|
PARKSVILLE QUALICUM RETIRED TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION
NEWSLETTER #3 – JANUARY 2017
|
|
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE from Cathy Van
Herwaarden:
I hope that your new year is off
to a good start! Mine sure is!!! As you read this, I am flying
off to Cuba with my husband. Glad to leave the deep freeze behind! YIPPEE!!!
|
|
PAST
EVENTS: R. Elaine Young
(Program Chair)
|
|
November 30,
2016 - Parksville
Tour of Munchkinland, WOW (Words
on Wheels) Bus & Technology Learning Centre
|
|
Four Retired Teachers were
treated to an informative tour of the WOW bus, Technology
Learning Centre and Munchkinland
in Parksville. Judi Malcom, the Manager of Oceanside
Building Learning Together (BLT),
the society that runs all these positive programs, provided a
good update of the resources
available.
|
|
Even those folks who were
involved with BLT of the past, were very, very surprised by the
offerings these days.
Munchkinland provides a great opportunity for parents and caregivers to
bring children for open play. A
Saturday morning program (running this winter) is widely
attended by many parents,
including dads. In the spring, the program moves outside to
nearby
Mark’s Park, where children and parents can experience and explore nature
first hand.
|
|
The WOW bus takes the programs on
the road to many communities in the area. Building
Learning Together (BLT) is
retiring their current bus and will be outfitting a bus provided by
School District 69.
|
|
The
most “senior” friendly program is offered through the Technology Learning
Centre (TLC).
This program is focused on
adults, and promotes financial and technological literacy. They are
open regularly and provide many
specialized workshops. Last year, the TLC offered a series of
workshops that focused on
financial health after retirement, wills, powers of attorney etc.
Participants were very surprised
by the width and breadth of the TLC Program.
|
|
Fifty retired teachers and
friends donned their best “ugly”
Christmas attire and gathered at
Fairwinds Restaurant in Nanoose
Bay for some scrumptious food and Christmas cheer. The
room was filled with festive fun
and frivolity! Maybe even the best
yet!!!
|
|
This year, everyone received
their meal at a reduced rate, as we have a bit of extra money to
spend on our members. We gifted a poinsettia to three life
members: Betty Harrower, Eva
Hilborn and Art Skipsey. Other poinsettias were delivered to the
homes of life members.
|
|
Bill Taverner (Past President of
BC Retired Teachers Association) gave us a brief run-down on
the New Societies Act and the
repercussions for BCRTA and its local branches.
|
|
Bill Cave provided the background
Christmas music and accompanied our carol singing. Also,
many lucky people received door
prizes: angel decorations, star candle
holders, poinsettias,
Santa candles, seasonal table
runners, a stacking box snowman, a Santa doll, and a box of
Purdy’s
chocolates.
|
|
Thanks to Barb and Al Brett for
organizing the donations for Salvation Army.
There was $760
in monetary donations and a very
large number of food donations. The
Salvation Army was
thrilled with this
contribution. What a wonderful group
of generous people!
|
|
Choose Your
Resolution
By Renee Sylvestre-Williams /
December 2016 (Investors Group)
|
|
New
Year’s resolutions don’t have to be long lists of things you’ll
never get to. Instead, pick one
cause or charity to support in 2017.
|
|
This is the time of the year
when we make resolutions – to lose
|
|
weight, to be better with our
money or just to be a better person.
But instead of making multiple
resolutions that most of us never keep, what if we just decided
to do one thing in 2017 to help
make our world a better place? Surely one resolution is easier
to keep than many. Maybe focus on two things: something personal, and something that
helps the greater world.
|
|
Figuring out what to do,
though, can be a challenge – there are so
many organizations that
need help and so many ways to
give back. If you’re having trouble deciding on what cause or
charity to concentrate on,
there are ways to cut through the noise.
Ask yourself
what kind of impact you want to have on people.
Consider creating a “multi-plan,” where you’ll write down several things you care about
|
|
and then narrow it down from
there.
|
|
Once
you’ve decided on one or two causes to support, it’s time to do
a little research.
Checking your charities’ overheads, including administration
costs, salaries and how
much money
they spend to raise money. The information is usually available on a
charity’s site or through the Canada Revenue Agency, and it
can indicate how they’re
using their donations. Most of the money should go to
fulfilling the charity’s mandate.
Also,
consider calling and asking for a tour. This is a great opportunity to ask
questions
about how
charities are meeting their goals, including what metrics they’re using and
how they’re tracking them. Get as much reading material – such as
annual reports – as
you can, and
read it all. People choose a charity with their emotions, but the final
decision
should be made with their heads.
|
|
When you do decide on what cause to support in 2017, remember that
it’s the start of a
relationship and you should
want that relationship to be a long one.
Maybe attend local
meetings
and events, to see what’s out there and how to contribute. Just listen and learn!
|
|
People Needing
Assistance from Food Banks Increases
By Ken Kuhn,
Liaison Priorities Newsletter Editor, Port Moody, BC
Liaison
Priorities – December 2016
|
|
This year 3.4% of British
Columbians are accessing the Food Bank. Our BC
community food banks help 103,464 people in our province every month…
one third of these are children.
|
|
There are over 100 food banks
operating in BC. In Vancouver, there are 26,000 people
assisted per week. Many of these
people have a job—but may be
low-paying jobs. But the
high cost of living in BC is
taking a toll—especially
those people on fixed incomes. We have
one of the highest rates of
poverty here in BC but we are the only province without a strategy
that raises welfare or provides
housing and child care.
|
|
In 2015, BC had a child poverty
rate of 20.4%. (First Call 2015 Child Poverty BC Report Card)
More than half (50.3%) of all BC
children in lone-parent families are poor.
What is startling is
the number of young people and
seniors forced to stand in line. Across BC, 32% of users are
kids & in Vancouver for
seniors it is 19%. Many people are renting. Rents are high, income is
low. Rent has preference to food
(& drug prescriptions & health care) so people are accessing
food banks.
|
|
We need the provincial government
to step in & share the burden. The Liberal government
likes
to point out that BC has the strongest economy in the country right now. It’s
just a stat—
that means very little—when thousands of people don’t have enough to eat.
|
|
Mobility accessing food banks is
a factor for seniors. Seniors need to be able to get to a food
bank and be able to take the food
away. There are other barriers that include the stigma of
accepting help so many are
reluctant to come because of the embarrassment and have not
been used to this in their
lifetime. There is less need for some
seniors as they have been
admitted into a care home so the
stats are skewed as a percentage of the whole population.
|
|
Food Banks need
your help! Donate
money: Loonies or Toonies!!!
$1 gets $6 of food. Buying power
increases with money!!!
http://www.parksvillesalvationarmy.ca/Food_Bank.html
|
|
It’s Cold out There!!!
Check out the items that could be
helpful for the homeless people in Oceanside area.
http://www.mannahomelesssociety.com/contactdonate/wish-list/
|
|
BCRTA – SOCIAL CONCERNS COMMITTEE: Lynne Rodier
|
|
Are you willing to be a Social
Concerns contact for our local branch?
Your role would be
receiving information and giving
feedback about social concerns. The
Social Concerns
Committee is looking to develop a
network of contacts to facilitate communication between
the committee and its
members. The committee will share
provincial concerns with the
contact and the contact will
share back local issues with the provincial committee. It is not
an
onerous task and requires mostly emails.
Here’s this year’s objectives for Committee:
To
actively support “A Declaration Concerning a National Health Care Strategy
for Seniors”
To continue to advocate for
seniors issues in the upcoming provincial election
To continue to work with Health
& Housing with concerns that involve both committees
To provide information on
property tax deferrals prior to the tax deadline for members who
are home owners
|
|
To continue to encourage all
branches to actively support social concern issues that affect
BCRTA members, and to appoint
Branch Social Concerns contacts
To continue to monitor the work of Provincial Seniors’ Advocate
|
|
For more information: http://bcrta.ca/bcrta-committees/179-social-concerns-committee
|
|
If you are interested in being
our Social Concerns contact, please contact me.
cathyvanh@gmail.com or
250.248.0412 We need a
volunteer, please!!!!
|
|
5 Ways We Can
All Improve Our Lives
BY ALEX MLYNEK / SEPTEMBER 2016
(INVESTORS GROUP)
As good as life may be, we can
always get better. Here's how.
|
|
Canadians are, generally, a happy
and satisfied bunch – we are the
sixth happiest country in
the world according to the 2016
World Happiness Report – but we know we
can always do
better. In fact, a recent Ipsos
Reid poll noted that 88 percent of Canadians are always on the
hunt for ways to boost their
well-being. Fortunately, increasing well-being doesn’t require
radical change. Ready to get
started? These five tips will help you turn that intention into a
habit.
|
|
1. Eat Green
|
|
Ipsos
Reid found that 65 percent of Canadians want to live a healthier lifestyle.
Here’s an easy
way to do just that: eat more
greens, says registered holistic nutritionist Peggy Kotsopoulos.
“Green
veggies, sea veggies and algae are loaded with chlorophyll, which helps
increase the
number
of energy boosting, oxygen rich and revitalizing red blood cells,” she says.
So add a
salad
to your lunch routine, have some sautéed spinach alongside your breakfast
eggs, or
snack on roasted nori.
|
|
2. Find the
Time
|
|
We all feel better when we spend
time with friends and family – and, according
to that Ipsos
poll, 40 percent of those
surveyed do want to spend more time with loved ones – but
everyone knows that making time
is easier said than done. Being around people you care
about can actually do wonders for
your mood, says Kotsopoulos, as it helps boost serotonin
levels and reduces stress. If
your schedule is packed, though,
you’ll either have to take
something away from your calendar
or find a way to combine priorities, says Clare Kumar, a
productivity coach for
executives. For example, if exercise is one of your goals, a walk date
with a friend might do the trick,
she says.
|
|
3. Change Your
Mind
|
|
The
only thing stopping you from improving your life is you. That’s according to
research done
by Stanford University psychology
professor Carol Dweck. Her theory is that people who think
their talents are innate are
likely to give up on a new activity if
it doesn’t work right away.
However, if you approach trying
new things with what she calls a growth mindset – you have
to see talent as something that
takes effort and practice to develop – you’re more likely to
keep at it even if you’re not successful the first time. Try something with that
mindset and
you’ll
gain resilience along with a new skill.
|
|
4. Get Messy
|
|
It’s
time to stop feeling guilty about clutter and embrace your untidiness, says
Jennifer
McCartney, author of The Joy of
Leaving Your Sh*t All Over the Place, a paean to saying yes
to
mess that’s filled with practical, yet tongue-in-cheek, tips on how to do so. “We spend so
much time trying to attain
Pinterest or Instagram-worthy
kitchens and coffee tables and it’s a
waste of brain power,” says McCartney. “Plus, being messy can actually
make you more
creative.”
If you’re naturally neat, you can get into messiness, too — you might find
it
liberating.
“Don’t force it, but give it a try for a week or just a day,” she suggests.
|
|
5. Explore a
Forest
|
|
As good as taking a walk is for
you, talking a walk in a forest is even better. Research shows a
stroll in the forest can
lower stress hormones, decrease your pulse rate, boost mental
health and improve blood glucose
levels in diabetics. It’s something
that the Japanese have
been
doing for decades and they’ve even given it a name: Shinrin-yoku. It’s a term the
Japanese
government gave to the concept of “forest bathing,” which means to commune
with
nature in a forest. It’s a big part of the country’s preventative
medicine practices. Give it a try!
|
|
Of course, there are many other
ways to improve your life.
Studies show that an active
social life can make you live longer.
|
|
Friends With
Health Benefits
|
|
One study, conducted by
researchers at Brigham Young University and the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill,
concluded that strong social ties in general can be beneficial to both
mental and physical health. They
found that an active social life can be linked to lower risk of
cancer and cardiovascular
disease, greater ability to carry out physical tasks, improved
happiness and better cognitive
functioning.
|
|
An active social life can be been
linked to lower risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease,
greater ability to carry out
physical tasks, improved happiness and better cognitive functioning.
Conversely, a relative lack of
social ties is associated with depression and later-life cognitive
decline, as well as increased
mortality. One Harvard Medical School study found that a lack of
strong social relationships
increased the risk of premature death from all causes by 50%.
People who smoke up to 15
cigarettes a day have the same kind of increased risk, according
to the study.
|
|
Quality Over
Quantity
|
|
There are many ways to keep an
active social life in retirement, like volunteering or picking up
a new sport or activity with your
fellow retirees. There are also a number of communities in
warm climates, like Florida or
Palm Springs, that cater to active retirees.
Of course, it might be easiest to
revisit friendships that you let lapse during your working
years. Just go out with the
people who already care about you the most – and stay healthy in
the process.
|
|
http://bctf.ca/history/welcome.aspx
|
|
BCTF News
Release: January 5, 2017
|
|
More than 1,000
new teaching positions to be created as a first step in the process to
implement the
BCTF's landmark
court win
|
|
The BCTF has
reached agreement with the BC Public School Employers' Association and
government
on an interim
measure to immediately create more than 1,000 new teaching positions while
discussions continue
on full restoration of teachers' unconstitutionally stripped collective
agreement
language.
|
|
“Since the BCTF won our court case back in November, we have
been moving forward with two
goals,” said BC Teachers' Federation President Glen Hansman.
“The first goal was to get as many
teachers as
possible back into schools and classrooms as quickly as possible. This $50
million
agreement is
the first step. It means hundreds more teachers will be in schools working
with students
across the
province in a matter of weeks. The second and most important goal- full
implementation of
the 2002
collective agreement language-will now be the focus of talks between the two parties.”
|
|
Hansman
emphasized that today's agreement is in no way a final resolution, nor does it
impact a
future
agreement on full implementation of the restored language. While the new
funding is badly
needed, and
will help many teachers and students, the government will have to provide
significantly
more funding
to meet the requirements of the Supreme Court of Canada's ruling.
|
|
“With this interim measure agreed to, the parties can now turn
to the crucial task of fully
implementing all the language that was restored by the court,”
said Hansman. “The two sides will be
meeting again
next week to continue discussions. The BCTF's goal is to ensure these talks
are not
long or drawn
out and that all Boards of Education, schools, teachers, students, and
parents have
certainty
about how and when the language will be restored.
|
|
“It's important for parents and the public to understand how
our contract language made a difference
for kids. It
guaranteed supports for students with special needs, and manageable class
sizes for all. It
ensured
teacher-librarians, counsellors, English language and other specialist
teachers were there to
give students the individual attention they need,” Hansman
said.
|
|
“It has been almost 15
years to the day since then-Education Minister Christy Clark first brought in
the
unconstitutional
legislation. The work to repair the damage to public education has only just
begun.
|
|
“It's going to take a significantly higher investment than $50 million to undo the damage
this
government
has done to a generation of students. BC teachers will be looking closely at
the February
21 provincial
budget to make sure that funding is provided to implement the full scope of
the restored
language.”
|
|
Key Points Of The Memorandum Of
Agreement Include:
$50 million
in new funding from the Ministry of Education to create 1,000-1,100 teacher
full-time
equivalents
(FTE) for the balance of the 2016-17 school year.
The new
funding will be used to implement two priority measures: adding
enrolling-teacher positions
and
non-enrolling positions in schools (for example: counsellors,
teacher-librarians, special education
teachers, and
other specialists across all grades).
|
|
Allocation of
the net new funding at the school district level needs to be jointly
developed and decided
through a
district committee established by the Superintendent and the local union
President. Decisions about what jobs will be posted
and where needs to be decided by the local
parties.
There will also be a dispute resolution process if there is no agreement
between local parties.
|
|
CANADIAN
HARAMBEE EDUCATION SOCIETY (CHES) SPONSORSHIP:
|
|
Each year, our local branch has
donated $600 to the Canadian Harambee Education Society
for one young woman to attend
high school in Kenya. Because of the
New Societies Act, we
will need to change how we do
fundraising and scholarships. More
about that, at another
time!
|
|
This year, we were still able to
sponsor Mercyline Kirikita.
A previous newsletter contained
her extensive biography.
Her new school year begins this
January.
|
|
If you wish to write to her, ask
the postal clerk to run your
letter through the post office
machine postage stamper.
|
|
Here’s
her address:
Mercyline Kirikita, Form 1,
St.
Anne’s Musoli Girls High School,
P.O. Box 756,
Kakamega 50100
Kenya
|
|
Here’s
a group of 4 generous people
who sponsor their very own CHES
student.
|
|
Congratulations to Elisabeth Pos,
Jan
Graham, Lorna Calder, and Sally
Hemingson for promoting education
around the globe!
|
|
Well done!!!
|
|
Who is interested in joining me
in a
group sponsorship of our own
student?
|
|
Let me know: cathyvanh@gmail.com
|
|
GOINGS AND
DOINGS:
|
|
What are you up
to???
Please let me know for our next
newsletter!
cathyvanh@gmail.com
|
|
http://66.media.tumblr.com/
|
|
Here’s
what we heard, this past December, in no
particular order.
Tom
Manson: canoed the
Yukon River – Whitehorse to
Dawson City
|
|
Daphne
Manson: Elder College – very interesting, great people,
new things to learn! Nous
Chantons – francophone singing group. Curves – fitness
|
|
Christine
Rivers: Tapestry
weaving, yoga, hiking, cycling, running, rock climbing, Travel –
tapestry tour in Europe, Cultural
tours in Mexico
|
|
Gerry
Galey: hiking, river
cruising, tennis, Mexico, Meals on Wheels, Ireland
|
|
Josie
Zbitnew: BC Royal Museum
to see the 40,000 year old baby mammoth, a Great-
Grandma, travelled with daughter
to see 1 year old Eli in Winnipeg
|
|
Eileen
Butts: Bard to
Broadway Community Theatre
|
|
Laurel
Johannson: City of Gardens
Chorus – Langford, Bard
to Broadway, Grand Kids
Elaine
Young: going to Mexico
in February to build a large classroom to add to a school
David
Hobson: partner and I
building a house on Gabriola Island
Wayne
Searle: active in
curling, golf and slow-pitch
|
|
Sandra
Veenstra: with family for
Christmas and then to Nova Scotia to visit my 101 year
old mother – presently in hospital, but
improving!!
|
|
Art
Skipsey: have given my
steam boat the Swan to the Marine Heritage Society in Port
Alberni
|
|
Sally
Hemingson: Volunteer
Gardening at Milner Gardens and home.
Made 2 quilts this
year. Continuing work on family history. Trip to the Chilcotin.
|
|
Elisabeth Pos
& Lorna Calder: Travelling – South America. Future trip to Baltic and
Europe. Daily walks – 10,000 steps. Aquacise with friends.
|
|
Eva
Hilborn: Chair – Canadian Federation of University
Women. Early Childhood Education
Project
|
|
Jan
Graham: Volunteer
Milner Gardens. Dining Discoveries – rotate houses for monthly
meals. Magical Mystery Tour – taking Sally and Nancy out every
third month. Hiking Group
Thursdays – 4 to 6 walkers
|
|
Nancy
Whelan: 3 trips coast
to coast in Canada. Cruise – Boston, Maritimes, Montreal.
Volunteer – The Gardens Seniors Residence and
Milner Gardens. Dog walking. Writing
(Island Woman, Seedy Saturday)
|
|
Neil
Worboys: Attended the
Supreme Court in Ottawa to hear the BCTF case for returning
class size etc. to our Collective
Agreement. YAHOO!!! We won!!!
|
|
Kay
Howard: Going to
Madagascar!
|
|
Val
Morton: 5 weeks in
Australia this fall, make quilts with Victoria Quilts for people
undergoing cancer treatment
|
|
Margaret
Sanou: lots of walks
in our beautiful forests; taking a course on writing for
children
from The Institute of Children’s Literature
|
|
Betty
Kennaird: Caribbean
cruise in October and again at end of January to Costa Rica via
San Diego
|
|
Betty Ann
Acres: Visit family
(son) in Sweden in summer.
Barb
Brett: Researching
family history
|
|
Al Brett: Restoring old
cars (Seaside Cruisers Car Club)
Bill and Marg
Hoverman: Care of feral
cats
Val Dyer: took up Karate
when retired
|
|
Cathy Van
Herwaarden: trip to Cuba!!!
What an amazing group of people
with such varied interests!
So many TRAVELLERS!!!
|
|
Did you know that Collette
Vacations is affiliated with BCRTA?
http://bcrta.ca/collette-vacations
|
|
Collette offers escorted tours to
all 7 continents.
|
|
Since 1918, Collette Vacations
has led the way in escorted touring. Through a process of
constant innovation, our diverse
roster of tours continues to meet the needs of today's savvy
world travelers. Across 3
distinct brands, Collette provides a hassle free way to see the world
while fulfilling the singular
dreams of their customers.
|
|
It's Included! Travel, Down to
the last detail!
|
|
•
Unparalleled sightseeing includes all of the "must-sees."
|
|
•
Enriching cultural experiences bring the destination to life.
•
Centrally-located hotels provide a home
away from home.
• A professional
tour manager accompanies you throughout your trip.
•
Expert local guides provide insightful, personalized tours.
•
Private climate-controlled motor coach enhances
your tour.
•
Hotel-to-hotel baggage handling leaves the heavy lifting to us.
• Welcome
and farewell dinners feature local specialties.
|
|
•
Receive complimentary roundtrip home to airport sedan service on all
air-inclusive tours.
|
|
http://www.collettevacations.ca/
|
|
Park'N Fly
through BCRTA discount Savings Program - http://bcrta.ca/parknfly
|
|
BC Retired Teachers Association
Corporate Discount #828626
ACCESS EXCLUSIVE, LOWER THAN WEB
RATES WITH PARK'N FLY
|
|
Daily
|
|
Weekly Monthly
$18.85 $94.75
$399.80
BCRTA Corporate
Rates (plus taxes): $14.95
$59.75 $104.60
|
|
Vancouver Regular Rates (plus
taxes):
|
|
Park’N Fly Vancouver
|
|
Park’N
Fly is located just minutes from Vancouver International Airport.
Premium
“Stress Free” Valet service in our well lit, fenced-in, and
electronically monitored
facility.
|
|
Fast &
efficient shuttle service, 24 hours a day
Friendly and
professional staff
Luggage
assistance
Complimentary
freshly brewed coffee and tea, local telephone calls, newspapers and
seating area
Time Saving
Vehicle Maintenance Services available while you are away (ie. Car Wash,
Oil Change)
|
|
How to Use:
Members can quote this number at
the counter to receive the discount– can be used for both
leisure and business travel. No reservation or pre-booking required!
|
|
OR
|
|
For Frequent
Travellers: Join the Rewards Program
Individuals that travel
frequently within your organization can register online to expedite their
service and receive the discount
automatically every time they park with us.
|
|
Join
the Rewards Program with Park’N Fly Canada, please register by clicking below
link. The
discount code is embedded into
this link
https://www.parknfly.ca/Member/Registration.aspx?referralid=15180&coupon=828626
|
|
Benefits
Include:
|
|
By Pass the
counter line by using the card at our kiosk machines.
Receive
Corporate Discount Rates automatically every time you park– just swipe and
save!
150 Aero plan
points for each stay will be added to their profile per stay.
Earn loyalty
points which goes towards FREE PARKING
Receive a text
message when you land to have your car ready upon your return - No
need to call
in: click Yes to receive the text messages when registering. There are no
news or deals
sent via Text.
|
|
EXCLUSIVE BCRTA
WORLDWIDE HOTEL & CAR RENTAL DISCOUNTS
|
|
BCRTA now offers members, friends
and family exclusive discounts on unlimited worldwide
travel. Our exclusive, password protected services
offers discounts as high as 50%, and
averages 10-20% savings below
market on all hotels and car rental suppliers around the
world. We provide the best inventory, availability
and rate-type options.
|
|
Any hotel, any car, anytime,
anywhere.
http://travel.localhospitality.com/bcrta/travel-bcrta.html
|
|
STRESS-FREE
TRAVELLING CHECKLIST
https://lighthouse.johnson.ca/h/i/305098731-stress-free-travelling-checklist
|
|
Shopping
for a new bathing suit and flip flops shouldn’t be the only things at the top
of your
vacation
“to do” list. Are your passports up to date? Are there any vaccines
you may need for
your specific destination? You
probably only look at your passport when you need it and like
most
people don’t even remember the last time you had a tetanus shot, so putting
these
items as a top priority, prior to
take off will help ensure that your trip goes off without a
hitch. To help you along, we
created a simple checklist.
|
|
Make Health And
Safety A Priority.
|
|
ü
Confirm well in
advance if any vaccines or medications are needed before visiting the
destination. If
there are, make the appropriate appointments prior to your trip date.
|
|
ü
Check for
government issued travel advisories for the country or region you are
planning to
visit. For example is it safe to drink the tap water?
|
|
ü
Carry
sufficient prescription medication and allergy treatments in your carry-on
luggage, as
well as a copy of the original prescription. Some countries have strict
laws, even
against over-the-counter medications.
A letter from your doctor is also a
good idea.
|
|
ü
Share travel
and destination information with loved ones in the event an emergency
arises.
|
|
ü
Choose a
trusted friend or relative to hold onto a photocopy of all your travel
documents and
passport in case of loss or theft.
|
|
Have The Proper
Documentation.
|
|
ü
Check to make
sure all members of your party, including children and infants, have a
valid passport (and that it won’t be expiring while you’re
away).
|
|
ü
If travelling outside your home province, carry provincial
health cards, and driver’s
licences.
|
|
ü
Add (or keep)
your insurance wallet card to your wallet so you have easy access to
their phone
number should you need to call them for assistance while away.
|
|
ü
Be prepared for
potential entry or exit fees from certain countries. These fees are not
included in the
price of your flight and can range from $25 to $200. Having the proper
currency can
avoid potential stress and delays at the airport.
|
|
Get Travel
Insurance Coverage
|
|
It’s
important to take out travel insurance when you’re away on vacation, so that
even if the
unexpected happens, you can be
prepared. To find out which travel insurance plan is right for
you, check with Johnson: https://www1.johnson.ca/travel-insurance
|
|
Once
you’ve checked these items off your to-do list, and
your bags are packed, it’s important
to not forget about preparing
your home. Find out the best ways to keep your home
protected
while you’re away:
|
|
https://lighthouse.johnson.ca/h/i/276054735-keep-your-home-protected-while-youre-away
|
|
GOLDEN STAR
AWARDS:
BCRTA gives six awards of $1500
to schools (K to 12) that are involved in
working with seniors. Are you aware of a teacher that needs to
know about
this? Spread the word!!! For more information:
http://bcrta.ca/images/Final_BCRTA_Golden_Stars_Awards_Application_Revised_June_20_2016_.pdf
|
|
If you know of a PQRTA member who
needs some
sunshine in their life, due to
illness or a loss in their
family, please contact:
|
|
Colleen Craig
cocraig@shaw.ca
250.752.3762
|
|
vLaurie Neville
vJocelyn
Robinson
|
|
Save Canada’s Public Health Care:
|
|
For-profit clinic CEO Brian Day
has launched a lawsuit against Canada’s
public health care
system. If he wins, many Canadians won't be able to
afford health care and we will have to
wait longer for treatment.
|
|
Canadian Public
Health Care
|
|
In Canada, everyone is covered by
public insurance and we can get basic treatment and care,
no matter how much money we have.
Under our current laws, private insurance companies
don't get to decide who gets care
and who doesn't.
|
|
Cambie Surgeries Corporation CEO
Brian Day wants to change that. He is
trying to use the
courts to change Canada's health
care system so that:
Doctors can charge patients unlimited
amounts for all procedures and services - from routine
check-ups to hip surgeries.
|
|
We move to an American-style
system with parallel private care and insurance (putting
private insurance companies in
the position to deny patients health care coverage for basic
services like visits to the
emergency room or cancer treatment).
|
|
If Brian Day wins, many Canadians
won't be able to afford health care and we will have to
wait longer for treatment - while
the very wealthy pay to jump ahead in line.
|
|
We need real improvements to make
our health care system work better for
everyone, including shortening
wait times.
|
|
Brian Day's lawsuit would make
things much worse for regular Canadians. A win for Day
would be a loss for us.
|
|
DONATE to the LEGAL FUND to fight
Brian Day and save Public Health Care
http://www.savemedicare.ca/
|
|
If you want to want the Federal
government to be accountable for their election promises,
add
your voice to CARP’s (Canadian Association of Retired Persons) petition (Feet
to the Fire
Campaign):
|
|
http://www.carp.ca/campaigns/federal-budget-2016/#addyourvoice
|
|
If
you’re a news junkie:
http://live.vancouverislandfreedaily.com/
|
|
If
you’re looking to save some money:
http://www.islanddailydeals.com/
|
|
UPCOMING
EVENTS:
|
|
Contact PQRTA Program Chair
Elaine Young:
reyis3@shaw.ca or 250.586.8112
|
|
January 24,
2017 – 1:00 to 2:30pm – Exploring Education in Kenya:
A presentation of the Canadian
Harambee Educational Society by Don and Wendy Reimer
|
|
February 9,
2017 - 1:00 to 3:00 PM Friendship Get
Together
|
|
March 9, 2017 – Deep Bay Marine Station – 11:30 Tour and/or 12:30pm High
Tea
|
|
April 1, 2017 – Change from Pacific Blue Cross to
Green Shield Canada
Members
who receive Pacific Blue Cross benefits from the Teachers’ Pension Plan should
have received a letter telling
them about a change in the insurance carrier to Green Shield
Canada.
|
|
Please direct your calls and
questions to the following:
|
|
Teachers’
Pension Plan, Client Services, BC Pension Corporation
Toll Free: 1.800.665.6770 or Email: TPP@pensionsbc.ca
Learn more about the new
carrier: http://www.greenshield.ca/en-ca
|
|
PQRTA
EXECUTIVE:
|
|
President – Cathy Van Herwaarden
Vice-President – Lucinda Hendren
Past-President – Kay Howard
Treasurer – Ellen Coates
Secretary – Marg Hoverman
Program – Elaine Young
Communication – Val Dyer
Membership – Laurel Johannson
|
|
Heritage – Sharon Cox-Gustavson
|
|
Social Concerns
– Awaiting a Volunteer! You? Or,
who???
Historian – Vacant, but thanks to Jim Swanson
for updating our website, at the following:
http://bcrta.ca/bcrta-branches/107-parksville-qualicum
|
No comments:
Post a Comment