Table Discussion Results
Table Discussion
Your thoughts in response to the questions below will provide important information to help us in planning RTO/ERO District 46 activities for the coming year. Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with others at your table. Be sure to record all of your great ideas, and include a name and number for us to contact for further information.
- Travel:
Have you traveled to a place recently that you feel would be of interest to RTO/ERO members for a day trip?
- Toronto to theatre and sporting events.
- Take the Wenonah II out of Gravenhurst or Port Carling – perhaps include Windermere for lunch - 3
- Royal Ontario Museum
- Art Gallery of Ontario
- North York Centre
- Four Seasons Centre
- Stratford Festival - 2
- Niagara-on-the-Lake - 4
- Prince Edward County – Picton - 4
- Oktoberfest – Kitchener
- Markets in St. Jacobs
- Trip on Grand River - 2
- Boat trip out of Orillia
- Shaw Festival - 3
- Georgina Downs
- Honda Plant in Alliston – 2
- Cirque du Soleil
- Baseball Game
- Sudbury Science Cemtre
- Niagara Falls
- Kingston – 1000 Islands boat trip
- Drayton Theatre
- Kings’ Wharf Theatre
Are you interested in overnight travel to destinations beyond Central Ontario? If so, where to?
- Niagara Winery for tour and dinner
- Niagara-on the Lake for play and wine tour
- Agawa Canyon – 4
- Agawa Canyon with overnight stop in Sault Ste. Marie
- Moosonee – Polar Bear Express train – from Cochrane, North Bay or even Bracebridge
- Ottawa – theatre, tour - 3
- Ottawa Tulip Festival
- Quebec City by train
- Shaw Festival overnight trip
- Eastern Townships
- Kawartha Voyager – Ontario Waterways
- New York City - 2
- Stratford overnight trip
- Chicago
- Trent Water System Cruise
- St. Lawrence or Rideau cruise
- Toronto – overnight with shows and dinner
- Ideas for meetings:
Special events – for example, should we plan a Christmas Lunch rather than have a meeting in November?
- No! December is too busy - 9
- Early Christmas Lunch in late November – 3
- Wine and Cheese at Christmas or another time (January or February)
- January Party the week after New Years
- Robbie Burns Christmas Lunch in November
- Fall Meeting the third week of October - November 5 misses many snowbirds - 3
Location – the Turner Centre has good access and space, but are there other venues you would like us to consider using?
- Turner Centre is a good location – 12
- Sportsplex
- Parking at Turner Centre could become a problem – 2
- Consider Huntsville and Gravenhurst
- Browning Hall – St. Thomas’ Church in Bracebridge
- Muskoka Boat and Heritage Centre
Guest Speakers – have you heard a speaker you’d like to have come to an RTO event? What topics would you be interested in hearing more about through a guest speaker?
- G-20 plans and the impact it will have on Muskoka
- G-8 – what’s happening in Muskoka?
- Muskoka Events
- Health Issues – arthritis, heart, cancer
- Ted Barris – Author, broadcaster, teacher – excellent speaker (topic: Canada’s war contributions and heros, etc.) – 2
- Andrea Binkle – teaching in United Arab countries
- SCAW – Sleeping Children around the World
- I like today’s format – coffee, meeting, speaker, lunch – no afternoon entertainment – 2
- RCAF Women’s Division – 2nd WW – Glad Bryce
- Gary Denniss – historical information on Muskoka schools
- Karen Terry speaking on YWCA in our area
- Joy McCormack – Muskoka Interval House
Entertainment – share your thoughts about entertainment our group might enjoy at meetings.
- Local high school students – concerts, play - 2
- NO – keep meeting short!
- Bruce Patterson – barbershop singers
- Entertainment is not necessary
- Bell Ringers – United Church, Mary Lou Chuter
- Food!
- A guest speaker other than an educational speaker
- Bill Hobman and Wayne ? – singers with guitars.
- Country and Western – old favourites
- Down Home Band – Wilf Creasor
- Bracebridge United Church Gospel Band
- Appealing to New Members:
Why did you join RTO?
- To keep up to date on issues related to retired educators - 2
- Social
- New to Muskoka – a way to interact with retirees from this area
- To keep up to date on RTO/ERO – 2
- To have Johnson Insurance
- Belonged to another RTO District
- A “go-getter” type of organization – very interesting people
- Fellowship – keep contact
- Lobbying and support
- Benefits
- Health Benefits / electronic options
What are some ideas for attracting recently retired education employees to become members of RTO?
- Retirement planning sessions
- Word of mouth
- Personal communication – encourage locals to join
- Invite them to attend a meeting
- Retirement workshops should be by dynamic, “with-it” types – showing what retirement life can be like
- Personal invitations to recent retirees
- Free membership for first year
Ideas for encouraging university and college employees to become members in Muskoka?
- Promotions to schools to retirees to be
- Sportsplex
- Phone, personal contact
- Do you have ideas for future Service to Others Projects?
Projects in the north – aboriginals, Inuit
- Projects in Muskoka – Habitat for Humanity
- More bursaries in Muskoka
- Hospitals in Muskoka
- Local YWCA
- Scholarships to the well-rounded students or those that can’t produce high marks due to social circumstances and challenges
- Do you have any others suggestions for ways in which we can better meet the needs of our members?
You’re already doing a great job!
- Keep meetings short
- Thanks for the bags – good idea
- Need to support strong people to Executive positions
- Educate our members to issues current to our pensions, health, etc.