April 2026
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
It is wonderful to feel the warmth returning as spring takes hold here on the West Coast.
Guest Speakers
Our Guest speaker for our March meeting was Yolande Martinello. Yolande is also a member of our executive and keeps the scholarship and bursary applications organized and flowing to all members of the committee.
Her hands on workshop provided everyone with an opportunity to experience water colour painting. This is something simple and easy to continue when you are on your next excursion or holiday experience! A recording of the workshop is available on our website at: https://bcrpvpa.ca/speakers-presentations/
You will also find other meeting presentations on the same site. This year we also heard from Gerald Soon: Uncovering the Historical Records of Immigration and Mrs. Cheese from the Cheese Man in North Vancouver. At the AGM meeting on May 21, we will have a representative from Hearing Life. I understand that many of us do not consider getting our hearing tested until we have started to lose it. Completing just an initial hearing screening can ensure that you have some baseline information, should you begin to notice that you are missing parts of a conversation.
Tumbler Ridge
Although the exact date may be fading from our memory, that fateful day in Tumbler Ridge will be forever etched in our minds and in our hearts. The terrible tragedy that occurred to the students, staff and community shall never be forgotten. We are very thankful to Judy Harrison, a retired administrator from Victoria, who is connected to the principal of Tumbler Ridge Secondary school. They met through the mentorship program that occurred between the BCPVPA and BCRPVPA a number of years ago. Judy has continued to connect over the years and provided some real time personal and professional support to her colleague. You will find an article about Judy’s close connection to this tragedy and her request for our individual support, within this edition of Chronicles and Capers. You are encouraged to follow through on this request with your local MP.
Elections
Coming up quickly is our annual general meeting on May 21 at 10:00 a.m. Everyone is always encouraged to attend in person or on zoom.
We have a proposed addition to our constitution for our AGM on May 21, 2026. This item has been discussed at two previous executive meetings and two general meetings this year.
This will be placed under Article 11: Association expenses
11.3 With receipts, all Executive Committee Members can be reimbursed up to $200.00 per month for travel expenses, including mileage, if they travel more than 2 hours in one direction to the onsite executive or general meetings. The total amount reimbursed is not to exceed $1000.00 per executive member, per fiscal year. Parking fees are excluded from this reimbursement.
Rationale:
The addition of this clause will provide some compensation for executive members who travel two hours or more, in each direction, to get to our general or executive meetings. Our hope is to encourage other members of the BCRPVPA, who live just outside the lower mainland, to join our executive. At present we have one executive member coming from Nanaimo and one executive member coming from the Gulf Islands. We want all of our members to understand that executive membership is possible, if you live outside the lower mainland. We do have another member who lives in Smithers who connects with us via zoom and email. Please consider joining our executive. We are still looking for a secretary along with other executive members.
Annual review of this particular expense will occur.
Survey results
Thanks to everyone who responded to our survey questions. Over 18% of our total membership replied. That is amazing! We are considering the next focus for our survey. We encourage you to send us your thoughts about ‘next topic to survey’ to info@bcrpvpa.ca
COSCO affiliate membership
Not to be confused with the wholesale shopping experience – COSTCO!
COSCO is the Council of Senior Citizen’s Organizations. The BCRPVPA is now an affiliate member. We have three votes at every regular meeting. COSCO is an umbrella organization that brings together older adults to work on common issues. There are 65 affiliate groups including BCRPVPA, representing over 85,000 seniors. COSCO is affiliated with the 1,000,000-member National Pensioners Federation (NPF).
In short, the intent of this organization is to provide support for seniors around a variety of issues and challenges. They also provide workshops that are available to everyone in our Association. For more information and details check out their website: https://coscobc.org/wp-content/uploads/formidable/4/26.03-COSCO-NEWS-Final-digital-copy.pdf
Spring luncheon
WE ARE PLANNING ANOTHER LUNCHEON get-together this spring out in Fort Langley. This luncheon will occur INSTEAD of our May AGM luncheon. Sher and Bonnie have been scouting out options, as our first thoughts for a venue didn’t allow for more than 12 people. I will send out the details as soon as we have them confirmed. Keep some opening towards the end of April, beginning of May. We hope to see you there! Moving forward, we would like to move luncheon possibilities around the lower mainland and Vancouver Island. If you are interested in hosting or helping plan a luncheon in your area, please reach out on the info line!
CPP presentation
How is my Canada Pension plan doing? Where are they investing the money? On June 16 we are invited to a zoom information session with a question period related to the Canada Pension. You will be provided with a clear understanding about how the pension plan is invested, to ensure that it is financially viable well into the future.
Welcome and Good-bye
As announced in our last newsletter, this edition of Chronicles and Capers welcomes new members to the Association, and we say good bye to those members who have passed on. Our hope is to provide you with another connection to people you may have worked with.
Best wishes! We hope to see you at our spring luncheon!
Deborah Luporini