the Telephone Committee and organizes the name cards used at BURA events.

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Telephone Committee G Jean Black (905-684-0143) Peggy Collins (905-688-7028)

Marilyn Ferracuti (905-935-2627) Helga MacRae (905-892-6884)

Directory Updates Deceased: EDDS, John A. [Accounting and Finance]

SLACHTA, Olga (John) Unit 304, 582 Ontario St. St. Catharines, ON L2N 0A2 905-346-1437

HOUSTON, Arthur H. [Biological Sciences] Address Change: ELLIOTT, Anne (Richard Holder) 3 McLean Court St. Catharines, ON L2W 0A2

We Need Your Help. Could you provide contact information for Mrs. Chang or Mary Berges? Kindly email BURA Secretary: [email protected]

2014 Interim Financial Statement Ending 31 October 2014 Balance on Hand

$4907.14

Prepared and Submitted by Harold Leece, BURA Treasurer

The Events Schedule for 2015 follows.

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2015 Lunch and Entertainment: Scottish Country Dancing t’s time to celebrate! No, not the New Year, although that would be reason enough for BURA members to get together. It’s time to toast all things Scottish—the yes side, the no side, and the side (that’s everyone) that looks forward to Burns Night in honour of Robbie Burns, born January 25, 1759.

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Such a celebration would not be complete without Scottish Country Dancing, the social dancing of Scotland. Dances that were first published in 1750 are still part of the repertoire. New ones are constantly added. The lively jigs and reels set the toes tapping; the haunting airs and strathspeys---unique to Scottish music---bring grace and elegance to the dance floor. Ten dancers will perform for BURA. They are members of the St. Catharines Branch of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society—locals who get together every week for dancing and fellowship. Performances consist of regular dances modified to last 128 bars or less, using lively music that the audience may find familiar. (Audience participation is encouraged!) 11:45, for noon Royal Henley Ballroom, Holiday Inn (Parkway), 327 Ontario Street, St. Catharines Cost: $25 Coordinators: Steve Hartman, Harold Leece Time: Venue:

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11 Dinner and BUFS Comedy-Drama Film Presentation: My Old Lady hat a great way to warm up in February—meeting friends for dinner and a movie. And what a movie it is—the comedy-drama “My Old Lady” starring three exceptional actors: Maggie Smith, Kevin Kline, and Kristen Scott-Thomas. (See the review that follows.) Dinner will be at Johnny Rocco’s. Remember last time we were there? It was a bit noisy. Not this time; BURA will have an entire, closed room for our party. When you hear about this event from the Telephone Committee, or Jim Lennard on email, you will be asked if you want chicken parmigiana or eggplant parmigiana. There also will be salad, dessert, and tea or coffee to complete the meal. Yummy!

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Oh, as your bonus, a representative from BUFS will introduce the film. Excerpt from a Review of My Old Lady (Glen Kenny, September 10, 2014) The movie begins with Kline’s character, a put-upon aging American named Mathias . . . coming into Paris full of hope and excitement: his late father, while denying his considerable fortune to his son, has willed him an apartment in Paris. Heretofore penniless and with no prospects—the guy’s got a lot of problems—his scheme to sell the apartment for a tidy sum and slough off for the rest of his days hits a snag right away: there’s an old woman living in the place, and she has no intention of leaving. Indeed, she is not even required to leave. That’s where the peculiarity in French real estate comes in. The apartment, which could fetch millions of Euros for Mathias, is a “viager.” The old woman, Mathilde (Smith), an Englishwoman long based in France, was the apartment’s prior owner; the new “owner” can buy the place for a song, pay the prior owner a monthly fee, and inherit the place free and clear once the inhabitant dies. The desperate Mathias immediately starts calculating the likely date of Mathilde’s death, while Mathilde snootily looks down her nose at failure-in-life Mathias. “My Old Lady” is pretty compelling viewing, mostly thanks to Kline, who gives a career-high performance here . . . Smith has the more difficult role: her character’s back story should have yielded a more hateful figure, but Mathilde can’t be hateful, or the whole mechanism would fall apart . . . People who complain about the absence of genuine adult drama from cinema screens have an opportunity to put their monies where their mouths are here. Time and Venue:

Cost: Coordinators:

4:45, Dinner at Johnny Rocco’s Italian Grill and Restaurant, 271 Merritt St., St. Catharines 7:00, Film at Empire Theatre, Studio 8 Cinemas, The Pen $30 (includes dinner and the film) Carol Gaspari, Joan Preston

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THURSDAY, MARCH 12 Lunch and Presentation by Volcanologist and Igneous Petrologist, Mariek Schmidt Mars Rover: an Update ariek Schmidt. You’ve seen that name before. Right here in the Program Notes for BURA in early 2013. And if you were lucky, you heard her give an outstanding presentation to our membership. (EVERYONE agreed!) Since then, Dr. Schmidt has been promoted to the rank of Associate Professor in the Department of Earth Sciences at Brock. While currently on maternity leave, she continues to be part of the international team directing NASA’s latest Mars mission with the rover vehicle, “Curiosity.” A major part of Curiosity’s charge has been to obtain clues about Mars’ past climate, including the possibility that life may have developed when the climate was more favourable. So, what has been learned recently, and what are the prospects for further investigation? Dr. Mariek will let us know.

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11:45, for noon Best Western Hotel and Conference Centre, 2 North Service Road, St. Catharines (corner of the QEW and Lake St.) Cost: $25 Coordinators: Steve Hartman, Carol Gaspari Time: Venue:

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15 Lunch and BURA’s Second Annual Arts Fest Featuring Percussionist Laura Thomas (TBC) URA VISUAL ARTISTS: GET GOING! MAKE WONDERFUL ART! You will need two (or perhaps more) works and easels (for two-dimensional art). Fibre artists, wood artisans, sculptors, and potters will be welcomed, too. Your invitation follows. URA ART ENTHUSIASTS: MAKE A NOTE IN YOUR DATE BOOK! You will need smiles. That’s all! This day will be a treat for your eyes, your palate, and your ears.

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Agenda: Time: 11:30, for noon. Art Enthusiasts: arrive at 11:30, so you have time to see the art on display, and perhaps sip a beverage from the cash bar. 12:00. Enjoy lunch. 1:00. Say hello to the artists who have brought their work for you to see. (They will be introduced briefly.) 1:15. Hear a fascinating presentation by percussionist Laura Thomas. (Laura’s bio is on page 9.) Venue: Amici’s Conference and Banquet Centre, 2740 Merrittville Hwy., Thorold Cost: $25 Coordinators: Lynette Fast, Joan Preston BURA Executive Notes, December 2014

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Invitation to BURA Artists and Artisans The BURA Executive welcomes your participation in our

SECOND ANNUAL ARTS FEST WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2015 11:30 - 2:00 Amici’s Banquet Centre 2740 Merrittville Highway, Thorold Set-up Time: 11:00

Disassembly: 2:00

Visual Artists and photographers should supply their own easels. Tables will be available for pottery ware, wood artifacts, fibre arts, etc. At this date, we have room for three paintings or photographs from each visual artist and about 6 square feet of space for other artists and artisans. (But have more works ready in the event that we have only a few BURA members sign up!) Those who are interested in participating should contact by January 15, by email or telephone either: Joan Preston OR Lynette Fast [email protected] [email protected] 289-969-2589 905-562-7056

Tell us who you are, what art form is your passion, and what works you intend to bring to Amici’s. We will ask later for a very brief bio so we can introduce you at the luncheon.

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APRIL EVENT CONTINUED: About Laura Thomas Artistic Director Laura Thomas is a conductor, arranger, composer, percussionist, and teacher. In addition to her position with WomEnchant, she is also Music Director of the Dundas Valley Orchestra, Associate Conductor of the Niagara Symphony Orchestra, and Music Director of the Niagara Youth Orchestra. She was for six years Artistic Director of Niagara’s Choralis Camerata. She has appeared as a guest conductor with many ensembles including the Huronia Symphony, the Etobicoke Philharmonic, and the North York Concert Orchestra. Ms. Thomas holds a master’s degree in conducting from New York's prestigious Bard College, where she studied with Harold Faberman. She is also a graduate of Hamilton’s Mohawk College and McMaster University, where she studied percussion and composition. Since 1985, she has been the Principal Percussionist with the Niagara Symphony Orchestra. As well, she is a member of Niagara’s popular eclectic folk quintet BroadBand and performs regularly with her Vintage Jazz ensembles. In her work with WomEnchant and BroadBand, Ms. Thomas has found the opportunity to combine music and activism. Both ensembles perform for a wide variety of social justice events and causes and have raised thousands of dollars through benefit concerts.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 13 Lunch and Presentation: Robert Cooper Speaks About Pierre Trudeau: Stories Behind the Pictures ow this is a unique BURA event! We’ll hear from a person who was there—there to see through his lens and his experience as a reporter. That person is Robert Cooper, reflecting back on the time he was in Ottawa, eye to eye with news-makers like the Trudeaus or John Turner. Makes you curious, doesn’t it? Makes you wonder if there is a major difference between the political persona of You don’t make a photograph the portrait sitter and his or her off-camera character. Well, just with a camera. You here is your chance to find out. bring to the act of photography all the pictures Robert Cooper has had a long career as a newspaper you have seen, the books you photographer, starting with the Niagara Falls Review in have read, the music you 1967 and moving on to positions with the Sault Star and have heard, the people you Canadian Press. Capping his career, he spent the years have loved. 1979-1984 as Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau's official photographer, and was at the same time the personal Ansel Adams photographer to the Trudeau family. When Trudeau resigned, Cooper worked for John Turner, and then Brian Mulroney (for about 5 minutes!) His presentation will include many anecdotes about his time with Pierre Trudeau and his family and political associates, accompanied by his photographs of many formal and informal occasions.

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11:45, for noon The Urban Steakhouse and Lounge, 200 Hwy. 20 East, Fonthill, at the intersection with Rice Rd. Cost: $25 Coordinators: Steve Hartman, Don MacRae Time: Venue:

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10 Nineteenth Annual General Meeting he AGM will begin at 2:00 p.m. with a 45 minute social period, dessert, and beverages. (There will be no cost for refreshments.) The business meeting will follow.

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2:00 - 4:00 p.m. Glenridge Lawn Bowling Club, 84 Glen Morris Drive, St. Catharines Cost: No cost Coordinators: Sybil Wilson, Evelyn Janke, Lynette Fast Time: Venue:

Members are encouraged to pay their BURA fees ($20.00) at this time. Cheques should be made out to Brock University Retirees’ Association.

DRAFT Business Meeting Agenda BURA President Sybil Wilson in the Chair. 1.

Adoption of the Agenda...................................................................................................

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Adoption of the Minutes, June 11, 2014. ........................................................................

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Reports President’s Report / Executive Committee Report......................................... Sybil Wilson Treasurer’s Report. ...................................................................................... Harold Leece Membership Chair and Events Communication Report. .................................. Jim Lennard Newsletter Editor’s Report. .......................................................................... Joan Preston Approval of the Reports

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Ratification of Board Decisions .......................................... Sybil Wilson / Evelyn Janke MOVED: that all acts, contracts, bylaws, proceedings and payments enacted, done and taken by officers and members of the Board of Trustees since the date of the last Annual Meeting, as the same are set out or referred to in the minutes of the Board of Trustees and its committees, are hereby approved, ratified and confirmed. BURA Executive Notes, December 2014

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Update on the Pension Plan Committee...................................................... Jim Lennard

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Election of the Executive for 2015 - 2016. ....................................................................... EXECUTIVE SLATE: President Sybil Wilson Past President Don MacRae Vice-president Evelyn Janke or TBA Secretary Lynette Fast Treasurer Harold Leece or TBA Membership Chair and Communications Jim Lennard Newsletter Editor Joan Preston Councillor Carol Gaspari Councillor Steve Hartman Councillor TBA Councillor TBA Further Nominations Approval of the Executive Slate BURA’S WEB MASTER IS JIM KERR. HELGA MACRAE SERVES AS COORDINATOR FOR THE TELEPHONE COMMITTEE AND ALSO BRINGS MEMBERS’ NAME TAGS TO EACH EVENT. MEMBERS OF THE TELEPHONE COMMITTEE ARE AS FOLLOWS: JEAN BLACK, PEGGY COLLINS, MARILYN FERRACUTI, AND HELGA MACRAE.

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Service Recognitions. .......................................................................................................

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Other Business. ................................................................................................................

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Adjournment....................................................................................................................

DRAFT AGM AGENDA

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