Live 'n Learn - 911 presentation

Today, a group of 20 or so White Lakers convened at the DWLC for our latest Live 'n Learn session.

After a delicious lunch (shout out to all who prepared and served up the meal) Jacqueline Cairns took centre stage to tell us about her life as a 911 call taker/dispatcher with the Ottawa Police Service.

Her passion for the job, even after a 33-year career, was obvious to those who attended. She shared many personal stories, along with a very detailed description of the processes that come into play once a 911 call is initiated. She ably described the job, its stresses, and the characteristics of a good call taker/dispatcher (being a type "A" personality is a good start).

It's fair to say that the audience left the session with a much better understanding of what happens behind the scenes, as well as the important functions the 911 call takers and dispatchers provide in helping to keep the public, and the attending officers, safe and secure in what are usually very stressful situations. 

Thank you Jacqueline for a most informative and interesting session.

Live 'n Learn - Behind the scenes at 911

So you place a call to 911. Then what happens?

Well, our very own Jacqueline Cairns will tell us all about it on April 18.

Jacqueline will share her experience and insights gained over her 33 years working on the front lines as a civilian member with first the Nepean Police and later the Ottawa Police Service. Although the focus of her presentation will be based on the many years she worked in Dispatch/911, Jacqueline also spent several years in Drugs and Intelligence, and another few years in Sexual Assault and Child Abuse.

Lunch will be served at 12 noon, to be followed by what will be a most interesting presentation. See flyer for details.

Sure signs of spring

Living in the country there are a number of indicators that spring has sprung, as the old ditty goes. Of course there's the first robin, the ice pulling away from the shore,  and dismounting the snowblower from the tractor. Sadly, there's also the emergence of beer cans, Timmy's cups, and other detritus deposited in our ditches by the more inconsiderate who share our roads. 

But there's always a group of responsible volunteers willing to pick up after these clods. The White Lake Property Owners (WLPOA) is planning an Earth Day cleanup on April 20. All the details are not yet available, but it will likely be run out of the DWLC parking lot and be followed by an appreciation BBQ. 

It's actually a fun day as pickers vie for bragging rights for the best/worst/most/ugliest trash recovered, and get to socialize with neighbours after a long winter. And free food is never a bad thing. So mark your calendars and stay tuned.

Live 'n Learn March 28 - Paul Smith

Our next Live 'n Learn session will be held on March 28, from 12:00 - 3:00 PM. Our guest speaker will be Paul Smith, who some of you may recall made a presentation to us some years ago, pre-COVID.

Paul is Adjunct Research Scientist, Conservation, Biology and Arctic Ecology from Carleton University. His particular area of study includes Arctic Terrestrial Ecosystems with the department of Environment and Climate Change Canada. Although he travels the world lecturing and teaching, he also has an interest in local initiatives such as the Mississippi Madawaska Land Trust.

Paul's presentation will include an update on his previous Arctic travels as well as a discussion on local conservation issues. That will be followed by an open Q&A session.

Lunch will be served and the cost to attend is $10, the proceeds of which will go to the Centre. Please RSVP if you are planning to attend.

Upcoming events

The Live 'N Learn sessions you have all come to enjoy have two new events on the calendar.

On March 28, at noon, come and listen to Paul Smith talk about his experiences in the Arctic. Paul has presented to us before and is returning by popular request.

Then on April 15, also at noon, one of our very own, Jacqueline Cairns, will talk to us about 911 and emergency services in general, a topic with which she is very familiar.

Stay tuned as further details come available, but for now mark your calendars.

Are you missing out?

It has come to our attention that some of you who have signed up for the Friends of the Centre emails have not been receiving them on a regular basis. 

Aside from the obvious, such as messages going into a spam folder, we may have an issue with how GMAIL is handling our messages. If you did not receive one or more of the following emails from the Darling White Lake Centre, please let us know as we try to improve our email delivery processes. 

1. January 17, Info on Roads Study

2. January 30, Pancake Breakfast Reminder

3. February 8, Request for Photos

Thank you.

Pancake breakfast a great success!

This is just a shout-out to all the volunteers who put on a great breakfast at the Centre yesterday. We couldn't do what we do without you. And to those who came to eat, thank you for supporting the Centre and the activities held there for your enjoyment. 

There are no major events currently on the schedule for the coming few months, but regular activities like darts, coffee hub, knitter-knatter continue to provide winter activities for local residents. So if you want an excuse to get out of the house for a few hours, check out one or more of those activities. Details are on the schedule and a contact list can be found here if you have any questions.