Club Updates 

By Renate Thompson
  

It is with deep sadness that Durham South president Bill Sornberger advised the passing of longtime member and friend Ray Router.  A report from Bill follows on the next page.

Community spirit is strong in Ontario.  The Brampton club made a cash donation to the Brampton Guardian (local paper) Santa Claus fund.  This is a joint satellite adventure with the Toronto Star paper to provide gift boxes to children of families in need.  The boxes are delivered to the local Scouts Canada groups for delivery.  Several members of the Brampton Club took part in delivering these boxes with the 2nd Bramalea Beavers to the community ... the Spirit of Christmas lives on.

Both St. Catharines and Brampton participated in parades collecting food for the local food bank.  The St. Catharines club parade was during the Niagara Grape and Wine fest. The Brampton Club during the evening Santa Claus parade.  Both clubs had members participating in each other’s parade and took part in the after parade festivities. Foods gathered were in excess of 15,000 lbs.

News from the other side of the city with the Durham Region Women ... December was very busy with Festival of Lights and the Tree Lighting festivities and auction.  We can look forward to playing Euchre in the spring and the bus to Casino Rama.

Upcoming in March a Special Olympic Swim meet will be held at the Pickering Recreation Centre.  The club has installed new member Maria Stainburn and the Region welcomes her to Progress.

Collingwood will host their annual Curling bonspiel at the end of February.  Great competition looms in the Central Region.  Get your teams together and contact Dave Astil or Roy Urbach.

Richmond Hill will be flipping pancakes at the annual Richmond Hill Winter Carnival in February.  4000 pancakes will be served up to families taking part in the winter wonderland festivities.  Thank heavens the balmy weather of December has finally turned cold to freeze the Mill pond for this event.  Now all we need is snow.

The York Region Women are this year's Premier sponsor of the Alzheimer’s Societies breakfast -- a fundraiser and educational event.  This celebrates the success of the society and all it has undertaken in the community.  This is the first time involvement for the York Region Women.  December was ongoing community spirit by sponsoring food bank in Aurora, Richmond Hill, Newmarket and King City.

On January 31st, the National Board will hold their meetings in the Central Region. Brampton will host the President’s Ball and welcome the National Executive to attend. The Brampton club hopes that all members in the Central Region come out and enjoy a wonderful evening, which will include a silent auction with all proceeds going to the CPCF.