GWSA 2021-2022 Annual Report

April 1, 2021 - March 31, 2022
Guelph Wellington Seniors Association
Evergreen Seniors Community Centre
683 Woolwich Street
Guelph, Ontario
519-823-1291

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Board Overview
This has been a year of transition as we emerged from the pandemic and launched a return to
gathering with others. We appreciate the individuals who contributed to this Annual Report
which summarizes our 2021-2022 fiscal year for members of the Association.
Through the past year, the United Way and the City of Guelph have provided generous support
to our hard-working team, which helped alleviate issues of food insecurity and isolation for
vulnerable seniors. During the shutdown, the City of Guelph waived lease expenses, allowing us
to put your membership fees on hold.
Organizations have faced challenges through this time, and we were not immune. The United
Way received fewer donations and we learned that the funding for our Community Support
Programs would be heavily impacted, initially requiring the closure of the Move Well Program.
Later, as the grant details unfolded, the Board faced the difficult decision to transition remaining
CSS programs to other agencies which have the resources needed to support such services. This
impacted our budget, valued services, and the employment of amazing staff.
The Board extends appreciation to the volunteers who serve on GWSA Committees and as
Activity Group Leaders. They have offered outstanding programming and have been
instrumental in getting members back to activities with their friends. Here are some noteworthy
accomplishments:
The ‘Launch Team’, GWSA Email Update Editor, and Webmaster partnered to provide
timely communication as the situation changed
Staff and directors collaborated to get members back as soon as possible, initially through
the use of waivers, proof of vaccination and DocuSign, temporary In-Person Play
ACCESS cards, masking rules, and capacity limits – until legislation later addressed
matters
Activity groups developed ‘Return-to-Play Plans’ for Board approval to meet regulatory
and public health requirements
The volunteers at The Sentinel continued to produce monthly newsletters online while
returning to printing, including this Annual Report
Our ‘Launch Team’, including the Executive Committee and City staff, collaborated on
the best way to manage membership records and scheduling, and agreed on the use of
Perfect Mind membership management platform
The GWSA Board of Directors remains committed to the GWSA vision of a future that is
inclusive, progressive, and innovative in offering opportunities for older adults in Guelph. Part of
our moving forward included rebranding a former management position into that of Executive
Director, so that this organization will be better positioned for sustainability, while adding a
consistent presence to manage the daily business of the Association.
While we move through and beyond the recent challenges, this report celebrates the
accomplishments of our resilient staff, dedicated directors, and hundreds of creative volunteers.
Thank you for your ongoing support of the GWSA.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
GWSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS ..…………………………………………………….. 5
GWSA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ……………………………………………………… 7
CITY OF GUELPH STAFF ..……………………………………………………………. 8
ORGANIZATION CHART AND STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS ..…………... 9
SECTION OVERVIEW ……………………………………………………………………….. 10
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE …………………………………………………………………... 10
HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE ……………………………………………………….... 11
FINANCE COMMITTEE …………………………………………………………………….. 11
TREASURER ………..……………………………………………………...…………….…. 12
GWSA BUDGET 2021-2022 ($) ……………………………………………………………. 13
CHARTS FOR INCOME AND EXPENSES …………………………………………..…………. 14
GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE ……………………………………………………………….. 15
PROGRAM COMMITTEE …………………………..………………………..………………. 16
COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICES ……...………………………………………………….. 16
MEMBERSHIP & MARKETING COMMITTEE ………………..…………………………….... 17
VOLUNTEER ADVISORY COMMITTEE …….……..……………..………………………….. 18
SUCCESSION PLANNING & NOMINATING COMMITTEE ……………....………………….… 19
TECHNOLOGY ADVISORY COMMITTEE ...……………..…………………………………... 20
THE SENTINEL ………………………………..……………………………….………….... 21
THE WEB TEAM ………………….…….……………..……………………………………. 22
ACTIVITY GROUP REPORTS ……………………………………………………………….. 23
BADMINTON CLUB ……………………………………………………………………….. 23
BOOK CLUB 1 ……………………………………………………………………………... 24
BOOK NOOK ..………………………………………………………………………….…. 24
BUNKA ..……………………………………………………………………….…………. 25
CANOE CLUB ……………………………………………………………………………… 25
CASUAL BICYCLING …………………………………………………………….………… 26
CRAFT CLUB …………………………………………………………………………….... 26
INTO FOCUS PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB ……………………………………………………….. 26
LINE DANCING ……………………………………………………………………………. 27
QUILTING GROUP …………………………………………………………………………. 27
RUG HOOKING ……………………………………………………………………………. 27
SHUFFLEBOARD ………………………………………………………………………….. 27
SILVER STRUMMERS ……………………………………………………………………... 28
SILVERTONES CHOIR ……………………………………………………………………... 28
TABLE TENNIS …………………………………………………………………………..... 29
TRAVEL COMMITTEE ……………………………………………………………….…….. 30
WATERCOLOURS …………………………………………………………………….….... 31
WOOD CARVING ……………………………………………………………..…….…….. 31
CITY OF GUELPH SENIOR SERVICES .…………….……….…………………………..…….…….. 32
THANKS TO OUR CONTRIBUTORS ………………………………………………………...….……. 33
DONORS AND SUPPORTERS .…………………………….………………………….……….…….. 33
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GWSA 2021-2022 Board of Directors
Two Directors left the Board during 2021-2022. We were sorry to hear of the passing of Mike
Woof on July 19 after many years of service, and past President Becky Fiedler left the Board on
September 30 having contributed much to the organization. This section includes the biographies
of Directors who formed the Board as our fiscal year closed on March 31, 2022.
Charlie Bishop is looking ahead to retirement where he can engage in the community doing
something he enjoys. His previous experiences include: design and development of products for
global, world class, high tech companies such as Nortel and BlackBerry, Chairman and
Executive Director on an international Board of Directors for a wireless consortium which
brought not only technology aspects but HR, multiple years of IT support/implementation,
finance and business. Charlie has extensive background in technology and is looking to apply
that background to give back to the GWSA community. Charlie is a forward thinker, seeing the
bigger picture. His motivation is seeing opportunities to do things and having them come to
fruition. If he sees something that isn’t working, he is able to create ways to move forward.
Ken Fugler has been an active member of GWSA for several years. He was elected as President
of the Evergreen Canoe Club at its inception in 2009 and currently is on the Membership &
Marketing Committee. Ken is a Graduate of Ryerson in Aeronautical Engineering and was an
Officer in the RCAF military. His career was in project management and sales of custom
manufactured machinery, where he gained experience dealing with complicated legal quote
requests and purchases. Ken was elected to the Board in May 2019. Recently, he began leading
the Guelph Carving Club which joined the GWSA in the fall of 2021.
Pat Gage came to the Board with a background in administration and human resources. She
worked at Trent University for over 20 years, Gage Health Systems, and you know her best for
her time at the Evergreen Seniors Community Centre as the administrative assistant for
Community Support Services until retirement in December 2019. She has sat on the Board for
the Guelph Curling Club, Treasurer for the Board of the Volunteer Association of Guelph
General Hospital, and presently as GWSA Board member and Chair of the Program Committee.
Pat is also a crafter. She belongs to the Royal City Quilt Guild, the GWSA Quilt Group and
Into Focus Photography Group. She is an avid quilter, knitter and enjoys her little garden.
As COVID restrictions are loosened, she looks forward to working with the Board, Activity
Group Leaders, and members of the GWSA community to help build a strong, inviting
environment for all seniors.
Wenda King’s career of 42 years prior to retirement was with a large insurance company where
she was an Operational Regional Manager for 28 years. She is a 20-year-plus volunteer at
Guelph General Hospital where she is a buyer and merchandiser for the hospital boutique.
She is a member of the Human Resources Committee of her church, as well as holding the
position as a Trustee and a member of their Endowment committee.
Wenda became a member of the GWSA Board and the Membership & Marketing Committee
in 2020 and now serves as Chair of the Committee.
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Ross Knechtel is active with the Computer Club, Computer Mentoring, the Into Focus
Photography Club, the Silvertones Choir, and the Membership & Marketing Committee. Ross
was elected to the GWSA Board of Directors in 2017 and he resigned in March of 2019 in order
to go public about the controversial “secret meeting” regarding the future of GWSA Community
Support Services. He was re-elected at the Special Members Meeting held on May 13, 2019, to
serve the balance of a three-year term. At the 2020 AGM, he was elected to an additional threeyear
term on the Board of Directors.
Teresa McKeeman spent 31 years working as a frontline worker and in administration in the
social services department at the County of Wellington. She was actively involved in the
Steering Group that led to the development of the Better Beginnings, Better Futures parent
support program in the Shelldale community. Since retirement, she has been an avid volunteer
with different community programs, including a number of years at GWSA with the Community
Support Services. She is particularly interested in the GWSA strategic priority of ensuring
programs and services are diverse and equitable and she looks forward to exploring opportunities
to increase our presence in the community.
Janice Robertson has been a lifelong resident of Guelph and a member of the Senior Centre
since her retirement in 2007. Janice taught elementary school with a variety of teaching
specialties, as well as regular classroom grades. She taught all grades from 1-8 as well as
Special Education classes, Learning Disability, Behaviour and Gifted. She finished her career at
College Avenue School as a resource teacher. She is pleased to be on the Board to contribute to
the vibrant and necessary programs that the senior community in Guelph enjoys due to the
Evergreen staff and volunteers.
Brian Smith joined the GWSA in 2019 and became President in 2021. He chairs the Board of
Directors, Executive Committee, Governance Committee, and Human Resources Management
Committee, and is actively managing the website. Brian brings diverse qualifications and
experience from a career of 37 years in education. As a school administrator, he provided
leadership on many committees, became a founding member of the local Ontario Principals’
Council, and received Supervisory Officer certification from the Ministry of Education. He
recently completed six years on the Board of Directors of Shelldale Family Gateway, which
supports a diverse community, including many of Guelph’s most vulnerable children, youth, and
adults.
Roger Stevens, prior to retirement, worked for NCR as a Customer Service representative for 26
years. He served as a volunteer for the CSS Outreach program, along with his wife Kathy. He is
also a member of the Canoe Club. He previously has served as Treasurer for the Canadian
Speedway Racing Association. Roger was elected to the Board in May 2019 and is serving on
the GWSA Board as Treasurer.
Adam Rutherford (City Representative) is the City of Guelph’s Program Manager of
Programming and Community Development. For more than 20 years, Adam has been working
with, advocating for, and developing programs in partnership with community members of all
ages. Adam’s work has focused on engagement, innovative program development, and the needs
of marginalized and underserved populations. He’s a middle-aged skateboarder, lover of film and
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music, a big thinker that prefers intimate environments, and always on the run. If his door’s
open, come in and say hi! Adam is the City of Guelph’s representative on the GWSA Board of
Directors.
Brooke Gibbons is the Interim Recreation Program Co-ordinator – Seniors – Culture and
Recreation. She has worked in various roles within the City of Guelph over the past four years,
but recently, all of her attention has been put into researching and developing new recreation
programs for the senior community. Brooke has been appointed secretary for the GWSA and
looks forward to working alongside all GWSA members to support their initiatives and goals.
Tonie MacInnis has temporarily transitioned into a new role of Supervisor of Programs &
Community Development within the City of Guelph. This position oversees all City of Guelph
recreation programs from preschool through to and including the Senior Services portfolio.
Tonie’s permanent position with the City of Guelph is the Recreation Program Co-ordinator –
Seniors and Recreation Services – Culture and Recreation. She has worked in various roles
within the Corporation of the City of Guelph over the past eight years, but recently, all of her
attention has been put into developing new and exciting recreational programs for the
Guelph community. Tonie was appointed co-secretary for the GWSA and has been working
alongside all GWSA members to support their initiatives and goals.
GWSA – Executive Director
Linda Jeffrey, our new executive director, arrived for her first day at the Evergreen Seniors
Community Centre on January 4 th , and she says that the last five months certainly have not been
boring.
As Executive Director, it is her job to collaborate with community groups and outside agencies
in the delivery of programs and services. She has been working to secure and grow broaderbased
funding for our sustained operation by working with groups like Immigrant Services
Guelph Wellington, The Guelph Lions Club, and the Older Adult Centres Association of
Ontario. In May, two Board Members joined her in attending and hosting a table at the Lions
Healthy Aging Roadshow at the West End Community Centre and Victoria Road Recreation
Centre. They met people new to Guelph and former members who had let their membership
lapse who were interested in becoming more active, involved, and making friends. This outreach
is essential, and this fall, we intend to partner with some of the organizations we met that first
weekend, as well as other new partners, to bring exciting new programming to the Evergreen and
to other locations throughout Guelph.
She brags to her friends that she has one of the loveliest work environments – she is regularly
serenaded by the Silvertones Choir and the Silver Strummers!
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City of Guelph Staff
The GWSA appreciates the support and diligence of City Staff who work directly with us.
Danna Evans
Lynne Briggs
Adam Rutherford
Tonie MacInnis
Brooke Gibbons
Becky MacDonald
Jocelynn Desroches
Sheri-Lyn Roy
Don Harris
Drew Steadman (new in 2022)
Jill Hunt (new in 2022)
General Manager of Culture and Recreation
Manager of Recreation Services
Manager of Senior Services: Board Member,
Executive, Advocacy, Governance, Finance,
Community Support Services Advisory Committees
Recreation Program Co-ordinator – Seniors Recreation
Services - Culture and Recreation
Interim Recreation Program Co-ordinator – Seniors
Recreation Services - Culture and Recreation
Recreation Co-ordinator – Volunteers
Chef of Bistro 683 (Evergreen Dining Room)
Customer Service Clerk: Membership & Marketing
Committee
Facility Cleaner – assisting with room set-ups,
cleaning and maintaining of GWSA physical assets
Sous Chef Bistro 683 (Evergreen Dining Room)
Customer Service Clerk: Recreation Services:
Membership & Marketing Committee
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Organization Chart and Standing Committee Reports
______________________________________________________
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Section Overview
An Annual Report presents the accomplishments and results of the previous year. In this section,
we share a summary of activities and efforts undertaken by those on the GWSA’s standing
committees.
Where available, we used summary reports submitted by the person who chaired the
respective committee throughout the previous year. In other instances, one or more committee
members provided the summary presented here. The name of the person submitting the report is
provided at the end.
Where no report was submitted by the previous committee, we reviewed the committee’s
meeting minutes from the past year and prepared a summary. We also preview future plans for
the committee.
Executive Committee
Executive Committee Members: Brian Smith (Chair), Roger Stevens, Pat Gage, Adam
Rutherford
The purpose of the GWSA Executive Committee is to handle matters referred to it by the full
Board, and to manage the affairs of the Board as needed between meetings where authority has
been granted.
In the summer, the Executive Committee engaged available directors to form an ad hoc ‘launch
team’ to work through the complicated stages of reopening. Considerable time was devoted early
in the year to investigating the best way to manage our membership records, finances, and group
schedules. The organization requires meaningful access to records to effectively serve the
members, and it was timely to consider possibilities as we anticipated reopening our in-person
activities last fall. We explored what was available, compared features, and assessed cost of
hardware, operation, maintenance, and needed supports. After spirited discussions, lengthy
meetings, and reconsideration, we recommended the Board collaborate closely with the City of
Guelph to make the most effective use of their Perfect Mind software. This has been gratefully
supported with thanks to City staff who continue to work with us. With some adjustments, this
has turned out to work in our best interests while offering considerable savings in cost and
human resources.
Considerable time and energy was given to the stages of reopening for the fall, with the
introduction of new policies, COVID-19 waivers, IPP Access cards, DocuSign process for Proof
of Vaccination, and providing new membership cards with extended dates for everyone. Having
groups return to in-person play required another layer of processing to ensure we met all the
health requirements. Much of this has thankfully passed, and we are thrilled that so many
members were able to return well ahead of many organizations.
Through much of the year, the Executive Committee has continued to meet on short notice and
maintain frequent contact through email to be responsive to the many daily matters that tend to
arise in such a busy organization. Fortunately, this has been a solid team that was able to work
closely together with the members interests always in mind.
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Human Resources Management Committee
Committee members: Brian Smith (chair), Linda Jeffrey, Roger Stevens, Adam Rutherford.
Emma Whittaker served on the committee until she left in November.
The Human Resources Management Committee is responsible for administering policies,
procedures, legal and legislative requirements relating to its role as an employer. During the
2021-2022 fiscal year, the Committee:
Accepted Emma Whittaker’s resignation as Community Support Services Manager;
Reimagined the CSS Manager’s role to become the Executive Director position;
Conducted interviews, and hired Linda Jeffrey as the GWSA Executive Director;
Extended contracts for CSS staff and the financial administrator; and
Provided a letter of termination to the CSS Move Well Program Co-ordinator as funding
for the program ended.
We can also share that, after the close of the fiscal year, we received resignations from two CSS
staff and provided one notice of termination, all associated with the loss of funding and the
transition of Community Support Services to other agencies. In May, we received a letter of
resignation from the financial administrator and proceeded to outsource those services.
Finance Committee
Committee Members: Roger Stevens (Treasurer), Wendi Hake (Financial Administrator), Joe
Freamo, Earlby Wakefield, Randy Taylor, Ruth Slavin (Secretary)
The Finance Committee was established to advise and assist the GWSA Board and the Treasurer
in the development and monitoring of:
● Financial Policies and Procedures of the GWSA
● Financial Operations of all Activities and Services of the GWSA
The Finance Committee met at 1:00 p.m. on the third Tuesday of several months throughout the
year; it was not accomplished monthly because of the ongoing pandemic and the lack of
meaningful activities. What meetings we had over Zoom were to discuss Financial Statements
and any other item that needed to be resolved. We finally returned to our face-to-face meetings
in September.
In March, the Committee reviewed the 2022/2023 budget and forwarded recommendations to the
Board.
The final Board-approved budget is included in this Annual Report.
The annual budget is a critical tool for the Treasurer and Finance Committee to judge if the
Association is staying on course, ensuring financial health. GWSA’s 40+ activity groups played
a large part in preparing the overall GWSA budget.
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Each activity group has submitted their budget for the coming year and which were submitted to
the Finance Committee for their approval and to assist in mitigating risk. The Finance
Committee then submitted their results and recommendations to the Board for their final
approval.
The Committee is also responsible for reviewing investment strategies to assist in mitigating risk
of GWSA’s funds. The Committee forwards their findings to the Board for approval.
If you have experience in non-profit organizations and are interested in working on the Finance
Committee, please fill out a Committee Volunteer form indicating your availability.
Treasurer’s Report
We finally got back to the Centre and everyone who has returned seems to be doing well.
Financially, not the best since we did not have a full year again. A loss, but nothing our reserves
can’t handle.
Our investments are still secure, and while we have not invested more, mainly because of the
COVID situation, our investments are still in good shape.
My thanks once again to our Financial Administrator, who has gone above and beyond.
Since this is my last day as Treasurer (June 21 st ), I want to take this opportunity to thank
everyone at the Evergreen for their support, sometimes during difficult times. I hope I have done
well for you and the organization and I wish you all well.
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Governance Committee
This Committee included Brian Smith (chair), Lloyd LeBlanc, and Adam Rutherford (ex
officio).
The Governance Committee oversees the operation of the Board to ensure its actions comply
with legislation and the GWSA By-law and Policies. The committee advises and assists the
Board in the development, implementation and review of all documents that govern its work,
including drafting policies when requested to do so by the Board.
Over the past three years, this Governance Committee made impressive progress, reviewing well
over a hundred policies and procedures, position descriptions, and committee terms of reference.
The Committee updated the Index of Policies and Procedures after each change, maintained the
electronic files, and tracked the dates of original approval, revision, and latest Board approval.
This helps guide our work and what needs to be done next. Hard copies of everything, including
all Board minutes, have been provided to the Library for member access.
The Committee received no requests by the September deadline for revisions to terms of
reference and position descriptions, leading us to understand those were now in good form. This
proved to be helpful as all directors were immersed in the work of re-opening the GWSA as soon
as possible. The Board managed a fast-paced pandemic environment that temporarily made for
COVID waivers, In-Person Play cards, Proof of Vaccination, and use of DocuSign, and
developing related policies. That got everyone back to the Centre well before most other
organizations, to the benefit of all. We were eventually able to move beyond those temporary
measures as legislation caught up with our measures after a few months.
Because the Committee was not fully comprised, and there was some limited connectivity
through the winter and spring, policy revisions were made with the chair taking priority revisions
directly to Board for debate and approval. While functional, this was less than ideal due to the
Board meeting time required. We hope the Governance Committee can be fully comprised with
an injection of additional members once the next Board is installed.
A very high priority moving forward should be the transition to the Ontario Not-for-Profit
Corporations Act (ONCA), enacted last fall, which involves a thorough review of the GWSA
By-law and related policies. This initiative needs to be completed and approved by members
before October 19, 2024, and there remains a small handful of policies that would still benefit
from cyclical review.
If you have an interest in policy development and review, record keeping, or keeping everyone
aligned with requirements, the Governance Committee is a rewarding place to become involved
and learn more about the GWSA and how non-profit boards work.
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Program Committee
Pat Gage – Chair
Bonnie Snider – Secretary
Brooke Gibbons – City Representative
And all 38 Program Group Leaders
The Program Committee meets the 4 th Thursday of each month at 9:30 am. We meet one week
after the Board meeting to keep Activity Group Leaders up-to-date as soon as possible of things
going on around the Centre. Due to COVID, the committee has been meeting via Zoom for the
past 2 years. Now that COVID restrictions have been lifted, we are meeting face to face.
Objective
The future holds the unknown. COVID is still around and we must live with this disease but we
also must be safe. Hopefully, we will build our groups to capacity and help our seniors enjoy
their time at the Evergreen Seniors Community Centre. We have lost some groups due to
COVID, members finding other things to keep themselves busy, and those who have passed on.
However, our new groups include Wood Carving, Rug Hooking and the Silver Strummers. A
couple of new groups starting in September include “Write Your Own Story” and “Seniors
Volleyball”. We are always looking for new groups to keep us busy – maybe Genealogy, Plays
& Poems, and, of course, our pilot project of Saturday Night Dances. Look on the GWSA
website (GWSA-Guelph.ca) for more information about how to start a new group. Some groups
like Pickleball and Badminton are full to capacity and have wait lists.
Future Goals
Encourage new members, and those already members, to try new things. Send in ideas for new
groups. Fill the rooms at the Evergreen Seniors Community Centre with seniors laughing and
living life.
Respectfully Submitted
Pat Gage
Chair – Program Committee
Community Support Services
For over a decade, Community Support Services (CSS) and their clients have been a valued part
of the GWSA. The Guelph Wellington Seniors Association has regularly partnered with the City
of Guelph and agencies like the United Way to offer programs to older adults in our community.
Last year, we submitted letters of intent for all our CSS Programs to the United Way. As a nonprofit
association, we have always depended on outside funding sources – primarily grants, and
throughout the years, we have submitted dozens of applications. For this funding cycle, the
United Way received requests for more than three times what was available to allocate. As a
result, the United Way Board had to make some incredibly difficult funding decisions.
In the fall, we learned that we would lose all the funding to continue the Move Well Gentle
Exercise program. Then this February, we learned the United Way would be reducing funding
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for our remaining CSS services by about 76%. We spent months exploring how to minimize the
disruption to CSS programming – we could not help remembering what had happened back in
2019 when a previous Board planned to stop offering these outreach programs and many
directors resigned. This Board came to the rescue and stood up for services we believed in and,
until now, we were able to deliver. With the loss of most United Way funding, the GWSA
wrestled with options and decided the only way to continue such supports was to transition our
existing programs to other willing agencies and organizations that had funds available.
In April, we worked with Compass to transition our Seniors Offering Support (SOS) telephone
program to Compass’s existing Telephone Support Services, which include Distress Line,
TeleConnect and LGBTQ+ Support Lines. In addition to assuming the program, Compass
welcomed the SOS volunteers, thus ensuring the seamless continuation of service and
established trusted connections between volunteers and clients.
Over the last few months, we have been in discussion with Older Adult Centres Association of
Ontario who have been conducting a 3-year project called Links2Wellbeing, which helps older
adults participate in social and recreational activities. We are now exploring how those clients
who participated in our Outreach Program with Paula Frappier can transition to these programs
within the Evergreen Centre so we can expand their networks and help them stay healthy.
Lastly, our Eat Well Program, which grew into an emergency food access program during the
pandemic, was the most challenging program to transition. Originally, it was a weekly Seniors
Community Food Market at six subsidized housing locations across Guelph which increased
food access to 300 vulnerable seniors and was led by Molly Roberts, a Community Dietitian.
Teams of volunteers and community partners worked with the SEED, The City of Guelph, the
Guelph Food Bank, Cobs Bread, Hope House, and others to increase food access to seniors.
Working with the United Way and the Board of Hope House, we believe we now have found a
way to transition the Eat Well Program. Hope House is an organization that is the leading food
security advocate in Guelph who operates on the belief that poverty, food insecurity, inequality,
health, and community are all interconnected. They offer services and programs that challenge
the stigmas surrounding poverty and allow individuals to maintain their dignity and choice, and
we are pleased that they will be delivering better food access in the Guelph Wellington area.
Submitted by Linda Jeffrey, Executive Director
Membership & Marketing Committee
In July 2021, the Membership & Marketing Committee chair transferred from Interim Chair Ken
Fugler to Wenda King and COVID continued to play havoc with membership participation with
GWSA.
During the last six months of 2021, the M&M Committee continued to meet via Zoom and
partnered with the Program Committee to keep communication open for the members to
participate in their activities as much as Zoom allowed.
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At the beginning of September 2021, the M&M Committee advertised the reopening of the
Evergreen Centre for members and new members. The committee assisted in welcoming existing
members back to the Evergreen Seniors Community Centre during September when new
membership cards were issued and made available for all members to pick up at the Centre.
A New Member Reception was to take place in January 2022 for members who had joined
between September and November, but unfortunately, due to another strain of COVID, the
reception had to be cancelled as the Evergreen Seniors Community Centre doors were closed
again. The New Member Reception was rescheduled for March 30, 2022. Ann Sneyd provided
wonderful entertainment for the attendees. President Brian Smith welcomed the new members
and activity leaders spoke to the attendees about their programs. Ann Sneyd, member of the
Silvertones/Silver Strummers, promoted the June 10, 2022, Open House.
The M&M Committee recognized our Evergreen Senior volunteers during International
Volunteer Week in April 2022.
The Committee members are participating in demonstrations and volunteering for the Open
House on June 10, 2022.
The Committee will be working towards increasing our membership in the last quarter of 2022
and continue through 2023.
Submitted by Wenda King, Chair
Volunteer Advisory Committee
Becky MacDonald, City of Guelph Recreation Co-ordinator – Volunteers (Chair)
Joan Ksenych
Athar Khan
Lloyd Le Blanc
Kerry Detlor
The Volunteer Advisory Committee meets monthly to review and support the GWSA Volunteer
Program. The Committee assists with the reviewing of documents, awards, recognition,
evaluation, and overall discussion that pertain to the volunteer program. In this process, the role
of the City of Guelph Recreation Co-ordinator – Volunteers is to provide support to the GWSA
with co-ordination of the Volunteer Program.
With GWSA activities returning to in-person, all volunteers are now required to complete a
‘return to volunteer’ orientation and training with COVID training to ensure everyone is kept safe
and informed. Gradually, volunteers started to return to new or past positions in September 2021.
As the year 2022 progresses, we look forward to continuing to connect with all volunteers and
working together in providing the required programs and services. We also strive to build
structured and meaningful volunteer roles that are so important to engage the older adult
population.
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Accomplishments
Orientation and Training module for all volunteers offered virtually online for
volunteers to access and complete
42 new volunteers joined the team within Activity Groups, Committees and in the Bistro
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Position Descriptions reviewed and updated
Goals for 2022-2023
Recruit new volunteers and increase awareness of the vast number and diversity of
current and new volunteer positions available
Continue to update Policies and Procedures that are related to volunteers
Continue to update the Volunteer Handbooks as a resource for volunteers to utilize
and have a better understanding of their roles and expectations
Reviewing the recognition program for all volunteers
Planning, Nominating and Succession Committee
The Planning, Nominating and Succession Committee was re-established in September 2021.
The committee met monthly and on as needed basis, to review, plan and discuss strategies in
reaching members and non-members to volunteer with the Board of Directors.
The committee members are:
Ann Grant (Chair)
Ken Fugler (Board Member)
Teresa McKeeman (Board Member)
Becky MacDonald (City of Guelph - Volunteer Co-ordinator)
Recruitment for the vacant positions on the Board was conducted in the following ways:
The Sentinel – one page advertisement and in the Volunteer corner
The GWSA website
The GWSA membership email list
PIN website for volunteer opportunities
Reaching out to all current volunteer email list
Personal connections through word of mouth
Networking with the community
The Committee interviewed and recommended 4 well-qualified people to become Board
Members who will run for election at the AGM.
Thank you to the committee members who worked so diligently this year.
Ann Grant
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Technology Advisory Committee
Members:
Russ Brown Dave Corkell Ross Knechtel
Beth Sheir Jan MacInnes Charlie Bishop
Brian Yasvinshi Gord Webb Ellen Webb
The Technology Advisory Committee was formed at the end of 2021, in the midst of COVID-19.
The group met virtually for the first time on December 13 th @ 4 pm over Zoom.
As COVID started to wind down early in 2022, the group met for the first time in the Bistro 683
over lunch. This is where some tasks were more formally engaged.
Since the start of the team, the following items have been addressed, and there are some that
have yet to be accomplished.
GRANT SPECIFIC
1. Purchase & deployment off 12 new 32” 4K resolution monitors
2. Purchase & deployment of 6 – i7-based desktop machines
3. Purchase of wireless projector with mobile cart
4. Purchase of 2 tables to hold the streaming video system
5. Purchase new wireless Colour Laser Printer
GENERIC
6. Debug and repair of Gym Sound System (zero cost)
7. Verification of Sound Board, wireless microphones, and components
8. Investigation of Gym Lights and clear labelling so others can run the lights
9. Investigation of pre-COVID centre spotlight (ONGOING WITH VENDOR)
10. Identification of 6 fault lamps in the Stage lighting (PENDING)
11. Inventory and Operational checks of all Sound/Video interface boxes inside meeting
rooms
12. Purchase of rechargeable batteries & charger for activity groups to use
13. Replacement of Board Room Overhead Projector (PENDING)
14. Addition of Wi-Fi Access points in the gym (APPROVED, PENDING INSTALL)
15. Install of computer/printer in the Library (PENDING)
16. Take Inventory of excess computers/accessories (PENDING)
17. Delivered two, one-hour Zoom-based presentations. First on Cybersecurity and then
on computer basics
20

The Sentinel
The Sentinel office is a very busy place now that we are BACK! Linda does a great job of putting
together each monthly issue of the Sentinel, which is also posted online each month so that all our
members and advertisers can keep up-to-date with information regarding the goings on at Evergreen.
Printed Sentinels have been available since October, with a pause in January during the last closure at
the Centre.
The Sentinel Team tries to keep all the members included in
one way or another. Remember, if you want your birthday
or anniversary put into the Sentinel, you yourself MUST let
us know by the first of the month PRIOR to the occasion
(i.e., August for September, April for May, etc.). If, by
chance, you ‘forget’ and still want your celebration inserted
in, we can do that in the following month’s edition. Also,
we aren’t familiar with all of the GWSA members, so, if
you hear or know of a member’s passing, please let us
know at the Sentinel so we can include their information
in the Passages.
Our email
address is
always near the
front of each
issue, but here it
is in case you
don’t have a
copy handy (sentinel@gwsa-guelph.ca).
We apologize to any members who do not have a
computer but hope that a friend or relative will share
viewing their Sentinel with you. We work from our
homes as well as from our office to keep all our members
informed of what has been going on in and around the
City and our Evergreen Centre.
The Sentinel Team doesn’t take the summer off as many
members presume. Last year, the AGM was held online
via Zoom on June 8 at 1:30 pm. We prepare the documents for the Annual Report for the Annual
General Meeting (AGM) which is to be held this year on June 21. We wish everyone to stay safe
and healthy during these trying times.
Submitted by Carol Croft and Linda Green.
21

The Web Team
Members: Ross Knechtel (GWSA webmaster), Sue Wi-Afedzi (GWSA Email Updates), Brian
Smith (GWSA website)
The GWSA Web Team volunteers provide support for the GWSA website, the GWSA Email
Updates and the GWSA’s social media accounts, with oversight from the Membership and
Marketing Committee.
The GWSA website started in 2008 and outlines the programs and services offered by the
GWSA, and the City of Guelph programs for older adults. The website has been redesigned
using the Elegant Themes-Divi module using WordPress, with increased speed, simplified
menus, and improved readability, and the hosting has been moved to Cloudflare. We include
‘blog posts’ for the latest news, ‘blurbs’ for static information, and ‘read-only’ windows to some
of our files to provide transparency on meetings and documents relevant to members. Links are
offered to social media, The Sentinel Newsletter, and even the latest menus from Bistro 683.
We monitor website usage for anonymous data including number of site visitors, popular pages
and site performance, and use SSL, bot blockers, and security features to protect the site from
hacking attempts, most of which arrive from overseas.
The team welcomes feedback. We encourage Activity Group Leaders to keep things current.
Members can join Activity Groups, apply to start groups, and log their volunteer hours through
the website. This year, we added a live Google Activity Calendar, maintained by the Program
Committee. With library automation underway, members will be able to explore the Book Nook
collection, which we expect will lead to increased visits to that impressive space.
Be sure to check our website often at https://gwsa-guelph.ca to get the latest information.
The GWSA Email Updates are powered by Mail Chimp, sending email blasts to anyone who
subscribes. Normally these are distributed between issues of The Sentinel newsletter, but also
when there are timely messages as have occurred during the pandemic and our re-opening
changes. As a result, there were over 20 updates over the past year. As these email blasts reach
only about half our members, be sure to sign up through the website, and check that we have
your current email information when you renew your membership.
The GWSA social media accounts include Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. These platforms are
used to notify followers about important news, programs and events as well as the availability of
new issues of The Sentinel. These social media links are accessible from the footer of our
website.
We can sometimes use extra help for this diverse team, and we hope to make more extensive use
of social media. If you have strong communication and moderate computer skills, please contact
the volunteer co-ordinator, Becky MacDonald at becky.macdonald@guelph.ca for more
information.
22

ACTIVITY GROUP REPORTS
Badminton
The Badminton Club, like all groups, very much missed our time at the Evergreen and West End
Centre this past year. The inability to gather, to exercise, and to socialize forced us to appreciate
what we previously may have taken for granted. We are very lucky to have access to these two
facilities.
The Badminton Club Leadership Team had just gone through its own internal shock wave
when the COVID-19 shock wave started to sink in. The new Leadership team quickly learned
(stumbled) to use something called Zoom and identified 17 items of priority to focus upon.
To date, 10 items are completed or are likely to always be on-going works in progress. Some
of the notable topics are as follows:
The consolidation and compression of numerous governance documents that we
inherited. One of the more significant improvements was email voting. This will allow
for change or amendments at any time of the year without waiting for the AGM, making
it really an information session.
Placing all key documents into the hands of members in a move to become totally
transparent.
We brought back coaching clinics holding two 4-part clinics for large groups, Quick-start
sessions for beginners, and small group lessons on request for all members.
We brought back our first tournaments since 2018 and held 3 for various skill levels.
We upgraded some of our badminton nets and improved our supply of birds.
We continued to “Pay it Forward” by donating 12 gently used rackets from retired
players to the Students at St. John’s Catholic School.
We restarted our Outreach Coaching efforts again where numerous club members share
their expertise with aspiring young Badminton players in both primary and secondary
Guelph schools.
We are slowly trying to document our club’s long history.
We continue to struggle with a membership cap. While we would love to let everyone
join to rekindle their love of the sport or new folks discover the joy of Badminton, we are
trying to weigh quality of play with overcrowding in our small 3-court gyms.
The GWSA Badminton Club now participates with numerous other sports organizations
in the City to bring about awareness for the lack of indoor court space with proper
wooden (sprung) gymnasium type floors surfaces.
During lockdowns, our members organized hikes along the Escarpment, numerous bike hikes on
City and area trails, and we even organized Sunday night pickleball games during last summer at
Margaret Green Park.
As we look to our future, we do, however, have one very serious problem. Not enough
members step up to make things happen. This includes ideas & suggestions, the running of
coaching clinics and tournaments, etc., as well as succession planning for our leadership team.
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Regardless of this, our Leadership Team feels we have turned our club around and our
members always show up with smiles on their faces.
Please poke your head into the gym and see for yourself. If you like what you see, we invite
you to get your name onto our waiting list.
See you on the court.
Submitted by Jeff Millard
Book Club 1
The GWSA Book Club 1 meets on the last Friday of every month from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm in
the Board room at the Evergreen Centre. Last year at this time, we had 20 members in the club.
When the pandemic arrived in the spring of 2020, the lockdown began and the book club was
unable to continue because the Guelph Public Library was completely shut down and we get our
books primarily from the library. When the library began curbside pickup, we continued reading
the selected books and used emails for the members to discuss and distribute their reviews about
the book we were reading.
In January 2021, we began a new list of selected books, and this time, we met on Zoom for our
monthly meetings. Emails were still used by people who didn’t have Zoom. Our numbers have
decreased by two who have left the club, two more are on hiatus, and we have 8 active members
who continue to stay in touch with emails and/or Zoom.
With the weather improving, we plan to meet outdoors in the future for our monthly meetings.
Submitted by Veronica Sanche.
Book Nook
Our team of volunteers:
Chris Fraser, Librarian
Jane Pyper Barb McLean Louisa Santin
Sue Gamble Janet Ashbee Sue La Chapelle
Joan Ksenych Brenda Walton Sandi Wilkes
Donna Houghton Beth Madole
We thank all the above volunteers for their continued and faithful service in continuing to keep
our library running in an efficient manner and keeping it neat and tidy for our members to enjoy.
Some of our volunteers did not return after Evergreen re-opened and we now have a few new
volunteers. When the Evergreen re-opened again in 2021, we made sure the Book Nook was kept
sanitized and safe for members to come into. Due to COVID-19 precautions, the jigsaw puzzles
were removed as well as magazines, all books being returned were quarantined before being put
back onto the shelf.
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In September 2021, we purchased new books for the library for members to enjoy reading.
Every month, Chris reads one of the “new” books and submits a report to the Sentinel,
recommending it, and to encourage members to sign out that book to enjoy reading.
Due to COVID-19, we were not able to hold any book sales during this time but are planning to
have another one very soon.
The Book Nook is a relaxing place to come into to browse our great selection of books and
DVDs or to sit and read a magazine, and we look forward to seeing members return as well as
new members come in to sign out books.
Submitted by Chris Fraser, Librarian
Bunka
Bunka is a type of Japanese embroidery which results in beautiful pictures similar to paintings.
The Bunka group did not meet in 2021 until the GWSA was reopened as members preferred to
wait and meet again in person rather than over Zoom. When we finally were able to meet, we
practiced social distancing and wore masks and abided by the rules of the Centre.
We have a dedicated group who meet every Wednesday morning during the year to work on
their pictures, and it has also become a social time to enjoy seeing what everyone is working on.
The light is much better at the Centre than in our homes so most work on Bunka only at the
GWSA.
We do not have a teacher and members are required to purchase their own supplies. At the
present time, prospective new members will be put on a waiting list but should have some
experience in the craft.
Our group is currently self sufficient and does not require funding for our needs from the GWSA
program budget.
Diane Barber
Bunka Co-ordinator
Canoe Club
After a two-year hiatus, the Canoe Club is back on the water. We lost many members over the
COVID break, but we have rebounded with membership numbers back to our capacity level.
With our spring training completed in April, we were able to get back on the river in early May.
Last week, we picked up our new canoe and were able to sell one of the older canoes. We are
back to enjoying the paddling and, as always, excited to see what wildlife awaits around the next
bend.
John Ness, President
Evergreen Canoe Club
25

Casual Bicycling
The Casual Bicycling Club has returned with more interest than ever. Our membership has risen
to 35 members. We got the bikes dusted off and began riding the first week of May. Some of the
members are new to the Guelph area and are really excited to try all the trails. We are looking
forward to an excellent season riding the trails in and around Wellington County.
John Ness
Representative for Casual Bicycling.
Craft Club
The Craft Club re-opened on Oct. 1 st of last year and it was nice to see everyone again. The
ladies worked hard during the shutdown and showed up with many articles for the store.
Right away, we started to make scarfs, hats, mitts, and toques to donate to local charities, for the
needy.
I am pleased to say the ladies came through again and we donated many articles to be given
out at Christmas. We are all looking forward to the rest of the year, especially being together
again and making lots of new articles to see in the store.
Submitted by Judy Montgomery
Into Focus Photography Club
Like all the Activity Groups, the IFPC cancelled all in-person meetings and photography field
trips due to the coronavirus pandemic. This certainly put a damper on the social interactions
enjoyed by the members but it did not stop each individual from continuing on with their hobby.
Thanks to the success and popularity of meeting virtually via Zoom, we have been able to
maintain a regular schedule of two sessions per month. The mid-month Chit-Chat gatherings
have been popular and well attended, as have been the month-end formal meetings consisting of
photo-sharing via our regular Theme-of-The-Month, Monthly Challenge, and educational
presentations. Uploads of photos to our SmugMug website have continued despite COVID-
19. Our Flickr and Facebook group pages have also enjoyed steady participation.
We really miss our monthly field trips as an organized group, however, most of us manage to
get outdoors and chase those Kodak moments on an individual basis.
On a sad note, over the past year, we have lost two of our prominent members due to non-
COVID-related health issues. Jean McClelland and Alan Pickersgill, sorely missed by us all,
will live on in our memories.
Submitted by Stu McCannell
26

Line Dancing
2020/21 was a challenge for GWSA Line Dancing. To the line dancers who kept coming each
week and supported us as we worked through learning the new sound system and music format,
thank you. Our sincere thanks go to our instructors – Margaret Green, Kathy Kemp, Jill Kropf,
Eleanore Klein, Betty Chu, Patty Liberatore, Carol Lightfoot and Janet Trimble. These ladies
have continued to instruct each other and dance each week via their phones so they were ready to
go once the Evergreen Centre opened. We sent out three emails to our membership. Included in
each was a list of URLs that directed the line dancers to written instructions as well as the music
and demos for several line dances. We trust that everyone is dancing at home at least once a
week and looking forward to when we can line dance together.
Submitted by Phyllis Carnochan and Donna Holmes, Co-Chair
Quilting Group
Due to the pandemic and closures in 2021, our weekly meetings (Mondays 12:30-4:00 pm) of the
Quilting ladies managed to sew and produce hundreds of face masks of different styles and
colours. This epic contribution, and dedication, raised $3400 for GWSA. Much effort through
this time of isolation, also, resulted in several baby blankets, micro-bowls and other saleable
items for when the Centre opened again, and were visible in the Boutique. As most of our
creative efforts are worked on at home, we are still able to spend lots of time sorting fabrics,
which are donated, and learning from each other to produce the items that we sell. Now, with
Seriously? Seniors? on June 10, we are fully occupied with our presentations to further our
contributions to GWSA.
Submitted by Beryl Drohan
Rug Hooking
Rug Hooking is a new activity group at the Evergreen Centre. Since our first gathering on
February 22, 2022, there has been a lot of interest in this traditional craft. We have helped some
new rug hookers get started on their first project as well as those who have dug out unfinished
pieces from years ago and are now completing them. Rug hooking is a very enjoyable and social
activity. We have received a warm welcome at the Evergreen Centre and are enjoying our large,
bright meeting space.
We meet on Tuesday from 12-4 in Room 2. New participants are welcome.
Contact: Kathy McCallum, Phone: 226-821-1331, Email: kamccallum@gmail.com
Shuffleboard
We started back on Feb. 1 with 8-10 people playing – we had decided on our COVID
precautions, like always wearing masks, sitting a distance apart, and cleaning down our sticks
with disinfectant before we started to play. We have gradually grown to 26-27 players, with
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many of those players brand new. Many of our pre-pandemic members have not returned! We
have had people with disabilities come out with a caregiver and have two regulars now who are
super keen! So far, Tuesday is the preferred day, but some are coming both days. I think our
group is very social and we have many laughs!!
Submitted by Elaine Bigam
Silver Strummers
The Silver Strummers are the GWSA’s Ukulele Orchestra Activity Group. We were formed in
January of 2020 as a pilot project to see if there would be an interest from GWSA members.
Unfortunately, as of March 2020, our in-person meetings came to an abrupt halt. Not to be
deterred, we continued meeting using the Zoom platform for more than 18 months. During that
time, the membership grew from 22 people to well over 30 currently. We are hoping to reach a
membership of 50 in the near future as people return to live activities.
Our instructor is Carolyn McCleod McCarthy, an active teacher and performer in the Guelph
area. We meet on Friday afternoons from 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm in Rm 3 at the Evergreen Centre.
The Silver Strummers own more than a dozen instruments, music stands, and music binders for
use by our members who do not own or choose to rent their instruments. We play a very diverse
repertoire, covering many musical genres.
Our inaugural public concert occurs in conjunction with the Silvertones Choir’s 42nd
anniversary concert on June 10, 2022, at the “Seriously? Seniors?” showcase event.
You do not need previous musical training to join the Silver Strummers. It is helpful, but not
necessary, if you like to sing, as we usually sing along with our strumming. If you have always
wanted to play an instrument, ukulele is accessible and doable for most seniors. We invite
prospective members to come out for three “free trial” rehearsals, to see if playing ukulele is
something you would enjoy.
Respectfully Submitted
Ann Sneyd
Activity Group Leader
Silvertones Choir
EXECUTIVE:
Doreen Muir, Arlene McEllistrum, Elaine Gowing, Thelma Smeltzer, Patti DuGuid, Marion
Cassolato, Betty Wilson McGhee, Marion Grayson, Penny Richards, Darlene Pembleton
DIRECTOR: Ann Sneyd ACCOMPANIST: Andrea LeBlanc
We all remember Friday, March 13, 2020, as though it were yesterday! The Silvertones Choir
was practicing in Room 3 when the announcement was made that the GWSA facility would be
closing until further notice!
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Over the past two years, our choir continued to practice via Zoom with Ann Sneyd as Director
AND Accompanist with the muted choir members singing individually from their homes.
Amazingly, Ann knew, though she could not hear us, where we were a bit weak. We all looked
forward to our practices and to our Director's informative weekly emails, which would
include personal anecdotes. Ann also provided the choir with her own practice videos through
email. Zoom was not ideal, not like practicing in person in Room 3, but it was a good way to
stay in touch and keep our voices honed. The majority of our choir took to the Zoom format, and
everyone looked forward to being part of this interaction. These electronic practices went a long
way in preparing the choir for getting back to "in person" practices and readying the Silvertones
for their first performance Post-COVID at the GWSA Open House and 42nd birthday for the
Silvertones held June 10th, 2022 (we trust this event will be a success for both GWSA and the
Silvertones and all of our wonderful volunteers)!
We were challenged this year in welcoming two new prospective singers with special
needs. These individuals have been attending our practices regularly with a care giver. We
know that the participants are enjoying these weekly practices and hope to continue to be part of
our choir when we return in the Fall of this year! Our membership continues to grow, and we
welcome our new accompanist, Andrea LeBlanc.
We do not know what the future holds but the Silvertones are back on track and looking forward
to many more years of Entertaining in our Community
Submitted by Doreen Muir
President
Table Tennis Club
For the second year in a row, we were partially shut down due to COVID-19. Our club
activities, playing Table Tennis (Ping Pong to some), resumed on September 22, 2021, after the
COVID shutdown. The shutdown extended from March 13, 2020, so over 16 months!
The GWSA required everyone to sign COVID Waivers, acknowledging the risks one would be
taking, and agreeing to follow the new protocols and requirements.
The City of Guelph implemented some COVID protocols such as checking proof of vaccination
and ID when entering the Recreation Centres. Once the COVID passport was introduced and
mandated, that was the only way to prove being fully vaccinated. There was also additional
cleaning, and the setup of some spaces in the centre was modified.
Table Tennis restarted playing with our own COVID protocols in place, which focused on social
distancing, wearing of masks, and good hand washing hygiene. We spaced out the chairs in the
Gym into a 6-foot grid, and took off masks only while playing. The table surfaces were
disinfected regularly, and everyone was asked to only use their own table tennis racket. Another
big change was the introduction of much lower room capacity limits, where not all of our
members could be in the Gym at the same time. We planned to have everyone split into two
somewhat equal groups, which would attend either the first or second half of our session. But
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ecause the initial turnouts were much lower than pre-COVID, we did not need to implement the
cohorting, but had to keep an eye on the numbers during our busier sessions. Once into 2022,
some of the restrictions were lifted.
Those that came back to play were happy to do so, having missed the activity and interaction for
so long. We stopped using Room 4 on days when the Gym was not available due to the much
tighter confines where physical distancing would not be possible while waiting for a turn to play,
with only three tables fitting into the room.
Typically, we would have groups of four people playing a match (best of 3 games), and then
checking if there was anyone waiting to play, to give them a chance to play. If many people
were not waiting to play, then some would prefer to play singles and had a chance to do so. Our
playing times were adjusted somewhat to accommodate the very popular Pickle Ball activity.
We played on Monday late afternoon (3:00 to 6:15 pm), Wednesday morning (10:00 to 1:00 pm)
and Saturday mornings (9:00 to 12:00 noon). In addition, we would play on Friday afternoons
(1:00 to 4:00 pm) at the West End Recreation Centre in a Gym there. Our membership is down
somewhat from the pre-pandemic levels, with 53 current members. Our attendance is also down,
so we often end up with unused tables.
If you enjoy an active lifestyle, we have players at all levels, from beginners to quite proficient.
There is also plenty of room. We would welcome you to join us!
Submitted by Petr Vales.
Travel Committee
Joanne White (chair), Joan Bruder, Yvonne Thomas, Jessie Watt
During the 1½-year COVID shutdown, the Travel Committee met over Zoom, coming up with
some great trip ideas. We had hoped that we would be able to get our seniors out on some day
trips away. In anticipation of the Centre re-opening, we planned a safe out-of-doors trip to
Gravenhurst in September of 2021. This trip was thoroughly enjoyed by all! Then when the
Centre re-opened, the Travel Committee was ready to make sure our seniors would have other
trips to get out and tour again.
In December, we arranged an outing to Niagara Falls - dining at the Skylon Tower, attending the
Greg Frewin magic show, and viewing the Winter Festival of Lights!
In January of 2022, the Centre was shut down once again. We had planned a trip to Medieval
Times but, with the Centre closed and RecEnroll not available, the trip had no interest. We may
schedule this trip again in November 2022 - keep checking the Sentinel and the GWSA website
for upcoming trips.
I would like to thank Terry Keleher and Mumtaz Kassam, who had been on the committee prior
to COVID and had planned and took our seniors on some excellent trips; they decided to take on
more volunteering elsewhere and so they left us in November. Also, a big thank you to Wendi
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Hake for all her help with the financial side of our committee - certainly made things a lot easier
for us. And a thank you to our president Brian for advertising our trips on the website as well as
thanks to Carol and Linda of the Sentinel for the excellent way you advertise our trips each
month.
Travel, even though we only planned 2 successful trips for Apr 2021 to Mar 2022, we are still
very proud of how they went and our seniors certainly seemed to enjoy them.
Even though there were few outings, we certainly have planned a lot of trips for the future . This
is evident as we have booked 9 trips already for the April 2022 to March 2023 season and this
only takes us through October.
I would like to thank Joan, Yvonne and Jessie for all their hard work in planning the trips to date.
Also Thank You to our seniors for coming on our trips, your participation makes GWSA trips
possible.
Submitted by Joanne White
Watercolours Group
We have been “keeping our brushes wet”, painting and sharing our results with each other. On
Zoom, we have continued our 1 pm meetings on the alternate Wednesdays of our normal inperson
day. We are grateful to the GWSA for providing this service! As the Evergreen Centre
opened up again, some members have felt able to return in person to Room 2 as well. We choose
optional subjects to paint: snow, hearth and home, animals, perspective, reflections, 4 elements,
self-portrait, water, mist, botanical, etc., and enjoy seeing the varied approaches to each. For
Christmas, we created a calendar featuring representative paintings by our members, and had
copies printed for each person in the club.
Mary Mulholland
Woodcarving
The Guelph Carving Club has been operating independently since 1987. The latest meeting
place we had for about ten years, was a room at the Marden Library complex. When COVID-19
hit, this venue was closed to us.
When we saw the Evergreen Centre, and as a result, GWSA, open in the Fall of 2021, our
Club decided to join GWSA as an activity. As a result, we have been operating as an Activity
under GWSA since September 2021.
We are a Wood Carving/Craft Club that Carves items in the Round, in Pyrography (wood
shading, or ‘burning’) and Marquetry (inlaid small thin pieces of veneer). We can loan you tools
and some materials to get you started and will train and assist you all the way.
We see better times ahead with some local Wood Shows opening up and interest in general
growing.
Submitted by Ken Fugler – President
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City of Guelph Senior Services Report
Hello Guelph Wellington Seniors Association members, friends, and supporters.
Our doors are open! A year ago, I wrote my thoughts about year one in a pandemic, the things
we missed, and the silver linings along the way. This year, I write to you with a welcome back to
the Evergreen Seniors Community Centre and a thank you for persevering along with the GWSA
and the City of Guelph teams. It’s been wonderful to see the Evergreen back in action and to see
the faces, hear the voices, and feel the energy of our members and guests.
Like the year before, we have relied on the tireless work of the GWSA and City teams to
navigate an endless series of regulations, protocols, and procedures. While some of these actions
are now part of our day-to-day lives and other tasks seem like distant memories, it’s important to
acknowledge that we persevered, and we made it through. I thank everyone that stepped up to
support our return to regular activities. I’d especially like to thank the GWSA’s Executive Team
for all their efforts. They have tackled a very challenging year with tireless dedication, a
thoughtful approach, and a steadfast desire to support and improve the GWSA.
As in previous years, City staff continue to make both subtle and significant improvements to
the Evergreen. Most obvious is our revamped front desk and dining room counter set-ups. Both
look great and help maintain the updated health and safety expectations. You’ll also notice that
we’ve re-named our dining room “Bistro 683” and added some wonderful graphics from
designer Ellyn Lusis to liven up the facility. And finally, I’m happy to report that we will be
extending dining room hours of operation until 4pm beginning in the Fall.
We’ve also revamped our Snooker Room and replaced the worn-out felt and pockets on our
tables, replaced the lighting with energy efficient alternatives, and have added a few creature
comforts to make the space more enjoyable.
Less obvious, but equally important improvements around the Evergreen include a
replacement of our hot water systems, repairs to the Auditorium floor, replacement of
Auditorium lights, and a facility-wide enhancement of our Wi-Fi system to allow for better
access and speed. These improvements will make day-to-day use of the Evergreen more
enjoyable for all guests.
Finally, I’d like to acknowledge and say thank you to our Evergreen and GWSA Staff that
have moved on to new adventures and opportunities; this includes Tonie MacInnis (now acting-
Supervisor of Programs for Recreation) and Sheri-Lyn Roy who has moved into a permanent
role with the City of Guelph. I want to extend a special thank you to the GWSA Community
Support Services team. I have so much appreciation and gratitude for all the work you’ve done
and differences you’ve made in the lives of older adults in our community. I had the privilege of
working with this team throughout the pandemic and cannot say enough about their efforts to
support those in need in times of greatest need. Thank you so much.
The weather is getting warmer, the sun is shining longer, the Evergreen doors are open, and
my door is always open for you!
I’m looking forward to connecting with familiar faces and welcoming new ones over the next
year.
With gratitude,
Adam.
Adam Rutherford – Program Manager Evergreen Seniors Centre
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Thanks to Our Contributors
For the 12 Months Ending March 31, 2022
For the 12 months ending March 31, 2022, GWSA Activity Groups had a net
remittance of $22,670.
And there were Individual Donations to the GWSA of $3,450.
We extend the utmost gratitude to all for their generous donations, which enable
us to continue offering our many Programs and Activities.
Thanks for generous support for these programs from:
The City of Guelph, the United Way, Guelph Wellington Dufferin, Guelph Community
Foundation, The Guelph Family Health Team, Emergency Community Support Fund, Guelph
Rotary Trillium, Compass, Older Adult Centres Association of Ontario, The SEED, The Guelph
Food Bank, and Hope House.
Also, a special thanks to new partnerships who generously
supported the Emergency Food Program:
The City of Guelph Evergreen Kitchen, Diabetes Care Guelph, and The County of Wellington
Housing Services, Church of the Apostles, Bulk Barn, Linamar, COBS Bread, Foresters’
Insurance, COSTCO, Queens Café, The Stocking Lady, With The Grain, West End Bakery,
VON Senior Support Services, Guelph Independent Living, GWSA Quilt Group, GWSA Craft
Group, and the many CSS volunteers for their dedication to our Community Support Services
community.
We extend special thanks to all the volunteers for our CSS
programs, including:
Seniors’ Pandemic Emergency Food Delivery program volunteers
SOS members
All CSS volunteers who make our CSS community great
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