Greetings Everyone.
I hope everyone is enjoying these past weeks of such fine weather. For the most part it’s been a pretty nice Autumn. Of course the colder winds of winter are just around the corner but you know you will always get a warm welcome at the ASA. Oh, and I hope that none of you were attacked by any ghouls or goblins last Monday! We had some pretty scary zombies come to the door at our grandkids house.
I hope you’ve had the chance to visit our new updated website. I think you will find it quite user friendly. Come mid-November we will be posting instructions regarding membership renewals. You will be able to join and pay online if you prefer, although you are still welcome to do it in person at Reception. It’s almost that time of the year and I think an ASA membership is one of the best deals around.
The membership fee at the ASA will be going up in January for the first time in 8 years. This decision was not arrived at lightly but it was an unanimous decision by the Board taking in all factors including our rising costs. Our fees are in line with other Senior Centres in our area. We hope you will understand, but if you have concerns please address them to a member of the Board. I personally can be reached at drdavelegallais@gmail.com or 905-751-4153. The cost for Aurora residents will rise from $25 dollars per year to $35. For non-residents the fee will rise from $35 to $50. As a non resident you pay slightly more as you do not pay property taxes in Aurora.
I outlined in the Board Report some easy ways to save some money at the Centre. A 12 for $10 activity card gets you two free visits on each card and if you are a frequent visitor (twice a week or more) the $100 Gold Card gives you unlimited access to the Centre. If you like your coffee while at the Centre our $5 coffee cards are also convienient. The biggest value I think is that you don’t have to search your purse or pockets for loonies and quarters! All are available at Reception.
On November 11, Rememberance Day, Jim Abrams will be in attendance at the Aurora Cenotaph to lay a wreath on behalf of the ASA. You are all welcome to join him at 11:00 AM for this important ceremony.
The next elections for the Board of Directors will be held in June of 2023.There will be 5 vacant places to fill. John Scherrer is coordinator of the election committee. Please contact him, or any other member of the Board for information on running. The Board meets every third Monday of the month at 1:00 PM. Everyone is welcome to attend to see how things work. You may find being on the Board a very rewarding experience.
A couple of our Fundraisers are finishing up. The bottle drive ended Oct. 31st. and Nov. 10th is the last Muffin Morning. I would sincerely like to thank everyone who participated in these and all our fundraising efforts! The good news is that Fractals are still available!
On November 21st we have a very special event. Author, journalist and lecturer Ted Barris will be coming to the Centre to give a presentation of his latest book, Battle for the Atlantic. It will be a fascinating evening. I have seen him speak on several occasions and thoroughly enjoyed his presentation. Don’t miss it! Tickets are available at Reception.
In closing there is an issue I feel I must address as the ASA President. I have been hearing several reports of people being rude or disrespectful to members of the staff and to our volunteers. Their numbers are few but an unkind or disrespectful encounter can really upset someones day. It especially annoys me when I hear about our Receptionists putting up with that type of attitude. I personally witnessed this behaviour myself one day this week. These woman are volunteers that put in many hours to insure that you have a wonderful Centre to come to. They do not make policy, decide on fees or determine that a class you may enjoy has been cancelled. If you have an issue I ask that you do not take your frustration out on them. Please speak to a member of the Staff or Board. I am always available to hear your concerns. Again I can be reached at drdavelegallais@gmail.com or at 905-751-6911.
On a more upbeat note I hope you are all enjoying being back at the Centre seeing old friends and enjoying your favourite activities. Everyone is trying very hard to make your time at the Centre as pleasant an experience as possible.
Take care everyone…. Dave LeGallais
