2024 AGM - 29 March 2024

There was a great turnout for the 2024 AGM on Good Friday, March 29!!   President, Mary Smith presided over the evening with an informative night guiding everyone to view the 2023 AGM minutes and President's Report re-capping the season, all online here.  Treasurer, Gary Seymour provided the end of year financial summary 2023-24 season.  Susan Cober, Registrar provided a great overview of the number of members who joined the Club equating to 309 which was a lucrative increase since Covid.  Chair, Nominating Committee, Past President, Connie Stanley introduced Harry Morrison, Past President to convene the elections for the next season.   The 2024-25 Executive Committee was acclaimed.   Past President, Laurie Fischer; Vice President, Harold Côté: Treasurer, Ken Campbell; Registrar, Sue Cober; Ticket Sales Coordinator, Lydia Côté: Secretary, Karen French; and President, Connie Stanley.   Then President Mary Smith also presented a Certificate of Appreciation to Rowland Hetrick, our greatly appreciated photographer! 

 

An enjoyable social hour was later realized by everyone before heading off to a blessed Easter weekend. 

Spring Fling: Tribute to Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville - 12 Mar

Our Spring Fling theme was: A Tribute to Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville on March 12!! 188 participants, including 66 non-members came out for a delicious buffet of salmon or roast pork by Banquet Masters and danced the night away to many Jimmy Buffett tunes among great dance songs with Les Weiss our DJ from Les N’ More!!   As always, Les had the floor was hopping all night!!   We also celebrated Renée & Frank Ingrassia's 24th wedding anniversary!!  Several lovely door prizes and many Share the Wealth cash prizes were awarded!!  Great night congrats to then, VP Debra Kerrison & then, Pres Mary Smith for planning & coordinating this wonderful night!!   And to add to the glory that night, 4 of our members celebrated 75th Birthdays: Sue Cober, Harold Côté, Ken Campbell & Gil Small!!   Congrats and many Happy Returns to our Pisces and Aries folks!!

50's Sock Hop/Karaoke - 8 March 2024

Members, Evelyn, Jesse Tiamson and Sheila Bonomo went to a 50-60's sock hop in Dunedin and had a blast!   Jesse suggested we turn one of our dance parties into one which we did on March 8!!   It was a huge success with about 60 participants sock hopping all night!!   We had some awesome singers performing at this karaoke to some great tunes supplied by President, Mary Smith!!   Treasurer, Gary Seymour included a very fruitful Share the Wealth activity and sales furnished about the 4 cash prize draw winners!!   Again, the Club provided some great snacks, pretzels and cheesees!   Many folks brough snacks to share at their tables as well.   We had poodle skirts and saddle shoes too!!

Annual Picnic  - 5 March 2024

71 members and friends joined us at the Pavilion to enjoy a picnic that our hostess with the mostest, Joanne Fenn coordinated.    A wonderful Chicken luncheon was again enjoyed from Sprouts Farmers Market, Palm Harbor.

One of our members had a very special birthday this day and we all helped to show her how special she is.   Happy 75th Birthday, Registrar Susan Cober!

The picnic ended up in Karaoke furnished by President, Mary Smith once again shows that some of our members have a bit of singing talent and many line dancers, loved dancing the afternoon away!

St. Patrick's Parade - 2 March 2024

This was the 28th OTOW St. Patrick's Day Parade and the Irish Club did an amazing job, as always and we'll happily be back again next season!! 

Golf Fun Day - 24 February 2024

We had to exercise the rain date this year; so the Golf Fun Day was delayed from Sunday, February 18th until the 24th, and a great time was enjoyed by all.  Coordinator, Harry Morrison and his team once again, put together a terrific event!   Team Chris Regan were the Champs!!   Read Harry's detailed article in the OTOW News, April 2024 edition, page 35: https://www.ontopoftheworldnews.com/clearwater/pdfs/news/newspapers/April%202024%20for%20Web.pdf 

Thanks again for another successful event, Harry and crew!!

Friendship Dinner Dance - 13 February 2024

On Tuesday, February 13, 112 members and guests gathered at 5 pm for cocktails prior to the buffet dinner at 6 pm in the EAC Auditorium.  We enjoyed a wonderfully delicious Chicken PIccata dinner catered by Banquet Masters.  The dance floor was hopping all night long to the engaging music by DJ Les N' More celebrating the great Friendship between our two nations!   Lots of great door prizes were awarded along with several Share the Wealth Cash Prizes!! 

 

President Mary Smith's balloon creations enhanced the Canadian - American Friendship theme and were shared at subsequent events: NY-NJ Valentines Dance and the Entertainment Committee's Barry Manilow Show!

 

Happy Hour Cabaret - 19 January 2024

Fun time as Always

Winter Wonderland Christmas Dinner-Dance 12 Dec 2023

The East Activity Centre Auditorium was the place to be Tuesday,  on December 12th as the Canadian Club held it's annual Christmas Dinner Dance.

 

This year's theme was "Winter Wonderland", as you walked into the auditorium you felt you were walking into a Splendid Castle in the frozen North; the communiqués were all about think "Frozen"!

 

Eighty-one members and guests enjoyed a wonderful, traditional Christmas dinner of roast turkey, gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes, vegetables, salad and cranberries catered by Banquet Masters.  The server Jaclyn made sure that no one went home hungry.   The Club provided coffee and deliciiously, favourful dessert cakes from Costco cakes which were well enjoyed by all!

 

After dinner we danced to the music provided by DJ, Les Weiss from Les N' More.  Coordinator/Past President, Connie Stanley provided a lot of Canadian artists' Christmas music to Les' surprise - he hadn't heard most of them!!

 

What Christmas party would be complete without a visit from Santa, Gil Small and his Number 1 Elf, Laurie Fischer?   The gents ran the plentiful door prize draws and a lot of guests went home with happy faces that night.  They helped Treasurer, Gary Seymour with the Share the Wealth draws and all three serenaded "Hello Mary Lou" when Mary Lou Walls won the last STW cash prize draw!!   

 

The beautifully glowing centrepiece lanterns were a great take away for those with birthdays closest to Les'!!

 

 

Dance Party - 28 November 2023

Given it was Thanksgiving week, there wasn't a large turnout, but we tried for the first one!  The 20 or so folks that were there sure had a lot of fun and we anticipated this becoming an attractive draw!!

Registration Night - 15 November 2023

What better way to start off a new season than to socialize with old friends, renew acquaintances and make some new friends!!   Registrar, Susan Cober enlisted an awesome team of volunteers to help members to register!!   President, Mary Smith opened with a few welcoming events and news about upcoming activities.   She indicated that the Executive Committee hoped to keep activities and events as inexpensive as possible.  Treasurer, Gary Seymour briefly covered the budget for the season's events.  Bob and Debra Kerrison manned the bar and kept the cheese n' cracker and grape trays replenished!!   Neil Leiberman was the lucky guy who won the gift basket full of Canadian goodies!   Lots of tickets were sold for the upcoming Christmas Winter Wonderland Dinner-Dance and many signed up for the Golf Fun Day with Jim and Rita Rudderham!!

Fall Expo - 4 November 2023

The Canadian Club had a table in the sun under the red canopy and Dot Graham, Lydia Côté, Linda Chapman and Registrar Sue Cober registered 45 members, some returnees and some newbies.  Looking at those smiling faces, why wouldn't you join in the fun?