Happy New Year, everyone! Yes, I know it isn’t January yet, but when you’ve been in school for as long as I have (55 years, in one form or another) September becomes your new year. It’s time to turn the page on those languid, lazy days of summer and get ready to take on new challenges and new experiences. For all of us at CFUW St. Catharines, it means another year of fascinating speakers, thanks to our amazing Program Committee, another year of fun and friendship in our Interest Groups, and another year filled with opportunities to support the women and girls in our communities.
Over the past two years, we’ve enjoyed the visionary leadership of Christine Marks, who, in her dedication to this club, became a role model to me. I was lucky to serve with her as Vice President, and now, I’m lucky to have her guidance as Past President (or, as I prefer to call her, the Keeper of the Ancient Wisdom!). I’m honoured to follow in her footsteps and to have the privilege of leading our wonderful club. This year’s Executive is a fantastic group of smart, keen, and capable women, who will put their many talents to use in making the coming year a successful and enjoyable one for us all.
In the spirit of this new year, I invite you to take advantage of all that CFUW St. Catharines has to offer, even if it means going outside your comfort level (especially if it means going outside your comfort level!).
There are many opportunities for personal growth within our club, and that growth is usually accompanied by a healthy dose of fun and the precious gift of friendship. Check out our Interest Groups and try something new; sign up for a committee or one of the positions that have not yet been filled; volunteer to help at a fundraising event. Whatever you choose to participate in, you’re bound to get as much out of it as you put in. Feel free to reach out to me at [email protected] or at (905) 358-1934 whenever you’d like – I welcome your questions and ideas.
As summer nears its inevitable end, let’s greet this new year with excitement and anticipation, starting with our very special kick-off event on Tuesday, September 9 at Club Roma. Let’s play together and learn together and work together. Let’s continue the one-hundred-plus-year tradition of CFUW St. Catharines and make a difference.