For more than 126 people, Wednesday marked an important milestone.
The Probus Club of Bradford West Gwillimbury celebrated its 10-year anniversary as part of its first general meeting of 2024 on Jan. 17 at St. John’s Presbyterian Church on Sideroad 10 in Bradford.
The celebration was opened by Laurie LeBlanc, town crier for the day, before co-presidents Cynthia Riley and Bob Holmes welcomed the more than 100 people who attended, including many of the club’s 126 members, and guests.
Probus is a volunteer-based, non-profit, non-political and non-sectarian social club for men and women who are retired or semi-retired.
Riley said that since joining the club two years ago she has “met many wonderful people” and “forged solid friendships,” adding the club offers something for everyone — both introverts and extroverts.
Holmes emphasized the importance of drawing on the group for strength and fellowship.
“As we continue into the next 10 years, it is so important to keep in mind that we are all facing many of the same situations as we enter or experience retirement,” he said.
Holmes made special welcome to members of the Probus Club of Bradford, which formed four years earlier and after reaching their capacity, helped to establish the second club.
Brenda Andrews, Probus director for Ontario-District 2, past president of Probus Canada and a member of the first club, helped organize the second, and was happy to see it reach the 10-year mark.
“It’s fantastic. It makes my heart sing,” she said.
Andrews wasn’t surprised to see the club succeed because within just a few months of launching, she recalled it had about 100 members, some of whom came from the first club’s wait list of about 25 people.
Other featured guests at the anniversary included past presidents who spoke about their experiences with the club.
Karen Murray, the first past president of the second club from 2014-15, was one of the people who wasn’t able to join the first club due to capacity, and recalled the meeting organized by Andrews in October 2013 to start the second club.
“I joined that meeting fully planning to join the executive,” she said during her speech on Wednesday. “When Brenda said ‘Is anyone interested in being on the executive?’ I put my hand up. Brenda then said, ‘Congratulations, Karen; you’re president.’”
The whole crowd laughed along with Murray in response the her recollection of being “voluntold” into the position, but joking aside, Murray said she appreciated the opportunity as well as the efforts of the first executive and members.
“We had some growing pains, disagreements and missteps, but that first group of volunteers worked really, really hard to help create what I can only say is a very successful club,” she said.
After retiring from teaching in 2012, Christine Cottingham, club past president from 2016-19, wanted to meet new people beyond her work friends, and eventually heard about Probus from fellow members of her aquafit class.
Unfortunately, the club was already full, which eventually led her to the same meeting as Murray.
Cottingham went with her friend Joanne MacLeod and the pair promised each other they wouldn’t join the executive.
After Murray was selected as president, “Brenda then said ‘Who will be vice-president?’ and Joanne Macleod put up her hand, so when Brenda said ‘Who will be secretary?’ guess who put up her hand? Me,” Cottingham said.
So it began.
Cottingham recalled the first meeting was held at the church in November and by January 2014 things were in full swing with 46 members, a book club, a hiking club and the first newsletter.
MacLeod went on to be president from 2015-16, before Cottingham took up the role.
“I’m proud of the progress our club has made in 10 years. Not only have we survived, we’ve thrived,” she said.
That continued under Gwen Green, who was president from 2019-2021, taking up the mantle in November before everything shut down due to the pandemic in March 2020.
As a result of the restrictions on gatherings at the time, the club had to transition to new ways of meeting, and both general and executive meetings moved online, but they didn’t stop there.
“To keep our members engaged, we formed telephone trees, delivered gifts to our members, had great porch visits and we had drive-bys out in our parking lot,” Green said. “My management team planned together, worked hard and had fun keeping our members interested. I sincerely thank each of you.”
After the speeches, Andrews presented a certificate from Probus Canada to the club in recognition of their anniversary, and their contribution to the growth of Probus Canada, which she said currently includes about 250 clubs and roughly 34,000 members.
“Probus Canada wishes the Probus Club of Bradford West Gwillimbury success in providing your members with opportunities, learning, fellowship, friendship and fun,” she said.
After the celebration, guests were treated to cake, coffee and other snacks and the club continued with the businesses of their general meeting.
For more information about the Probus Club of Bradford West Gwillimbury, visit bwgprobus.ca.
Further details on the Probus Club of Bradford, which will celebrate its 15-year anniversary next year, can be found at bradfordprobus.weebly.com.
