1) Mute your microphone if you aren't already muted. Background noise is distracting.
2) If you are not engaged in the presentation, turn off your camera.
3) Chat function should only be used to address the speaker, not for Club member remarks during the presentation
4) Unmute when harassing the Sergeant at Arms or taking your turn during Sergeant at Arms.
5)Pet your dog - ignore your cat - at your peril!
Please direct any questions to the President or a board member of yourchoosing and we will discuss any and all questions or concerns during our board meeting. Also please refer anyone who may be interested in attending a meeting or joining the club.
INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE
From Judy “some of the best advice I’ve been given is don’t take criticism from anyone you wouldn’t go to for advice."
VISITORS
The man with the power.
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND
CLUB BUSINESS
June 12 Expire Richmond gala at Althina Acres on No. 2 Road – Melissa will send out an email.
Instagram – our account has now 2000 members
May 21 at Country Vines at 5:45 p.m. – Debrief meeting – Amanda will send out an email. Or May 28th depending on attendance. If you cannot make either please send Amanda your comments by email or carrier pigeon.
Speaker
Auction Debrief
Bobby will speak at the next meeting about final numbers after reconciliation of all income and expenses.
Gross income looks about $111,104, and ASK for Heartwood $17,000
Beginning discussion
Is it worth our efforts and money to continue this formula?
Could we donate $$ instead of doing the baskets?
Baskets are not bringing in the money they are worth
Venue is great, space is great
Could we do more games and fewer baskets?
Usually estimate about 50% of the value of the silent auction is what we can expect to get, in most auctions.
This year we were sandwiched between two other big galas, even though ours had a longer history, many guests were at all three. Is there a problem with our gala, timing with Pathways which is the day before, and won’t happen next year, they will change their date.
We used to do more hands on, like the Gilmore breakfast, do we need this much money and where does the money go?
Liked suggestion for the format, there is district auction burnout, how about a carnival with tickets
This auction we had good quality items, people at the tables had fun, people wanted more dancing, it is so late
How to change it up – a games night, including kids, incorporate with other ideas we have like Ghirra Toy Drive, or ?
Food this year was fantastic – thanks to Sanjit, and supervisor Ben
Décor was fantastic
The balloon pop was fun
Ran very smoothly
Could we be sent the final prices auctions sold for – we can see that on Givergy
Thanks, Blair for donating back the earrings for which Live earned $1700
If we want to have fun, active, who are our audience, e.g. Legion had dancing
Including kids – there are auctions where kids can bid too
SERGEANT At Arms Tidbits
Amanda recovered from a great weekend, her friends had a blast at the gala, Graham’s birthday was Monday golfing and Mexican food for Cinco de mayo. She is in North Van now (ED: attending via Zoom, her teleportation powers are not that advanced), as family is in town, doing a 30km trail fun in Squamish. She’s getting ready to relax outside of work.
John (attending via Zoom) is in the Okanagan to set up the irrigation and spread bark mulch. He is enjoying beautiful weather and will be here is person next week.
Mary Lou had a great time at the auction, especially the balloon pop highlight and Brian. She won’t come to the 21st debrief but congrats to all. She got up at 5 am Saturday after the auction, for the CFUW AGM in Abbotsford, so had a good sleep on Sunday. She is still delivering auction prizes as she speaks. Thanks to Eleanore for picking up her guests’ stuff.
Chris M. had lots of fun at the auction then got up early Saturday to drive to Abbotsford for the CFUW AGM for the province. Next year, she won’t be able to help out with the auction as she will president of CFUW, starting in June (ED: Congratulations!).
Joyce says theimpact on Heartwood will be so great. She will be sending out a signup paper for scholarship presentations, as it is so wonderful to see the passion and talents of the next generation coming up.
Marg saysher masks disappeared from their table – they were from her sister and her husband and have memorable value. (Eleanore may have picked up some to save them, so check with her). She watched Stanley Cup things. She is going to a Chinatown gala tonight - too many galas.
Judy wanted to thank Blair, for letting his balloon go to the ceiling, what are the odds? She headed to Birch Bay the morning after for an Abba cover band. You would have thought they were Abba, they were so fabulous. They saw 3 whales in the bay at Birch Bay, spouting and flipping -- so fabulous!
Debbie M. had to do a regatta the next morning for a 500m race and paddles with Butts in a Boat, a team for prostate cancer in men. She helped them get started for their teams, and they now have 65 teams around the world. We’re their sister partners and do mixed races half men half women.
Chris B. was at the vigil on Sunday for the Filipino community, where the singers were like angels. It was a somber event at Minoru Plaza.
Kal is coming down with something and has nothing to say (ED: saving room for Micheal! or Jeanette!).
Blair says Kal has a great shirt, maybe worn by someone who doesn’t feel well. He had a great time at the auction, is golfing this week, not great but fun and outdoors. He played pickle ball first time in a long time, then had to rest and watch hockey the rest of the week.
Pat mentioned her friend recently moved to Olympic Village and paddles with Butts in a Boat. She has been celebrating her birthday, lunch one day, then bowling team lunch. After the CFUW conference in Abbotsford, she rested on Sunday afternoon. It is a busy week, and she’s spending birthday time with family this weekend.
Susan remembered Pat’s birthday last week then forgot it again. She had a fabulous time at the gala, lots of fun, is grateful we could help the tremendous cause of Heartwood. All in all, if not talking dollars, she thought it was a fabulous time. The weekend was a blur, with mom’s 85th birthday, too, and took her on a fish n chips picnic Saturday. Sunday she was picking up Ryan from Victoria and his Voices Youth Choir. Early Sunday she went to see Murray Wood, who is suffering a lot, in VGH, after a brain operation, but is recovering well, and we are hoping it will get better for him. Next, he is going to GF Strong for rehabilitation. He was the webmaster for the district website.
Elena congratulations to the club and auction committee. She tried to meet all the tables, meeting both known and unknown people, and they were saying they’d like to copy what we are doing – good luck! Tomorrow she is going to San Francisco to see her sister-in-law who is ill and will be away for a month.
Jeannette says after the Friday gala, on Saturday she was working and they had a code blue, trying to resuscitate a patient, who didn’t make it, so the team decided to ‘pronounce’ at bedside. While taking out the tubing, someone noticed the patient’s jaw started to move. “Did you see it? He’s moving.” They listened and there was breathing. They checked vitals and everything was back, so the code blue team returned, resumed resuscitation, took him to ICU, and after just for a couple of hours he passed away. Emergency suspected he wanted to be with his family. On Sunday she went to church, seated with a lady, who suddenly lay down on the chair, her eyes rolling back, and was having a seizure beside her. (ED: At this point, SAA Debbie M. is distancing herself from Jeannette). What to do? Give her air as there’s nothing available in the church, she was safe on the floor. Then she woke up and wondered what happened. Jeannette was ready to do another compression. Note - if you’re having seizures, you shouldn’t be on your own. But the highlight of the week, was when she went to Elena’s with the dog, as they were doing registration to fly to the Philippines and decided to let their husbands take the dogs to park. While they’re doing the e-travel papers, her husband calls her: the dog was off leash has run off and won’t come back, running across Garden City, no less. Her husband heads back home, but their dog isn’t there. It turns out the dog went directly to Elena’s unit and was waiting to be let in. He’s safe. Lesson learned, no off leash. (ED: Taking room from Micheal!)
Larry assures us that most people at the Funeral Home are dead. But if you get embalmed, we’d be sure. This week there was the gala, the moving in Birch Bay, then Sunday membership at church, then yesterday was the 35th anniversary party at the Funeral Home, which was a really big deal, and the Association President flew in. Larry was awarded Top Director in Canada - 10 years in a row! He is going to Birch Bay this weekend, the first full weekend there since he broke his leg on the ladder last fall. He has moved within Birch Bay and now has an excellent view – overlooking Judy’s place, which has a view of the water.
Micheal went to Whistler for the weekend, with the kids, who are now 6 and 5 and require less babysitting. Less falling and telling them what to do. His son had an epic moment, jumping under water with his life jacket in the pool, down and up, wiping eyes, kept jumping 40 times. Big accomplishment and fun to see how they're growing up. Parties at the banquet are ramping up - there is lots to do. Happy Mother’s Day.
Melinda won’t be here next week, as they are going to Spirit Ridge – which she bought at the auction last year, so she will do Mothers’ Day another day. The auction was beautiful, the decorations, etc. but it is time to change it up. She talked to Fred Lee, who says it’s a sign of the times, everyone is holding back, some due to the political arena, and he has seen it all over. She worked hard to get the donations for the baskets, but they didn’t sell for what they’re worth, even though she worked hard to get it from the suppliers, so we will change that.
Sandrahas lots of family birthdays inApril and May and it was Ryley’s birthday Sunday and Miller blew out the candles.
Lawrence had a great time at the auction, sat at the singles table, got to know Maryam. Saw faces he hadn’t seen in a decade, like Georgina Patko who marvelled at his grey beard. He got a day off yesterday for a school field trip to Magee to see a high school musical (The Olympians) with Greek heroines, stories of the goddesses and Greek mythology, narratives that support women, but at intermission his son asked if it was done yet - he’s 10.
Bobby went to the Pathways fundraiser, where the speaker was a young lady speaking about mental issues, which are everywhere, so please don’t be quiet about that. The fundraiser was fun, and thanks for the compliments about this new suit, a change of colour is noticeable. He went on bike rides with kids around the neighbourhood, was watching hockey, and wondering where the Canucks are (ED: they’re golfing). It’s buzzing at the hall. He will get the numbers by next week. Happy Mother’s Day!
Debbie T. is finally feeling better. Since the beginning of April she has had a virus and this is the first week without aches and runny nose -- very exciting. The gala-won pizza oven is unloaded, huge, and they’re brainstorming on how to handle it. The Lego cat her husband was in a bidding war over went for over $150 to someone else. She is doing the first regatta on Saturday with the Dragon team and has a new light paddle. She delivered the scholarship cheque to the superintendent, who gives it to the secretary treasurer. He said, “wow we should be thanking you,” so Debbie suggested he come to speak to us. He’s an interesting person and they are very appreciative also for the indigenous scholarship. We could do the big cheque photo with him. Note from Marg: We used to have representation of SD38 at our auction and should impress the idea on them again.
MEANDERINGS
HAHAHAHAHA! Who knew. In case you missed it - World Laughter day was last Sunday. At least you had a chuckle! This week the today's chuckles are even funnier.
World Laughter Day is celebrated every year to remind us of the power of laughter and its many health benefits. In 2025, World Laughter Day will be observed on May 4, the first Sunday of May. This special day brings people together to laugh and spread joy, no matter where they are from.
Origin
The idea of World Laughter Day began in 1998 and was started by Dr. Madan Kataria, a doctor from India. He is also the founder of the worldwide Laughter Yoga Movement, which encourages people to laugh as a form of exercise. Dr. Kataria believed that laughter helps improve our mood, reduce stress, and bring people closer together. His mission was to create peace and friendship through laughter.
Celebration of World Laughter Day
World Laughter Day is now celebrated in over 100 countries. On this day, people join laughter clubs, take part in laughter yoga sessions, and attend events that focus on happiness and positivity. Some communities even organise street parades or flash mobs full of smiling and laughing faces.
Significance of World Laughter Day
Laughter has real health benefits. It relaxes the body, boosts the immune system, reduces pain, and even protects the heart. It is also known to release "feel-good" chemicals in the brain, like endorphins, that make us feel happy. In a world full of stress and negativity, World Laughter Day reminds us to take a break and simply laugh. It is a day to let go of worries and share a smile with others.
No matter your age or background, laughter is something everyone can enjoy. So, on May 4, 2025, join the world in celebrating this joyful day. Laugh out loud, spread happiness, and remember — sometimes, laughter really is the best medicine.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Saturday June 14, 2025; Presidents Dinner
6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Richmond Country Club,
Buffet Dinner
Approximately $90.00 per person;
TODAY'S CHUCKLEs
For a long time, I kept my flour, sugar, salt and yeast in a cage; they were bread in captivity.
It took me two months to realize that these ripen-at-home avocados are plastic.
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