NEWSLETTER OCTOBER 2022  Happy Thanksgiving!   THOUGHT OF THE DAY:    "We came, we saw, we bought the t-shirt!"   MESSAGE FROM EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:    Ladies, What a great time it was! It was a small party due to numbers, but those who managed to make it were not disappointed.  We cannot thank the sponsors of the RCAF Airwomen Reunion 15 enough for their contributions: Corps of Commissionaires Manitoba Division The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 215 Shirley Duff (RCAF Airwoman's Reunion Co-Founder) The exhibit at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 215 was magnificent.   REUNION 15: This is what happened at the 15th reunion of the RCAF Airwomen in September on the 13, 14, and 15 at the Airport Hilton Suites 1800 Wellington Avenue in Winnipeg Manitoba:  Thanks to the hard work of the R15 committee, a good time was had by all. Tuesday started with registration, coffee, muffins and a meet and greet.  Thanks to the City of Winnipeg and the RCAF, there were letters welcoming attendees to Winnipeg and the 15th Airwomen’s reunion.  The R15 bag also the bag contained a Winnipeg pen and pin, RCAF pen, bookmark and pin,  as well as R15 2021 and R15 2022 pins.   Lots of stamps were collected through out three days and will be sent to Flo.  She will send a stamp report in a future newsletter. The evening buffet dinner was kicked off by Magic Mirrors photo booth where lots of fun photos were taken.  Prior to dinner, Maj Genevieve Dussault, currently the Executive Assistant to the Commander of 1 Canadian Air Division spoke about her experiences in the military and left us with some comments to ponder regarding diversity and inclusion.  “Diversity is being invited to the party, inclusion is being asked to dance.”  After Grace said by Marilyn Young, and the delicious buffet dinner, Kathleen Francis, an author and Department of Justice advocate for indigenous offenders, discussed her books which focus on various statues around Canada.  She has taken inspiration from each statue and shared her inspiration with the attendees.  After dinner, a number of free draws were made, thanks to the generosity of our sponsors.   Two trips were available on Wednesday morning.  One to the Assiniboine Zoo polar bear aquarium and observation area.  Although the polar bears were not very accommodating, as far as swimming in the pool while we were there, they were very active in the observation area.  Thank you to Helen MacDonald who regularly volunteers a the zoo, for the interesting tour. During the week, several attendees went to the Legion Branch 215 to view the curated Women in Uniform exhibit at their Wall of Honour and Remembrance.  One group that visited for lunch on Wednesday, was greeted by Paul Darnell the exhibitor, who gave us some wonderful information, highlighting that they had just added the Queen’s photo to the display.  It was a very nice display and the food was awesome.  Paul stated that if anyone wants to donate any memorabilia, to please contact with him via email dartnellpaul1@gmial.com or by phone 204-779-9091.  He would be happy to accept any and all military related items for the Legion’s collection. During the evening Meet and Greet, the photographer was busy taking photos in groups in the hall then later of tables and of the events of the evening.  These photos will be put on the website, at a later date.  At each place setting was a chocolate airplane made by a Morden’s Chocolate’s in Winnipeg, beautifully printed Airforce tartan table numbers and menus with acknowledgments to the Corp of Commissionaires Manitoba Division, Shirley Duff, and the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 215.  There was a piece of art done by our very own resident artist Kathy Madden which was gifted to one lucky person at each table.  Grace was said by Marilyn Young, and after another wonderful meal, toast were given by Shannon Hale - the Loyal Toast, the first occasion most of us should have hard to toas the King, and Phillis Doyle - Toast to Canada.  Stevie Gould was presented with a small tray made as signed by a Manitoba artist, in recognition that this was the 15 reunion that she has attended.  Where there are a couple of runners up, she is the only one to hold this distinction.  We thank Stevie for her support over the years.  We also sang happy birthday to our two September ladies.  Clem Bignall and Rose Stoddard.  Rose is a WWII vet who was turning 99 this month, this was her first reunion and she brought her release paper, photo and medals from when she served.  We also want to give a special thank you Marion Scheers for her polar bear design that we used for R15. After a short break, and just as the entertainment was to get started, the fire alarm went off!  Happily it was a false alarm, we all returned and the entertainment began.  What fun they were!  "Those Guys", a group of 7 men singing A Cappella.  They had many up dancing with their song choices and even had a conga line going.  A great time was had by all.  Draws were made for our raffle items to end the evenings events.   Thursday morning, a very entertaining sermon was given by Rev Karen Lumaye as she related some of her personal experienced in becoming a United Church Minister.  Brunch followed the service with two final draws for donations made by Ilene LeClair.  With lots of hugs and laughter, goodbyes were said and attendees were sent off with little suitcases filled with maple leaf candies, again, thank you so much to our sponsors! Please let me know if you are interested in having a 16th reunion. If so, location and local committee need to be decided.  National committee will work with a local committee in anyway needed.   Thanks, Tracey Everett  Chair RCAF Airwomen’s  Reunion      OXFAM STAMP COLLECTING: BATTLING COVID 19:   Update on stamps collected to be announced in the newsletter as soon as they are tallied. Thanks so much ladies!  If you have any questions, please phone Flo at 403-990-1556 or e-mail flobobreid@shaw.ca.  To see details about the preparation of the stamps, click here.  We donate these stamps to Oxfam Canada. To find out more about Oxfam click here.   LUNCHEONS:   Meetings are starting up again. Go to a luncheon and meet up with friends. So far the feedback has been positive. Getting out and seeing each other in person has been an uplifting experience.  Not all of the regular luncheons are posted in the newsletter. Check with your luncheon coordinators to find out if your group is starting to meet again.   Edmonton, AB Our next luncheon meeting will be on Wednesday October 12th at 1:00 pm at Tony Roma's in Londonderry. Any questions, please call me, Elke Carr, at 1-780-912-9242 or e-mail me at wecarr@telus.net.   Calgary, AB  The Calgary Chapter will resume our monthly luncheons on the second Wednesday of the month at 11:30 am at Legion #264 in Kensington. Our first luncheon will be 12 October 2022.    Charlottetown/Summerside, PEI  The PEI RCAF Ladies next luncheon will be held in Summerside, PEI at Brother’s Two Restaurant, 618 Water Street East at 1200 noon on Thursday 13 October 2022.  If you would like to join us please contact debbie.reid1234@outlook.com Comox, BC An Airwomen's luncheon will be held at the Comox Legion (upper hall) on Sunda October 23,2022 from 1-4PM. We invite former military women and those presently serving to join us. Bring your favorite potluck dish. For those unable to bring a dish, we suggest a donation which will go to the Legion Poppy Fund. A fun part of the afternoon are the draws of "regifts". If you wish to participate, bring an item you no longer have use for and would like to pass on. It should be wrapped or gift bagged. The organizing committee are doing their best to contact past participants. Please pass the word along to anyone you know that may be interested. Any questions may be directed to Stevie 250-339-7274 or Pat 250-339-5829.   Women in Uniform to meet in Orleans, ON  The first event was held in Orleans before the pandemic. The hope is this will become an annual event.  Jeanine Mader writes:   There were door prizes and everyone. We had an awesome live band that provided great music. Food was provided by our Legion caterer which was also quite tasty.        *If you host a regular luncheon, please contact us let us know where you are. You are not required to publish your information in the newsletter but we can put you in contact with ladies looking for a luncheon group in the area. Thanks so much for participating!*   REMEMBERING HER: Pattie Post joined the RCAF in the 50’s her trade was Recreation Specialist. After she left the military she became a police officer and retired as a Superintendent. She attended the second reunion in 1993 held at the University of Carlton in Ottawa. A member remembers her as wonderful pitcher on all ball teams, both military and civilian. "She was one of the first female windmill pitchers I had ever seen. We met in the Service back in '60 and just kept running into each other after that with ball teams, etc. She was so very funny and obviously very capable. I lived in Toronto after the Service and we would meet up occasionally and talk about our fun service days when both were airwomen and enjoying life and sports.  I last saw her about 20 years ago when we went to a Blue Jay game together with a couple of other friends, but kept in touch via phone and emails down the road."   LAST POST: As the members of the committee update the nominal roll, we are discovering that some of our members have been with the angels for several years. They are included in our monthly newsletters as we find them.   Last Name    First Name          Maiden Name    Date of Death     Age    City                Prov    Balser  Ruth Carole  Spendlow 17 Sep 2022    80  Edmonton AB  Durland  Mary Bernadette   Krivak  1 Nov 2021    88  New Westminister    BC  Harris     Marielle Jeanne-D'Arc  Nadeau 8 May 2022    91  Moose Jaw SK  Hiuser  Clemence "Clem"   Gingras Dec 2020    87  Calgary AB  Morgan  Jo Ann  Vaughan 28 Aug 2022    83  Prince George BC  Morgan  Yvonne   Morgan    16 Sep 2022       Gabriola Island BC  Oldford  Louise Yvonne  Meredith 11Jan 2022    85  Winnipeg MB  Post  Patricia Joan "Pattie"  Post 30 Aug 2022    85  Toronto ON  Vickers  Catherine Anastasia "Nan"     Nairn 27 Dec 2021    86  New Glasgow NS If you have a notification of a member who has died, please let us know here if you do not see their name in the Last Post on our website. Thank you.    BIRTHDAYS: A “Very Happy Birthday” to our October birthday ladies.  If your birthday is missing from this list it may be because we don't have it or you said, "No" previously to putting it on the list. You can reply to this newsletter and tell us to add your birthday to the list or you can fill out a Change of Information form.      YOUR COMMITTEE: Tracey Everett - Chair, Newsletter Claire Williams - Treasurer  Pat Brennan - Vice-Chair, Winnipeg Committee Chair