Our Canadian Club

Dinner, Tuesday, May 24, 2011

2011-05-27T10:24:00.000-07:00

We welcomed members and guests this evening to our last dinner before we take a break during the summer months. While sipping on orange juice, another excellent meal was awaiting us and we enjoyed California Mixed Green Salad followed by an entrée of Prunes and Cranberry Stuffed Pork Loin with creamy potatoes and mixed vegetables. Our dessert was a light carrot cake with vanilla butter cream and walnuts, and we completed the meal with tea or coffee.

At the head table our Guest Speaker was Allan De Genova, President of Honour House Society and he was introduced by Tim Armstrong, Fire Chief, New Westminster. Present also were Lee Reynolds, Vic Leach, Councillor Lorrie Williams, and Calvin Donnelly who thanked Allan for his presentation. Honourary Member Councillor Betty McIntosh and her husband Ken also joined us for the evening and we thank you all for attending.

Following dinner we assembled in the Theatre where Allan began his presentation with a DVD explaining Honour House and the many businesses and organizations giving voluntarily of their help. An enjoyable start to the presentation was Sarah McLachlan singing “Love Come” in praise of Honour House.

WHAT IS HONOUR HOUSE?

A place of refuge where families of First Responders

and Canadian Forces Personnel can reside free, while their

loved ones are treated for any number of conditions.

So often in the past, receiving treatment

has meant either huge costs incurred

or long periods of separation from

family for the injured member.

HONOUR HOUSE

Eliminates this stress,
adding to the quality of life and speedy recovery.

Honour House is an idea whose time has come.

I visited Honour House to see its current state and met Vic Wylie, Site Superintendent with Scott Construction Group who was very helpful in explaining the status and future plans for this wonderful concept. Vic advised that the house is about 100 years old and will be a fully disabled accessible facility. Honour House will offer ten bedrooms each with its own bathroom, a 4-storey elevator, a communal kitchen and dining area, plus a media center, library and quiet room. A children’s play area is planned for the property. They are working to have Honour House ready by the end of June 2011, and we look forward to seeing the hopes and dreams of this beautiful facility materialize in the coming months. For your convenience, on the right of this page I have included links to the Honour House web site.

In concluding the meeting, Nick our President reminded the Directors of our next meeting, which will be held in the Auditorium of the New Westminster Library on Thursday evening, June 23rd at 7 p.m. Calvin again led us in the singing of God Save the Queen.

Another reminder that the June Luncheon will be held at La Rustica Restaurant on 6th Street on Tuesday, June 14 at 11:30 a.m., and we hope that you can attend.

Thanks again and with best wishes,

Dinner, Tuesday, April 26, 2011

2011-05-01T19:08:00.000-07:00

Members and guests alike joined us for dinner this evening and we thank you for attending.

Easy seeing that summer is on the way! We began with a healthy green salad and raspberry vinaigrette dressing, followed by chicken stuffed with cheese and spinach and smothered with a cream sauce of Dijon mustard and basil, accompanied by mixed vegetables. Dessert followed – a delightful maple cake with vanilla cream icing and caramel sauce; a wonderful start to the evening!

Our head table guests were Dr. John Blatherwick and his wife Dr. Carol Blatherwick, Councillor Bill Harper, and Dr. Irwin Stewart. Among other guests were Councillor Betty McIntosh and her husband Ken and we welcomed a returning guest, Linda.

Following dinner, we adjourned to the Theatre where Councillor Bill Harper introduced Dr. Blatherwick before we viewed Dr. Blatherwick’s informative PowerPoint presentation on service medals. Interspersed were humorous anecdotes and puns, which added levity to the occasion!

Dr. Blatherwick has extensively researched service medals and we wonder how he found time to do this, as he is such busy man, having an outstanding career in health care, which had to be so time-consuming. His presentation was colourful, well thought out and very professional, and we thank him for advising us on the variety of medals that have been awarded to Canadians through the decades, certainly since 1967 when the Order of Canada was created. Dr. Irwin Stewart thanked him for his presentation, as did all members.

A note to the Directors that the next meeting will be Thursday, May 19 at 7 p.m. at Earl’s home.

Please join us for the last dinner meeting before we break for the summer recess, on Tuesday, May 24, when Allan De Genova will speak to us on Honour House, in New Westminster – now that will surely be a meeting we will want to attend!

Thanks again for visiting and look forward to seeing you during May!

Best wishes,

Dinner, Tuesday, March 29, 2011

2011-04-01T15:27:00.000-07:00

A wonderful turnout this evening with many members and guests and we thank you all for attending! Thank you too for your contributions to the First Presbyterian Church Food Bank for their Easter hampers.

Our meal began with a “stew soup”, which was a thick vegetable soup full of good things! This was followed by delicious salmon accompanied by steamed rice and stir-fry vegetables. Our dessert was carrot cake with cream butter icing – just a mouth-watering meal with juice, tea and coffee for beverages.

Nick introduced the head table, which included Wendy J. Scott, RN, as guest speaker. Other guests included Councillor Betty McIntosh and her husband Ken. Councillor Bill Harper was also in attendance, as were Paul Forseth, Peter Julian, MP and Diana Dilworth. Mike Redmond introduced his wife Laura and her mother, Alma, and Maureen introduced Linda, Denise, Louise and Gilles, who also attended as guests this evening.

Earl had a few notes including mention of the recipient of the Douglas College award, Lisa Neilson, who was unable to attend the dinner. The Will Rogers Follies will fill the stage of the Massey Theatre in April, and if we are in groups of ten or more, we will be entitled to ticket discounts.

Following dinner, we adjourned to the theatre where Maureen introduced the guest speaker. Wendy J Scott has a background in Nursing and operates the franchise Nurse Next Door Home Healthcare Services. Wendy was so eloquent and showed a beautifully prepared PowerPoint presentation outlining her work and business.

A brochure describes Nurse Next Door Home Healthcare Services as “specializing in exceptional care for remarkable people encountering changes in their lives.” Wendy advised that the average life span for Canadians is 80 years for women and 75 for men, so with people living longer there is a definite need for Nurse Next Door services.

Betty McIntosh thanked Wendy for her presentation and noted that they both graduated about the same time; Betty from Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster and Wendy from St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver. What a wonderful reunion for these two professional registered nurses!

Nick thanked everyone for attending and reminded the Directors that the next meeting is on Wednesday, April 13, in the Plaskett Room of the New Westminster Library.

Calvin Donnelly who was unable to attend the dinner arrived later in the evening and led the singing of God Save the Queen. Thanks Calvin!

Look forward to seeing you on Tuesday, April 26, 2011, when the guest speaker will be Dr. John Blatherwick – that will be an extremely interesting evening!

Thanks for viewing, and best wishes,

Wendy J. Scott, Nurse Next Door Home Healthcare Services

2011-04-01T15:19:00.000-07:00

Dinner, Tuesday, February 22, 2011

2011-02-25T14:27:00.000-08:00

Thankfully the snow stayed up in the heavens, and allowed us to have a safe journey to and from dinner this evening! Thanks to the members and honourary members for attending and enjoying the cuisine. A cold night called for hot vegetable soup followed by baked ham and potatoes au gratin, complete with mixed vegetables. Dessert was a light vanilla and strawberry sponge cake and we had juice, tea and coffee throughout the evening.

Nick Cheng, as President welcomed members as well as guests at the head table: Mayor Richard Stewart, Councillor Jaimie McEvoy and Fin Donnelly, MP. Also present were Councillors Betty McIntosh (with husband Ken) and Lorrie Williams.

We adjourned to the theatre and following an eloquent and humorous introduction by Councillor Jaimie McEvoy, Richard Stewart, Mayor of Coquitlam, delivered an excellent presentation including a well developed PowerPoint slideshow.

Mayor Stewart reported that 2010 was an amazingly successful year due to the preparation of previous years. Coquitlam is, perhaps, one of the fastest changing cities east of Vancouver and it has a large future. Massive infrastructure developments took place throughout Coquitlam during 2010. Presently the Portmann Bridge is being changed to ten lanes, mostly on the Coquitlam side, and the Coquitlam approaches are now being constructed.

In continuing to speak on future developments, Mayor Stewart reported that the Evergreen SkyTrain line should be completed in 2014 and of the $1.4 billion needed for this, $1.2B has already been committed with $200M coming from the private sector.

One of the slides in the presentation depicted Spirit Square. It was interesting to hear that the word Coquitlam means “red fish up river” referring to the spawning salmon, so it is not surprising that in Spirit Square there is a beautiful statue of a salmon, quite prominently on display in this fitness and sports facility.

In concluding his presentation, Mayor Stewart spoke of Education and especially International Education in Coquitlam. Home to the David Lam Campus of Douglas College, more international students are expected to enroll and continue its reputation of graduating with very high grades!

We thank Mayor Stewart for offering an excellent presentation and he willingly answered questions of the audience. In thanking the Mayor, Fin Donnelly was equally articulate and, as MP for New Westminster, Coquitlam and Port Moody, has worked with the Mayor, and included his admiration in his closing remarks.

Nick brought the meeting to an end by reminding the Directors that the next meeting is Wednesday, March 16 in the Plaskett Room.

There is a change of routine for our next dinner meeting, as it will be held on the FIFTH Tuesday of March (not the fourth), which is Tuesday, March 29. We look forward to welcoming our guest speaker Wendy J. Scott, RN, who will speak on Nurse Next Door.

Calvin again closed the meeting with God Save the Queen and we thank him for his musical talents!

See you in March!

Best wishes,

Coquitlam: International Education

2011-02-25T14:21:00.000-08:00

Dinner, Tuesday, January 25, 2011

2011-01-26T23:10:00.000-08:00

It’s good to be back into the swing of things and our first dinner of the year was a great success!

Ginger chicken soup was our first course in a dinner that included roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, creamed potatoes and vegetables. Leaving room for dessert, we enjoyed a vanilla custard slice on a graham cracker base, with a white creamy topping! Juice, coffee and tea were also enjoyed and we awaited our visit to the theatre to listen to our guest speaker, Wayne Wright, the Mayor of New Westminster.

Many councilors were in attendance including Bill Harper, Jaimie McEvoy, Betty McIntosh (and her husband Ken), and Lorrie Williams. Several members also brought guests and we thank them for visiting and trust they enjoyed the evening!

Our President, Nick Cheng, introduced the Head Table and welcomed guests. One item of interest he brought to our attention is the upcoming presentation of the Royal City Musical Theatre – The Will Rogers Follies, A Life in Review, which will be showing in April.

We gathered in the theatre to listen to the Mayor. He was introduced by the Chief Constable of New Westminster, Lorne Zapotichny, who gave such an eloquent introduction and this was quite poignant in that Lorne will be retiring from the New Westminster Police Service at the end of February, 2011. An opportune time for Lorne to speak of his long and lasting friendship with the Mayor both professionally and personally, and it was a heartfelt Thank You that epitomized his introduction. Thank you Lorne, and our best wishes to you on your retirement.

The Mayor gave a presentation in which he simply spoke to his audience without a slideshow or notes. He is so accomplished a speaker and knows his craft! He is committed to his role as Mayor of New Westminster and has spent many years building the city and watching his plans for development take fruition. He has many accomplishments of which to be proud and spoke affectionately about projects that had been completed and those still on the drawing board!

One of the major accomplishments that is being watched closely by Ottawa and indeed the rest of the country is Honour House – please watch the short video following this post. (Please click the four arrows at the base of the video to view it in full screen.)

Calvin Donnelly very graciously thanked the Mayor for his presentation and finished the evening with a rousing rendition of God Save the Queen!

Just a reminder that the Board of Directors meets on Wednesday, February 16, 2011 at 7 p.m. in the Plaskett Room at the New Westminster Public Library.

Thanks again for attending the dinner and we look forward to seeing you on Tuesday, February 22, 2011, when the guest speaker will be Richard Stewart, Mayor of Coquitlam. The Mayor will take a look at the City of Coquitlam's accomplishments in 2010 with an eye to the future. His presentation will be followed by a Q&A session.

Thank you!

Honour House, New Westminster, BC

2011-01-26T22:39:00.003-08:00

Happy New Year!

2010-12-28T10:10:00.000-08:00

Good to be in touch and we hope you enjoyed a peaceful and blessed Christmas!

The next Meeting of the Board of Directors will take place at 7 p.m. in the Plaskett Room of the New Westminster Public Library on Thursday, January 13, 2011 - we look forward to seeing you!

The next dinner meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 25, 2011, when our guest speaker will be Wayne Wright, Mayor of New Westminster. This is a dinner you will not want to miss, so please mark your calendars to ensure you attend! Thank you!

Wishing you all the very best for 2011!

Christmas Luncheon: December 16, 2010

2010-12-16T10:23:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Nick for arranging the Christmas Luncheon at La Rustica. There were 22 in attendance and everyone seemed to enjoy the meal and ambience!

Christmas is just around the corner and we take this opportunity to wish you, your families and friends a Very Merry Christmas and all the best for the New Year!

Dinner, Tuesday, November 23, 2010

2010-11-25T19:40:00.000-08:00

Although it was a very cold evening, it did not stop an excellent turnout of members and guests at tonight’s dinner. Thank you all for visiting!

A welcome first course was the hot tomato vegetable soup and this was followed, in our last dinner before Christmas, with a wonderful turkey dinner, complete with cranberry sauce, stuffing, creamed potatoes, and vegetables. Such a filling dinner was rounded off with a light sponge cake complete with strawberry filling and cream topping. An excellent way to start the evening with such a delicious meal!

Nick, as President, welcomed our guest speaker, Mary Butterfield, the Capital Campaign Director, VanDusen Botanical Garden, and continued to report on upcoming events. On Sunday, December 5, the Welsh Mens’ Choir will visit Massey Theatre and there are group rates available. If you wish to attend, please contact Earl. The club’s Christmas Luncheon will take place on Wednesday, December 15, at La Rustica on 6th Street. The cost is $15 per person and wine, etc. will be extra. The members will be phoned to see if they and their guests wish to attend. The next Directors’ Meeting will be on Wednesday, January 13, 2011 at 7p.m. in the Plaskett Room of the New Westminster Library.

Thanks to the many who brought non-perishable items for the food bank at the Salvation Army and thanks too to Nick for delivering these goodies!

Following dinner, we adjourned to the Theatre to listen to Mary Butterfield and her beautiful presentation on the growth and development of the Capital Project at the VanDusen Botanical Garden. It was interesting to see the progress that was made from the initial drawing board to the many aspects of the Project, which eventually took shape. This will be a sustainable and ecologically friendly structure composed of a lake, walkways, meeting rooms, cafeteria, and volunteers lounge (for the 1600 volunteers, the coordination of which is quite an undertaking in itself). Please see the site plan here.

A wonderful achievement and we thank Mary so much for advising us of what has been happening at VanDusen over the past year and taking time to explain the Project and outline it so clearly and effectively. Congratulations Mary, and we wish you and all at VanDusen Botanical Garden much success with your efforts and fulfillment of your goals.

Thanks for viewing and look forward to seeing you in the coming weeks!

Best wishes,

Dinner, Tuesday, September 28, 2010

2010-10-03T14:08:00.000-07:00

Hope you all enjoyed a wonderful summer and hard to believe that it’s already fall and time to get back into the routine of monthly dinners!

Tonight we welcomed members and guests who enjoyed a dinner of beef vegetable soup followed by salmon and rice, with mixed vegetables. The very light dessert of chocolate mousse with cream on graham crackers was delicious and rounded off the meal beautifully! Of course, orange juice, coffee and tea were also on hand.

Many thanks to those members and guests who brought non-perishable items for the St. Barnabas Food bank, for distribution this Thanksgiving.

The AGM took place this evening during which time Muriel Pearce, as outgoing president, thanked the members for their loyalty and the board of directors for their hard work during this past year. We join Muriel in welcoming Mike Redmond to the Board of Directors.

We too thank Muriel for her time and efforts as President.

Muriel passed the gavel over to the incoming president, Nick Cheng. We welcome Nick as our President this year and wish him much success. We know he will continue to promote the Canadian Club of New Westminster and the Fraser Valley and will demonstrate his professionalism and charm to members, guests, and guest speakers. Thanks Nick for taking on this role and we extend our best wishes to you.

We joined tonight’s guest speaker, Shelley Fralic, in the theatre and were entertained, enlightened and enamored by her charm and wit! Introduced by Paul Forseth, Shelly has a very impressive résumé including her long tenure as a journalist with The Vancouver Sun, and she outlined her career enthusiastically and clearly demonstrated her love of journalism and working with the media. Shelley engaged in a question and answer period, which was well-received. Mike Redmond thanked Shelley for being our guest speaker and we thank her too and look forward to reading her blogs and journalistic reports in The Vancouver Sun.

Please join us on Tuesday, October 26, 2010 for our next dinner.

Best wishes,

Dinner, Tuesday, May 25, 2010

2010-06-10T09:07:00.000-07:00

We welcomed our guest speaker Jean Barman at the May 25 dinner, and were charmed by her eloquence and knowledge of British Columbia.

Jean spoke of her prize-winning book, The West beyond the West: a History of British Columbia, that recently appeared in a third edition, and her latest book, British Columbia: Spirit of the People, which was commissioned by the provincial government in 2008. Please check out Jean’s web site for more on this prolific author!

Just a reminder that the June luncheon will be held on Tuesday, June 22 at La Rustica restaurant on 6th Street. Please join us at 11:30 a.m. for our last celebration before the summer break.

Thank you, and best wishes,

Dinner, Tuesday, April 27, 2010

2010-05-04T10:44:00.000-07:00

Another good turnout for dinner and our guest speaker this evening. Butternut Squash Soup was delightful and first on the menu! This was followed by veal cutlet, mashed potatoes and vegetables with a decadent dessert of chocolate cake. Tea and coffee rounded off the dinner, which as always was excellent!

Muriel reminded the Directors of the Executive Meeting to take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 5, 2010 in the Plaskett Room.

Our guest speaker was Terry Julian, who spoke eloquently from his book A Capital Controversy and described New Westminster's history and why the choice was made to move the capital of British Columbia from New Westminster to Victoria. Terry concluded with a Question and Answer section and we thank him and his wife Ruth for attending this evening and providing such an informative presentation.

Our next dinner will be held on Tuesday, May 25, 2010, when our guest speaker will be author Jean Barman. We look forward to seeing you at this the last dinner before we break for summer!

Best wishes,

Dinner, Tuesday, March 23, 2010

2010-03-25T17:33:00.000-07:00

We bid a fond farewell to The Olympics and Paralympics and the sense is a “return to normal” – so it is not surprising that we had a good turnout at the March 23 dinner! Thank you for attending!

Beef barley soup followed by turkey with dressing, creamed potatoes, gravy, mixed vegetables, and cranberry sauce awaited the attendees and these were delicious. The same can be said of the dessert, a vanilla cream and strawberry tart, complemented by tea or coffee… a great start to the evening!

Muriel introduced the head table, which included Councilor Bill Harper, Paul Forseth, our guest speaker Dr. Ron Clowes, and his wife. We were also pleased to welcome our latest Honorary Member, Fire Chief Tim Armstrong, to this his first dinner at the Canadian Club. We thank all our guests for attending and hope you can visit us again at future events.

Thanks too for the wonderful donations you made to the food bank, which will go a long way to helping families in need.

A reminder to the Directors that the next meeting will be Wednesday, March 31 at the home of Earl and Pauline Marshall, and we thank them for their hospitality!

Earthquakes are something we really don’t want to talk about, given the predictions that the Big One is inevitable at some time. However, we cannot dismiss them, especially in view of the recent disastrous earthquakes in Haiti and Chile. Tsunamis have also devastated many locations throughout the world and with this in mind, following dinner we adjourned to the theatre to listen to Dr. Clowes.

Such a learned man and what a carefully prepared presentation, which included clear documentation of the earth’s structure throughout the world and the many earthquakes and tsunamis that have taken place over the centuries. Here in BC we don’t have to look too far to see that we are very earthquake-prone, as has been evidenced, for example, by quakes on Vancouver Island and northern Washington State.

How prepared are you when an earthquake happens? Please visit this site for earthquake preparedness tips.

We thank Dr. Clowes for his comprehensive and well thought out presentation.

Please join us on April 27 for our next dinner, with details of the guest speaker to be announced in the coming weeks.

Best wishes,

Dinner, Tuesday, February 23, 2010

2010-02-24T14:36:00.000-08:00

While the Olympics combined with a hockey game are great temptations, we had a good crowd assemble for this evening’s dinner and guest speaker. Thank you all for attending.

We welcomed a delicious meal and tonight’s menu consisted of cream of chicken noodle soup, followed by an entrée of veal cutlet with potatoes au gratin, broccoli, cauliflower, and green beans. A delightful dessert of chocolate mousse on graham cracker base was rounded off very nicely with tea or coffee for beverages.

In her announcements, Muriel advised that the Board of Directors has decided to help the food banks in the local community three times per year, at Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Our first donations of non-perishable items will be at the March 23, 2010 dinner. Please bring your items to the Justice Institute and they will be donated to the Food Bank at 6th Avenue United Church. Thank you for your tremendous offering at the Christmas 2009 luncheon; we look forward to similar donations throughout the year.

Lt.-Col. Doug M. Poitras, Commanding Officer, The Royal Westminster Regiment, was our guest speaker this evening. We are delighted that he could attend and after dinner adjourned to the Theatre to listen to his eloquent presentation (without notes), together with a PowerPoint slideshow.

Thank you so much for visiting and advising us primarily of the work you and your servicemen and women are doing in Afghanistan. It is good to see the efforts made by these wonderful people throughout the world, and especially in war-torn Afghanistan. It is hoped that the war will end but even then it could take another 20 years before the country can develop its infrastructure, social services, education, etc. and the teams of service people from allies around the world are working hard to achieve their goals and help this ravaged country.

We are so fortunate at the Canadian Club to have such exemplary guest speakers and Lt.-Col. Poitras has added his name to this list! We wish you and your Regiment the very best in your endeavours and thank you for your continuing service to New Westminster and Canada.

A reminder to the Board of Directors that the next meeting takes place on Wednesday, March 3, 2010 at 7 p.m. in the Plaskett Room of the New Westminster Library.

Thanks for reading, and look forward to seeing you next month!

Best wishes,

Dinner, Tuesday, January 26, 2010

2010-01-27T16:48:00.000-08:00

This was the first dinner of 2010 and it was nice to see familiar faces again – thanks so much for visiting!

We enjoyed delicious fare and began with a garden salad complete with creamy Italian dressing. This was followed by very tender pork, with an unusual attribute in that it had a tasty prune stuffing, and complemented the mixed vegetables and creamed potatoes. Dessert was a chocolate cream cheesecake, all rounded off with tea or coffee. A great way to start the evening!

Our guests included council members Bill Harper, Bob Osterman and Jaimie McEvoy, with Ken standing in for Betty McIntosh!

Muriel introduced the head table, which included the President of the Justice Institute, Mr. Jack McGee. Our guest speaker this evening was Dr. Scott McAlpine, President of Douglas College in New Westminster, and Hazel Postma, Associate VP, External Relations, Douglas College, who joined those present at the head table.

Muriel also reminded the Board of Directors of the next meeting at 7 p.m. at the Plaskett Room in the New Westminster Library, on Wednesday, February 3, 2010.

Following dinner we went to the Theatre where we were treated to an excellent presentation by Dr. McAlpine. Referring to a slide presentation and without notes, Dr. McAlpine focused on demographic changes in the environment through to 2036 and stated that Douglas College is in a strategic planning mode regarding post-secondary education for now and the future. From the demographics it is evident that China and India will pave the way as world super powers, based on projected population growth. It is these two nations that Canada in general and BC in particular need to consider as major trading partners if Canada wishes to maintain its development and economic growth now and throughout coming decades.

Dr. McAlpine’s presentation was an eye-opener; very well prepared and documented, we were treated to facts and figures that made you think. It is hoped that Dr. McAlpine will continue with this and other presentations, as he leads Douglas College in the coming years. Thank you so much!

The next dinner will be Tuesday, February 23, 2010 when our guest speaker will be Lt.-Col. Doug Poitras, Commanding Officer of the Royal Westminster Regiment. Lt.-Col. Poitras has spent assignments in Afghanistan, so we very much look forward to his visit and to hear of his experiences in this war-torn country.

Thanks for visiting and look forward to seeing you on February 23.
Best wishes,

Dinner, Tuesday, November 24, 2009

2009-11-30T11:00:00.000-08:00

A good gathering for this, the last dinner of 2009, with a special guest speaker!

Another delicious meal awaited us and we began with beef barley soup, followed by baked ham with scalloped potatoes, vegetables, and ending with a delightful trifle, tea or coffee.

Muriel reminded the Board of Directors of their meeting which she is graciously hosting at her home on Wednesday, December 2nd at 7 p.m. Please remember to bring with you some non-perishable items for a Christmas hamper for a needy family.

On Tuesday, December 8, we meet at 12 noon for the Christmas Luncheon at Gino's Restaurant, 431 East Columbia Street, New Westminster. This will be the first time the Club has chosen this venue and members are looking forward to good food and fun!

With an introduction by Paul Forseth, MP, we welcomed the Hon. Wally Oppal, QC. Speaking without notes and PowerPoint presentation, Hon. Oppal referred to his political and legal background including his tenure with the County Court of British Columbia and Supreme Court of British Columbia. He was also appointed to the British Columbia Court of Appeal and later as Attorney General of BC. Such a stellar background and now that he has the opportunity to concentrate on other matters, he enjoys reading and playing/coaching basketball!! Nancy Puri's husband Baj, a long-time friend of Wally Oppal, extended our thanks for a most memorable visit.

We will meet again next year on Tuesday, January 26, 2010, and wish you and yours all the Blessings of this Christmas Season and very best wishes for the New Year!

Dinner, Tuesday, October 27, 2009

2009-10-30T14:40:00.000-07:00

It was a typical October evening, wet and dismal, but the warm chicken noodle and vegetable soup was a tremendous start to the evening!! This was followed by excellent roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, creamed potatoes and vegetables. Carrot cake provided a delicious dessert and tea/coffee rounded off the meal!!

We welcomed our guests and Muriel made a number of announcements: the next Directors' Meeting as well as the possible venue for the Christmas Luncheon on Tuesday, December 8.

Wednesday, November 4 at 7 p.m. is the date and time of the next Directors' meeting in the Auditorium of the New Westminster Public Library. Both Gino's on East Columbia Street and La Rustica on 6th Street are suggested restaurants and we hope to have a decision on November 4.

Our guest speaker this evening is Eliza Olson, President of the Burns Bog Conservation Society. Having been involved with the Society for many years, Mrs. Olson provided a knowledgeable presentation on Burns Bog, its many features, founding, ecological role, threats, and hopes for the future. In that it is the largest raised bog on the West Coast of North and South America, this 422-acre estuarine-raised peat bog is located at 15 feet above sea level in the centre and 6 feet above sea level around the edges. Conveniently located close to major roadways, Burns Bog offers tours and welcomes visitors to enjoy its solitude and beauty. We thank Mrs. Olson for taking her valuable time to visit the Canadian Club and wish her and her team of volunteers much success in achieving their goals.

The next dinner takes place on Tuesday, November 24. We are very pleased to announce that the guest speaker will be the Hon. Wally Oppal, Q.C. Another great evening in store, so again, please mark your calendars to enjoy this last dinner of 2009!

Best wishes,

Dinner, Tuesday, September 22, 2009

2009-09-29T20:35:00.000-07:00

Good to see the members and guests come together for the first dinner following the summer break, and what a beautiful summer it has been! Perhaps with summer in mind, we enjoyed a Greek theme this evening.

Pita Bread and Humus with garden salad, followed by chicken kebabs and roast potatoes accompanied by green and red peppers, provided tonight's entree and a delicious three-tiered creamy dessert rounded off this most enjoyable meal.

Muriel Pearce in her comments reminded the board of directors that the next meeting will be Wednesday, September 30 at 7 p.m. in the Auditorium of New Westminster Public Library.

On Saturday morning, October 17, Lorraine will lead her team in hosting another Citizenship Tea, which is becoming a very popular event at City Hall. Thanks Lorraine and your team for all your hard work in putting together this delightful occasion.

Following dinner we adjourned to the Theatre to listen to our guest speaker this evening, Adrienne Bakker, President and CEO of the Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation. With such eloquence and professionalism, Mrs. Bakker provided a wonderful PowerPoint presentation outlining the Foundation, its achievements and goals.

RCH cares for the most critically ill and injured patients in British Columbia, and as one of the finest acute care hospitals in the province, is exemplary in its fundraising efforts to purchase technology and equipment to save lives. But life-saving care isn't possible without financial help and Mrs. Bakker’s presentation outlined how the Foundation works tirelessly to raise awareness of its goals and achievements while developing funding for the hospital. Please visit the web site to see how you can assist RCH in its fundraising endeavours. Thank you Mrs. Bakker for your hard work and efforts at the Foundation.

Again, thanks for joining us and we look forward to our next dinner on Tuesday, October 27 – please mark this date on your calendar!

Best wishes,

Dinner, Tuesday, May 26, 2009

2009-05-28T09:45:00.000-07:00

This was the last dinner before breaking for the summertime and thanks to those members and guests who joined us at the Justice Institute.

Another lovely meal awaited us, with vegetable soup followed by pork and apple sauce, scalloped potatoes, mixed vegetables, and gravy! Our dessert was carrot cake and beverages included fruit juices, tea and coffee.

It has been suggested to have a luncheon during June, rather than a day out, and Nick proposed that we meet at La Rustica Restaurant on 6th Street, New Westminster at noon on Tuesday June 23. With a unanimous vote on this, please mark this date and location on your calendar!

Following dinner we adjourned to the Theatre to listen to our guest speaker, Dr. David Neima, who is an Ophthalmologist, with a very busy practice in New Westminster. We thank Dr. Neima for his presentation on Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), and it was excellent. AMD is a progressive disease of the retina wherein the light-sensing cells in the central area of vision (the macula) stop working and eventually die. The disease is thought to be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, and it is most common in people who are age sixty and over. AMD is the leading cause of visual impairment in senior citizens.
A very appropriate topic, Dr. Neima's presentation was well prepared and informative and he completed his talk with a question and answer section.

A couple of useful hints: do not put water in your eyes, and do not rub your eyes. Eyes do not like water and prefer "tears" (please use reputable eye drops) and rubbing eyes breaks up eye tissue, so please take note of this very useful advice!

Thanks again to Dr. Neima, who has a very busy schedule, for taking time to visit and inform us.

Look forward to seeing you at the June 23rd luncheon, and enjoy this beautiful weather!

Best wishes,

Dinner, Tuesday, March 24, 2009

2009-03-25T16:53:00.000-07:00

Another excellent turnout of members and guests this evening to listen to Dr. Jim Lane, and thanks so much for visiting!

As usual, we were treated to excellent cuisine featuring chicken noodle soup, the most tender roast beef New Westminster has to offer, complete with broccoli, cauliflower, creamed potatoes and gravy!! This was followed by a dessert of vanilla cake, cream and chocolate, tea and coffee! A wonderful start to a delightful evening!

Dr. Lane enlightened and educated us with an excellent presentation on his trips to Vietnam. He began with a brief outline of the medical teams attending in various parts of the country, the history and demographics of Vietnam, and the very urgent need for medical and professional help in this land with a population of 90 million. What an eye-opener and such a well-documented account of his travels to remote areas in the valleys and hills of this very large country.

Medical, dental and eye-care services are provided by these groups of volunteers and sometimes in rather primitive conditions. However, these men and women meet the challenges and provide hope and relief to the hundreds of villagers who are so dependent on the selfless efforts of kind people such as Dr. Lane and his team who volunteer their dedication, time and expertise to improve their quality of life.

Attending at the dinner was Dr. Ken Appleby, a local physician from Burnaby, who was also part of the team in Vietnam, as well as Elizabeth, who is continuing her medical studies. We thank you so much for attending and to Dr. Lane for a wonderful presentation.

For more information and to learn how you can volunteer your time, please visit the Evangelical Medical Aid Society at www.emascanada.org, or contact Dr. Lane directly at drjlane@shaw.ca

Once the speaker for April has been determined, this will be advertised in the web site.

Again, thanks for visiting and best wishes,

Dinner, Tuesday, February 24, 2009

2009-02-25T19:50:00.000-08:00

It was a dark and stormy night, and we welcomed beef barley soup, delicious chicken parmesan with scalloped potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots. These were followed by a delightful combination of strawberry and chocolate mousse with choice of tea or coffee. During dinner, Muriel introduced the Head Table including our guest speaker Laura Watts, and other guests whom we welcomed.

Some notes of interest were a discussion on the day out in June – not too soon to think about this so if you have suggestions, please let us know. A note to the Directors that we will meet on Wednesday, March 4, for the Directors’ Meeting and we again thank Earl and Pauline for offering their home as our venue.

We then adjourned to the Theatre to listen to the guest speaker. Laura met us at the door with handouts to follow during her presentation, which was not a PowerPoint this time, but a flip chart. What an excellent presentation!! The words animated, informative, thought-provoking, and fun all come to mind, as Laura delivered an excellent foray into the world of legalize!

In Planning for Future Decisions, Laura covered subjects such as What is Advance Care Planning? What is A Power of Attorney? and described areas including Substitute Health Care Decisions, Nexus of Capability Health Care SDM, and Advance Directives and when they do and do not apply. Overall this was an excellent field in which to be informed and enlightened, and we sincerely thank Laura for her contribution this evening.

Dr. Jim Lane, has now returned from his visit to Vietnam along with health care professionals from across North America and we look forward to hearing him speak on this and other trips he has made during the past few years. March 24 should present another great evening, so please mark your calendars to attend and listen to our guest speaker!

Look forward to seeing you on March 24!

Best wishes,

Dinner, Tuesday, January 27, 2009

2009-02-02T14:52:00.000-08:00

Fruit punch is now being served during Meet and Greet, and dinner this evening began with a hearty vegetable soup. This was followed by melt-in-the-mouth pork, suitably surrounded by green vegetables and creamed potatoes with gravy; the meal was delicious and rounded off with carrot cake and cream icing!!! Enjoyed by all, dinner was a grand way to begin the evening!

Richard M. Mulcaster, Director, External Relations and Development, was our guest this evening and was eloquently introduced by Councillor Lori Williams. Richard gave an exemplary talk combined with a PowerPoint presentation (with Roch Voisine singing “I’ll always be there”) and added his own narrative outlining the Justice Institute of B.C., its past, present and future development. Having held his office for only one year, it is clear that Richard enjoys his work and is the right person to handle the challenges and opportunities that go hand-in-hand at this edifice, and its integration with BC Crown Agencies, local and International organizations. Thank you Richard and thanks too to Councillor Bill Harper for a well-deserved acknowledgment of your visit.

Join us again on Tuesday, February 24 for another delightful dinner and guest speaker: Laura Watts, Director with the Canadian Centre for Elder Care. As well, do make a note to mark Tuesday, March 24 on your calendar when Dr. Jim Lane, a family doctor in Coquitlam, will speak to us about Medical Aid to Vietnam. Two important dates of note and we look forward to seeing you!

Best wishes,

40th Anniversary Celebrations: December 4, 2008!

2008-12-15T18:55:00.000-08:00

Such a wonderful turnout of members and guests at tonight's celebrations!

We were pleased to have Archie Miller and his wife Dale join us at the head table tonight and looked forward to Archie's presentation in the Theatre. Among our invited guests, Muriel introduced two Salvation Army soldiers, Jennifer MacPherson and Tom Wiebe, Councillor Betty McIntosh and her husband Ken, Chief Constable Lorne Zapitochny, and we were later joined by Richard Stewart, newly-elected Mayor of Coquitlam.

Please visit the 40th Anniversary photographs in Links on the right side of this page.

Tonight's cuisine was a lovely menu of garden salad followed by a turkey dinner, complete with cream potatoes (and gravy!), stuffing, broccoli, and cauliflower. We concluded with a serving of birthday cake, tea or coffee. A grand way to start the evening!

We then adjourned to the Theatre to listen to Archie's presentation, which was delightful. His knowledge and research not only of the December 1968 formation of The Canadian Club of New Westminster and the Fraser Valley but also of happenings at that time in Canada and around the world was enthralling, as he weaved a chronology of historical mention and kept returning to how the 40 years of the Club was preserved during momentous and memorable events. This was truly an exceptional presentation and Archie excelled in delighting his audience with trivia and humour. Thank you Archie and Dale your wife, who also helped with your research and presentation - a job well done!

Please mark your calendars for our next dinner on Tuesday, January 27, 2009, when the guest speaker will be Richard Mulcaster, Director of External Relations and Development at the Justice Institute of B.C. No doubt another enjoyable evening lies in store for us!

Meanwhile, we wish you a very Blessed Christmastide and all good wishes for 2009.

Maureen

Dinner, Tuesday, October 27, 2008

2008-10-29T13:15:00.000-07:00

This October dinner saw a good turnout of members and guests alike. Thank you all for visiting and enjoying the evening! As the members arrived they were each given an invitation card, which was very well received!

Dinner began with a garden salad and then we were served roast beef (with hearty gravy), creamed potatoes, broccoli, and cauliflower, and for dessert enjoyed a cream-decorated lemon sponge - again delicious!

In her address, Muriel again invited us to attend the 40th Birthday celebrations, which will be held at the Justice Institute on THURSDAY evening, December 4, 2008, and the guest speaker is the very well-known historian, Mr. Archie Miller. We hope that as many members and guests as possible can attend on this most auspicious occasion. Please RSVP your attendance to Earl at 604.520.3889, e-mail: wemarshall@shaw.ca

Our guest speaker this evening was the very lovely and knowledgeable, Margo Lupien, who is the Executive Director of the Royal City Manor. Ms. Lupien joined us in the theatre and outlined the Manor, its services and benefits as a well-established long-term care facility. Thank you so much for your professionalism and eloquence, and the time taken to clearly answer questions from the audience.

A reminder to the Board of Directors that the next meeting will take place on Wednesday evening, November 5, 2008 - 7-9 p.m. at the Plaskett Room in the Library.

Look forward to seeing you at the 40th Birthday Celebrations on Thursday, December 4th!

Best wishes,

Dinner, Tuesday, September 23, 2008

2008-09-25T10:05:00.000-07:00

A welcome return to our monthly dinners and guest speakers this evening, and we hope you all enjoyed a pleasant summer!! How quickly we celebrate Fall!

Our dinner this evening, as usual, was delicious and consisted of a robust vegetable soup followed by baked salmon with hollandaise sauce, rice and vegetables. We left room for dessert, which was a delightful lemon sponge drenched in blueberries, followed by tea or coffee!

Muriel, our President, introduced the Head Table and welcomed our guest speaker, Brian Minter of the beautiful Minter Gardens in Chilliwack.

Towards the end of dinner, Mauriel led the AGM and introduced the committee members and directors who work to keep the Canadian Club of New Westminster and the Fraser Valley in top shape! Thanks to all involved for their hard work!

Following dinner we adjourned to the theatre to listen to Brian. What a magnificent presentation clearly outlined by Brian, who is eloquent, accomplished and such a professional! Thanks so much Brian for the delightful photography of plants and gardens throughout many of the major cities in Canada and the United States. Plant arrangement and design need not be complicated and can produce relaxing and attractive environments for all to enjoy! We are glad you found the time in your very busy schedule to visit us!

Just a reminder to the directors that the next meeting will be in the Plaskett Room at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, September 30. Of particular note during this meeting will be the planning of the 40th Anniversary of our chapter of the Canadian Club, to be held on Thursday, December 4, 2008. More to follow on what's in store!

Our next dinner on Tuesday, October 28, 2008, will welcome our guest speaker, Margo Lupien, who is the Executive Director of the Royal City Manor, New Westminster. A beautiful facility and we look forward to learning more from Ms. Lupien.

Look forward to seeing you on October 28th!

Best wishes,

Dinner, Tuesday, April 22, 2008

2008-04-28T13:50:00.000-07:00

Such a wonderful turnout of members of the Canadian Club of New Westminster and the Fraser Valley and their guests, together with guests from various Toastmasters clubs in the Lower Mainland. Thank you all so much for visiting!

Garden salad, salmon with rice and vegetables, rounded off with a delicious lemon sponge cake with cream, complete with tea or coffee, all combined to start off this evening so deliciously!!

Muriel welcomed our guests and introduced the head table among whom were Mayor Wayne Wright and our guest speaker, Peter Legge. During the announcements, a choice of locations was offered for the June day trip, and it looks like we are off to Fort Langley on Tuesday, June 17!

Following dinner we went to the Theatre to listen to Peter Legge, and what a magnificent, positive and humorous delivery! Thank you so much Peter for agreeing to be our guest this evening. Currently, Peter is the only Golden Gavel Recipient in Canada (Pamela Wallin will receive this award in August, 2008) and his eloquence and presentation talents most certainly were a delight and an education to those present. The 26 Toastmasters were thrilled to hear such an orator and truly enjoyed the evening.

Positive thinking and family were the main themes of Peter's speech and he told us of his dream to emcee the Opening Ceremonies at the 2010 Winter Olympics. To this end he developed a beautiful bilingual 15-minute presentation with his daughter Rebecca, who speaks fluent French. Hopefully the 2010 Olympic organizers will help Peter realize his dream, because it is so professional and worthy of inclusion in the Opening Ceremonies.

The guest speaker on May 27 will be another author, Daniel Francis. We look forward to welcoming you to dinner that evening, when more details of the June 17 day trip will be discussed.

Best wishes,

Dinner, Tuesday, March 25, 2008

2008-03-26T18:50:00.000-07:00

A rainy and cool evening, we were warmed with another delicious meal! Cream of chicken and vegetable soup, followed by ham, scalloped potatoes au gratin and vegetables, were all rounded off with a dessert of blueberry crumble and ice cream!!!

We welcomed our guest speaker Lt. Col. Karen Baker-MacGrotty, who is the Vice-Chair of the New Westminster Spirit of BC to support the 2010 Olympics. After dinner we met in the Theatre to listen to Karen and watch her excellent presentation. Very well delivered and eloquent, Karen led us through PowerPoint slides outlining the composition of the teams who are working to ensure that the 2010 Olympics meet goals and keep to budget before, during and after February, 2010!! Well-informed and esthetically pleasing, we all enjoyed her presentation and admire the enormous effort she employs in this and the many other roles she has been elected to perform. Thank you Karen on a job well done!

Please join us next month on Tuesday, April 22nd, when author and businessman Peter Legge will be the guest speaker!

In June we hope to have our day out, so if you have any preferences on where you would like to visit, please talk to Norma and Maureen.

See you on April 22nd!

Best wishes,

Dinner, Tuesday, February 26, 2008

2008-02-27T11:00:00.000-08:00

Vegetable barley soup, chicken florentine with wild rice and vegetables, followed by cheesecake and blackberries comprised the delicious cuisine for this evening's dinner! Well attended with our special guest speaker and visiting guests, this proved to be a delightful evening, enjoyed by all!

Chief Constable Lorne Zapotichny of New Westminster Police Services eloquently introduced our guest speaker, Mayor Wayne Wright, who treated us to an informative description of the progress of current and future plans for New Westminster. Mayor Wright explained in detail without a PowerPoint presentation and only using infrequent notes just how much the City is progressing and meeting objectives. We thank His Worship for his diligence and focus, and really enjoyed his visit to the Canadian Club.

Carl Nepstad, Director of Fire and Rescue Services, humorously thanked the Mayor and presented him with a plaque; a wonderful and enlightening evening shared by all!

The Board of Directors next meets in the Plaskett Room on Wednesday, March 5, and one of the topics on the agenda will be the proposed trip in June - so if you have any ideas, please let us know!

Our next dinner will be held on Tuesday, March 25, and the guest speaker will be Karen Baker-MacGrotty, who will speak on the 2010 Olympics and the Spirit of BC. An interesting evening indeed, and we hope you can join us!!

Best wishes,

Spirit of BC Week: February 8-16, 2008

2008-02-03T10:30:00.000-08:00

In The Record of Saturday, February 2, 2008, there is an excellent supplement on the Spirit of BC Week, a province-wide event which will take place commencing Friday, February 8. Special events will be held in Queens Park on Saturday, February 9.

You may also visit The Record online to to learn more of these events.

Just a reminder to the Board of Directors that the monthly meeting (cancelled from January 30) will take place in the Plaskett Room of the New Westminster Public Library at 7 p.m. on Monday, February 4.

Please mark your calendar for Tuesday, February 26, which is the date of the next dinner/speaker get together, and we look forward to welcoming Wayne Wright, Mayor of New Westminster.

Best wishes,

Dinner, Tuesday, January 22, 2008

2008-01-27T12:00:00.000-08:00

Our first dinner of 2008 saw a grand turnout and we enjoyed yet another delicious meal of vegetable soup with an entrée of veal and creamed potato smothered in gravy, green and yellow beans, and cauliflower, and rounded off with a mouth-watering dessert of apple pie and cream laced with cinnamon!!

Muriel announced that the first Directors’ meeting of the year will be held at 7 p.m. in the Plaskett Room on Wednesday, January 30.

BC Spirit of BC 2010 Committee: Nick spoke on upcoming events in Queens Park on Saturday, February 9, so please watch the media for further information regarding these activities.

We gathered in the theatre to listen to our guest speaker, Val MacDonald, Executive Director of the Seniors' Services Society. Val had prepared a concise and all-embracing presentation on the work of the Society, its objectives and accomplishments. Thank you so much Val for providing such an informative look into the vast scope of work that is being done to help an aging population, especially in New Westminster. We truly value your input and professionalism.

Please do join us next month, Tuesday February 26. We are pleased to have Mayor Wayne Wright as our guest speaker and his topic will be achievement and advancement within the City, and his hopes for its future.

Best wishes,

The start of 2008!

2007-12-10T11:30:00.000-08:00

Arrangements have now been finalized for the January 22, 2008 dinner and we are pleased to welcome our guest speaker: Val MacDonald, Executive Director of Seniors' Services Society based here in New Westminster. Val will speak on a recently completed survey of seniors' housing and their needs, and the requirements of people as they age. Demographics and eligibility are considered and directives given to find appropriate housing and service agencies. This should be a most informative evening, with time for questions and answers at the end of the presentation.

This dinner has been recorded in the Calendar of Events and as future engagements are finalized, this site will be updated.

Wishing you all a Very Merry Christmas, with many blessings for 2008!

Sincerely,

Dinner, Tuesday, November 27, 2007

2007-11-30T18:00:00.000-08:00

Butternut squash soup with vegetables followed by baked salmon, rice and vegetables, and rounded off with bumbleberry crumble and ice cream, was our delicious cuisine for this evening's meal!

A good turnout for our evening meal and guest speaker, Paul E. Levy who, with his charming wife Angela, graced the head table! Paul authored his book ""River Queen: The Amazing Story of Tugboat Titan Lucille Johnston". Following dinner we went to the Theatre and listened to Paul give an in-depth description of the contents of his highly applauded book, and listened the life, trials and tribulations of such a courageous woman. Thank you so much Paul for sharing your interaction with Lucille and her hard-working life with us. It was beautiful.

Just to confirm that the Christmas Luncheon will take place at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, December 5, at the Vancouver Golf Club, Austin Road in Coquitlam. A room to accommodate those who wish to attend has been arranged and you are at liberty to choose from the menu.

A reminder to the executive that the December meeting will take place at 7 p.m. on Wednesday December 5 in the Plaskett Room of the New Westminster Public Library.

It will soon be Christmas, so do enjoy a very Merry Christmas with your family and friends, and we look forward to getting together in January, 2008!

Best wishes,

Dinner, Tuesday, October 23, 2007

2007-10-28T21:15:00.000-07:00

Another delicious menu awaited the members and guests as they attended tonight's event. Garden salad, with an entree of pork, vegetables and potato, followed by pumpkin pie added to the evening!

Muriel, our president, introduced the invited guests this evening: Steve Crombie and Adrienne Lockstead from InTransitBC who graced the head table and we later joined them in the theatre for the evening's presentation.

Thank you both for such a wonderful, concise and informative presentation and Steve certainly knew his subject! It was quite exciting to see the developments of the Canada Line, its proposed route and the wonderful photography displaying the work to date. You can see videos by visiting the IntransitBC web site and the other facets of this project. Everyone enjoyed the presentation and complimented its production. The Canada Line will certainly enhance the gateway from Vancouver to Richmond and prove invaluable to the local residents and visitors to Vancouver Airport.

Do join us in November when Paul E. Levy is our guest speaker. Mr. Levy wrote River Queen: The Amazing Story of Tugboat Titan Lucille Johnston and this should also prove to be a most enjoyable and informative evening!

Thank you for visiting and see you on November 27th!

Best wishes,

Dinner, Tuesday, September 25, 2007

2007-09-28T16:45:00.000-07:00

A return to the monthly dinners saw a good turnout and delicious fare! Green salad, veal cutlet with potato and vegetables, and a choice of vanilla or chocolate cheesecake complete with beverage, heralded our first dinner of the season!

Muriel introduced our head table guests: Hazel Postma, Betty and Ken, Lois and John, and Peggy and visiting guests Don and Dawn from Vernon.

A review of the year's activities included a note of thanks to all concerned with the Canadian Club of New Westminster and the Fraser Valley. Of note was the inclusion of Barbara as Treasurer, replacing Henriette, who has spent many years in this role. We welcome Barbara and thank Henriette for her excellent service.

Following dinner we gathered in the Theatre to listen to and watch a presentation by Hazel Postma, who has been the Associate Vice-President External Relations at Douglas College since August, 2005. Hazel explained that the bursaries and awards help about 2,000 students each year. The College campuses at New Westminster and Coquitlam are buzzing with student activity and offer online courses, distance education and 30 university transfer courses. To learn more of the College and its activities, please visit its web site with links to its many departments.

Next month on Tuesday, October 23rd, we welcome Steve Crombie, VP Public Affairs with InTransitBC. Please visit the Canada Line web site to learn more of its progress in Vancouver and Richmond.

Look forward to seeing you at the October dinner!

Best wishes,

Resuming Tuesday Dinners!

2007-09-22T17:45:00.000-07:00

Good to be in touch with you, and hope you enjoyed the summer months.

Just a reminder that the monthly dinners will resume on Tuesday, September 25, and our guest speaker this month is Hazel Postma, Associate Vice-President, External Relations, Douglas College. Another great evening and we look forward to seeing you again!

Best wishes,

Day Trip to Whistler

2007-06-13T19:15:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, June 12, 2007 a group of 20 Canadian Club members set off to visit Whistler - and what a day it was!! The sun shone very bright and early, forming a great start to the day and we were not to be disappointed in the weather department. The rain that has fallen so much during the past few weeks took a break for our journey and we enjoyed sunshine and great travelling!

Do visit this motley crew on their journey, and check the links to the right of this page!

Enjoy the summer and see you in September!

Best wishes,

Dinner, Tuesday, May 22, 2007

2007-06-01T10:10:00.000-07:00

Another great gathering this evening and we were served garden salad, chicken cacciatore, apple pie a la mode, and tea and coffee. A wonderful way to start the evening!

Muriel introduced our head table including our guests: Dawn Black, MP, Mike Redmond, and Dr. Albert Kim, our guest speaker. Thanks to all for attending!

We were impressed with Dr. Kim's extensive knowledge as a naturopathic physician and found his presentation to be clear, knowledgeable and very appropriate. Thanks so much for visiting.

The directors met on Tuesday, May 29 and spent time discussing the day out in June. From June 5 onwards, Nora and her team will phone members to advise on the choices available, either to visit Kilby Historic Site or, if there is the prospect of flooding, take the bus up to Whistler. While there are some delays, it should take about two and a half hours there and back, leaving about three hours at Whistler for you to walk around, have lunch, and enjoy the magnificent scenery.

The cost of each trip is $35, and some members have already paid this amount.

Look forward to seeing you on June 12 for the day out, which we hope will be enjoyable and relaxing!

Best wishes,

Dinner, Tuesday, April 24, 2007

2007-05-04T11:45:00.000-07:00

A lovely spring evening saw a good turnout of members and guests, who dined on fresh garden salad, ham, scalloped potatoes au gratin, vegetables, and completed with apple pie a la mode. Delicious fare to get us going!

The head table guests included Jack McGee, guest speaker, who was introduced by Councillor Calvin Donnelly and thanked by Chief Constable Lorne Zapotichny. We also welcomed to the head table Dr. Albert Kim, in his initial visit to the JI to see firsthand the facility in which he will be our guest speaker on May 22, 2007. Thanks to these and all our guests for joining us!

Muriel spoke on forthcoming activities and invited Maureen to speak on the day’s outing scheduled for Tuesday, June 12, a choice of either visiting Victoria to see the Titanic Exhibition or going to Harrison Mills to visit the Kilby Historic Site.

Going to Victoria involves quite an early start and a lot of walking throughout the Titanic exhibition, so it has been decided to go to the Kilby Historic Site on June 12. Those interested can let us know on May 22 and provide payment for the bus and heritage tour. When you are at the restaurant the lunch is approximately $10 per person, and there are also jams, preserves, etc. available at the gift shop during the tour should you wish to purchase these items.

Following dinner we gathered in the theatre to listen to Jack McGee, who gave a wonderful presentation on the Justice Institute, its accomplishments and goals. A very well-described and informative presentation and we thank you so much for your time and expertise in presenting such a realistic and futuristic look at the Justice Institute. Mr. McGee concluded with an added bonus – slides of his trip to New Orleans to witness the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, the attempts to restore the city and environs while helping the inhabitants in their quality of life.

Please join us on May 22nd, when Dr. Kim will speak to us on the terrifying consequences of hypertension and diabetes:

Hypertension leads to stroke, heart attack, and is now considered to be a major cause of Alzheimer’s disease.

Diabetes leads to severe never-ending nerve pains in limbs, non-healing wounds, amputation of feet, blindness, and deafness.

Both are scary diseases. However, hypertension and diabetes are surprisingly simple conditions that obey simple sets of rules. Dr. Kim believes that most diseases are born out of ignorance of how the body works, and that even serious genetic conditions can be significantly reduced in severity with proper lifestyle. His philosophy is to use treatments that can yield healing, not just masking the symptoms.

This is certainly a presentation you do not want to miss!

Look forward to seeing you on May 22nd, and best wishes!
Maureen

Dinner, Tuesday, March 27, 2007

2007-03-30T11:45:00.000-07:00

A great turnout this evening included our welcome guests Councillors Calvin Donnelly, Bill Harper and Lorrie Williams. We were pleased to see Frances, sister to Pauline and Earl visiting from Calgary, Mr. Nepstad, Gerry who accompanied John and Lois, and Jeff and Daisy. Many thanks for attending and glad to hear you enjoyed yourselves!

Reverend Will Hubbard, Chaplain, Royal New Westminster Regiment, offered the Grace, and also made a beautiful speech recognizing Freda and her dedication to many causes.

Our delightful dinner this evening was Russian Borscht followed by Chicken Kiev, potatoes and vegetables, and topped off with blueberry and raspberry crumble a la mode!

Earl read a Thank You from Douglas College for the $1,000 scholarship donation from The Canadian Club of New Westminster and the Fraser Valley.

Maureen spoke on possible outings in June:
1. Kilby Historic Site at Harrison Mills.

Here the luncheon will be about $10, the tour (highly recommended) $7, and transportation about $20 per person. So for about $40 this tour seems quite reasonable!

2. Skagit Valley Casino, Exit 236 on I5.

This tour will be about $15 or $20 per person depending on your preferences, and includes return transportation, lunch and gambling vouchers. If you choose not to gamble and wish to take a side tour to go shopping in the local factory outlets, the cost is $20 and requires a large number of the group. They will do not a side trip for a small number of people.

As well, you should ensure that you have medical coverage for the day, and to go down to the States you will need preferably a current passport, or driver’s license and birth certificate.

These and other possible outings will be discussed in the coming weeks.

Our guest speaker this evening was Carl Nepstad, Chief, New Westminster Fire and Rescue Service. What an entertaining, informative and in-depth presentation from Carl. His talk and presentation were very impressive and we can be proud of the firefighters who work to keep our city safe and secure. Thank you so much Carl; you did an excellent job!

Do join us on Tuesday, April 24 when our guest speaker will be Jack McGee, President of the Justice Institute of B.C.

Thanks, and may you enjoy the Blessings of Easter!
Best wishes, Maureen

Dinner: Tuesday, February 27, 2007

2007-03-02T13:35:00.000-08:00

Another lovely evening in which we enjoyed mixed garden salad, salmon – a typical BC treat - followed by apple pie a-la-mode, with tea or coffee ...delicious!

We welcome five new members to the Canadian Club: Jack (JI) Paul and Maureen, and Al and Marie. Thank you; we hope you enjoy your membership and look forward to seeing you at future dinners!

Maureen, VP Public Relations, was asked to speak on the web site and its progress, and Percy advised that he is looking into venues for the June get-together and will keep us advised throughout the coming months.

Muriel indicated that the next Directors’ meeting of Tuesday, March 6, will take place in the Auditorium of the Library (not the Plaskett Room). Due to changes being considered by the Library, the directors will decide whether or not to meet on a Monday or Wednesday evening. The Calendar of Events will be updated accordingly.

The Royal City Musical Theatre will present 42nd Street during April. Please check the links for the RCMT for more information on this highly acclaimed and tap dancing musical!

Paul Forseth introduced our Guest Speaker: Professor Gary Mauser, who delivered an informative and attractive presentation outlining his personal background and interest in law enforcement, particularly gun control. An enlightening display of statistics and demographics showed the variance in members of the public who own guns and their usage. Interspersed with humour, Professor Mauser is a professional who knows his facts and presents them energetically and with conviction. Thank you so much!

Do join us for our next Dinner on Tuesday, March 27, when Carl Nepstad will be our guest speaker.

Best wishes,

Dinner: Tuesday, January 23, 2007

2007-01-24T16:25:00.000-08:00

Such a wonderful turnout for this, the first meeting of the year! Thanks to all who attended, and especially our guests including: Lorne Zapotichny, Mayor Wayne Wright, Councillors Lori Williams, Betty McIntosh, Bill Harper, and Calvin Donnelly, and Paul and Maureen Forseth.

In memory of Robert Burns Day (January 25), Muriel recited one of Robbie Burns’ poems as our Grace before dinner, and Calvin led everyone singing “I Belong to Glasgow” – such a grand way to start the evening’s activities!

We then heard from Andrée of the Arts Council of New Westminster, who advised of a beautiful movie that will be shown on Monday, March 5 at the Theatre Near You (above Starbucks on 6th Street). "Away from Her" was highly acclaimed at the Toronto Film Festival last year. Andrée encourages as many as possible to view this movie that deals with Alzheimer’s disease, and will advise us more on this event nearer the time.

Following dinner we met in the Theatre to see and hear a concise and well-prepared presentation from Lorne Zapotichny, Chief Constable, New Westminster Police Services.

Lorne has spent the past 39 years in policing, and the past seven years with New Westminster Police Services. His presentation outlined the background of the police force in the City; formed in 1873, New Westminster is the oldest police department west of Thunder Bay, Ontario; in fact, older than the RCMP! Lorne also described the Mission, Vision and Priorities of the Department. We again thank him for such a wonderful presentation and his ease when answering questions. It’s nice to know our city is in such capable hands and we commend the men and women of the Department for their dedication and hard work.

We encourage you to invite guests to the Canadian Club so that they too may enjoy good food, camaraderie and listen to such knowledgeable guest speakers.

Please check the Calendar of Events to see our upcoming activities, and a reminder that the Directors meet on Tuesday, January 30, and our next dinner meeting is Tuesday, February 27.

Best wishes,

First meeting of 2007

2007-01-06T18:30:00.000-08:00

We hope you enjoyed a merry Christmas and great New Year!

Just a reminder that our meetings resume this month, on Tuesday January 23, when our guest speaker will be Lorne Zapotichny, Chief Constable, New Westminster Police Service. We look forward to Mayor Wayne Wright introducing the Chief Constable and Paul Forseth thanking him.

An enlightening evening with celebrities of note, so do mark your calendars to attend this event!!

See you at 6 p.m. for Meet and Greet and Dinner at 7 p.m.!

Best wishes,

Notes at Luncheon: December 5, 2005

2006-12-05T20:15:00.000-08:00

Such a great turnout today to enjoy a delicious lunch at La Rustica!

Our President, Muriel, made several announcements:

The Directors’ meeting will be held at 7 p.m., Wednesday, January 10, 2007 in the Plaskett Room, New Westminster Public Library;

“Christmas through the Century” with a commentary by Ivan Sayers, on Thursday, December 14, 2006, subsidized by The Canadian Club of Vancouver (you will need Adobe Reader to open the description and registration form);

BC Girls’ Choir will sing Saturday, December 16: 3:00pm and 7:30pm at Olivet Baptist Church, 613 Queens Avenue, New Westminster.

Please mark Tuesday, January 23, 2007 as our next meeting date at the Justice Institute of B.C.

Wishing you a Very Merry Christmas and all the Best for a Happy New Year!

Christmas Luncheon: Tuesday, December 5, 2006

2006-11-30T09:33:00.000-08:00

Our Christmas Luncheon will take place at the beautiful La Rustica Restaurant. We have been able to secure various menu pricing of $10.95, $14.95 and $15.95 per person.

Do join us at 12 noon, 228 - 6th Street, New Westminster. 604.525.6355

Hopefully the rains will gradually wash away the heavy snowfall, and we can arrive safely to enjoy our lunch and celebrate the Christmas Season.

See you on the 5th!
Best wishes,

Meeting of Tuesday, November 28, 2006

2006-11-29T10:53:00.000-08:00

Despite the snow that has covered the landscape for the past few days, we had an excellent turnout to greet our guest speaker this evening: Julie H. Ferguson.

Julie is an accomplished speaker and author and spoke to us this evening on her new book: Sing a New Song - Portraits of Canada's Crusading Bishops. For our enjoyment, Julie had expertly crafted a beautiful PowerPoint presentation outlining the five bishops of New Westminster throughout the past 150 years.

We are pleased that you made the time to visit us Julie, and know that many people take joy in reading your work!

Our next get together will be the luncheon at La Rustica on December 5, 2006. See you then!

Best wishes,

Welcome to your web site!

2006-11-27T11:00:00.000-08:00

Hello Members and Guests of The Canadian Club of New Westminster and the Fraser Valley.

This site acts as a resource for you to see what's happening at the club, advises you of upcoming events, and allows you to make comment.

We hope you will enjoy this web site and look forward to hearing from you with your suggestions and feedback.

Best wishes,