Linda Hannah of the Nature Conservancy of Canada shared an interesting presentation at our November meeting. Through slides of beautiful preserved areas in BC we learned of the diligent efforts, both past and current, to secure and protect natural habitat and forest land for future generations. 

   Our October speaker, Club Member Mary Smillie, entertained the members by recounting  her experiences as a Green Coat Ambassador at YVR.  For 15 years Mary has warmly welcomed and assisted travelers with directions, provided information on services available in the airport, and even acted as unofficial tour guide at YVR. Mary’s presentation will provided us with the history, services, and her delightful personal experiences.  

September 26th was a “Meet and Greet” evening and the first in a monthly series of “Did you Know?”.

The speaker at our May AGM was Georgina Patko, a former CFUW Richmond member, who is the director of community relations at Richmond's Touchstone Family Association.   She broadened our knowledge of Touchstone, a non-profit organization which helps local families in distress and encourages family values with more time together enjoying  meals and discussions.   Volunteers are always welcome.

The speaker in April was, Jill Wright of Jill Wright Garden Designs who entertained and educated us with her expertise and knowledge on planning a garden with regards to the quality of soil . She has studied at Van Dusen Gardens and at UBC and has travelled to Provence in Southern France to study various varieties of flowers and garden designs. We picked up a great many tips for this busy gardening season as well as an abundance of lovely Korean Rock Ferns.

Our March speaker was Wendy Phillips, the winner of the coveted Governor General’s Literacy Award for her book about teenage angst, Fishtailing. Wendy, a Richmond teacher and librarian at MacNeill Secondary School, received her award from Governor General David Johnston on November 25, 2010 during a ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa. All in attendance were thoroughly entertained and found her presentation very engaging.

In February our speaker from the Arthritis Society was very informative and interesting. From the indication by our members present, Arthritis is a common problem for so many.  We learned that Arthritis is not curable, only manageable thus having more information on coping with this disease was of benefit. By the age of 40, about 90 percent of all people have x-ray evidence of OA in the weight-bearing joints, such as the hips and knees; but most people don’t experience symptoms until later in life. 

Anyone interested in learning more about the 6 week Arthritis Self-Management Program taught by Val Taylor may get more information from Joan Vyner of the Arthritis Society. Joan may be reached by telephone at 604-875-5002 or e-mail at JVyner@bc.arthritis.ca . The program will be available in Richmond in May this year.

Alexa Loo, Richmond’s own Olympian, presented an excellent and engaging talk at our January meeting.  As President Cheryl phrased it so well, "Alexa’s story of training as a snowboarder had us feeling as if we were standing in the gates waiting for the signal to race."  

Amazing to witness the renewal  of the Olympic spirit as the club members sported classic red mittens, Olympic clothing and of course the Alexa Loo bags.   Many thanks Alexa.

Our speaker for November was Sylvia Gwozd, a Richmond School Trustee and member of the Sister City Committee. Through a slide presentation Sylvia shared highlights of each Sister City and Richmond’s official delegation visit to Asia culminating in Richmond Day at the Canadian Pavilion at Shanghai Expo on September 25th. 

The October Meeting featured Margaret Sarkissian, M.A. (Education) and Certified Executive Coach, an experienced trainer and facilitator, who discussed the integration of some key concepts of positive psychology and appreciative living into an engaging presentation outlining the necessary steps for positive personal change.  Workshop to be arranged.

It was a terrific venue to highlight our committees, interest groups and welcome several guests as potential new members. It is always amazing to see how many familiar faces one will meet again in our vibrant and friendly group.