In this issue you will find:
- Note from Co-Chairs
- Retiree News
- Upcoming Events
- Student Placement Spotlight
- Musings and Meanderings - Member Spotlight - John Higgins
- Sponsor Spotlight - Lakeshore Cheese Emporium
- Tips and Advice
- Lives Lived
- Call for Volunteers
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Welcome to our “Spring is just around the corner – or maybe the corner after that” newsletter! For those of us in southern Ontario, March came in like the proverbial lion late last week. Some of us learned a new word: thundersnow. We will hope for more lamb-like weather as the month proceeds. Other members are enjoying the weather in other places and we look forward to hearing more about their adventures at some of our upcoming events. We are always happy to hear what members have been doing and some of you even send us pictures, which is delightful. We hope that everyone has had a healthy and enjoyable winter, whether you have been out on the slopes, staying mostly indoors, or basking near a palm tree.
The GBC office of Advancement Alumni Relations has invited us to join their online book club. Details and a link to register are in this newsletter. This is a fully-online activity which involves reading a designated book over a period of several weeks and exchanging comments with other readers if you wish. The structure is quite different from our own book club and may be just the right reading and discussion opportunity for some of our members. Of course, our GBCRA book club continues. Our next book is Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley, which we will be discussing on March 31st.
We are looking forward to being together virtually in another of our popular online travel opportunities. This time we will be going to Milan for a private tour. Travel through your screen from the comfort of your home. It promises to be very interesting, though you will have to provide your own risotto, pasta or pizza if you want that part of the experience.
Now that there are theatre performances again (which makes Toronto sound a bit like London in the late 1500s), a group of members will be going to Soulpepper to see The Sea Gull. Again, registration information is in this newsletter. We hope that our previous outings to Stratford will resume later this year and we will try for some other performing arts events in the months ahead. It is fun to go in a group and to have the opportunity to talk about our reactions and opinions afterwards.
We will also be engaging in a different way to give back to the community through a group volunteer event at Daily Bread Food Bank early next month. Here is a chance for all of us who benefit from a secure food supply to help support others for whom this is more problematic. There will doubtless be opportunities for conversation and laughter while we work together. If you can, sign up and come out!
Be sure to watch this first episode of our new Musings and Meanderings video feature. Pour yourself a cup or glass of a favourite beverage and enjoy this fascinating conversation between Crystal Kotow-Sullivan and Chef John Higgins. You’ll learn things about John’s career that you didn’t know and will also find food for thought in his reflections about education and the art of living.
We look forward to seeing you online.
Dianne and Georgia
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So, What's It Like Having Your on Private Chef Cook for You?
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Preparing the Main Course
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Gayle Takahashi was the successful bidder in our Scholarship Auction on a meal for six prepared by a professional chef and served in her home. Here's what Gale has to say about the experience.
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"Well, the dinner took place on Thursday and what a wonderful time we had!! It was spectacular! Chef Ryan Burpee and his assistant Nuhal were so amazing! The dinner was "Over the Top!" See pictures as you can tell by the pictures.
This auction item was wonderful I and so unique! Chef Ryan is so talented and professional! We felt really special and well treated! It was all great-especially the ending when the kitchen was all cleaned and tidied-what an unexpected pleasure!
We will talk about this for a very long time for sure!
Thanks to you all for making this happen! It was glorious and a great beginning to the New Year! "
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GBCRA Members Attend
September 8th Book Launch at the Waterfront
Several GBCRA members attended the event for Michael Decter’s novel, Shadow Life, on February 8th at the Waterfront Campus. This is Decter’s first work of fiction, though the Harvard economist and government adviser has previously written eight non-fiction books. Lloyd Robertson, whom many of us recall as a journalist and longtime CTV news anchor, was the moderator for the discussion. Before talking about the book, Robertson, Decter, and GBC President Gervan Fearon reminisced about having last been together about 10 years ago at a Brandon University convocation, where Robertson was receiving an honorary degree, Decter the newly-installed Chancellor, and Fearon the Vice-President Academic.
Decter talked about the process of writing the book, slowly at first and then in a more focused way as the restrictions of the pandemic limited his other activities. He said it was about one-third autobiographical, one-third completely fictional, and the remainder an admixture of the two plus other influences. After he had a full draft, he found that the experience of working with an editor was very different from that aspect of a non-fiction book, where editing centres on confirming dates and facts. A novel requires character development, pacing, and a narrative arc, which editing refines in a way that was new for him. He has enjoyed the process, however, and a subsequent book and half of another with the same main characters are already in draft.
Attendees all received copies of the book, which Decter graciously signed. It was a delightful opportunity to get together on a sunny afternoon. Construction on Limberlost Place, the new GBC building at the Waterfront, is well underway and there has been a lot of other construction nearby, changing the neighbourhood dramatically since some of us had last been there.
We appreciate the invitation to GBCRA for this event from the Alumni Office and look forward to additional opportunities to be included in their activities. We have been invited to participate in an online book club that will be starting soon. Of course, some of our GBCRA members are GBC alumni as well, and will be doubly welcome.
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Introducing the Newest 2023 Retirees
We congratulate GBC's newest group of retirees for 2023 and wish them well.
Lisa Vieira, Dean's Assistant,
Centre for Continuous Learning
Luisa Charepe, Early Childhood Assistant,
Centre for Community Services and Health Sciences
John Severino, Support Staff,
Full Time Steward Local 557, St. James
Rodolfo Porco, 2nd Vice President,
Local 557
Lisa Rogers, Chair, School of Dental Health,
Centre for Community Services & Health Sciences
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Up and Coming Events - There's Something for Everyone!
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The Office of Advancement Alumni Relations invites GBC Retirees
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You are invited to the George Brown College Alumni Book Club – powered by PBC Guru, participation if FREE.
Join our virtual community to connect with fellow GBC retirees, alumni, faculty and staff as we read and discuss various book genres such as fiction, novels, personal growth, lifelong learning and other topics.
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LIVE STREAMED
Monday, March 20th
11:00am - 12:00pm
“Private Tour - Walk Around Milan’s Historical Downtown"
We will walk around the magnificent Duomo Cathedral, the 'Heart of Milan' and surrounding areas (Historical City Center) and we will give you useful information and reveal angles where you can catch great photos.
This private tour is customizable; along the itinerary we can focus more on various details that interest you, architecture, shopping, scouting areas for properties/holidays, or whatever interests you
Contact us for more information.
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Our Tour Guides
We're a couple. Evija moved to Milan in 2010 and she's a certified Tour Manager in Latvia. Andrea is 100% Milanese, worked in Tourism, Fashion & Design, and as a Dj. We're passionate travel content creators and we lead in- person & virtual experiences about Milan & Italy.
We've a great knowledge of famous & lesser known areas & we love to find/reveal great spots, peculiarities, hidden gems & places mainly known by locals.
It's our lifestyle and we love sharing our passion with you.
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Wednesday April 5th
12:30pm - 3:30pm
Your Chance to Give Back
On April 5th members of the GBCRA community will volunteer at the Daily Food Bank for the Easter food drive by sorting non-perishable food items to ensure that those in need have enough to eat this holiday season. Please join us.
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As one of Canada’s largest food banks, Daily Bread is only able to do what it does with the assistance of volunteers who so generously share their time and energy.
On-site volunteers help us prepare soups and casseroles for meal programs, sort and pack non-perishable food donations, and work at our onsite food bank. Volunteers are vital to keeping Daily Bread running smoothly.
Rides available from various subway stops. If you need a lift email us at feedback@gbcra.ca
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Wednesday, April 26, 2023
1:30 pm
Theatre Outing:
“The Sea Gull” at Soulpepper Theatre
A group of theatre goers and a few of their guests will be attending the matinee performance of the Sea Gull at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts in the Distillery District. Tickets are at a premium so if you want to join in the fun, order your ticket(s) now. All sales are final - no refunds nor exchanges.
Click here to get your ticket(s)
GBCRA will be hosting a post performance cocktail following the performance.
Click here to join us post performance.
About the Play
Unrequited love. Creative jealousy. Guns. Vodka. A summer weekend at a lakeside estate falls apart when a famous writer comes to visit. Switching effortlessly between the ridiculous and the profound, Chekhov’s masterpiece examines the burning need to create art and the destructive power of love. WHAT FUN!
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Student Placement Spotlight
Emma Downie
Emma Downie is completing her Mental Health and Community Worker placement with GBCRA at the First Nations Technical Institute (FNTI) in partnership with Toronto Metropolitan University.
Over the past several weeks, many of you have had the opportunity to speak with Emma regarding your experiences of retirement from GBC. She has been focusing on the meaning of "community" to us as a group of retirees and how that notion has changed from our time as employees until now as retirees. We are looking forward to seeing the results of her research in a few months.
Although our experiences and views vary widely , one thing that Emma has discovered is the importance of providing a space for the contributions we made to the College as employees to be documented and recorded. It seems that not only would this type of record ease the road to retirement by ensuring one's contributions are not lost, but also would serve to add texture and depth to the already rich history of the College. Emma plans to provide a space on our website where all of our contributions can be stored and appreciated.
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Musings and Meanderings- Member Spotlight
Chef John Higgins
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Crystal Kowtow-Sullivan and Chef John Higgins recorded a one-hour conversation where they discussed Chef Higgin's outstanding career, his views on education, his thoughts about how the restaurant world has evolved post COVID and, of course, a shared recipe or two along the way.
Click here to view the entire interview.
This promises to be an enlightening and entertaining series and we hope that you will join us. Let us know you are interested by dropping us a note at feedback@gbcra.ca
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Sponsor Spotlight
We Get By With A Little Help From Our Friends!
Thank You Lakeshore Cheese Galore
In this new column we will put the spotlight on our supporters. This month we thank Mr. Gurth Pretty, George Brown graduate and owner of Lakeshore Cheese Galore.
Gurth is a 1996 Culinary Management graduate from the Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts at George Brown College. He is the proprietor of “Lakeview Cheese Galore”, a neighbourhood cheese establishment on Lakeshore Road East in Mississauga. Recently, Gurth donated a cheese basket to our silent auction in order to raise funds to promote the GBCRA scholarships.
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Gurth was one of eight GBC students recruited by the Marriott Corporation in Atlanta to work at the 1996 Atlantic Summer Olympics. Gurth had the opportunity to work with chefs from around the world learning new techniques in a hands-on kitchen environment at the Chateau Elan. He worked in the spa, and the conference centre including the main dining room, the banquet room, and three golf centre foodservice operations.
Returning to Toronto, Gurth worked as a technician for the GBC culinary school where he made all of the stocks and sauces for the student food labs, baking labs, Chef on the Run, and Siegfried’s Dining Room. He then moved on as a private chef for a Canadian diplomat, and a chef for various Canadian food shows in Paris, Germany, and Brussels. He regularly wrote articles for a variety of magazines and newspapers and taught cooking at Harvest Kitchen, Toronto, where he hosted Chef Michael Smith.
In 2007 Gurth authored “The Definitive Guide to Canadian Artisanal and Fine Cheese”, which is a travel guide for cheese lovers and includes 40 cheese recipes. The book was named the best cheese book at the Annual World Gourmand Cookbook Awards.
Gurth’s love affair with cheese continued as he sold cheese at various GTA markets. At one point he working at seven markets per week. He became the spokesperson for the Canadian Cheese Grand Prix and continued selling to restaurants, judging cheese events, acting as the spokesperson for the Canadian Cheese Grand Prix, and appearing on several television and radio interviews. He became the cheese expert for the Loblaws Supermarkets, and began training employees and developing recipes, which led him to teaching courses on cheese appreciation for breweries, wine clubs, and cider houses.
In 2021, Gurth opened his own business, Lakeview Cheese Galore, that specializes in Ontario cheeses including buffalo, goat and sheep. His shop is both a retail and online shop offering refrigerated shipping throughout Southern Ontario, selling a variety of cheeses and accompaniments, along with cooking equipment such as knives, raclette and fondue machines. In the shop there is the “Squeak Easy” which is an event space for hosting private and special events.
Gurth’s best advice is, “Don’t buy a lot of cheese at once as its shelf life is approximately 2 weeks.” Cheese dries out over time and freezing cheese is not recommended as it crumbles even though the taste is relatively unaffected. His advice - “Buy enough cheese for 2 weeks.”
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Tips & Advice
How loud is too loud?
Have you ever wondered at what point a loud noise is doing damage to your ears?
Sometimes it’s obvious when we’ve been in an environment that’s too noisy for too long because when we move to a quieter spot, we discover that we can’t hear as well as we normally do – at least until our ears get a respite and are able to rebound from the onslaught of sound.
You’ve probably experienced this after being at a concert where decibel levels can often reach as high as 110 – a level that can potentially cause hearing loss in less than five minutes. To put that into context, a soft whisper is 30 dB and a normal conversation is about 60 dB. Most clinical experts agree that the harmful threshold is 85 dB.
When is too much, too much?
To get a better idea of how loud that actually is, here are the decibel levels of some common sounds we likely hear nearly every day :
- Gas-powered lawnmowers and leaf blowers:
- 80 – 85 dB
- Motorcycle: 95 dB
- Approaching subway train, car horn at 5 meters, sporting events: 100 dB
- Maximum volume on personal listening devices, TV, and stereos: 105 – 110 dB
- Standing beside or near sirens: 120 dB
Minimize your risk
The extent of damage caused by excessive noise and the speed of onset depends on the length of your exposure to the noise, the sound level, your proximity to the source of the noise and your level of hearing protection.
The fact is, sometimes you simply can’t avoid noise. When that’s the case, always make sure to protect your ears. If that means wearing ear protection, popping in custom ear plugs or moving out of the noisy environment as often as you can to give your ears a break, do it.
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3 Simple Rules to Prevent Hearing Loss
While age-related hearing loss cannot be prevented, noise induced hearing loss is preventable.
There are a few simple rules you can follow to protect your hearing health as much as possible, regardless of your age.
- Protect your ears - If you must be in noisy environments, wear ear protection - no matter if you are at home, work or at a concert
- Follow the 60/60 Rule - When you listen to music do not exceed 60% of yourdevices maximum volumn for more thn 60 minutes per day
- Take a break - Take regular breaks when attending concerts or festivals where the sound levels are much higher than normal.
*re-printed with permission from Retired Teachers of Ontario Foundation, "The Loop"
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Lives Lived
We Celebrate and Honour the Lives of Our Colleagues
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Magda Rozen
(1959 - 2022)
Magda was born in Warsaw, Poland. She graduated from the University of Warsaw with Master’s degree in Linguistics. She moved with her husband to Toronto in 1988 and started teaching ESL at the GBC. In 1990 she was retained as a professor at the ESL School and in 2014 she retired. Magda described herself as a "Varsovian by chance; Torontonian by choice. Voracious reader and consummate hiker. Nature lover." And she indeed loved Toronto, which became her home some 35 years ago. From there she explored the Georgian Bay Triangle, Algonquin Park, Prince Edward County - she loved all of Ontario deeply, and the entirety of Canada, from the Maritimes to British Columbia. She was a very active person; she climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, trekked the Himalayas in Bhutan and conquered the Inca Trail in Peru. On top of that she loved biking, kayaking, snowshoeing and skiing. Nature lover is an understatement in her case. Magda adored nature - the entire gamut of life's beautiful incarnations - both at home in her garden, and those in the wild. She could spend hours watching wild birds or tending to her flowers in her garden. She also loved words! Magda poured over and annotated many dictionaries and thesauri, read tons of novels, subscribed to a dozen or so magazines, and went through a few newspapers daily. She loved to write as well; she wrote notes, long letters, essays and her own memoir. Above all Magda loved other people, always ready to help, speak out and stand up for others, especially those less fortunate and underprivileged. She supported numerous charities and got involved in endless social and civic campaigns. Magda followed world and Canadian politics closely and had very clear opinions on current issues that she was not shy to express and discuss. She embodied empathy, was emotional and caring. As well as intelligent, open-minded and eager to learn and discover. Magda had exquisite taste for art, clothes and food.
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Helen Elizabeth Anne McIntyre
(1941-2022)
Anne was born in Kirkland Lake, grew up in Port Colborne and after graduating from Western University went to work for INCO in London, England. Upon return to Canada she taught Business Computer courses at George Brown College and lived the rest of her life in Toronto. A life-long patron of the Stratford Theatre and the Toronto Symphony, Anne also enjoyed travel and followed tennis and skating avidly. She treasured her many long-term friendships and always made time to talk or meet for lunch.
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Lillian Tanizaki
(1934-2021)
Lillian Tanizaki passed away on Friday August 13, 2021. She would have celebrated her 87th birthday in September. Lillian was the daughter of the late Mitsuru and Tatsu Tanizaki, market gardeners from White Rock B.C. who were interned in Tashme and New Denver. Lillian was a good student and although her studies were interrupted by a serious car accident, she was able to complete her B.A. at The University of Western Ontario. A teacher by trade, she taught for many years in the English department at George Brown College. In her retirement, she was a generous donor and volunteer and attended lectures, cultural events and educational throughout the city to broaden her knowledge and understanding of the world.
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Call for Volunteers
We are sure that you all know that organizations like GBCRA highly depend upon its members to contribute to the operation of the organization and its programs. We are thrilled that so many people are stepping forward to take on the roles of Board members, committee members and convenors.
We have an urgent need that perhaps you could help us fill…..and its kind of fun! You may have noticed that our newsletters contain some photos of members, but not many; and the reason is simple - we simply forget to take photos during the setting up and running of events. If you are looking for a fun way to spend some time, perhaps you would consider volunteering for us by attending our events and taking photos that we can use in the newsletter.
Click here and let us know you can help us out!
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This Newsletter is compiled by a Board Committee of Bob Cox, Crystal Kotow-Sullivan, and Joan Reynolds.
Various members of the Association write articles for the newsletter and we encourage member participation. This month we thank Georgia Quartaro, Dianne Diniz, Bob Cox, Emma Downie
Please feel free to contact our Communicatons Director, Bob Cox, to provide us with feedback, suggestions, and articles by clicking here
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GBCRA 2146A Queen St E, Unit 46, Toronto, ON M4E 1E3 | www.gbcra.org
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