GWSA 2021-2022 Annual Report

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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! 28
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 29
Page 1 and 2: April 1, 2021 - March 31, 2022 Guel
Page 3 and 4: Board Overview This has been a year
Page 5 and 6: GWSA 2021-2022 Board of Directors T
Page 7 and 8: music, a big thinker that prefers i
Page 9 and 10: Organization Chart and Standing Com
Page 11 and 12: Human Resources Management Committe
Page 13 and 14: 13
Page 15 and 16: Governance Committee This Committee
Page 17 and 18: for our remaining CSS services by a
Page 19 and 20: Accomplishments Orientation and Tr
Page 21 and 22: The Sentinel The Sentinel office is
Page 23 and 24: ACTIVITY GROUP REPORTS Badminton Th
Page 25 and 26: In September 2021, we purchased new
Page 27: Line Dancing 2020/21 was a challeng
Page 31 and 32: Hake for all her help with the fina
Page 33 and 34: Thanks to Our Contributors For the

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