Crafty White Lakers

Well those crafty White Lakers were at it again last week, with Debbie King organising a session to make these cute seasonal decorations. Great work everyone!

President's report

Following text is the President's Report for 2023. 

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President’s Report - 2023

It’s great to be back. 

With the pandemic lockdowns now in the past, 2023 saw your Centre back up and running. Many of the popular activities have returned to the Centre; Yoga, Knitter-Knatters, Crafts, Coffee Hub, Friday Darts, and our Take-a-Book-Leave-a-Book library is being well used by readers of all interests. And Live ‘n Learn returned in November with a very informative session on sleep apnea, with more to come. However, volunteers are still being sought to organize/assist with Euchre, Cribbage, Movie Nites and the monthly Birthday Breakfasts.

There were several major events held during the year. February’s Pancake Breakfast was the first post-COVID event to welcome many community members back to the Centre. In June, the Strawberry Social was a great success drawing over 100 people and raising $877 for the Ukraine Relief Fund. Along with the August Corn Roast, these events brought neighbours and friends together for the first time, in some cases, in years.

Financially, the Centre is in a good position. We were able to weather the lockdown and associated lack of income by having a healthy cash position prior to 2021 and with the assistance of Township and Provincial grants. On an ongoing basis, the annual Township Grant covers approximately half of our operating expenses with rentals and participation fees covering the rest. 

Our Centre was the host for the first luncheon meeting of the HNN (Highlands North Network), a grass-roots organization that represents community halls in the township. At this point I must mention how all of the other representatives were amazed by our Centre; new, clean, efficient and accessible. Discussions will continue on how best to leverage and share the capabilities of all our respective centres for the betterment of our communities.

All the aforementioned activities are the result of hard, sometimes thankless work done by volunteers, your neighbours and friends. On behalf of the Executive Committee I thank and applaud all of you. More volunteers and their ideas are always welcome. This is your community centre. Please use it. 

The Committee would like to thank Nancy Burrows for her service to the community over several years as a Committee member and for doing the advertising posters for the many events. The Committee would also like to welcome Jacqueline Cairns (no relation) who brings her organizing talents to the team.

On a sadder note, I would like to acknowledge the passing of long-time board members and community supporters, Elaine Pasch, Brian Roberts and Angus Davidson.

We are all looking forward to 2024.

On behalf of the Committee, I wish you all the best of the holiday season, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Brian Cairns

President

Save the Date!

The White Lake Property Owners Association (https://wlpoa.ca/) will be hosting their annual Merry Mingle at the Centre on December 10. Stay tuned for more details as they come available, or follow the WLPO on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/100982146727194/.

Everything you wanted to know about sleep

After a lengthy COVID-induced delay, Live 'n Learn is back. The first session, held yesterday (Thursday), featured an excellent presentation by Melissa Gourley of the Renfrew Victoria Hospital's Sleep Disorder Clinic. 

The event began with a hearty lunch (thanks to all who contributed!), followed by Melissa who spent an hour and a half talking to a very attentive audience about sleep disorders, symptoms, long-term health impacts, and so on. Even in the hour after lunch (prime nap time for us seniors) no one was nodding off as Melissa shared her expertise on a very complex and poorly understood subject, and answered a variety of questions from the audience.

All in all a very interesting and informative session.

Thanks to Melissa for coming out, and a special thanks to Brenda Guiney for arranging her visit. 

And if you have any ideas for future Live 'n Learn events please let us know.

Family gatherings

How many times have you thought about getting the extended family together for a Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner, a special birthday or anniversary, or simply because it's been a while, only to dismiss the idea out-of-hand because you simply can't seat that many people around your dining table?

Why not consider renting the Darling White Lake Centre for those family gatherings? More and more of your neighbours are doing precisely that, and to rave reviews. For a modest fee (see Rentals in the sidebar) you get access to a large facility for meeting and dining as well as a modern, fully equipped kitchen to prepare and serve a meal. There's plenty of parking and lots of safe space outside for the kiddies to play while the adults socialize. And, best of all, you don't have to worry about Cousin Fred twice-removed liberating the silverware, your 5-year-old granddaughter knocking over that priceless Ming vase as she chases the cat down the hall, or spic-n-spanning every room in the house because you know Aunt Mabel will be snooping and reporting.

Of course you are still required to clean up the space after your event.

If you are considering such an event and have questions not answered in the Rentals sidebar, you can reach out to us at DarlingWhiteLakeCentre@gmail.com, and we'll be happy to assist. Please include a phone number where you can be reached in case of an e-mail failure.

Healthy Lifestyles presentation

Who doesn't want to be able to sleep like these guys?

Well, maybe we can help.

Next Thursday, November 2, the Centre will be hosting a Healthy Lifestyles presentation on the subject of sleep and the health implications of too little sleep or simply bad sleep habits.

Melissa Gourley from the Renfrew Victoria Hospital's Sleep Lab will discuss the signs and symptoms of poor sleep habits and the health impacts of sleep apnea. A question and answer session will follow her presentation.

A lunch will be served at 12 noon, with the presentation to begin at 1 PM.

The cost is $7 per person, and space is limited so advanced booking is required.

To register, simply email DarlingWhiteLakeCentre@gmail.com with the name(s) of those wishing to attend.

What's coming this fall?

Sad as it is to acknowledge, summer 2023 is winding down and the kids are back to school, the campgrounds are emptying out, hunters are sighting in their deer rifles, and the Darling White Lake Centre has resumed its fall/winter/spring schedule.

Of course the Thursday morning Coffee Hub will continue from 9 - 11. It would be wonderful to see some new faces join us for a cuppa and chat about (almost) anything of interest. Check in with old friends and meet new ones in a relaxed, friendly environment. $2 at the door gets you a coffee and usually some snacks.

Friday afternoon darts is back. This is a fun, non-competitive (bragging rights only) activity and a great opportunity to either learn or improve your game. Again, $2 at the door. Cheap at twice the price for a couple of hours of fun on a cold winter afternoon.

The crafty White Lakers have already started, hosting an afternoon making Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeers to grace your doorway as December 25 approaches. Depending on interest levels, more crafting events will take place over the winter.

The Live 'n Learn sessions, so popular a few years ago, cancelled due to COVID, may be back, possibly in a new form. Discussions are underway to identify a coordinator, but several topics have already been identified for interesting presentations. If you would be interested in exploring taking on the coordinator role, just reach out to us at DarlingWhiteLakeCentre@gmail.com and we'll be happy to answer any questions you might have. 

Knitter-knatter, another popular crafting session, has also started up again. At 1 PM on Tuesdays, a number of knitters (and cross-stitchers and other crafters) gather together to share secrets of the trade, help each other out, and enjoy a couple of hours of camaraderie. Beginners are welcome to join and learn a new skill. $2 at the door.

Watch for fund-raising events. We have held, at various times, fund-raisers for needy local charities such as the Renfrew Hospice or Lanark's Interval House. Each event will be posted as soon as the information is available. Please support us, and your community, by participating. 

And don't forget our little lending library. With approximately 300 titles on the shelves there's something for everyone. We will also, happily, take donations of books you no longer wish to keep. We just ask that you not drop off boxes of old textbooks or magazines. The library is accessible whenever the Centre is open for any event or activity.

As we have said before, this is your community centre and it depends on your support for and attendance at the activities and events put on for you by fellow community members. We are also here to work with you should you be interested in organising your own event, whether it be a periodic activity or regular occurrence. 

What would you like to see at the Centre? If you have ideas, just reach out to us at DarlingWhiteLakeCentre@gmail.com.

Hope to see you there soon.