THE PROBE

THE PROBE
VOLUME 27 ISSUE 5
FEBRUARY 2015
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF THE PROBUS CLUB OF ST. CATHARINES
To stimulate interest and participation in
GENERAL MEETING
activities at a time of life when one often
TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2015
welcomes new friendships and an atmosCall to Order Vic Cicci called the meeting to order
phere of sharing ideas and information.
The PROBUS Club of St.Catharines
meets at 9:30 a.m. on the second Tuesday of each month at the Grantham Lions
Club, 732 Niagara St., St. Catharines, Ontario.
Mail: 21-3 Lakeside Dr.
St. Catharines, ON
L2M 1P3
Website: www.probusstcatharines.com
2014-2015
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
President:
Vic Cicci
Vice President Andy Redman
Past President: Art Currie
Secretary:
Al Higgins
Treasurer:
John Senn
Programme:
Hugh Gayler
Membership:
Len Thibeault
Spec.Evnt/Ed. Visits: Emil Knebel
Probe Editor:
Hugh Learmonth
Webmaster:
Russ Milland
905-688-1388
905-682-6029
905-938-1264
289-669-0161
905-984-5360
905-684-9097
905-397-6735
905-685-5976
905-934-2268
289-362-3420
NEXT MEETING
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015
GRANTHAM LIONS CLUB
732 NIAGARA ST., ST. CATHARINES
Our guest speaker for the February 10th meeting
will be Ellen Savoia, Senior Planner with the City
of St. Catharines. The title of her talk will be:
‘City Rules: An introduction to St. Catharines’ Official Plan and Zoning By-laws’.
at 9:30 AM.
O Canada Bob Henderson led us in singing O
Canada.
Introduction of Guests:
Tim Kaye introduced his guest Bill Bothell.
New Members: Membership chair Len Thibeault
introduced five new members:
John Congram (sponsor Eugene Gillies); Harold
Nash (sponsor Bill Finley); David Neill (sponsor
Bob Hawkes); Tom van Loenen (sponsor Emil
Knebel). Bob McMahon will also be joining but
was not present.
New members were presented with a welcome letter from our president Vic Cicci, the club by-laws, a
25th Anniversary Probe, name badge, Probus lapel
pin, and a 25th Anniversary pen.
Sponsors were presented with a Probus mug.
Our new members were warmly welcomed by the
membership.
Biographies were presented by John Congram and
Harold Nash.
Update on Coming Events:
Romeo Lunches: Vic reported on behalf of Art
Currie that there is no Romeo lunch this month and
that 66 people attended the Christmas Lunch last
month.
Juliet Dinners: John Bullivant announced that
there will be a Juliet Dinner Wednesday, March 18.
John re-introduced his team George Park, Maurice
Gomme and himself. Registrations for the Juliet
dinner in March will be taken at next month’s meeting.
Educational Visits: Emil Knebel advised that the
next education visit is to the St Catharines Library,
a workshop on digital down loading, Tuesday January 20 at 10:00.
(Continued on page 2)
Guest speaker delivers message
(Continued from page 1)
Guest Speakers: Hugh Gayler advised our
about stroke dangers and treatment
speaker today is Marie Rusnak, and her topic is
“Niagara District Stroke Program”
Al Higgins introduced our guest speaker Marie
Next month our guest speaker is Ellen Savoia,
speaking on The New Official Plan and Zoning By- Rusnak, nurse practitioner at the Niagara District
Stroke Centre.
Laws for St Catharines.
Marie put strokes in context by explaining that
Bill Brice will be our March guest speaker.
there are about 50,000 strokes in Canada each
All speakers have been confirmed or pending until
year with an annual price tag of
Christmas.
3.6 billion dollars. There are
Stratford Tours: Bob Henderson reminded us of
approximately 300,000 Canadithe two tours — the first is “The Sound of Music”,
ans living with stroke.
June 18 and the second “Carousel”, September
A stroke was described as
17. Bob will start taking reservations and money
an interruption of blood and
in March.
oxygen to a part of the brain.
Couples Bridge Club: Len Thibeault reminded us
Two types were reviewed; the
that the club meets the second Thursday of the
first, Ischemic, occurs in 80%
month; there are openings available, the location
of the cases and is a clot which
rotates among member’s homes each month. Len
blocks blood to the brain and
asked that you see him if you and your partner
Marie Rusnak
the second, Hemorrhagic, ocwould like to join.
curs when a blood vessel breaks and results in
Motion: Vic presented the motion:
bleeding in the brain.
“Because of increased concerns regarding web
The risk factors and warning signs were reusage that the position of Webmaster be added to viewed as well as the best practices. The history
the Management Committee” as introduced at last of the Stroke Program leading to the current status
month’s general meeting moved by Art Currie and of the program in the Niagara Region was covered
seconded by Andy Redman. Vic asked for quesand revealed an impressive and complete protions, none were forth coming, motion carried. A
gram. All of the contact information for the proquestion followed: “is the position an elected posi- gram was provided in a Power Point handout of
tion?” Vic answered it would be a permanent posi- the entire presentation.
tion until he decides to leave.
Our guest speaker was thanked by Peter
Other Announcements:
Hammond.
Parking restrictions at the Lions Club building were
reviewed by Vic.
Len Thibeault reported today’s attendance was 79
out of 139, for 57%.
The Romeo Lunch series returns in February
Jim Cameron and John Bullivant graced us with
after a one-month break, and the first Juliet Dinner
funny stories.
of the new year will be held in March.
We were adjourned at 11:15.
The Romeo Lunch will be held at the regular
location at the Dalhousie Yacht Club on Wednesday, February 25th.
Members are encouraged to join in the fellowship at 12 noon with lunch served at 12:30 p.m.
The team of John Bullivant, Maurice Gomme
and George Park will be in charge of staging the
Juliet Dinner on Wednesday, March 18th at the
Glenridge Lawn Bowling Club.
John has promised to unveil the menu at the
February meeting and he and his team will also
start taking signups and cheques.
Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. and the cost is
Vic Cicci welcomes four new members, accompajust $24 per person and you are welcome to bring
nied by their sponsors, at the January meeting.
your own wine.
Romeo and Juliet return
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Biggar to take the Pastoral Clinical Course at the
Hamilton Psychiatric Hospital. For the next six
years I ministered in the inner city of Hamilton.
An introduction to John Congram
My mother and father both grew up in the little
In 1971, I became the minister of St. Giles
town of Wingham, Ontario in Huron County. As a
Church in Sarnia. After six years there I became
young man my father left the family farm near
Wingham and went to work in Toronto. It was here minister of St. Mark’s in Don Mills. While there the
church built a multipurpose apartment building
that I was born in 1937.
housing one-third regular renters, one-third subsiWhen I was 10 years old my parents moved
dized renters and one-third people who required
back to Wingham so my father could go into the
attendant care.
garage business, a GM dealership
After serving St. Mark’s for 10
that also sold Case farm impleyears I was asked to assume the
ments. In 1959 I graduated with a
role of editor of the Presbyterian
BA from Western University and
Record, the national magazine of
entered Knox College Toronto to
The Presbyterian Church in Canstudy for the ministry.
ada. After so many years in minisWhen I graduated in 1962 I was
try I wondered whether I was casent to my first pastorate in Biggar,
pable of doing anything else. While
Saskatchewan (New York is big but
serving as editor, Wood Lake
this is Biggar). My arrival in Biggar
Press asked me to write, This
coincided with the introduction of
Presbyterian Church of Ours, an
the first Medicare in Canada. Biggar
anecdotal story of the Presbyterian
was the premier’s constituency and
Church. A highlight for me during
a political hotspot. I had been told
my 14 years at the magazine was
that everyone in the West was
visiting some of the churches in
friendly, but discovered a town diNew member John Congram Eastern Europe after the fall of
vided into two hostile camps. The
Communism.
one referred to the others as communists while they referred to others as fascist. My
After retiring from the Record I took the interim
three years there were punctuated by three naministry course and served in that capacity at sevtional stories. The first in The Star Weekly about
eral churches.
Medicare in Biggar, was entitled, “Our Town will
My wife, Liz, and I have four sons and four
Never be the Same.” The second in Maclean’s
grandchildren. In 2011, after a long struggle with
Magazine entitled, “This is Canada’s Alabama”,
described the native reserve just north of Biggar as cancer, Liz died. Last May I married Sylvia Murray
whom I knew from my days in Wingham. Sylvia
the poorest in Canada. The final article, again in
married a high school classmate of mine who also
The Star Weekly, told about the 1920s when the
Klu Klux Klan rode in Saskatchewan. The Klan ex- died of cancer several years ago.
erted a big effect on Biggar.
While living in Don Mills I enjoyed being a memAfter three years in Biggar, realizing I had a lot ber of the Kiwanis Club.
of answers to questions no one was asking, I left
Scottish Breathalyzer...simple science...
3
fortunately, the animals don’t live with us, thank
goodness.
In my business career I have been President of
Hi. My name is Harold Nash. I’m one of those
rare birds that was born in St. Catharines and have the Jaycees, Chairman of the volunteer Downtown
Association, honourary treasurer of the Chamber
lived here all my life.
of Commerce, and the first chair of the Business
I was born into a loving family of six children,
Improvement Area of Downtown, also known as
being the second youngest. Of some interest, at
the Downtown Association. I served five years as
least to me, is the fact of the four girls and two boys
an Alderman (as we were called in those days) of
in our family, all the
the City of St. Catharines, and have been Presigirls were born at
dent of the Rotary Club of St. Catharines, from
home and the two
which I just recently retired.
boys at the St. CaI loved playing tennis, a sport I played for many
tharines General Hosyears
until bad knees and hips made it impossible
pital. Somehow I think
to
continue.
Although the body ain’t what it used
my Mother was able to
to be, I continue to keep my mind active by playing
predetermine the sex
duplicate bridge as often as I can.
of her children by deI do continue to play a role in our business by
ciding where they
helping out three days a week, although mostly in
would be born. It was
an administrative capacity. I am called to the floor
that long ago that
occasionally to help an old customer, but that is
street cars still travhappening less frequently as you can image – my
eled down St. Paul
old customers are dying out.
Street.
I’m looking forward to being a member of PROAfter graduating
BUS and looking around the room, I know many of
from the St. CathariNew member Harold Nash
you already. I hope to meet many more of you in
nes Collegiate and
the coming months.
Technical School as it was know in those days, I
joined the family business – Jack Nash Ltd. My
father started that business in 1946, joined shortly
Probus visits/tours by Emil Knebel:
after by my brother Maurice, and then by me. My
mother was very upset by that happening as she
wanted me to go to university – had that happened NEXT VISIT MARCH 26, 2015: Jeffery’s GreenI would have been the first of my siblings to do so.
houses, Thursday, March 26, 10 AM, located at
But they needed me in the store, so off I went.
1036 Lakeshore Rd., West, St. Catharines (Just
It was just after the War Years and business
west of Third Street Louth). For more informawas good to the Nashes. We expanded the store
tion and map, refer to their website:
at its St. Paul Street location three separate times
www.jefferysgreenhouses.com/
in a building adjacent to the then Lincoln Hotel.
Sign up at the February/March meetings or
And as our business grew we expanded into four
email eknebel@yahoo.com
stores, with one in Niagara Falls, one in the Seaway Mall in Welland and two in St. Catharines,
downtown and the Grantham Plaza. Things never
MAY 20 TOUR: KUBES STEEL, visit their website
stay static in the retail business to the point that we
at:
now operate one store, that being in the Grantham
http://www.kubesteel.com/
Plaza. That store is now in the hands of my second son, Dave – the third generation of family management. Again, a rarity, family businesses often
don’t succeed past the second generation. But we
The will to win, the desire to succeed,
are still here doing our thing.
the urge to reach your full potential...
I married my wife Marcia, who is from Boston,
th
and together we will be celebrating our 60 wedthese are the keys that will unlock the
ding anniversary in 2015. We have three sons,
door to personal excellence.
eight grandchildren, three dogs and three cats –
Harold Nash: new club member
Confucius
4
DIRECTORY CHANGES
An answer for every pilot’s gripe
Changes/additions to members mail and/or e-mail
address will be published monthly in the Probe.
Please inform any member of the Management
Committee of your changes.
After every flight, UPS pilots fill out a form, called a
'gripe sheet,' which tells mechanics about problems
with the aircraft. The mechanics correct the problems,
document their repairs on the form, and then pilots
review the gripe sheets before the next flight.
Never let it be said that ground crews lack a sense of
humour. Here are some actual maintenance complaints submitted by UPS ' pilots (marked with a P) and
the solutions recorded (marked with an S) by maintenance engineers.
John Congram: (new member)
17-122 Lakeshore Rd.
St. Catharines, L2N 6N6
Phone: 905-935-0528
Email: jdcongram@gmail.com
Harold Nash: (new member)
9-77 Erion Rd.
St. Catharines, L2W 1B4
Phone: 905-688-0533
Email: hnash1@cogeco.ca
P: Left inside main tire almost needs replacement.
S: Almost replaced left inside main tire.
David Neill: (new member)
206-453 Hunter Rd.
Niagara-on-the-Lake, L0S 1J0
Phone: 289-868-9710
P: Something loose in cockpit.
S: Something tightened in cockpit.
Tom van Loennen: (new member)
41 Golden Blvd.
St. Catharines, L2N 7M6
Phone: 905-397-7000
Email: tcvanloenen@cogeco.ca
P: Autopilot in altitude-hold mode produces a 200 feet
per minute descent.
S: Cannot reproduce problem on ground.
John Tutecky: email discontinued.
P: DME volume unbelievably loud.
S: DME volume set to more believable level.
P: Test flight OK, except auto-land very rough.
S: Auto-land not installed on this aircraft.
P: Dead bugs on windshield.
S: Live bugs on back-order.
P: Evidence of leak on right main landing gear.
S: Evidence removed.
P: Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick.
S: That's what friction locks are for.
SUB COMMITTEES AND SOCIAL
EVENT CONVENORS
P: IFF inoperative in OFF mode.
S: IFF always inoperative in OFF mode.
The following activities are approved and sponsored by
the Probus Club of St. Catharines.
Romeo Lunch: Art Currie
Juliet Dinners: Maurice Gomme
John Bullivant
George Park
Wood Carving: Jerry Benner
Curling:
Jack Corbett
Poker:
Doug Wright
Theatre Visits: Bob Henderson
Outreach:
Art Currie
Bridge:
Couples:
Len Thibeault
Men's:
TBA
Dancing:
Andy Reyes
P: Suspected crack in windshield.
S: Suspect you're right.
905-938-1264
905-682-2329
905-682-1188
905-704-0561
905-892-5878
905-682-9923
905-988-5539
905-682-3724
905-938-1264
P: Number 3 engine missing.
S: Engine found on right wing after brief search.
P: Aircraft handles funny.
S: Aircraft warned to straighten up, fly right and be
serious.
P: Target radar hums.
S: Reprogrammed target radar with lyrics.
P: Mouse in cockpit.
S: Cat installed.
905-397-6735
P: Noise coming from under instrument panel. Sounds
like a midget pounding on something with a hammer.
S: Took hammer away from midget.
905-937-2982
5
February 2015
SUN
MON
TUE
WED
THU
FRI
SAT
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COUPLES
BRIDGE
GENERAL
MEETING
POKER
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ROMEO
LUNCH
WEEKLY ACTIVITIES: Wood carving every Thursday at 9:30 p.m.
FUTURE EVENTS: Juliet Dinner — Wednesday, March 18.
Visit to Jeffery’s Greenhouses — March 26.
Stratford Festival trips — June 18 and September 17.
6