My first President’s Message must begin with sincere thanks to our Past-President, Steve Brown. Steve has been directly involved as President of our Community Association for about 6 years. When he first engaged, the Community Centre was a very different place. It was barely used, ill-maintained and in need of a major overhaul. Today, it has been rejuvenated, repainted and resurrected. With Steve’s leadership, the Community Association hosts several annual events and the Centre hosts and offers programs for small children, youth, and adult members. I can truly say that Steve leaves the Community Association and our Community Centre facility in a much better place than when he signed on. I am confident that he will continue to contribute and be available to us as needed for his advice and guidance. I personally look forward to engaging with him. Thanks again, Steve!
By the time you read this in early December, and with the hard work of our volunteer Lead Coordinators Diane Kirby and Lynn Champagne, we will have held our annual pre-Christmas “Merry Little Christmas Market” on December 7 & 8. Hopefully you were able to take advantage and get some great gifts from a wide range of “crafty” and home business vendors. Oh, and congratulations if you saved yourself some time and purchased some of the fabulous home-baked cookies and cakes donated by our great volunteers! Your Veteran’s Food Bank donations were, as ever, much needed and appreciated by the Royal Canadian Legion, Centennial Branch 285, on Horton Road SW.
Our Pickleball program continues to flourish under the guidance of a great group of volunteers who provide a variety of playing sessions with opportunities for everyone, from mentored beginners to more advanced players. Volunteer hosts are at hand at each session to greet and guide newcomers, so feel free to stop by and find out what the “buzz” is about. Be warned, once you have taken a lesson or played Pickleball a few times, it can be addictive! It is a great low-impact workout for all ages and skills, and has a significant positive social component, too.
I hope that you will drop into the Centre and see what we offer the Community, both in terms of programs but also the rooms and facilities available to rent for your meeting, class, party or celebration. Our rental rates are very competitive.
As I write this message in early November, we are planning to formalize a Seniors Group meeting twice a week at the Centre. The planned activities include table tennis, cards, board games, darts, guest speakers, or just to have coffee and a “chat.” We are planning to have hot/cold drinks, and snacks available for purchase. Please watch for more details or call our office – or better yet, just stop-by!
I am still “finding my feet” with respect to the various responsibilities of my new position. One of my responsibilities is to share your feedback with our municipal civil arena using our Ward 11 Councillor, Jeromy Farkas. If you have concerns or issues within our community, feel free to contact me. To this end, I hope that you will attend Jeromy’s December Town Hall meeting to be held at our Cedarbrae Community Centre on Thursday, December 12, at 7:00 pm.
Wishing all of you a happy seasonal celebration, a Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year!
Martin Waugh
President
