Author: admin

Opening Update!

Hello Old Salts!

We hope this message finds you all in good health and coping well with the Covid-19 challenges that have been presented to us as we round the corner to entering Stage 2 of reopening. These are unprecedented times that will generate many conversations down the road, but today, I would like to provide you with an update on the status of our Club and thank you for your continued patience in waiting to hear what the 2021 canoe season will look like.

The OSSCC Board of Directors has been meeting via Zoom regularly to monitor the Covid-19 situation and how it affects our Club. The BOD has decided that we will resume activities once the Region of Waterloo enters Stage 2 of reopening. With more people receiving their 2nd vaccination and with less restrictions, the OSSCC will be operating on a limited schedule with measures that were put in place last season and possibly extending the season into the fall, weather permitting. This also means that social events will start as well.

With the Club resuming operations shortly and offering activities, we will also require members to complete membership renewal forms and pay their membership fees. The fee remains the same at $40 per person. The membership form has been tweaked to reflect current requirements and can be found here.  (See below for more information). Since we don’t have access to Wing 404 to pick up mail, I ask that you either mail or drop off the form/fees to OSSCC, C/O 132 Kesselring Crt., Kitchener, ON N2E 2P2. If you have any questions about this, call me at 519-501-2078 for clarification.

The canoe schedule is ready to go and it will be published and available on the blog once we get the go-ahead that the region is entering Stage 2. Hopefully by this time most of our members will have received their 2nd vaccination. With the safety measures we put in place last year and with the added protection of being fully vaccinated, members can still enjoy a fun canoe season and any social events that may happen. In the meantime, please submit your forms and fees to ensure the continued viability and success of our Club. The membership list will be adjusted accordingly and available at the end of July. For our new members from last year, we are working on a plan to provide basic canoe training (on a first come, first serve basis) so you can participate on some of our easier trips.

Please stay tuned to the blog…..another update will be posted with the date of the first canoe trip of the season being announced!

Eugene Marion, President
Old Salts Seniors Canoe Club
eugene.marion@gmail.com

Membership Renewal Form changes……

You can find the Membership Renewal form here.

As per several requests from some of our members, I have created a “fillable”  PDF form that can be completed via desk top computer or laptop using the free Adobe Reader DC software, and then saved and  printed. This can also be done on tablets or cell phones that have an app that can read and edit PDF forms.  Of course, the form can  be printed and filled out by hand, as has been the case in previous years….something for everyone! – Carol

 

OSSCC Reminders & Requests!

Thanks to everyone who responded to the last email to let us know that you wish to remain a member of our Club. (If you didn’t see the post, you can find it here.) Unfortunately, there are still stragglers who have not let us know  their intentions.  We are not asking for forms or fees at this time. Just let us know whether you want to stay a member and if there are any changes to your contact information by April 15th.  The membership list will then be updated. Due to privacy concerns,  if we don’t hear from you by then, further emails and access to the blog will be suspended until you do contact us.

Please contact Eugene Marion: eugene.marion@gmail.com  or call
519-501-2078.

Volunteers are the lifeline of our club. We can’t operate without them. Trip Organizers, towers, etc., and especially the Board of Directors (BOD), all require volunteers for the Club to function properly and remain viable.

At this time, the BOD really needs a Secretary. We ask that you seriously consider this position. Your contribution would really be appreciated and the time commitment would be for our monthly BOD meetings (less July & December) and our annual general meeting. There are lots of resources available to help with the job.

Please contact Anne Woolner: annewoolner@hotmail.com or  call
519-743-2277.

We also have an opening for  a new Web Administrator. This is a fun position for anyone who enjoys computers. Carol is willing to work with whoever volunteers for the job until they are comfortable. She is preparing a manual for the handover and will stay on in an advisory/techie support capacity.

Want to find out more? Please contact Carol Marion: caroline.milla4@gmail.com or 519-570-6250

 

 

 

 

2021 Canoe Season Update

Hello Fellow OSSCC Members!

It’s hard to believe 2020 has come and gone. It’s already March 2021 and we are faced with the same dilemma that we faced a year ago during the initial stages of the Covid-19 pandemic.  On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to thank everyone for their support during a very difficult 2020, whether you decided to canoe last season or not.

The OSSCC Board of Directors has been meeting via Zoom regularly to monitor the Covid-19 situation and how it affects our Club activities. The recommendation by the Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health is to discontinue any large gatherings to keep our community safe and stop the spread of the virus. As such all OSSCC activities have been suspended until further notice. This includes canoeing, training and all social activities.

With our 2021 Membership Drive cancelled, your Board of Directors would like everyone who wishes to remain an OSSCC member, to notify us either by phone or email so we can continue to keep you on the membership list.  Rather than have everyone fill out a new 2021 membership application/waiver, we are going to extend the 2020 form to apply to 2021 for your convenience. We will not be collecting any membership fees at this time as long as no club activity takes place  i.e. canoeing, training. etc. We ask that you check the current members hip list on the Blog and let us know if any of your information has changed. Please call (519) 501-2078 or email me at eugene.marion@gmail.com 

Our Board of Directors will continue to meet via Zoom to try to navigate through this COVID 19 crisis with the hope that we can have another great canoe season.  Thank you for your cooperation.  We will be in touch when the situation changes and we are ready to resume our scheduled events. In the meantime, we wish you well. Stay healthy!

Eugene Marion,
President, OSSCC
Res: 519-579-1360
Cell: 519-501-2078
———————————————–
As you confirm your membership, please think about the following:
There are some vacancies on the Board that still need to be filled. Please consider the following positions:
You can find the job descriptions here

THANKS TO OUR MEMBERS FOR A GREAT SEASON!

Hello all,

Hope this post finds everyone safe and healthy as we move into our winter season.

Thank you!!

I’d like to take this time to thank Anne Woolner for organizing  and overseeing a great canoe season, in spite of the challenges presented by the covid-19  restrictions. Judging by the comments on her last post, it sounds like those who participated had a great time.

I’d also like to thank Al Dunn for looking after the Easy Breezy outings and Bill Cutler for subbing for Anne when she was away. Thanks should also go to the towers (Armand Martin, Frank Kuntz, Richard Haiser…)

Thanks as well to everyone who came out. Without all of you, there wouldn’t have been a season.

the agm that wasn’t…..

This has been a season like no other with no prescedent to follow. With covid hanging on, our AGM was cancelled and at this moment it doesn’t look like it will be rescheduled.  This is a first for the club. However, the financial statement and the agenda for last year have been posted for any member who wants to view it:  https://oldsaltsclub.com/wp/agm/

Luckily, the following board members have agreed to stay on until we can have elections:

President: Eugene Marion
Vice President: Mark Zelinka
Treasurer: Alberta Piché
Secretary: Bill Cutler
Training Chair: Lynn Warmington
Trip Co-ordinator: Chair: Anne Woolner
Social Chair: Brenda Welch
Equipment Chair: Armand Martin
Membership/Web Admin: Carol Marion
Safety: Larry Martin
Senior Advisor: Denise Newell

On behalf of the entire Board, we would like to thank Pam Krokoszynski for her service on the board as Co-chair of the Social Committee. Her service was invaluable and much appreciated. Luckily for the club, Pam has told us that she will still be part of the social committee and of course, we will see her on the water.

Hopefully, we will be able to have an AGM (Annual General Meeting) next fall and have elections. Anyone who is interested in being part of the board, please contact anyone on the Board (contact info can be found on the latest membership list) or send an email to: info@oldsaltsclub.com. This is a great opportunity to shadow current members!

Looking Forward….

We don’t know what 2021 will bring, but remain cautiously optimistic. Unfortunately, 2020 will end with our Christmas party being cancelled. There are no other social events being organized at this time.

We will keep you updated as we know more.  In the meantime, stay safe, healthy and optimistic!

 

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM) CANCELLED!

I’m sure many of you have already surmised that our AGM is cancelled for this year due to Covid and the restrictions in place for large gatherings. Our priority continues to be the health and safety of our membership.

We were very lucky that we were able to even open on a limited basis at all this season considering the Ancient Mariners and the Waterloo-Wellington Canoe Club stayed closed for the entire season and remain so.

We are in unprecedented times as a Club, and since we’ve never experienced something like Covid in our lifetime before, we are charting a new course as we move forward.

At this time, the current Board of Directors (BOD) have agreed to continue on in their current positions to provide continuity for the Club and will be meeting soon (via Zoom) to discuss our path forward. We will keep you informed and will provide updates via this blog.

In the meantime, on behalf of the BOD, I would like to thank all of you for your continued support of our Club.  We wouldn’t exist without you.

Regards,

Eugene Marion, President

 

 

2020 REOPENING! {Please Read}

Hello Members,

As mentioned in the last couple of posts, the OSSCC  Board has tried to come up with a plan to get us back on the water in a manner that will allow us to be safe yet still respect the the COVID-19 parameters set out by the province.

To that end, many of our members have expressed their desire for the Club to reopen and to get back on the water. How that will work will depend on YOU and your level of participation.  We still need people to lead trips. To be blunt, NO TRIP ORGANIZERS = NO TRIP! 

To volunteer, contact Anne Woolner at annewoolner@hotmail.com to get your name and contact info on the schedule. The proposed schedule is posted here.  If you want to know what’s involved in organizing a trip, check out the duties here. If you have any questions, concerns or suggestions about the schedule, please either contact Anne directly, or comment below this post.

To get on the water, the Board has approved a strategy to employ strict safety measures to keep everyone safe and healthy. EVERYONE is required to adhere to these measures, no exceptions!

Highlights of the 2020 OSSCC Reopening Strategy includes, but is not limited to: (please read the full document for all details)

    • Anyone who has been diagnosed with Covid-19 , is not feeling well, has Covid-19 symptoms, has been in contact with someone who has Covid-19 etc., should not participate in our canoe trips this year.
    • Anyone who has been out of province or out of the country recently, should be quarantining and not participate in canoe trips or Club activities until their quarantining period is over.
    • Number of people on a trip are limited to 1 trailer (6 canoes) = 12 people maximum to 8 people minimum. The second trailer will not be used this year. There will be no car-topping.
    • Members must provide their own masks (at least 2), hand sanitizer and wipes as part of their canoe gear and use as required. This will not be supplied by the Club.
    • Members must sign and submit a Covid-19 Liability Waiver. This is in additon to the Waiver that was submitted with your registration. This must be submitted to the Trip Organizer prior to participating on your first trip.
    • Members will be required to pre-register for canoe trips (like it is done for Easy Breezy trips.) If members don’t sign up for trips, they will be cancelled and the season will end due to lack of interest!
    • Changes to how trip fees are being collected is outlined (see document)
    • Includes trip day protocols, handling the canoes, shuttling/carpooling (if required) etc. (Read the document for more details)

[pdf id=3156]

[pdf id=3158]

You can also view and print both documents from here.

Since we can offer no training this season to assess skills, new members will be restricted to Easy Breezy outings (flat water) only. I know our more experienced members will welcome and help our new members who bravely joined our group in spite of the covid threat.

Participation is purely voluntary and according to your own personal comfort level. We recognize that not everyone is comfortable canoeing at this time, in spite of the measures put in place, especially with regards to carpooling and shuttling, etc. We leave that to you to decide and respect your decision.

For those who have decided not to canoe this season, we thank you for your continued support and look forward to seeing you on the water and at other Club events next season. Stay healthy, be safe!

MEMBERSHIP RESPONSE REQUIRED

The board is meeting on Monday via Zoom to discuss the logistics of commencing with our season now that our region is in Stage 3 of the Covid-19 reopening as outlined by the Provincial Government.

However, it makes no sense to reopen our club, if the majority of our  members do not feel safe doing so and don’t plan on participating accordingly based on their own comfort levels. It also doesn’t make sense to open up if we don’t have members willing to help organize trips and tow the trailer.

To date, only a small handful of members have responded either in the comments section below the post **2020 OSSCC Season Opening-{Please Read!!}  by Eugene or via email. We hope this is not an indication that people don’t care and are leaving it up to the board to decide.

Therefore, again, we ask that those who haven’t responded, to please take the time to give us your feedback. Many thanks to those of you who have responded.  Your thoughtful comments are greatly appreciated and will be considered in any decisions that are made.

We have never faced this situation as a club before and are in unchartered territory. Since the board represents the membership and is trying to work in everyone’s best interest, it is important that any decisions made of this magnitude are done with input and suggestions from the membership.

Do you think we should reopen? (Why or why not?)

Do you plan on participating if we do open?

Which trips are you most interested in? (see Trip Schedule)
Is there a trip you would like to see substituted?  Why?

Trips can’t happen without someone to organize them. Are you willing to be a Trip Organizer? Please contact Anne Woolner to get your name on the schedule (membership list) 

Are you willing to be a Tower.…or car top a canoe if neccessary? Please contact Anne Woolner to get yourself on the schedule (membership list)

Do you have any ideas or suggestions that the board could utilize in their plan to ensure the safety of our members? 

After our meeting next week, there will be another post to let you know what the plan is moving forward and any guidelines that will need to be followed to keep our members safe.

***2020 SHOULD WE REOPEN?-{Please Read!!}

The Premier has finally announced that much of Ontario will be moving to Stage 3 on Friday.  This includes the Waterloo Region.

That is good news for many reasons and goes to show that through diligence and determination we can flatten the curve, cut the number of new covid cases, stay safe, and can now enjoy less restriction, while still practicing responsible safety measures.

To that end, while the board comes up with a plan and protocols to reopen safely, we would also like to solicit feedback from our members to see what you think:

Do you think we should reopen? (Why or why not?)

Which trips are you most interested in? (see Trip Schedule)

Are you willing to be a Trip Organizer? (We can’t have trips without people to organize them)

Are you willing to be a Tower.…or car top a canoe if neccessary?

Do you have any ideas or suggestions that the board could utilize in their plan? 

Please either answer the above in the comments section below for everyone to read, or send to info@oldsaltsclub.com

We hope to hear from as many members as possible, so I thank you in advance for your input.

Eugene Marion, President

 

July OSSCC Covid Update

Hello fellow OSSCC Members,

With July now here, I thought I’d give you all a quick update on how we stand as a club as we continue to navigate the covid crisis and its effects on our club’s reopening.

As I have said before, due to Covid-19, the City of Waterloo has kept its facilities closed, which includes access to our canoes. The target date for a soft opening with restricted use and reduced capacity is July 13. This includes Wing 404 and some senior programs.  The last update can be found here (scroll down to Senior Services): link to notice

Also affecting us, the province has  not changed the number of people allowed to gather, which is still 10, although this may change with stage 3.  Until we get more information from the city, region and province that allows us to resume club activities safely,  we will stay temporarily closed.

I have been in touch with the President of the Ancient Mariners and they are following the same protocols as us and have cancelled all their scheduled trips until they can reopen safely.  The Waterloo Wellington Canoe Club has also suspended all their activities until further notice, so we are not alone.

It cannot be emphasized enough that as a board, our first priority is the safety and continued good health of our members. So, at least for now, until restrictions are lifted by the various levels of government, and until we can do so safely, we cannot proceed with scheduled canoe trips just yet.

Once we have clear direction, the board will come up with a plan to commence our season in a way that is safe for everyone. If anyone has ideas or suggestions, please post in the comments below, or email me directly at eugene.marion@gmail.com.  Thanks to those who have already done so.

Eugene Marion, President

Please note that the final membership list has been posted. Some emails and phone numbers have changed so please discard any old lists you may be currently using.

UPDATE ON STARTING THE SEASON

Greetings to all!  Hopefully, this notice will find everyone safe and in good health.

First of all, thanks to all of you for your support of the club by registering and and submitting your membership fees in light of the uncertainty we have been facing with this Covid19 outbreak.  Your continued backing of our club is much appreciated as we weather this crisis together.

Many of you may be wondering what is happening, when we are going to start our season and how it is going to look. The health and safety of our membership is our top priority as we work to set things in motion once we are able.  Unfortunately, we are still under the provincial social distancing mandate (with 5 or less people for a gathering) and must wait for the province to relax this.  The City of Waterloo has also closed their facilities until June 30th and is now in the planning stages for opening some time in July.

Since that is over a month away and we can’t predict what will happen between now and then. We will keep you posted.

In light of all this, we have to  cancel our canoe trips for the month of June.  This also means that our June 16th Paradise Lake Fun Day has been cancelled for this year.

If you have any questions, concerns or suggestions, please use the comments section below this post. Please note that the membership list has also been updated, so please keep in touch with our fellow members.

Regards,

Eugene Marion, President