Skip to content

From the Centre - Always open to suggestions for more activities

The monthly report from the Ashcroft-Cache Creek Seniors Association.

We had a very select lunch and meeting on March 19 with only 12 members present, but it was very harmonious and productive.

Alice Durksen updated us about the Wellness and Health Action Coalition’s plans to get us better medical services. They are advertising and spreading the news, both here and abroad, searching for doctors to come here. We are all keeping our fingers crossed that they are successful.

Reports from all our other activities show a steady or even slowly growing turnout. The bus trip to Anglemont is still on, but would be more definite with one or two more names on the list. Drop in and add yours for a most enjoyable day out, with an extremely humorous presentation when you get there!

Our “kitchen boss” Nola has taken some time off due to illness, just like our Bingo lady, Barb. We wish them both a speedy return to good health and comfort. Their absence has made us more aware now of much we depend on our members to volunteer for jobs. When  the pressgangs used to roam the streets to sweep up men to serve in the navy, the saying was, “One volunteer is worth more than 10 pressed men” and it still rings true today. To keep our “vessel” -group - afloat, we need our members more than ever.

Elections are coming up in May for the positions of President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer. Candidates for these positions must, according to our Constitution and By-laws, have attended five monthly meetings since last May. However, there are many other jobs available to anyone who is willing to give some time occasionally for special events such as Teas, Bazaars, Tournaments or just plain running of the centre.

When I was very young, I asked my Grandmother what made her soup so tasty, and she told me it was “intilt” soup - it had everything intilt -into - it! I have suggested that starting in September, after the summer break, that we have an “Intilt Afternoon”  when we would be open for a variety of activities and each of us could take part in a variety of things or only one, whichever pleased us best. Your input and suggestions, please, along with armchair exercise, Pool, quizzes, reading circle, learning about public speaking - anything goes! Would you support this and do you think it would work for us? What would you like to see happening at the Centre?

The meeting closed with a surprise visit from Steve Rice who gave us an informative rundown on his work as a TNRD director, and the things he hopes to achieve. He gave us information about the demolition of the Bridge and even managed to find some buyers of the ingenious memorabilia of the old bridge! What a salesman he is - long may he continue as a voice for our area.

The next monthly meeting will be on April 14. Potluck lunch and visiting at noon and meeting at 1pm.  Please mark it on your calendar in big red letters, and attend if you possibly can.

I’ve often heard it said that a good secretary is as good as her/his weight in gold to any company, organization or club, and that she/he is what keeps the wheels turning smoothly. We are very fortunate in our secretary, Donna Tetrault​. Like many of our members, she was born in Vancouver and while she was growing up she moved around in Greater Vancouver and to Vancouver Island. On finishing High School, she studied Psychiatric Nursing at Essondale, and then for the next 29 years she was employed in various nursing positions at Woodlands School.

In 1963, she met a young man called Paul from Brieux, Saskatchewan. His family  moved to New Westminster, where they put down roots.

Donna and Paul married in1964 and now, 50 years on, they have two sons, four grandsons and a granddaughter.

Donna and Paul lived in Surrey while their children were at school. Later, they moved to Qualicum Bay with thoughts of retiring there later on, but after 11 years, a combination of rain and arthritis led the two of them to look for drier climes elsewhere. They looked for a place where they thought they could be healthy and happy, and in 2004 they found it here, in Cache Creek, where they are happy to say, “We enjoy the people and the climate here, and here we stay!”

You can meet Donna and Paul most Tuesdays and Fridays when Donna Carpet Bowls, and after about 2pm both of them can be found playing games of Wizard and enjoying the company. Drop in and say “Hello!”

Joyce West