CFUW is a non-partisan, voluntary, self-funded organization with over 100 CFUW Clubs, located in every Province across Canada.

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1 CFUW Owen Sound & Area December, 2014 Newsletter President Judy Gay Vice-President Ruth Henderson Secretary Sandra Shantz Treasurer Trish Searle Past President Brenda Bergen CFUW: The Power of Women Working Together CFUW is a non-partisan, voluntary, self-funded organization with over 100 CFUW Clubs, located in every Province across Canada. Since its founding in 1919, CFUW has been working to improve the status of women, and to promote human rights, public education, social justice and peace. It holds special consultative status with the United Nations (ECOSOC) and belongs to the Education Committee of the Canadian Commission to UNESCO. CFUW is the largest affiliate of the International Federation of University Women (IFUW), which represents women worldwide. PRESIDENTS MESSAGE Dear Members; I bring you greetings of anticipation for this season of the winter solstice. I watch the sunrise creep along the eastern shore of Owen Sound. I know the solstice is near because the sunrise is now very close to the Cobble Beach light house. And then the days will begin to lengthen.

2 But Christmas is before us. The season of gift giving, baking, jollity and good cheer. We are reminded by the calls for 'non-perishable' food stuffs that there are many among us for whom this season is not jolly or particularly happy. We donate to the food drive, the Firemen's toy drive, our Church's call for donations. We help. I wish you all health, happiness and good cheer for this season of bright lights and (a little bit of) snow. Judy SUMMARY OF THE EXECUTIVE MEETING OF NOVEMBER 4, 2014 A number of topics were explored including the following: ideas for celebrating our Club's 25th Anniversary which happens in 2015 ways to fundraise for our Scholarship Fund, as well as reviewing how the funds are distributed do we need to make changes in our format, focus and operation in order to energize the Club members and recruit more members. Adding more Interest Groups is one of the ideas presented. Discussions are ongoing. (Suggestions are welcome.) MEMBERSHIP We currently have 48 members and 1 life member. Membership Chair Judy Thomson harkawaychina@yahoo.com PROGRAM Our next meeting is Tuesday December 9 th at 7:00 pm. We are back once again to St. Andrew s Church Hall. The topic is the Grey Bruce Food Charter and the guest speaker is Jill Umbach Planning Network Coordinator of the Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force. Don t miss this relevant and interesting topic. We will be taking donations to the Women s Centre. Please bring toiletry items such as shampoo and items for babies and children such as diapers, clothes and toys. Sydney Misener Program Chair sydneymisener@gmail.com

3 SCHOLARSHIP Dear CFUW Members, Thank you to everyone who donated to the Club's Scholarship Fund this fall. We are inching closer to our target. If you have not already done so, I encourage you to make a donation before the end of the year. Our Scholarships are the one act of outreach to the community that our Club performs each year. The Scholarship Fund is a charity registered by the Canada Revenue Agency, and, as such, can issue Official Tax Receipts for donations. Jan Middleton, Scholarship Chair janmiddleton@sympatico.ca ARCHIVES Please submit any information or pictures that you think should be kept to: Donna Phillips, donnagord@icloud.com Archivist INTEREST GROUPS EVENING BOOK CLUB 4th Monday of the Month The Book Club met on December 1st to talk about all our reading on the subject of World War I. There won t be another meeting in December, but we will reconvene on January 26 to discuss Road Ends, a novel by Canadian author Mary Lawson. There will be further details about the January meeting in the next newsletter. For more information about the Book Club, please contact Jane Hendrie at (519) or jmhendrie@gmail.com. GARDENERS INTEREST GROUP meets 3rd Tuesday afternoons The Gardeners' Group November meeting was cancelled because of snow. When the white stuff is that deep on the ground, hardy gardeners know it's time to move inside and wait for the first green shoots of spring. Our December meeting will be held on Tuesday December 16th - the ever popular Gardeners' Potluck Lunch. Janine Sobiski will be our host. Her address is 114 Rossmoyne, just north of Leith.

4 Please let her know both if you are coming/not coming and what you plan to bring to contribute to the food table. Judy Gay has graciously agreed to give her postponed presentation of plant classification, prepared for our November meeting. Deborah Ferrier-Armstrong will also speak on special holiday plants. Judy Thomson ISSUES 4th Thursday Afternoons Issues Group Gets Militant! Cozily gathered in a booth at the Frog Pond, six members of this CFUW Interest Group had planned to discuss the role of Canada s military. Well, we gave it a bit of a try but then someone mentioned the name Jian Ghomeshi and the meeting went viral. What fun! That is just the way it is sometimes with this group of intellectual thinkers and talkers. Join us on December 18th at noon at the home of Judy Keeling when we will enjoy a pot luck lunch and then an open mic round table forum of what s on your mind?. Raising any topic of issue to you is welcomed. Judy K has offered to make a hearty soup. Any additional offers gratefully accepted. Let her know your plans to attend by ing judykeeling@ymail.com. Donna Phillips gdphillips@gbtel.ca Issues Group Coordinator HEALTHY LIFESTYLES 3rd Wednesday Mornings Note Change to the 3rd rather than the 4th Wed of each month There was inclement weather the day the Healthy Lifestyle Group was to walk at Inglis Falls and so we missed that as well as Judy Armstrong's muffins. We plan to reschedule this activity in the spring. We have never held a Christmas gathering so our next event will be on January 21, The activity will depend on the weather so expect an in the second week of the new year. If you would like to be on the mailing list for this group please contact Loreen Cumming at cummingdl@sympatico.ca

5 NEW GAMES NIGHT GROUP NEW This new Interest group will meet on the first Wednesday of the month at 7:00 pm. The first Games Night will take place on Jan 7, 2015 at Ruth Henderson s house (provisional). We envision several tables with members playing Bridge, Euchre, Scrabble, etc. and other games which members can introduce. Meetings will rotate between members homes where there is room. There will be a short organizational meeting after the CFUW General Meetings on December 9 at St. Andrew s Church. So far 8 people have signed up. If you are interested in becoming part of the Games Night Group, please contact Meran Farmer ( meranjoan@gmail.com) AND Trish Searle ( psttrak@gbtel.ca). NEWSLETTER and EVENTS CALENDAR The Newsletter is posted on the website: Please send submissions for the Newsletter to the new Coordinator: Pat McCoy at: rpmccoy50@gmail.com and updates for the Website Events Calendar to: Janine Sobiski at: janineadeles@gmail.com.