Newsletters

October 2025

Our October Speaker is Lynn Weimer

Lynn Weimer worked as a Registered Nurse for 39 years.

The last 35 years she worked in Intensive Care Units, where she witnessed first hand the distress that families suffered when they had to make decisions regarding their loved one's care. For the last 14 years she has been a volunteer for Hospice Waterloo in various roles.

She will be speaking on Advance Care Planning 101

Imagine, If you were in the hospital, too ill or hurt to speak for yourself, who would make health care decisions for you?

Join us as we look at health care decision making in Ontario and how Advance Care Planning conversations can help you and your loved ones. This session is all about how the law in Ontario sets up Substitute Decision Making, and what you need to know about choosing your Substitute Decision Maker (SDM). This is essential information you need to know about Advance Care Planning in Ontario.

Advance Care Planning – the gift you give each other!

No September Speaker - Activity Showcase

Our “Activity Showcase Event” was a great success with lots of members attending. Activity coordinators and their volunteers proudly displayed colourful items and provided specific activity information at their tables.

Members circulated around the hall and visited the 19 activity tables and placed their names in various activity draw boxes to win some great prizes including: a $100 travel voucher from Direct Travel Hanover, a wooden hiking and snowshoeing figurine hand carved by Probus member Vernon Freer, a box of fresh garden vegetables, 2 bottles of wine, two theatre tickets, $25 cash prizes, and much more.

Many “new members signed-up” to various activities including: Eating For Your Health 20 (total 42) ; Film Club 15 (total 26); Hiking 12 (total 87); Pole Walking 24 (total 44); Snow Shoeing 12 (total 50); Theatre 20 (total 155); Travel 18 (total 155) and Wine Tasting 13 (total approx.155).

New members attended and were introduced and welcomed by President Terry. Members had the opportunity to sit in groups to get acquainted and socialize throughout the meeting. Robin Hill prepared some delicious date squares and yummy brownies for everyone to enjoy at coffee break. This may become an annual event!

Dianne Mather, Activity Group Chair

Checkout the Probus website to view a selection of pictures from the showcase event here.

A Message from Your President

It was a great to see so many of you out to our September Meeting and Activity Showcase. Hopefully you all enjoyed it as much as I did. Special thanks to Dianne and Helen for the work it takes to pull this together, and the Activity Coordinators for all of their work setting up the table displays and providing information to interested members. With that event in the rear-view mirror, it’s time to look forward to the remainder of our year. I am expecting high quality guest speakers at our meetings, fantastic snacks from Robin and other contributors and great opportunities to socialize during the meetings and at special events.

One of the key undertakings of the management committee this year will be a thorough survey of the membership to ensure we continue to provide the best experience possible. I am sure this won’t be the only survey you’ll receive by email! However, filling this out is a great way to help improve your experience and shape the future of the club. Your feedback lets the Management Committee know what’s working and what’s not. It ensures that your voice is heard and the club continues to reflect the interests and needs of the members. Even if you are perfectly happy with what the club is doing, the survey can reinforce that opinion and be used in counter-point to other responses advocating change. We will be planning to send out the survey via email in mid-to-late October, so watch for it and please respond if you can.

Terry

Probus Christmas Turkey Luncheon Tickets Available

Wednesday December 10th
11:00 to 1:00pm
$35.00/person
Sign up and payment (cash or e-transfer) will commence at the October Probus meeting
There will be 130 places available - Guests will be allowed after interested Probus members have signed up & paid
Tables of 8 to 10 - if a group wants to sit together, sign up and payment must received at the same time

Ways to Stay Up to Date with Probus Canada

Podcast - Go to https://probuscanada.ca, scroll down to the footer, and click on the green Spotify icon.

Facebook - News from Probus clubs in Canada: https://www.facebook.com/probuscanada/

YouTube - two new videos that were developed this year: https://www.youtube.com/@PROBUS-Canada

Newsletter - latest issues of the PROBUS Canada Connections at: https://www.probuscanada.ca/news.

Probus Global is a network of Probians from all over the world who meet quarterly on ZOOM. If interested, you can visit https://probusglobal.org/ and follow the route to become a member at NO cost as long as you are a Probus member.

October Probus Activity Updates

19 Club Activities:

Book Club, Bridge Club, Cycling, Dinner Club, Eating for Your Health, Film Club, Genealogy (New Activity) Golf, Hiking, Kayaking, Knitting & Crochet, Pole Walking , Pot Luck, Scotch Tasting , Scrabble, Snow Shoeing, Theatre, Travel, and Wine Tasting

For Activities Information and Details:

Visit The Hanover Area Probus Website at www.hapc.ca/activitieslist for details and information on these activities. If you need assistance or have any questions contact Dianne Mather, Activity Group Chair at act@hapc.ca

Eat for Health

Turns out drinking vinegar and water doesn't taste that bad! Many Probus members were shocked at how drinking a shot of balsamic vinegar and water at the Eating for your Health table at the Activity Showcase event actually tasted good! At the event 20 new members signed up, many of them new to Probus.

We meet every third Tuesday of the month and focus on a healthy food theme for our potluck. Our next meeting is Tues. Oct. 21 and the potluck theme is 'Anti-Inflammatory foods'. Each dish will have ingredients that have anti-inflammatory properties.

Coordinators: Kathy Greensides and Robin Hill

Scotch Tasting

The Hanover Area PROBUS scotch tasting group is looking forward to Wed Oct 15th when we sample three whiskies from the islands.
The tasting will be centred by an offering from the legendary Isle of Skye Talisker distillery, partnered with two surprise single malts from neighbouring islands chosen by our good friend Rodger Donald. Details are still being finalized. An email will be sent to members soon with more information.

If you would like to be included in this tasting contact Bob.

Coordinators: Bob Farrow and Garry Macgregor

Theatre

The Theatre group welcomed 20 new members that signed up at the showcase meeting on September 9th. On September 17^th, 30 members attended the Blyth Festival Theatre production of "Radio Town: The Doc Cruickshank Story". Future group outings:

“The Wonder of It All” a comedy at Orangeville Theatre Wed Oct 22

“Flight Risk” a comedy at Hildebrand Schoolhouse Theatre St. Jacobs Wed Nov 5

“Witness for the Prosecution” Agatha Christie courtroom drama at Hamilton Theatre Cambridge Nov 13

“School of Rock”-Andrew Lloyd Webber Musical Hanover Civic Theatre Dec 6^th -members can sign up for tickets at Oct 8^th monthly Probus meeting

Marlin Travel in Walkerton is offering day bus trips:

“Anne of Green Gables” at Stratford on Avon Oct 17th and "The Walters Family 50th Anniversary Country Christmas Show" at Brantford Sanderson Centre Wed. Nov 12^th

To make reservations, members must call Marlin Travel 519- to 881-3120.

Committee - Peter Dalton, Jill Dalton, Tracey Neuman

Travel Mtg

The next travel meeting will be at Cravings Restaurant Hanover on Wed Oct15^th. A Collette representative and Direct Travel Hanover staff Carol Brownell will be attending and providing trip information and details on Scotland: “Land of Lore & Legend” 2026 Sept 20-30, (11 days) including Glasgow, Scottish Highlands, Sheepdog demo, Isle of Mull, Isle of Iona, Urquhart Castle, Cawdor Castle, Whisky Tasting and Dinner and Edinburgh. This is a small group bus trip (12-24 people) exclusively for our Probus members.

Travel members will also present brief highlights of their recent trips to Ireland, Quebec and Agawa Canyon.

Committee-Dianne Mather, Joan Roseborough, Peter Dalton, Margaret Elliott-Niesen

Wine Tasting

A lot of members visited the wine tasting group table at the Activity Showcase event. It was great meeting and talking with new and returning members.

The response from members for the New Year’s Eve dinner and wine pairing was amazing. By the end of the meeting we had reached our maximum number. After talking to the committee and the Best Western hotel we were able to add two tables and we actually have 4 spots open. We will also have a wait list if anyone is interested in the event.

The next wine tasting is Mon. Oct. 27^th at 1: at the Walkerton Golf Club. Chris Colaneri from Colaneri Wines will present a complete guided interactive seminar outlining the countless variables in winemaking with a tasting of 10 different wines. It should be a fabulous event. An invitation was e-mailed to members on Sept. 21st and the response has been great - we have one spot still open.

Committee: Frances Agnew, Dan Hobler, Helen Peppler, Bill Roseborough

Local and Area Events

The Aging Well in Grey Bruce Calendar is now available for local distribution!

The calendar was co-created with the voices and wisdom of local older adults and service providers through surveys, workshops, and community events and with funding support from Healthcare Excellence Canada and facilitated through the Grey Bruce Ontario Health Team.

This resource is available both electronically and in hardcopy, with approximately 4000 physical copies to be distributed to older adults across Grey Bruce in the coming weeks. Each month highlights a new topic chosen by local older adults with helpful tips for living well and staying connected to local programs and services. Electronic version can be found here: www.greybruceoht.ca/calendar

If you didn’t pick up a calendar at the September meeting, they will be available again at the door at the October meeting. Or e-mail Helen Peppler to reserve your copy or copies.

Grey Roots Museum and Archives - 2025 Fall Lecture Series- Oct 21 - Nov 18

Our popular lecture series returns this fall! Explore diverse topics through engaging talks, film, and song - live in the Thomas Wheildon Theatre with museum access and refreshments included.

Oct 21 – We Lend a Hand: The Forgotten Story of Ontario Farmerettes (Advance tickets required)
Oct 28 – Elysia DeLaurentis: A Grave Offence
Nov 18 – Kevin Moyse: Songs of Georgian Bay

Our annual Book Sale returns October 3 & 4, with the Early Bird Sale the evening of October 2. Don’t miss this year’s fantastic selection! We’ll also be hosting presentations this month on Homeopathic Medicine and Home Care. Looking ahead, Ontario Public Library Week runs from October 20–25, featuring a full week of special events and activities. Visit our website for full details and schedules: https://hanoverlibrary.ca/calendar/

For all our events, visit library.brucecounty.on.ca/ or contact your local branch.

For more information on all upcoming Library programs and events: https://www.westgreylibrary.com/programs-events

Town of Hanover Parks, Recreation & Culture Community Guide (Fall 2025/Winter 2026): http://chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.hanover.ca/sites/default/files/2025-08/2025%20Fall%20%26%202026%20Winter%20Community%20Guide_0.pdf

Of special note, see page 22 and 23 for the Senior Active Living Centre (SALC) Programs, funded by the Ontario Government through a Senior Active Living Centre Grant. The grant covers a number of free fitness classes plus a Speakers Series (see below).