We have launched our website www.oakvilleprobus.com to keep you informed of upcoming events, club executive contacts, current news, insurance contacts etc. and to help prospective members find us. There are other clubs in this cyberspace with the same idea. Our club’s website will rise towards the top of the search when more people access it. Therefore try it out and let us know how we can make it more useful, and talk to our Webmaster Paul Nelson (469-4752 or at pnelson1941@hotmail.com) . . . Dave

DISTRICT 3 ELECTION Our club is in Probus Canada’s District 3. In February an election for a Director of that District was held. Our vote was given to Ted Nixon of Probus North Oakville and we recently found out that Ted won.

THE SLATE The Nominating Committee consisting of the 3 previous presidents and the vice president who automatically becomes president in September has met and has completed, in record time, its slate of Management Committee officers for the 2012-13 year. Jim Smith, the chair of the committee will announce the slate at the July meeting and it will be voted on at the September Annual General Meeting. Your Editor has had a peek at the list and is amazed at the huge turnover in officers that will occur in September. Of the 11 management positions 7 will have new leaders. Hopefully all the changes will be good for the club giving it a fresh new approach!

In April we inducted two new members: Frank Fisher introduced by Jim Tonner and Brian Taylor by Doug Brown.

Our profiler was Paul Nelson. The computer was central to most of Paul’s business career. In the seventies, working for CP, he handled, in fast order via a computer program, damage claims for the Mississauga rail disaster and did similar work in the eighties for the Air India crash. Not surprisingly his three children are all computer experts. Our speaker was Bruce Woods, a Hamilton author and newspaper columnist. His topic Books as Theatre was illustrated by his own two books, both a family story involving mainly his mother and grandmother. The family seemed always on the move but constantly coming back to home base in Stratford. His mother and father broke up and mother had mental health problems. Once grown up Bruce  uses his gift for selling, inherited from his father, to work himself through university and settle him in his career.

In May Tim Horton’s gave us free coffee because of a mistake they had made in our order. We used the money saved to make a donation to the Tim Horton’s Camp Fund. It was announced that Adam Timoon would once again supply the entertainment at the President’s Reception in September. Members will remember the great job he did last year. Our profiler was Gord Thomas. Gord was born in England, spent WWII in Wales as an evacuee; then had an outstanding academic career gaining an MA, Ph.D in Chemistry at Queens followed by post doctoral work at Ohio State U. He then was employed in senior research positions with the Ontario Research Foundation (Ortech International) until retirement. Married for 54 years, he has 6 children. Our speaker was Ian London who talked to us about rare earths. Rare earths actually are not rare, but they are rare in concentrated form. They were first discovered in 1794 in Sweden. In 1953 world demand was 1000 tons but has since grown fast. In 2008 demand reached 126,000 tons. Rare earths are used in lights, lasers, MRIs, hybrid vehicles, magnets, UV resistant glass, wind turbines, magnets and batteries. China controls 95% of the market.

Helmut Erxleben  reports: “I was looking for a quick read and grabbed Only Time Will Tell written by Jeffrey Archer off the Fast Lane shelf of the OPL. It’s the first part of a fast paced trilogy in which we meet young Harry Clifton, the musically talented son of a poor dockworker’s widow. How the father died plays a key role in the story’s development. There are a number of good hearted characters who support Harry but they are no match for the evil Mr. Barrington, father of Emma who Harry has fallen in love with. You have to read the rest of the story to find out how a German torpedo resulted in a chain of events in which Harry is arrested and charged by the Americans for a murder he did not commit. The Sins of the Father, the second part of the trilogy, is now on order at the OPL and I’m number 139 on the waiting list. I am dying to read the rest of the story, but I don’t want to make Lord Archer richer than he already is by buying his books.

Harold Erlendson, our movie critic, reports on two films. The first is The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Harold writes: “This is a movie for seniors (or Probians) . A group of British recent retirees decide to outsource their retirement to what they believed was a newly restored hotel in seemingly exotic India. It was much less luxurious than advertised but it slowly begins to charm in unexpected ways. This is a heartwarming, genteel film with a sprinkling of sexual comedy. The strong cast includes Judi Dench and Maggie Smith”. The other film is The Five Year Engagement. Harold writes: “A must see film for Theresa and me because we had a five year engagement, but not like this one. As expected for a romantic comedy, it was both romantic and funny. There are some scenes and jokes that you would not want young children to watch. As the story develops, you build a growing interest in the couple that has you rooting for them to find a way to stay together. The movie is a little long for my taste but probably will put a goofy smile on your face as you leave”.

Consolations to Bruce Davis on the death on May 18 of Bess, his wife of 61 years . . . Keith Warren died on May 12. Keith had given up his membership last fall because  failing health had prevented him from attending meetings in recent years .

On the move are George Usher and Jim Smith. Where to? You guessed it. Ennisclare.  Also on the move, but in a different sense, is mall walker Al Klarer who has now put on a total of 46,000 miles walked. Quite a feat! . . Nice to see Wib Erwin back at the May meeting looking fit and walking well. Wib fractured his hip in a curling accident this spring . . . Congratulations to Bob Trillia, who has been nominated for a Community Spirit Award . . . Did you know that Paddy Weedle’s  first name is really Herman? Paddy only uses Herman in signing the many articles he has written. These articles cover biographical information on heroes in the military service. Of particular note, four graduates of Paddy’s old historic school in Ireland have over the years been awarded the Victoria Cross. Paddy researched their histories and produced extended articles on each.

PLEASANT EXPERIENCES

Bill Perdue, took a cruise in late May up the Norwegian coast aboard Holland America’s Ryndam. It couldn’t have been better he reports. The weather was perfect, sunshiny and pleasant every day, with temperatures in the 60 -70F range and great views of the mountains and fiords. A highlight was a stop with a 2 hour train trip up into the mountains.

Members are invited to offer brief write-ups on good movies, shows, restaurants or trips that they have enjoyed  

THE COFFEE COMMITTEE We all enjoy the coffee and doughnuts that are served at half-time at our monthly meetings. They don’t just appear, there is a lot of work involved. The coffee tank and doughnuts have to be picked up; they have to be set up and looked after and then after the meeting the empty tank has to be returned to Tim’s. Peter Pretty and Dave Johnson do all this work for us. Guys, we really appreciate your efforts!

The June meeting is a good time to bring a guest and potential new member because our speaker will be Bob Kerby, who will be talking about Cruises and what to look for before you sign on the dotted line. You no doubt know many friends who enjoy cruising and could benefit by coming to the meeting.

Dues are due: The letter in the mailed Newsletter is a reminder that annual dues are required by August 1st, so please follow the instructions in the letter to make your payment.