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  PROBUS Pickering Lakeside

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  • Previous Speakers

Previous Speakers (Click here to see our speakers presentations on YouTube - Members Only)

October 9, 2024

Our speaker for our October meeting was philosopher, educator, public speaker and author, Dr. Christopher DiCarlo    Dr. DiCarlo is the Principal and Founder of Critical Thinking Solutions, a consulting business for individuals, corporations, and not-for-profits in both the private and public sectors and is the Ethics Chair for the Canadian Mental Health Association 

Dr. DiCarlo has spoken at numerous national and international conferences and has written many scholarly papers.   He is also the author of several books including his best-seller: ‘How to Become a Really Good Pain in the Ass’.   His latest book, ‘Building a God: The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and the Race to Control’ will be released early next year.

Dr DiCarlo has presented to us - and inspired us - three times before but this time he has a new and critical subject:  Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity.   

In this presentation he will first cover the basics of AI in reference to key terms, concepts, and issues.  Then he will take a look at some of the promising benefits such as medical miracles, advancements in education, and increases in efficiency and automation, etc.   However, he will also stress how important it is to realize that there are ways in which AI could present risks and generate harm; either intentionally or unintentionally.    

When we use critical thinking and ethical reasoning to consider the potential benefits and harms of AI, we are much more empowered to discuss how we want these new forms of technologies to affect our lives as we move into the uncertain future”. 


September 11, 2024

Our Speaker for September was Tom Herstad.  Born and bred in Toronto, Tom has been an avid hockey player and coach and a passionate outdoor adventurer.  He loves cooking over campfires and especially enjoying the Thirty Thousand Islands of Georgian Bay.  

In his career, Tom has been a lighting designer, a Marketing expert and an entrepreneur.   More recently he has become an author and public speaker.   His book ‘2nd Line West’ has a 4 star rating on Amazon and is currently being made into a film.   This book is the story of his mother Margie and could also be called ‘Margie’s Message of Hope - A true story of Tragedy, Grief, Redemption, Joy and Fulfillment’.   

Margie, a young widow with four children, created a haven in her family home for people who needed a place to land in a time of sadness, depression and  misfortune.  Margie’s home became their place for a second chance.  You'll hear about a deeply generous woman’s life, her family’s history and about some of the uplifting stories from so many people she helped.  Margie used her wisdom and strength to influence and coach the positive transformation of many souls, all the while reinventing herself.   

Tom’s presentation will focus on something we are all born with but most everyone has forgotten - the need and ability for hope and joy.   He believes this story will truly leave you better than it found you and encourage you to live your life with courage and compassion for those around you.

August 14, 2024 - Annual BBQ (no meeting)

July 10, 2024 - 

Our Speaker for July was the Mayor of Pickering, Kevin Ashe.   

Mayor Ashe has been a resident of Pickering for over 55 years and comes from a family deeply rooted in local politics and community service.  His late father, George Ashe, served as the first Mayor of the then Town of Pickering in 1973;  paving the way for Kevin’s own civic career.  Mayor Ashe was first elected as Ward 1 City Councilor in 2003 and was elected Mayor in 2022.

Mayor Ashe’s vision for Pickering is ambitious yet grounded, striving to harness Pickering’s potential for positive and progressive growth, fostering vibrancy, connectivity, and sustainability. Central to this vision is promoting Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, and nurturing a compassionate and thriving community.    

At our meeting, Mayor Ashe will be presenting important updates regarding ongoing initiatives and developments happening in the City  His aim at meetings like these is to  keep residents informed and encourage community engagement.   His informative session will be followed by a Q&A session, allowing you to ask questions and share your feedback.

May 8, 2024 -

The Speaker for our May meeting was Kevin Donovan.  

Kevin is the Toronto Star's Chief Investigative Reporter, and his focus has always been on journalism that exposes wrongdoing and effects change.  Over almost four decades Kevin has reported on activities of charities, government, police, business and other institutions.  He also reported from the battlefields in the Gulf War and the war in Afghanistan following 9/11.  

Kevin has won three National Newspaper Awards, two Governor General's Michener Awards, the Canadian Journalism Foundation award and three Canadian Association of Journalists Awards.   He is the author of several books, including the ‘The Billionaire Murders’; ‘Secret Life: The Jian Ghomeshi Investigation’;  and the ‘The Dead Times’ (a fiction novel).  You can listen to his ‘Suspicion’ podcast series wherever you listen to podcasts, and check out ‘The Billionaire Murders’ documentary on Crave. 

Kevin will talk to us about some of his investigative reporting cases, with a special focus on the still unsolved murders of billionaires Barry and Honey Sherman.  He’ll talk about the crime, the last day of their lives, and debunk some theories.  Kevin will also take your questions and have copies of his books, ‘The Billionaire Murders’, and ‘Secret Life, the Jian Ghomeshi investigation’ for sale ($20 each) and signing after his talk.



April 17, 2024 -

Our speaker for April was Katie Overstrom.   

Katie has been volunteering at the Royal Ontario Museum for many years and she can often be found at the Visitor Guide Desk at the Museum helping guests make the most of their visit there.

Katie is also a member and former Chair of ‘ROMForYou’, an organization of volunteers whose mission is to develop and deliver presentations that ‘bring the museum to life’ in many diverse locations and communities around Toronto and the GTA.    

The Royal Ontario Museum opened its doors to the public on March 14th, 1914.  It is Canada’s largest museum and home to a world-class collection of 13 million artworks, cultural objects and natural history specimens.   

Katie will talk to us about the early beginnings of this cultural institution; the people responsible for its inception, and the stories behind some of its historical collection.   Katie will also talk about the ROM’s unique architectural design and the various renovations that have altered its appearance in the Toronto landscape over the years.    

The ROM offers many opportunities for Group and guided tours that the club will be exploring with Katie and participants at this meeting will also be eligible for coupons for reduced entrance fees.

March 6, 2024 -

Our March Speaker will be Senior Constable Darryl Rice from the Crime Prevention Unit of the Durham Regional Police Force.   Constable Rice will be talking about current and ongoing frauds and scams and how to spot and deal with them along with various other crime prevention tips.   Such is the importance of this topic and such is the wealth of knowledge and experience Darryl brings to it, we have allocated 90 mins for his presentation.   So for March only we will have a very brief (10 mins) business meeting starting at 10:00 am followed by a 20 min coffee break and then Constable Rice will start promptly at 10:30 am.   You won't want to miss this!

February 14, 2024 -

Our speaker was Eileen Kennedy who is currently employed as a Film and Television Industry Specialist within the Regional Municipality of Durham.  Eileen is a also a certified Film Commissioner with the Association of Film Commissioners International; an award-winning marketing professional and an accredited economic development practitioner 

Focusing on film sector development since 2012,  Eileen founded the “Film Durham” program within the Region of Durham and she is also the Founder and Director of the ‘Durham Region International Film Festival’.   

These initiatives and resources have proven very successful in supporting film and television production and attracting film-related investment to Durham which, due to our proximity to Toronto and its many production facilities (including Canada;s largest backlot), now plays an important role in Ontario’s multibillion dollar film, television and digital media industry.   The region offers diverse film locations from quaint downtowns, rustic train stations and picturesque bridges, to modern buildings, interior settings and industrial spaces.  

Eileen will talk to us about local film production in the area and the economic benefits we all enjoy.

January 10, 2024 - 

Our Speaker for January is renowned Canadian author Terry Fallis.  

Terry is the author of nine national bestsellers and a two-time winner of the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour.  In June, 2013, the Canadian Booksellers Association presented Terry with the Libris Award for Author of the Year.

Terry earned a Bachelor of Engineering degree from McMaster University in 1983.   It was as President of the Students Union there that he became interested in Politics and after graduation he served in the offices of future Prime Minister Jean Chretien’s and of the Honourable Jean Lapierre in the short-lived cabinet of Prime Minister John Turner.   He also created and co-hosted more than 200 episodes of the popular business podcast, Inside PR

Eventually Terry retired from politics to write full-time and in addition to his award winning books, Terry has written for many publications such as  Maclean’s, Canadian Geographic, Reader’s Digest, Toronto Life, the Globe and Mail, the National Post, and the Toronto Star.

Terry will talk to us about his latest bestselling book, ‘A New Season’, which is a thoughtful exploration of aging, loss, family, friendship, and love, all with his trademark humour and heart.   Books will be available for sale after the talk  and Terry will stay to sign copies.

December 13, 2023 - There was no speaker this month as we held our Annual Christmas Lunch.

November 8, 2023 - Lianne Harris

Our speaker for November is back by popular demand:  Lianne Harris has spoken to us twice before and her presentations are always excellent. 

Lianne is the History and Social Studies Resource Consultant for the Toronto District School Board and Curriculum Advisor with Upper Canada College.  She has honed her many years of teaching history into an engaging, dynamic experience.  To date, she has taught over 70,000 students and teachers and in 2003, she was selected by W.O.M.A.D. as one of Toronto’s Women of Influence.

She is the author of many books and has been a frequent guest on TV, radio, and as keynote speaker for various social, academic and professional organizations.   She believes learning should be relevant, enlightening, and best of all- fun!   

Her topic for our meeting “Undressed, the History of Hygiene”:   How was soap invented?  Who sold false teeth?  Why were Egyptian women bald?  What cultures invented the toothbrush, the toilet?   What beauty aids worked–and what were sheer disasters?  

In this lively, visual presentation, Lianne follows the evolution of beauty and hygiene and the pains and procedures those in the past have subjected themselves to in the pursuit of looking good and being socially acceptable.  


October 11, 2023 - Ted Barris

Ted is a Canadian writer, journalist, professor and broadcaster.  He is also a renowned orator and has made many presentations to PROBUS and other service clubs to great acclaim.

Ted Barris has published 20 non-fiction books, half of them wartime histories focusing on Canada’s military heritage.  His book ‘The Great Escape: A Canadian Story’ won the 2014 Libris Award as Best Non-Fiction Book in Canada; and his book ‘Dam Busters: Canadian Airmen and the Secret Raid Against Nazi Germany’ received the 2019 NORAD Trophy from the RCAF Association.

Ted will talk to us about his latest book. ‘The Battle of the Atlantic: Gauntlet to Victory’ which focuses on Canada’s longest continuous military engagement of WWII.  The Atlantic was the battlefield that pitted German U-boats against Royal Canadian Navy escorts and bomber-reconnaissance aircraft of the Royal Canadian Air Force.   It took 2,074 days and nights to determine its outcome, but the allied victory proved the turning point of the Second World War.  

Ted will tell us how Canada’s navy went to war with exactly 13 warships and about 3,500 sailors and how that grew to 400 fighting ships and over 100,000 men and women in uniform.   By V-E Day in 1945, it had become the 4th largest navy in the world. 


September 13, 2023 - Amy Barron

Our August speaker was archeologist Dr. Amy Barron.   Amy received her PhD at the University of Toronto in the field of Mesopotamian history and archaeology, specializing in the military history of Iron Age Assyria

She has excavated predominantly in the Middle East but has traveled widely studying the archaeology of various remote parts of the world from Peru to China. 

Amy has taught archaeology, ancient history and classics at the universities of Toronto and Guelph and presently teaches museum studies in Fleming College’s post-graduate program.  She has worked in the museum world for over 30 years and loves sharing her passion for the past.   For more information  about Amy you can check out her webpage at www.quarrywood.ca


August - No speaker as we had our BBQ!


July 19, 2023 - Dennis Grimm

Our July Speaker was Dennis Grimm.  He enjoyed a very successful career in senior accounting, audit and Board Director roles and also found time to get his pilot's license and become a Certified Fitness Instructor while doing them.

But he wasn’t finished there!   Upon retirement, Dennis went back to school to study wine and obtain another credential.   He is now a Certified Sommelier with the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers.    

This enabled Dennis to fulfil a lifelong ambition when in 2008 he purchased land In the UCO Valley of Argentina and started a vineyard.  He also built a house at the foot of the Andes and so he and his wife Candice now split their time between Canada and Argentina.     

He will talk to us about his ‘adventures’ in the wine industry and Argentina.  


June 14, 2023 - Dr. Riley Moynes

Our June speaker was Dr. Riley Moynes.  During his varied career, Riley has been an educator, author, financial advisor, public speaker and publisher.  

Dr. Moynes had a successful 20-year career as an educator before turning his talents to the financial services sector where he launched and grew a multi-city wealth management firm. He was a recipient of the Dalbar Financial Professional Seal as one of Canada’s most trusted financial advisors.  

Riley then became an author and penned several best-sellers.  Among his works is the six-edition financial planning guide The Money Coach, The Four Phases of Retirement: What to Expect When You’re Retiring and its follow up The Ten Lessons: How You Too Can Squeeze All The “Juice” Out of Retirement

His talk to us will be on the Four Phases of Retirement.  As Riley describes his own personal retirement experience:   He waltzed through Phase One of retirement, struggled through Phase Two, tried a dozen different initiatives in Phase Three, and now, in Phase Four, he researches, writes, publishes and speaks on topics of current interest and importance.    In fact, he is now a renowned TEDx Speaker.   His recent TEDx talk on the topic of retirement has been viewed 3.4 million times to date and was in the TOP 10 of TEDx talks in 2022.


April 19, 2023 - Dan Carter

Our April Speaker was Oshawa Mayor Dan Carter but he will not be talking about Oshawa.  

Dan experienced some major challenges as a child and as a result he fell into drug and alcohol addiction and was homeless for most of his late teens and 20s. 

Dan managed to overcome this and went on to enjoy a successful career in broadcasting including being the Executive Producer of programming for CHEX TV Durham.   He took up politics in 2014 and became Mayor in 2018.     

Dan’s background has also enabled him to become an exceptional motivational speaker on topics including leadership, the challenges of living in poverty, mental health and addiction.    

He will share more of his incredible story with us at our next meeting and I’m sure it will be truly inspirational. 


March ,2023 - Matthew Anderson

Our Speaker for March was Matthew Anderson.  Matt is the President and CEO Of Ontario Health and he will talk to us about the many challenges that Healthcare is facing today and of some upcoming changes being planned and rolled out as a result.

Matthew Anderson is an experienced healthcare leader, team-builder and advocate for positive change and as the President of Ontario Health he is leading one of the largest mergers in healthcare history bringing together 22 agencies. 

Matthew began his career in data analytics and IT.  He became Vice President and Chief Information Officer at the University Health Network (UHN) in 2000 and in 2008 he was named CEO of the Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network.   Then in 2010, he became CEO of William Osler Health System and was the President and CEO of Lakeridge Health before taking up his current position.    

Matthew is married with three children and numerous pets.

Matthew was originally scheduled to talk to us about the Lakeridge Health network back in 2019 but this had to be canceled due to COVID.  Since then he has gone on to bigger and better things and is clearly a very busy person doing an incredibly important job that will affect all of us and our children and grandchildren going forward.   So we are very privileged that he is taking this time out to talk to us on such an important subject.   I would like to thank a long time member of our club, Joyce Perrin, who worked with Matthew in the past for making this happen.


February 16, 2023 - Dr. Christopher CiCarlo

For our February meeting we welcome Dr. Christopher DiCarlo.  Dr. DiCarlo is a philosopher, educator, speaker and author.   He is the Ethics Chair for the Canadian Mental Health Association and a lifetime member of Humanist Canada.   As an educator, Christopher currently teaches in the Department of Biology at the University of Toronto Mississauga and at The Life Institute at Toronto Metropolitan University.   

Dr. DiCarlo has been invited to speak at numerous national and international conferences in the past and has won several awards including TV Ontario’s ‘Big Ideas’ Best Lecturer in Ontario Award and Canada’s Humanist of the Year.    Finally, he is the author of several books including his best-seller: How to Become a Really Good Pain in the Ass: A Critical Thinker’s Guide to Asking the Right Questions and his latest: So You Think You Can Think? Tools for Intelligent Conversations and Getting Along.

Christopher has presented to us before,  notably about “Ethics, Good vs Evil”, and his presentation to us at this meeting will be on  ‘The Abridged History of Love’.   How was the concept of ‘love’ defined, used, and celebrated throughout recorded time (and potentially, pre-recorded time)?  During this festive season of St. Valentine’s – when “love is in the air” – let’s consider the nature of this most perplexing, yet wondrous of human emotions.


January 18, 2023 - Lianne Harris

Lianne is a history, culture, and social studies resource specialist and the author of numerous books.  She is a contributing author of the Canadian best seller ‘ The Power of Women United’ and in 2003, she was selected as one of Toronto’s 'Women of Influence'.  

This time around Lianne will talk to us about Fables, Fairytales & Rhymes:   Who was the real Humpty Dumpty?   What queen was ‘Mary, Mary the Quite Contrary’?   How did the Nazi’s use fairytale themes to manipulate the German people in WW2?   Is ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ really just a mother-to-daughter sex talk? 

Childhood stories are not the stuff of fantasy.  In ages past when illiteracy ran high, these fables and rhymes were the moral classroom where one learned all there was to know about truth, justice, faith, prejudice, love, sex, sin, crime and punishment.  Bedtime stories shape our beliefs and teach us about real life. lr

December 14, 2022 - Johnny Cigan

There was no formal speaker in December.  Instead, we were entertained at our Annual Christmas Luncheon by Johnny Cigan.  John's charismatic voice will entertain you with all the songs from Elvis' early years to the concert years.  His acclaimed competition titles include Champion in the largest Elvis festival in the world Collingwood Elvis Festival.  Champion winner in the Lake George Elvis Festival, Belleville Elvis Trilogy and many more.

November 16, 2022 - MARK RECTOR

Professor Mark Rector is a retired Professor of Engineering from Simcoe and a published author and highly entertaining public speaker.   He has been awarded and honoured as an educator across the country, and on Parliament Hill.   

From a life-long passion for innovation, Professor Rector has always inspired his audiences with tales of great Canadian inventors and inventions.  Now he’s speaking across the country about his smash bestseller “OH CANADA! Our Home and Inventive Land!”.   

His presentation to us will include many examples from the book including the poignant story of the tragedy of the Avro Arrow.   He will tell us of some amazing Canadian ingenuity and the results: Of the millions of lives saved by the pacemaker, of the complexity of the most intricate robot ever built - the Canadarm; and of the triumphant story of this professor’s project with four students that made history with a world’s first!    

October 19, 2022 - LORI OSCHEFSKI

Lori Oschefski is President of ‘Home Children Canada’ (HCC), a charitable organization she founded in 2012 which is dedicated to bringing the true stories of the British Home Children to light. 

Throughout the years Lori and HCC have steadily maintained their mission of cataloging Home Children stories, gathering information about the children and their lives in Canada, reconnecting families unjustly torn apart by these migrant programs, and promoting the story of the Home Children across the world.  Her personal connection with this story comes through her mother, who arrived in Canada in 1924 at the tender age of 2.   Lori shared some of her research and stories of some of these children with us.

September 21, 2022 - ROBIN CLIPSHAM

Robin Clipsham first talked to us about the most important concepts and “rules” of improv and then provided a warm up session called the ‘Odd Prop Game’, which we will ALL participated in small groups.   Finally, 4 or 5 members were asked to work with Robin for an Improv “class” and demonstrate the skills and activities so that we can all learn together.    This format provided for lots of fun.

Actor, director, writer, and educator, Robin has spent most of her life in theater, winning many accolades along the way.  She is the founder and Artistic Director for both the Muskoka StageWorks and PRISM Theatre In-The-Park where she has worked with local youth and women to present several successful outdoor and indoor theater productions.   She has also taught theatre performance and production for Nipissing University and is an award-winning improvisational theatre coach.

August 17, 2022 - ANNUAL BBQ

No speaker this month as we enjoyed a day of fun and fellowship at Alex Robertson Park.

July 20, 2022 - BARBARA DIXON

Barbara Dixon is an award-winning public speaker, historian, documentary film producer and writer who has entertained, educated, and enlightened audiences for over twenty-five years.  Barbara’s vision is to educate Canadians about the phenomenal work carried out by women across the nation whose invaluable contribution helped win the Second World War.  Barbara provided an informative presentation talking about the women who worked at the D.I.L. plant in Pickering and the GECO Plant in Scarborough and the many challenges they made to assist the war effort. 

June 15, 2022 - MIKE DALEY

Dr. Mike Daley is a musicologist, specializing in the history of popular music and has taught at Guelph, McMaster, Waterloo and York Universities.  Mike's presentation was entitled the "Elvis Presley Story" where he discussed the life and music of a man who defined the rock and roll culture of the 1950s.

May 18, 2022 - LIANNE HARRIS

Lianne Harris has been a history, culture, and social studies resource specialist with the Toronto District School Board for almost 20 years and has been the guest instructor and workshop leader for teachers across many school boards in Southern Ontario.   Lianne's presentation is entitled 'The Roaring 20’s'.  It was a time of the Jitter-Bug and juke boxes, the Bee’s Knees and the Cat’s Pajamas. Its era had no precedent and its place in history marks it as the most revolutionary decade this last century. It was an era bigger than life, louder than convention--it was the Roaring 20’s! 


April 20, 2022 - TOM McKAY

Our Speaker in April was Tom McKay who has an international reputation for his crime prevention and CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) expertise having served 32 years with Peel Regional Police including 25 years as a Crime Prevention specialist.

Tom's presentation was entitled Constable Tom’s Ten Top Tips for a Crime Free Day .  As we emerge from our 2-year hiatus and get back out in the world, we are sure these tips will be most helpful.


March 16, 2022 - NICK FRENCH

We are pleased to welcome back Nick French who again will be speaking to us directly from his home in South Africa. His presentation to us will be about something we all know so much and yet so little about:  "Heroes and Villains of the Titanic":   As with most disasters involving man made machinery, the sinking of the Titanic on that fateful day on 15 April 1912 could have been avoided were it not for a number of human mistakes, before and during the catastrophe. At the same time, the impact of the disaster could have been far greater were it not for the brave acts of certain individuals who placed the lives of others ahead of their own. In this talk Nick will tell the tale of the Titanic through the actions of all the interesting characters who played key roles in every aspect of her life, her catastrophic sinking and the aftermath.

February 16, 2022 - RON MACNAUGHTON

Ron Macnaughton's presentation to us was "Technologies to Reduce Climate Change".   Climate change is a concern, but there are solutions - some ready now, others still being researched.  Ron described 8 areas of technology that will make huge differences to the emissions which are causing climate change.  Several of the best ones are being pioneered by Canadian firms.

January 17, 2022 - DEIDREY FRANCOIS

Deidrey Francois returned to entertain us with her inspiring and energizing collection of music.  Deidrey is a passionate singer/songwriter and a sultry, soulful performer.  Deidrey's voice resonates love and her stage presence is infectious enthusiasm.  She invokes the full gamut of emotion with music that ranges from gut wrenching blues, rhythmic rock to jazzy joy.


DECEMBER 8, 2021 - MARK KERSEY

Instead of our regular meeting with a speaker, we celebrated the season with a Christmas Luncheon held at the Ajax Convention Centre.  We were joined by Mark Kersey, a name that many of you may recognize. Mark played Mark The Repairman on the Mr. Dress-up show for over 10 years, and has appeared in DOZENS of TV commercials across Canada and the USA.  This former Blue Jay organist is great at entertaining young and old alike. 


NOVEMBER 17, 2021 - TAMMY DEAN

Our speaker, Tammy Dean, is passionate about assisting seniors through the challenges of downsizing, decluttering, organizing and moving.   Tammy has achieved Senior Move Manager status with NASMM  (National Association of Senior Move Managers) and she specializes in helping people with Chronic Disorganization, Aging and Hoarding Issues.  

Tammy is a proud member of the Association for Age-Friendly Businesses, The Institute for Chronic Disorganization and Professional Organizers of Canada.  She is also is a lifelong resident of Durham Region and the Owner/Franchisee of "Downsizing Diva" serving the Durham Region. 

Tammy's talked about how to de-clutter and downsize.   She explained how simple organizational changes can make a big impact and shared creative and inexpensive organizational tips that will help in the process of reorganizing and/or downsizing our homes.


OCTOBER 20, 2021 - NICK FRENCH

Our speaker Nick French was born in Zimbabwe and attended the University of Cape Town.  His working career covered marketing and general management, both in South Africa and a 20 year stint in Singapore. 

To show that PROBUS is truly international, Nick is one of us. He is currently the Chairman of the PROBUS Association of Western Cape. 

Nick is an historian and his presentation to us will be about something uniquely South African “The advent of open heart surgery”:   

From the mid 50’s to the late 60’s tremendous progress in heart surgery was made possible through pioneering work done at the University of Minnesota.   This is where Chris Barnard received his training and background in heart surgery. From there huge strides were taken in developing techniques to work on the heart, leading to the world's first heart transplant by Dr. Christian Barnard and his team of Groote Schuur, Cape Town in December 1967.   In this talk Nick will share how heart surgery evolved during those halcyon days and the challenges facing the transplant team and how they were overcome.


SEPTEMBER 15, 2021 - ANNUAL SUMMER BBQ

No speaker this month as we enjoyed a day of fun and fellowship at Alex Robertson Park.



AUGUST 18, 2021 - JUDY SUKE

Judy Suke is a Motivational Humourist, Retired College Professor, manuscript developer and author.  Judy Suke believes in living life to the fullest and has a reputation for being informative, entertaining and memorable. 

Her presentation is entitled "Aging Isn't for Sissies".  In this extremely humourous presentation, Judy shares some helpful tips to control and lower the stress of aging.  Tips that will help you move ahead with ease. Your laughter during the presentation will immediately heal the body, soothe the soul, lift the spirits and give you energy.

JULY 21, 2021 - NEIL CRONE

You may know Neil Crone from his years as an award winning columnist with Durham Region News.  In addition to being an accomplished writer, Neil Crone has also performed in dozens of television and radio commercials, TV shows and is the voice of numerous animation characters every Saturday morning.

Neil's presentation will be a humorous and sometimes serious take on some of the life lessons learned during his brush with colorectal cancer.  Neil authored his book "Semi-Colon: A Writer's Cheeky Journey Through Colorectal Cancer" in 2015 which provides a "unique, funny and uplifting collection of emails, newspaper articles and quotes" of his journey with cancer.  Neil Crone is first and foremost a comedian and his sense of humor is sure to entertain and delight.

June 16, 2021 - Robin Clipsham

Actor, director, writer, and theatre educator Robin Clipsham has spent most of her life in theatre.  She founded and developed a theatre company for young people, taught theatre performance and production for Nipissing University,  spent over 25 years as a theatre educator, and is an award-winning improvisational theatre coach

Winner of four awards for her work in locally developed community theatre, Robin has contributed her time and expertise to local initiatives for over 20 years as Artistic Director for Muskoka StageWorks .   Robin is also an accomplished actor and director and lives in Muskoka with her husband, Michael.

Robin's presentation was entitled 'Improvisation for Adults and Seniors "Laughing Matters"'. We learned all about the ways to open and maintain brain function and increase relaxation by engaging in creative group activities that were both fun and informative..  Robin showed us how improvisation combines the excitement of spontaneous conversation with listening skills, all while relaxing and playing. 

mAY 19, 2021 - dR. BRUCE MCKAY

Dr. Bruce McKay is the Chair of the Department of Psychology at Wilfrid Laurier University.  His research focuses on recreational alcohol and drug use in university students and mechanisms by which psychoactive drugs affect brain functions. He teaches neuroscience and pharmacology courses.  Dr. McKay grew up near Woodstock, Ontario, and completed his post-secondary education at Laurentian University, the University of Calgary, and the Baylor College of Medicine (Houston, Texas). He has been a professor at Laurier since 2008.

Bruce talked about “The Brain on Cannabis”  -  an overview of the effects that cannabis has on brain structures and functions and the resulting effects on the complexities of human behaviour.    He discussed the neuroscience of short-term effects of cannabis (from the munchies to driving impairments to treatment of pain and other ailments), why it isn’t possible to lethally overdose on cannabis, long-term effects of cannabis (with a focus on addiction and the differential effects of cannabis on teenagers vs. adults), and new cannabis laws in Canada and how those laws may intersect with an improved understanding of the neuroscience of cannabis.

April 21, 2021 - Nancy Silcox (& Paul Frey)

Nancy Silcox was a Teacher with the Waterloo District School Board for 20 years and has also been a Counsellor/Consultant at the University of Waterloo and WLU.  Since then Nancy has written fourteen biographies/historical biographies of individuals who have gone the road less travelled in their lives and careers.  She also writes freelance for Grand Magazine, Canada's History and Canadian Antiques and Vintage.

One of her most popular books is “A Story Never Predicted. From Trucking to the World Opera Stage”.  It is the story of Paul Frey, an “everyday” individual from the Waterloo area. Nancy will detail his journey from an Old Order heritage to farm boy, high school dropout, truck driver and then how he finally followed up on his dream.  This is not a story about opera, it is the true life story of an exceptional Canadian.   

Paul Frey actually signed in for the question period.

March 17, 2021 - daniel aonso

Daniel received his BFA from York University in 2015, focusing on Classical Piano.   He has taught piano, guitar, drums, saxophone, music theory, and music history to students since 2012.    He has also given talks on popular music, with topics such as Frank Sinatra, Big Band Jazz, The Beatles, Folk Music, etc.   As well as having a passion for popular music, Daniel’s academic interests are focused around music for film, television, and video games.

Daniel's presentation explored Ireland’s contribution to popular music through some amazing artists including The Dubliners, The Clancy Brothers, The Irish Rovers, and Enya.

February 17, 2021 - Dr. Christopher DiCarlo (Zoom)

Dr. Christopher DiCarlo is a philosopher, educator, and author. He teaches in the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Toronto and at the Life Institute at Ryerson University.  

Chris spoke to us on the subject of Critical Thinking

January 20, 2021 - Thanh Campbell (zoom)

Thanh has had various careers including retail, fund raising, public relations and currently serves as the Director of Sales for Ardent Marketing.  All the while he has been building his professional speaking career.    

Thanh told us the incredible Orphan 32 story:   Nearly two decades long, the Vietnam War was one of history’s most devastating battles.   In 1975, the last flight out of Vietnam rescued 57 war orphans before the Communists took over the south capital of Saigon.   Nguyen Ngoc Minh Thanh was aboard that flight.  He was Orphan #32.  Thanh’s story began like many other Vietnamese orphans on Operation Babylift, but as he later discovered, his path had taken a much different direction from the rest.   Orphan 32 will take you on a remarkable journey of life, love, family and self-discovery. 

December 16, 2020 - Deidrey Francois (Zoom)

For the on-line Christmas party we had a wonderful local singer/performer called Deidrey Francois to entertain us.  

November 18, 2020 - Peter Jennings (via Zoom)

Peter Jennings is a renowned Canadian author, speaker and "Happiness Expert".    He has written professionally for more than 40 years and is the author of 6 best selling books designed to "help people transform their existence, inspiring them to â€‹capitalize on the advantages life offers".  

Peter's talk was about "Why Being Happy Matters":   What happiness means, how it improves a person's outlook, adds value to their days and enhances their peace of mind.  He also talks about why being happy is so important in a world often influenced by unhappy events along with heightened levels of stress and anxiety.

October 21, 2020 - Mike Daley (via Zoom)

Dr. Mike Daley holds a Ph.D in music from York University and is a musicologist, specializing in the history of popular music.   He has taught at Guelph, McMaster, Waterloo and York Universities;  

The topic for Mike's presentation was The Motown Story:   Learn the incredible story of Motown/Tamla Records, the independent Detroit-based record company that revolutionized popular music in the 1960s and ‘70s.  Featuring the music of the Miracles, the Supremes, the Temptations, Stevie Wonder, the Jackson 5 and more, The Motown Story is an inspiring tale of resourcefulness and determination by a talented group of musical visionaries.

September 15, 2020 - Dr. David Chandross (via Zoom)

Dr. David Chandross (M.Sc., M.Ed., Ph.D.) is a senior scholar in residence at the Ted Rogers School of Management at Ryerson University. He has done pioneering work on the role of learning in the prevention of dementia in seniors and the use of technology such as virtual reality. 

David spoke on Positive Psychology: The Science Behind Feeling Good:   Can science teach us how to be happy?   How does the experience simulator in our brains create sadness or happiness?   Can negative people actually change your brain structure?    Why does the overuse of smartphones cause depression and anxiety?   Explore the meaning(s) of happiness and the quest for it from Aristotle to modern psychiatry.

march 11, 2020 - Dr. Mike Daley

Dr. Mike Daley holds a Ph.D in music from York University and is a musicologist, specializing in the history of popular music.   

Mike spoke about Leonard Cohen's life and work, interspersing his narrative with classic Cohen songs.   The popular image of Leonard Cohen, who died at age 82 in November 2016, is that of the bard with the brooding baritone voice plucking away at a guitar.  But for Mike, that deep, sometimes-morose voice has concealed the richness and variety of Cohen’s musical and lyrical abilities.  “In checking out his whole body of work… his songwriting style is much more varied than I thought.”

November 20, 2019 - Diane Dupuy

Diane Dupuy, member of the Order of Canada and winner of Ernst & Young (EY) Social Entrepreneur Award, is the founder of the internationally acclaimed Famous PEOPLE Players.

Diane told the heartwarming and inspiring story of the formation of the Famous PEOPLE Players

October 16, 2019 - Cheryl Cooper

Cheryl Cooper holds degrees in English and Education from Queen’s University and is presently a director of the Children’s Foundation of Muskoka.

Cheryl's presentation was on "1812 and the Age of Sail" and included a lively and interactive discussion on the naval aspects of the War of 1812; the conditions and hardships faced by the men who fought for their country on the Atlantic Ocean and the naval origins of words and expressions which have found their way into our everyday language. 

September 18, 2019 - Joseph Sharon

Joseph Sharon has a Bachelor’s Degree from the Academy for Music and Dance in Jerusalem, Israel and has also studied music and musical history in  Milan, Italy and in Switzerland.

His presentation was on the Strauss Family from Vienna.    In Vienna in 1848 the Austro-Hungarian Empire is in political turmoil but the music, the Viennese lifeblood, has never been more cheerful.   We'll meet the Strauss Family which dominates the light music scene, and also get to know some of its juicy stories and scandals.

July 17, 2019 - Dr Christopher Di Carlo

Dr. Christopher DiCarlo is a philosopher, educator, and author. He teaches in the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Toronto and is member of Humanist Canada and an Expert Advisor for the Centre for Inquiry Canada.   


His presentation was an entertaining look at Good vs Evil.  What is “Ethics”? How did the concept of “Good vs. Evil” evolve throughout history?  How do we measure "goodness" and how applicable is it in everyday life?   Is ethical thought and behavior limited to humans only? 

June 19, 2019 - Dr. gordon bannerman

Dr Gordon Bannerman received his Ph.D. from King’s College London in 2005 having previously studied medieval and modern history at the London School of Economics.   

He spoke about the  Myths and Facts of War: Was Churchill really a great leader?  In 2002, a BBC poll voted Winston Churchill as "The greatest Briton in history", largely due to his role in World War II.  How justified is this judgement of history?   The presentation separates myths from facts and attempts to portray the real Churchill;  a man who made mistakes and had character flaws as opposed to the near-mythical figure that has often been projected in books and films.

MAY 15, 2019 - DANIEL ALONSO

Daniel Alonso studied piano from an early age.   He then went on to complete a Bachelor's and later Master’s degree in music from York University with Classical Piano as primary instrument.  

Daniel spoke about the Legends of Big Band music.    From the greats like Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington, to the legends like Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey.   Experience the bombastic sounds of the Big Band.

APRIL 17TH, 2019 - ELAINE CHARAL

Elaine Charal is a Canadian, Toronto-based Certified Graphologist (hand writing analyst), Keynote Speaker and Media Personality.  

Elaine spoke about the "Power of the Pen": where you discover how to communicate even more effectively with family and friends through knowing what the strokes of handwriting mean. Everyone will learn about their strengths as reflected in the 'paper mirror' of their handwriting.  laine will be available to do individual 5-minute Handwriting Analyses after her presentation.

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