December 2006 - Northumberland Probus

Probus Northshore Newsletter
December 2006
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Volume 4, Issue 4
December 2006
A Christmas Poem
A Visit from St. Nicholas
Clement Clarke Moore
‘Twas the night before Christmas
when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with car
In hopes that St. Nicholas would soon be there
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their
heads…
This famous Christmas poem was written by
Clement Clarke Moore, a professor of Oriental and
Greek literature at Columbia College (now known
as Columbia University) and first published
on December 23, 1823.
It is a wonderful poem which for me rekindles
happy childhood memories of the Christmas and
the special magic of the season. Then, winter was
ushered in much sooner, with November being a
winter wonderland, the snow piled high, the ponds
and creeks frozen .over . Can you imagine the boys
of the neighbourhood shoveling off the ponds, tying
old Eaton’s catalogues around their legs as shin
pads, dropping a piece of coal on the ice and engaging in a make up game of shinny ….the Montreal Canadians vs the Toronto Maple Leafs ……
while the girls would attempt Barbara Ann Scott ‘s
spirals.
Recently, many of us had the pleasure of attending the Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring
the Rockettes at the Hummingbird Centre for the
Performimg Arts. This marvelous theatrical production captures some of that special magical feeling of the season and too, rekindles some of those
childhood memories that we cherish. It is a delightful family production bound to enchant both
young and old.
Most important of all , beyond the hectic and
frantic pace of the month, is the getting together
with family and friends to celebrate this joyous
season. It is always wonderful being with family
and friends at this time of year.
Yet for some, it may not be a joyous time of year
because of personal circumstances. Let us be mindful of the needs of the less fortunate and where
possible, reach out with comfort and assistance.
The Christmas season will be a busy one for the
Kennedys as we travel to unite with relatives
throughout the province . Often, 26-30 relatives
have sat down to Christmas dinner.. and this year
is no exception , but will be made all the more special with the serving of an apple pie…Mary Potter’s famous dessert, purchased at our most successful Bake & Craft Sale.
And just maybe, I’ll read to the children….
“Twas the night before Christmas when all through
the house…..”
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year
Sally & Chuck Kennedy
Inside this issue:
A Christmas Poem
1
Bulletins, Rockettes, Puzzle Sol’ns
2
Putting a Face on the Unknown
3
Giving Tree, One-of-a-Kind Show
4
Bake and Craft Sale
5
Speakers Corner, Trips and Tours
6
Puzzles
7
Management Team, Final Thoughts
8
www.probusnorthumberland.com
Probus Northshore Newsletter
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December 2006
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Radio City Rockettes
On Wed Nov. 22nd a full bus left for Toronto & the Hummingbird Centre. There we enjoyed an afternoon performance by the famous Radio City Rockettes in their Christmas Show. Santa was host for the show. There were 12
scenes. One was from the Nut Cracker Suite, one from the March of the Wooden Solders, another one had Mrs.
Claus helping the Elves find Raggedy Annes- all 20 of them. Singers & Dancers joined the Rockettes throughout the
performance. The Show ended with a re-enactment of the Nativity Scene- complete with Camels & Sheep from the
Bowmanville Zoo!!! After the show we enjoyed a delicious Buffet at the Hot House Cafe, returning home by 7:30. By
all reports everyone enjoyed the day.
Solutions to November’s Puzzles
You feel stuck with your debt if you can't budge it.
Probus Northshore Newsletter
December 2006
Page 3
Putting a Face to the Unknown
We live in a safe society. Violence inflicted by complete strangers is thankfully rare, its occurrence the
statistical kin to death by lightening strike, its threat
holding about the same degree of mathematical
probability as being devoured by some predatory
beast. Thus it is that violence is a shock: both an
outrage to society’s sense of civility and a violation
to an individual’s feeling of security, making it
equally terrible and terrifying. This has
become the centre of Michelle Humphries’
labour as a forensic artist: to blend society’s demand for justice with the victim’s
need to heal.
Michelle points out that ordinarily people
are not naturally observant, “unable to
draw their own face...not paying attention
to details… “and in the event of crime
“more focused on the weapon than the
features of the attacker.” A victim may recall more
distinctive features of an attacker of his or her own
race than those of another. A white person may describe a white attacker as having “rosy cheeks,
square jaw…” while describing a negro as simply
“dark”. Reliability of the observer may also vary. A
witness, not being the direct focus of the attack, has
time note features. Curiously children are “more observant”, teenagers, “can’t be nailed down”.
Michelle’s greatest work is with the victims of sexual
assault. Thus she has to deal with the victim’s emotions because if “person is still upset they can’t do it”
also an urgency to act soon before the ”memory becomes fuzzy”. She begins slowly asking about the
shape of the attacker’s face, then locating the eyes,
nose and mouth. Then with “open ended questions”
she will focus on one feature at a time, taking the
generalities of the description and giving them substance. Sometimes she even draws each part on
separate pieces of paper allowing an individual to
take shape only gradually. For her “consciousness
of the person is the most difficult task” that is the
reason why Michelle insists, “Hand drawing makes
the person look real.” Moreover she considers the
actual process of creating the drawing as healing,”
part of getting your life back” for the victim.
She exercises similar care even if all that remains of the victim is the skull and her task is to give
him or her a face. Then she brings her training in
anatomy to task, the variation in skull shape by gender, race, and age (“Teen girl and boy skulls have
the same shape”) and of course the myriad of muscles, their attachments, size and shape. She places
”tissue makers” on the skull to set the appropriate
depth of the soft tissue and begins “to build
the face up with clay always with attention
to detail”. If her reconstruction successfully
leads to an identification then here work is
plied off and the skull returned to next of kin
for burial.
Even if technologically can efficiently reproduce our appearance, it is reassuring that it
takes an artist to imbue humanity into that
likeness. True, a picture will always be
worth a thousand words, yet it still requires an artist’s touch to have them all add up to an identity.
•
•
•
Bob & Pat Skene are celebrating the release of
Pat's second children's book.. The title is "What
a Hippopota-Mess!" published by Orca Book Publishers.
Congratulations to our Probus Curlers, Bill Henry,
Haigh Gledhill, Audrey Woolsey, and John Woolsey. They represented the Northshore Probus
Club at the Nov. 22nd Probus Bonspiel. A great
time was had by all. They were even presented
with an award.
Welcome Betty Foster to the Northshore Probus
Club.
A grenade thrown into a kitchen in France would result in Linoleum Blownapart.
Probus Northshore Newsletter
December 2006
Page
4
It was really great to see so many members from our Northshore Probus Club turn out to help as volunteers at the Giving Tree in the Northumberland Mall once again this year. Becoming one of Santa's helpers and helping to make Christmas special for needy kids by volunteering or picking a child's name and being a donor gives a heart warming feeling
that is beyond compare says Barbara McCoy who is Coordinator of Volunteers & Community Affairs for our club.
Paddy and Barb McCoy
Barbara & Paddy McCoy volunteered at the Christmas
Giving Tree in the Northumberland Mall.
th
Georgina & Bill Hagemeyer turn in their gift for a needy
child to Barbara McCoy at the Giving Tree in the Northumbarland Mall. All three are mambers of the Northshore
Probus Club.
One-of-a-Kind Show
On Tuesday November 28 , we left on our tour to the One of a Kind Christmas Show. We arrived at our destination with a little time to spare before the “mad shoppers” hit the floor. Anyone that was looking for a gift
for that hard-to-please would have no trouble choosing a very unique gift.
Our group of shoppers had a wonderful time browsing and sampling their way through the hundreds of artisan booths(750 to be exact). We left the Art Show about 4 p.m. and headed to Tucker’s Marketplace for our
next challenge – seeing how fast and furious we could devour the amazing foods that tantalized our appetites.
Needless to say, we had a fabulous meal.
As we waddled back to the bus we arrived safely in Cobourg at 7:30 p.m. and departed for home loaded down
with our truly unique one of a kind treasures. We would like to thank Mary Ryan(our tour leader) for a wonderful day of good company, good food and good shopping.
Audrey Woolsey
When a clock is hungry, it goes back four seconds.
Probus Northshore Newsletter
December 2006
The man who fell into an upholstery machine is fully recovered.
Page 5
Probus Northshore Newsletter
December 2006
Speaker’s Corner
December 6:
Aaron Fernandez (Leading Officer) Canadian Coast Guard
“Canadian Coast Guard Operations from Cobourg”
January 3:
Dr. Steven Connor
“Two Years in Zaire and Travel Immunization”
January 17:
Rick Norlock MP
“Parliamentary Procedures”
February 7:
Garry Clement, Cobourg Chief of Police
“Impact of Money Laundering on Seniors"
Programmes and Speakers Committee
Bill MacKenzie (Chair)
Jim Oakman
Jack Hamilton
Cheryl Brackenbury
Jill Heffernan
Charlie MacCoubrey
Trips, Tours and Theatre
Dinner Theater
February
Full Monty
Mar 2/3
Phantom of the Opera
April
…..more details to follow
June Collins
If you don't pay your exorcist, you get repossessed.
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Probus Northshore Newsletter
December 2006
Page 7
The Puzzle Page
WORD SEARCH
S u d o k u
Every digit from 1 to 9 must appear:
· In each of the columns,
· in each of the rows,
· and in each of the nine boxes.
A chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion.
Probus Northshore Newsletter
December 2006
Page
8
Your Management Committee
The Executive
President
Chuck Kennedy
(905) 372-4842
[email protected]
Vice President
Dick Malowney
(905) 342-2179
[email protected]
Treasurer
Bob Skene
(905) 372-5552
[email protected]
Recording
Secretary
Kathy Maclean
(905) 377-8069
[email protected]
Correspondence
Secretary
Adrienne Loucks
(905) 377-8867
Past
President
Doug Palmer
(905) 885-9127
[email protected]
Committee Chairs
Programmes and Speakers
Bill McKenzie (Chair)
Jim Oakman
Jack Hamilton
Cheryl Brackenbury
Charlie MacCoubrey
Jill Heffernan
June Collins
Coordinator:
Trips, Tours and Theatre
Carol Lawless
(905) 373-4347
[email protected]
(905) 372-2746
[email protected]
(905) 372-1487
[email protected]
(905) 885-6435
[email protected]
(905) 372-8105
[email protected]
(905) 372-7150
(905) 373-1224
[email protected]
(905) 372-2742
[email protected]
Coordinator:
Social Activities and Events
Sharron McMann
(905) 372-3567
[email protected]
Membership
Bruce Collins
905) 373-1224
[email protected]
50/50 Draw
Roberta Armstrong
(905) 372-5908
[email protected]
Community Services/Volunteers
Barbara McCoy
(905) 349-2826
[email protected]
House Managers
Jerry Chatten
(905) 372-2913
[email protected]
(905) 372-3285
[email protected]
Dorla Hope
Newsletter Editor
John Woolsey
(905) 372-6972
[email protected]
Newsletter Reporter
Julius Varga
(905) 372-2406
[email protected]
Historians
Georgina Hagemeyer
(905) 372-0504
[email protected]
(905) 377-9726
Shirley Grummett
Probus Clothing
Audrey Woolsey
An Old Farmer's Advice :
* Your fences need to be horse-high,
pig-tight and bull-strong.
* Keep skunks and bankers and lawyers
at a distance.
* Life is simpler when you plow around
the stump.
* A bumble bee is considerably faster
than a John Deere tractor.
* Words that soak into your ears are
whispered...not yelled.
* Forgive your enemies. It messes up
their heads.
* Do not corner something that you
know is me angrier than you.
* It don't take a very big person to carry
a grudge.
* You cannot unsay a cruel word.
* Every path has a few puddles.
* When you wallow with pigs, expect to
get dirty.
* The best sermons are lived, not
preached.
* Most of the stuff people worry about
ain't never gonna happen anyway.
* Don't judge folks by their relatives.
* Remember that silence is sometimes
the best answer.
* Live a good, honorable life. Then
when you get older and think back,
you'll enjoy it a second time.
* Don't interfere with somethin' that ain't
botherin' you none.
* If you find yourself in a hole, the first
thing to do is stop diggin'.
* Sometimes you get, and sometimes
you get got.
* Always drink upstream from the herd.
* Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole
lot easier than puttin' it back in.
* If you get to thinkin' you're a person of
some influence, try orderin' somebody
else's dog around.
* Live simply. Love generously. Care
deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to
God.
905-372-6972
[email protected]
What's the definition of a will? (Come on, it's a dead giveaway!)