Newsletters

December 2025

Christmas Luncheon

The Christmas Luncheon will be in place of the next General Meeting on December 10.

Doors and the bar will open at 11:00 a.m. with the formal festivities kicking off at around 11:30 and the meal being served at noon.

Click here to see pictures from our Christmas luncheons over the years.

Recipes from November’s Coffee Break Treats

Gramma Ella's Lemon Squares

1 box Honeymaid Graham wafer squares

1 can Eaglebrand Condensed Milk
2 lemons juiced and grated rind
Layer half of the wafers onto a cookie tray.
Mix milk, juice and rind together.
Spread onto wafer squares.
Layer the other wafers on top.
Top with buttercream icing.

Buttercream icing recipe

1/2 cup butter
2 cups icing sugar
1.5 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
Pinch of salt
Whip butter with sugar. Blend in milk, vanilla and salt.

Link for Ham ball recipe

Link for Cheese ball with everything recipe

Our November Speaker was Jean Rowcliffe

Ms Jean Rowcliffe (who lives in St Mary’s) is a retired nanny, formerly employed by the Royal family. Unfortunately we can’t share any of her presentation, or any of the pictures she had on her display table, as it would violate agreements she has with the royal family.

Here are some of the highlights:

Jean Alice Rowcliffe is passionate about the rearing of children. A Norland College (the training ground which still produces nannies for the Royal Family) nursery nurse, she was born in Canada and still lives in St Mary’s.

She has enriched countless lives for over three decades, including the British royal family. She was nanny for the children of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, at Kensington Palace for four and a half years. Her fascination with the Royal Family began in childhood and led to her working as a 17 year old servant at Buckingham Palace in 1974.

She made San Francisco her home in the late 1980’s, where she had the opportunity to work with many families including author Danielle Steel. Through her supportive and loving hands-on education and organization (which incorporates a common sense approach), Rowcliffe ultimately nurtures and strengthens families. She is honoured to be called affectionately, “Mary Poppins” by many of her families.

The irony that her only child would die on the cusp of adulthood, after dedicating her life to raising other children, is beyond mystifying. In The Last Tear, she shares her powerfully moving story as a mother who grieves the death of her son after a shocking and sudden cancer diagnosis. When James died, the author experienced crippling sorrow that paralyzed her for years. Her only child James was a dynamic 17-year old who was diagnosed with an extremely rare form of terminal cancer in 2008 and died eleven months later.

She continued her career in other fascinating locations around the world, accepting a number of short term assignments for numerous famous clients.

A Special Message from Your President's Cat

Dear Santa

I hope this letter finds you well, with your food bowl full and your litter box empty. My name is Five. I realize that this is a terrible feline name, but my human servants seem to think that it is appropriate to name me after a computer cable (Cat-Five) or give me a number to remind me of the number of cats that have come (and gone) before me.

Let’s be honest, Santa. I am a cat of discerning taste and high-expectations. I’ve spent the past year tolerating the humans, placing mouse and bat carcases on the floor beside their beds – as they are atrocious hunters, putting up with desiccated diet pellet food and graciously allowing them to live in my home. I’ve supervised their activities, warmed their clean clothes while still in the laundry basket, and provided them with constructive feedback of all of the things they do wrong. And I can tell you they do more than enough wrong to be on the lifetime “Naughty” list. So, by saving on gifts for these useless primates, you should have plenty of resources for my presents. I’m not asking for much—just everything a sophisticated cat could possibly desire. Here’s my list, and I expect prompt delivery. After all, I am a cat, and patience is not one of my virtues.

1. Catnip—The Good Stuff: Let’s start with the basics. I need premium, organic catnip. None of that dried-out, second-rate stuff. I want the kind that makes me roll around in ecstasy and forget that there is another cat (Cat-Astrophe – aka Astra) of questionable lineage and morals living in the subterranean warrens beneath my palace. If you can arrange for a lifetime supply, that would be ideal.

2. Treats—Variety Is Key: I expect a large selection of gourmet treats. Salmon, tuna, chicken, and duck, please – as I realize that bat flavoured treats are not readily available. I’m bored of the usual kibble. I want treats that crunch, treats that melt, and treats that make me purr so loudly the neighbors complain. Any treat with the words “diet”, “weight-control” or “adult formula” will be seen as a grave insult to me. Please remember I have claws and am not afraid to use them.

3. Automated Access Controlled Doors: I am confronted daily with a cat’s greatest nemesis, a closed door. In my youth I would have just used my razor-sharp claws to burrow into the wood deep enough that my humans could either leave it open or bare the cost of replacing it. But as I age that simply takes too much energy. As such, using the same technology as my feeder which is keyed to an RFID chip on my gorgeous leather necklace, I figure that the doors could just open as I approached so I could go wherever I want whenever I please. Please refer to episodes of Star Trek to see how such doors should operate. Perhaps the same control could open a pit concealing poisoned spikes / deadly snakes, etc. if Astra approaches the same door. Let me know what you can do on this and I’ll send you my Pet-Libro code and Astra’s as well if you could help me achieve her demise without me having to put the physical effort into a cat-fight. See picture of the feeder for reference. Please don’t misinterpret my feigned terrified demeanor for a cat that doesn’t back up my threats.

4. Window Perch: I need a deluxe window perch with a panoramic view. I want to watch birds, squirrels, and the dreamy Tom from next door who goes by the name of Bob. The perch should be sturdy enough for my expanding waistline (especially after you deliver all of item 2, I requested above) and plush enough for my afternoon snoozes. It should have intruder detection and be electrified to cause great distress to Astra, if she chooses to invade this sanctuary of mine.

5. Personal Butler: Let’s face it, Santa, the humans that I have are beyond hopeless, and don’t come close to meeting even my most basic standards. I’d like a personal butler—someone who understands the art of chin scratches, knows how to program my feeder to dispatch better food whenever I want it, and never forgets to clean the litter box even if I decide to test its efficacy just after cleaning. Also, I’d prefer that this butler not be allowed to have any hobbies that take them away from their duties. I would also like the Probus bylaws to be changed to reflect that being a cat butler does not allow one to consider themselves fully or even partially retired. My humans seem to spend an inordinate amount of time out of the house yarn-sporting, cycling, wine-tasting and committing general chicanery in the name of this club. If you can’t manage a full-time butler, at least send training manual for my humans.

Santa, I trust you’ll take my demands seriously. I’ve been exceptionally good this year—well, good enough. If you need proof, just check with the humans. They’ll confirm that I am the center of the universe and deserving of every present imaginable. If they don’t please let me know and I will fix that problem. I’ll be waiting by the tree, eyes wide and tail twitching. Don’t disappoint me, Santa. Remember, I know where you live and unlike you, I have nine lives!

Yours in faithful felineness

Five of Cats

News

Website Activity Updates

Recently the activity information and activity events have been reviewed and updated by the activity coordinators. Members are invited and encouraged to visit Hanover Area Probus Club website at www.hapc.ca/activitieslist. It’s as easy as clicking on the “blue more info” link or click on any activity or event on the monthly calendars. If you need assistance or have any questions contact Dianne Mather, Activity Group Chair at act@hapc.ca

Volunteers for Various Activities

Volunteer members are a vital part of ensuring that our organization is sustained into the future!

Thank you very much to all the members who signed up to volunteer for a variety of activities on their membership form and/or at the September Activity Showcase Event.

The member volunteer response was amazing:

26 for “Christmas Dinner Arrangements”; 25 for “We Share”; 24 for “Greeters”;

15 for “Hospitality Snacks”; 9 for “Program Speaker”; 3 for “Newsletter”; 3 for “ Club Photographs”; 3 for “Snowshoeing”; 3 for “Hiking”; 1 for Golf; 1 Knit/Crochet; 1 for “Dinner Club” and 1 for “Potluck”

Volunteers Prepared Christmas Snacks

At the monthly meeting, 12 volunteer members assisted Robin Hill, Hospitality Chair, with tasty Christmas snacks for members to enjoy! Marta Hoyles brought Cranberry Orange Bread and she also decorated the table with colourful and sparkling Christmas décor; Linda Anderson - Chocolates; Susan Campbell - Cranberry Oatmeal White Chocolate Cookies; Jane Eaton - Ginger Snaps and Oatmeal Cranberry and Sugar cookies; Wendy McDougall - Cherry Cookies; Nina McTeer - Snowballs; Liz Flewwelling - Christmas Delights; Helen Peppler-Habenero Apricot Jelly with Cream Cheese and Crackers; Susan Keir - Oatmeal Shortbread Cookies; Denise Nixon - Shrimp Platter; Sheila Lavigne - Thimble Cookies; Robin Hill-Ham Cheese ball with crackers and sliced apples.

December Probus Activity Updates

Eat for Health

Members of the group met on November 18^th to share simple but healthy appetizers for the Christmas season. While we shared a variety of fruits and veggie appetizers, surprisingly more than half were date based treats and were really delicious. The group meets monthly to try new healthy foods recipes and share health related ideas based on a theme.

Click here to see all the pictures from their events.

Coordinators - Kathy Greensides and Robin Hill

Genealogy Meetings

The genealogy group is a place for members to collaborate on the research, organization and display of family trees. Based on introductory sessions held in the fall the meetings of the group will be both on-line and in-person. Online meetings will be held the 1^st Wednesday of each month at 10 a.m. starting December 3^rd. Topic(s) will be announced by email prior to the meeting. Meetings will take place via Zoom. The focus of these meetings will be sharing research techniques and tools. In-person meetings will be “office-hours” type meet-ups to be scheduled for the third Friday of the month alternating between a venue in Hanover and a venue in Walkerton TBD. The focus of these meetings will be discussions of success and progress on individual’s research and tree development. The first meeting of this type will occur on Friday December 19^th, in Hanover exact location to be determined.

Trips may be scheduled to local locations of genealogical information or tools (archives, libraries, etc.) depending on member interest. The activity is open to any level of experience and is not based on any specific tool or software for doing research or development of family trees. To date 22 members have signed up.

Coordinators -Terry and Janice Koehler

Hiking

Below are pictures from the November 13 Allan Park hike and the November 23 Brant Tract trek.

Here is the link to view all of the pictures from all hikes.

Potluck

12 ladies attended the potluck on November 24th. The theme was Christmas favourites and there was a delicious assortment. The next potluck will be on Monday, January 19th, at Hope Community Church.

Click here to see all the potluck pictures.

Theatre

It has been a busy year for the theatre group with 10 organized group outings to 4 musicals, 3 comedies and 3 drama productions at theatres within a reasonable driving distance. Each outing included a meal reservation at a restaurant close to the theatre. The largest outing was 50 group members who went to see the Drayton Entertainment production of "Grease" at the Drayton Festival theatre in July. The final outing of the year will be to see "The School of Rock", with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber" at the Hanover Civic Theatre on Saturday December 6th.

A number of theatre group members also took part in bus outings, organized by a local travel agency, to professional theatre productions in Toronto and Stratford and to a performance by "The Cirque du Soleil" in the "Big Top" on Lake Shore Boulevard in Toronto.

There will be a joint meeting with the travel group at 11 am on Wednesday, January 21 at which the shows to be included in next year's outings will be selected. The theatre group currently has about 160 members on the email list.

Committee: Peter Dalton, Jill Dalton, Tracey Neuman

Local and Area Events

Visit their website for full details and schedules.

Visit their website for full details or contact your local branch.

Visit their website for all upcoming Library programs and events.

Town of Hanover Parks, Recreation & Culture Community Guide (Fall 2025/Winter 2026):

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.

Hanover Recreation and Culture events and programs webpage