GBCRA Monthly News and Updates
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New Items are added to our auction each Monday and some items are close to being sold and will be removed October 1st. This week, we are adding an Apple TV 4th generation, a bottle of scotch, and a set of prints from the National Gallery to mention just a couple!
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Message from the Co-Chairs
Greetings!
Here we are, nearing the end of September, the month that still feels like the true beginning of the year for so many of us, even if we have been away from a classroom for a long time. Students are back in school, one way or another, although “back” and “in” may mean something quite different than they have in previous autumns. It is certainly different from what many of us imagined in the spring, when we may have said, blithely, “in the fall when we can be together again.” The fall is here now and so are we, but we are together in different ways than we may have imagined six months ago. Despite that, we continue to find ways to be connected, active, and engaged – while keeping a safe physical distance.
Virtually seeing and chatting with our friends prior to our first online event, Aretha Franklin: Queen of Soul, was delightful. Catching up is often one of the best parts of our meetings and events. Our ability to adapt so readily to online activities is quite impressive. It was obvious that we were glad to see one another and to check in, even briefly, as well as to enjoy an interesting presentation that brought back memories and added new information about this important singer.
As you will see in the rest of this newsletter, we have three more online musical presentations, a fun-filled online bingo game, and last but not least, our Annual General Meeting. An online meeting with more than 10 or 12 people will be a new challenge for some of us, but it's a challenge we're looking forward to as we will be able to see each other only virtually. We are looking forward to the challenge and, especially, to being able to see the faces of many of our members. Meanwhile, please remember to look at our silent auction and to bid!
In addition to our own events, the arts community within and beyond Toronto has been developing innovative presentations to bridge this time until we can be together in theatres and concert halls again. Most are not putting their planned performances online but are creating shows that are new, stimulating, and often more personal for the performers and the audience. If you have not already heard about these plans, we encourage you to look at the websites of your favourite musical or theatre companies to see what they are planning. This also might be just the time to look at ones that have piqued your curiosity in the past but that you have not checked out before.
We hope that you are enjoying walks in the sunshine and crisp air if you can get out. Fall is the loveliest season in this area, with bright sunny afternoons and brilliant colours on the trees. We hope you are enjoying the season and the fresh air through walks or windowpanes or both. We look forward to seeing you online at the events, clubs, and, of course, at our AGM. In the meantime, check out our silent auction and see whats new. You may find a gift for someone, or a treat for yourself, so take a look and make a bid.
We wish each of you and your loved ones a very happy Thanksgiving!
Georgia and Dianne
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Events
We have many events planned for the fall and hope you will join us for one or more of them. We have an afternoon of Bingo, our annual online auction to raise money for our scholarship fund, our AGM on December 1st, and a variety of musical presentations highlighting all kinds of musical genres.
Bingo Games Hall
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Clubs
Some of our clubs are continuing to operate during the pandemic. The Book Club has chosen its reading list for the year and has provided you with a comprehensive list of titles from which their selections were is finalized.
The Bridge Club continues to meet online and is actively searching for new members, and beginners are more than welcome! Contact Laura Lothian-Bryant to find out more
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Here's a little something from the Classical Music Club - Enjoy! The pianist Rudin Lengo, is also a GBCRA auction donor - one month of piano lessons |
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This is of Chopin's famous Revolutionary Etude Op.10, No.12. The Op.10 Etudes were composed between 1829 and 1832, and dedicated to Chopin's friend Franz Liszt. This etude appeared around the same time as the November Uprising of 1831, during the Russian attack on Warsaw, and it is imbued with great emotion and passion. In a letter dated September 8, 1831, Chopin writes "... overwhelmed with grief and crying out my despair on the piano", referring to the Revolutionary Etude. |
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A New Undertaking for GBCRA |
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Now that the College fall semester is underway, many students are readying for their academic field placements. Since several of the organizations and institutions that have typically offered student placements are no longer in a position to take on this role, the GBCRA Board has agreed to serve as a placement organization for two GBC RPN students who have now bridged into the Trent/Fleming School of Nursing BScN program.
Our students’ Community-based Nursing Practice project is to research and prepare health promotion materials from the perspective of needs and challenges retirees may be facing during this time of COVID-19. As the students learn more about our organization and our membership, we plan to report their findings in upcoming newsletters this fall.
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Meet Our Placement Students |
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Hello GBC Retirees! My name is Cheryl Perry. I am currently a nursing student within the George Brown College bridge to BScN program in collaboration with Trent University. I have been a Registered Practical Nurse since 2012 and have worked in many areas in the hospital setting. Currently, I am working in Palliative/Supportive care.
As a nurse, I have studied and can understand how retirement can affect individuals in many different ways, as well as have a different meaning to each person in their own way. During these unprecedented times, with rules and policies changing daily and fears of the “second wave,” we struggle with how we should go about our everyday lives. I can understand how challenging this may be to people who have recently retired, or who are well-established retirees, in many areas in their normal lives.
I hope that in the coming weeks we can capture your attention and participation in engaging with us while we come up with a helpful and resourceful document that we hope will assist you during these times, not only during Covid-19 but also the many areas of Health and Wellness that retirees and older adults face on a day-to day-basis.
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My name is Faye Gacho and I am a nursing student from Trent University bridging from RPN to RN. I am so excited to be working with George Brown College Retirees Association as a part of my community placement this fall semester. I have completed a few programs with George Brown College, and it is my privilege to positively contribute in any way I can to the former teachers and mentors of the college. Please feel free to contact us @gbcra2017@gmail.com for any questions you may have!
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Consider your age. Remember when not so long ago you thought the age you are now was really, really, old? imagine what your life will be like five years from now? How about ten, fifteen, or even twenty years from now? What do you envision? Quite commonly as we age, we become less social and more reclusive. Our circle of friends contracts. How independent will you be? What will bring you happiness and health?
We all know the role a healthy lifestyle plays: nutrition, exercise, and so on. COVID has impacted our lifestyles considerably. Shopping isn’t as comfortable, exercise facilities have been closed, etc. But there are more factors that enrich healthy aging. Please take a couple of minutes to link to a Susan Prinker’s TED talk about the research findings pertinent to healthy longevity. What she has to say may surprise you.
The primary purpose of the Retirees’ Association is to support events that enhance interpersonal engagement. Consider becoming more involved.
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The 2020 GBCRA Annual Scholarship Recipient |
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Below is a note from the 2020 recipient of the GBCRA Scholarship Fund. Our thanks go out to those of you who have made this possible. We continue to make a difference in the lives of students.
"Hello: I’m a single mother of five boys and one girl. I’ve worked two jobs to help them get through university. My daughter is a hygienist, while one of my sons has a law degree, one works for the City of Toronto and another works for The Toronto Blue Jays. My youngest is currently in his final year at George Brown College. I want to be a motivator for single mothers especially those that are newcomers. I want to let mothers know that in Canada anything can be achieved with hard work and dedication. Thank you for this award!"
To find out how you can help contribute towards the 2021 Scholarship click the button below.
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Please plan to attend the Annual General Meeting of the George Brown College Retirees' Association on December 1st at 1:00 pm. This year’s highlights will include a funding proposal for the GBCRA clubs, a membership proposal, along with the usual reports: Chairs, Treasurer, Membership, Communications, and Scholarship. All of this will be followed by a one-hour musical presentation "A Winter Wonderland of Yuletide Favourites."
At last year's meeting you approved proxy voting and voting online. As a result, this year you will receive a package of meeting materials and reports via email on November 1st, and those who paid the annual membership fee will also receive a ballot to cast their votes. You will be able to cast your vote at the meeting; however, if you are unable to attend, you may vote online. For those who have not paid the membership fee, you will also receive the meeting packet and be able to attend the meeting, but will be unable to vote.
The meeting will take place via Zoom and we would appreciate it if you could RSVP by clicking the button below. Thank you and we look forward to seeing you.
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Are You Planning to Attend the AGM?
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LOCATION
Online
DATE AND TIME
12/01/20 1:00pm
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12/01/20 3:00pm
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Dorothy Tsafaroff
1927-2020
We are saddened to announce the death of Dorothy Tsafaroff, who retired from George Brown College in 1978. Dorothy was the first faculty hired in the fashion program.
Dorothy attended the President's Breakfast to celebrate the Colleges’s 50th anniversary in 2017, and is pictured here attending our Pop-up pastry event in 2018.
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The GBCRA Board of Directors |
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Director at Large: Laura Lothian-Bryant
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Newsletter Design and Publication: Bob Cox
Editors: Anne MacKenzie-Thompson, Georgia Quartaro, Dianne Diniz, JoanReynolds, Bob Cox
This Month's Contributors: Bob Cox, Georgia Quartaro, Dianne Diniz, Anne MacKenzie-Thompson, Trinity Yigong Zhang, Joan Reynolds
To submit an article or give us feedback click here
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