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You told us that you liked hearing from the Board, so we will continue to include Board updates in this and upcoming issues. We had the privilege of interviewing Nancy Sherman for our Musings and Meanderings Series before she passed away and we invite you to share Nancy's recollections of George Brown College.
We also invite you to take a peek at our upcoming activities, which are designed to educate, foster camaraderie, enhance community involvement, and most importantly, have some fun!
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Keeping You Informed:
Board Updates
We’re sharing some quick updates from our Board in our newsletters. This edition includes a note from our Co-Chairs providing you with a quick rundown of what the board is up to and what’s on their minds. We also have a membership report that tells you a little about our newest members and some of the membership issues the Board is working on. And finally, we have a financial update that outlines how the GBCRA is doing financially.
We always value your input and feedback. As you know, we’re a 100% volunteer-run organization, so we need not only your guidance and suggestions, but we also need your active participation. By joining us at the Board level, you have the opportunity to meet interesting people doing exciting things, attend lots of events, work with the Board in developing and putting into practice an enhanced vision for GBCRA, and even occasionally providing insights to the current administrators of the College. If you’re interested in joining our Board, please let us know! Email us at memberservices@gbcra.ca
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Episode 9
In this episode, we pay tribute to Nancy Sherman, a remarkable leader who over timer served at George Brown College as the Dean of Engineering and Technology, Acting Registrar, and Director of International. Nancy's unexpected death in April 2025 has left a void in our community, yet her spirit and dedication continue to resonate with all who had the privilege of working her. This recording, made just weeks before her passing, captures the essence of her vibrant personality and unwavering commitment to fostering excellence in education. As we reflect on her legacy, we are reminded of the warmth and inspiration she brought to the College.
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Click Here to View Episode
| | GBCRA 2025 Scholarship and Bursary Recipients | |
Our funded awards this year went to Beverly Nyangau, a student in the Practical Nursing program, and Nikki Luo, a student in the Culinary Skills program.
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Nikki Lou has taken the H134 Culinary Skills program. She enjoyed her program and particularly liked that she could apply her learning right away in the labs. She would watch a demonstration one day and be able to practice that skill the next day. She says she was always acquiring new knowledge and skills.
She is especially pleased that she is about to start a job as kitchen staff in a Toronto restaurant. This will be her first job, and she is very excited to begin working.
Nikki is a brave young woman who came to Canada alone at 14 years of age to go to high school here and then continue into post secondary with the goal of remaining in Canada after she completes her education. Her family has since moved to Canada to join her. Nikki started university directly after high school but found it overwhelming. She came to George Brown to focus on studies that were more applied and practical. She says that she enjoyed all her courses and particularly appreciated her professors’ kindness and their patience with her because English is not her first language.
In her spare time, Nikki enjoys rock climbing, which she finds a good stress reliever. She also likes making pottery, seeing musicals, and being outdoors. She expects to return to university to complete her degree. She knows that her cooking skills will stand her in good stead personally and professionally in the years ahead.
Nikki thanks GBCRA for this award, which will help her to pay tuition and reduce her student loans. She appreciates the financial support as well as the encouragement that the award represents. She was very pleased to have been chosen for this award.
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Beverly Nyangau is just completing her second semester. She first became interested in nursing after her mother was injured in an accident. Beverly saw the care that the nurses gave to her mother but also to the whole family. Later, one of Beverly’s four children, a daughter who was then 10 years old, became very ill. A nurse realized that the child probably had Type I diabetes and arranged for the confirming tests. Beverly was impressed with the nurse’s knowledge and skills. As diabetes is an illness that can be managed but not cured, there was a lot for Beverly and her daughter to learn, and her daughter is doing well now. This further sparked her interest in nursing.
Beverly immigrated to Canada from Kenya. She started by studying at an Adult Learning Centre to get her high school diploma, then gained acceptance to the Practical Nursing program. She says that the program is challenging but she tries hard, and her daughter encourages her.
Beverly was surprised and pleased to receive the GBCRA scholarship. She said: “I want to express how grateful I am for your contribution to my education. Your generosity has made a meaningful difference in my academic journey, and I am truly appreciative of your support.”
| | Congratulations to Beverly and Nikki and thank you to all of the GBCRA members who contributed to our scholarship funds either through direct donations or by participating in our annual fundraising auction. Through your generosity GBC Retirees continue to make a difference in the lives of students! | | |
GBCRA's First 2025 trip to Stratford
May 16th
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Our group trip to Macbeth was a great success. We were prepared for this with a presentation from John Huston, a Canadian actor, who talked about how the rhythms of the poetry and prose would have had meaning for an Elizabethan audience that a modern audience misses because we use language differently now. It was an entertaining and enlightening presentation.
On May 16th about half our group went to Stratford on the bus while the remainder travelled individually. We all met for a pleasant lunch at Foster’s Inn before the performance and had time to chat together.
The play was directed by Quebec director, Robert Lepage, who set Shakespeare’s tragedy in the 1990’s Montreal biker wars, using an unusual and complex set. It was an especially interesting production to see as a group, and there was much to talk about afterwards.
| Do you like to take photos? We would love to share group photos from our Macbeth trip, but no one remembered to take any. We wish GBCRA had a resident photographer. Failing that, we will try to remember to take photos at events. We also invite all of our members to pull out their own phones or cameras at GBCRA events and send pictures to Bob so we can include some in the newsletter or our website. | |
John Huston - Pre-performance talk |
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UpComing Events
We are committed to providing you wth opportunities to maintain the relationships that were established during our years at George Brown. The following activities are set to go and are awaiting your registration:
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July 22nd - Exhibit at the ROM - "Auschwitz. Not Long Ago. Not Far Away" followed by lunch at "Clay" at the Gardiner Museum.
Register here
August 13th (online) - "Four Styles in Twelve Years: Toronto Stained Glass from 1884 - 1895." Toronto has several thousand Victorian stained-glass windows, all made in quite a short period of time. Despite this short span, the windows exhibit major evolution in their methods and designs. This talk, will introduce the Four Styles, discuss their technical, artistic, and social significance, and demonstrate how to use them to date buildings.
Register here
September 11th - GBCRA returns to Stratford to see Annie, one of the world’s most beloved musicals since its original six-year Broadway run. We can arrange bus transportation if required. We will arrange a catered picnic lunch at noon prior to the performance.
Register here
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In the Works - Coming Soon
- Annual Auction and Art Show
- Annual General Meeting
- Volunteer at "Out of the Cold," St. Andrews Church
- One-person show "A Christmas Carol"
- Concert at Glenn Gould Studio
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Do you know about the Ontario Colleges Retirees' Association? Here's a bit about that organization and a link to find out more!
The Ontario Colleges Retirees’ Association (OCRA) is a provincially incorporated, not-for-profit association that advocates for retirees of the Ontario Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology (CAAT) and other organizations whose pensions are managed by the CAAT Pension Plan. The Association is administered by volunteer members.
The CAAT Pension Plan was originally established in 1967 to provide pension benefits to retirees of the Ontario Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology. Since then, however, it has grown to include other non-college organizations based in Ontario and other provinces.
OCRA’s Mission
OCRA’s mission is to develop and present common positions on behalf of its members regarding:
- The CAAT Pension Plan
- Health and dental benefits provided by CAAT Retiree Group Insurance Benefit Plans to Ontario College retirees
- Travel and medical insurance provided by Johnson Insurance to Ontario College retirees
- Government policies that may affect pension and health benefits
To find out more or get involved go to https://ocraretirees.ca/
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Who are these GBC'ers, what are they doing, why and when? Tell us anything you can about this photo and you could win a free beverage of your choice at the next GBCRA event you attend. Send us an email with your best guesses by clicking here.
We are on the prowl for retirees' photos of their time at George Brown. If you have any, please send us a copy to feedback@gbcra.ca
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Lives Lived
In this section, we recognize and honour the contributions of former and current GBC staff who have died. We extend our condolences to their friends and families.
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Nancy Sherman
May 31, 1950 - April 25, 2025
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Nancy Sherman, passed away on April 25, 2025, from an unexpected medical event. Born on May 31, 1950, Nancy was a beacon of love, kindness, and strength, touching the lives of all who knew her.
She found great purpose and pleasure in her career as Dean, Director, and Acting Registrar at George Brown College. Following her retirement from George Brown, she assumed the interim roles of Dean and Associate Dean at Humber and St. Lawrence Colleges. She will be remembered for her contributions and the legacy she leaves behind in her field.
You can honour Nancy's memory by contributing to the Nancy Sherman Leadership Award for Women in Construction & Skilled Trades. Click here to donate
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Tom Hough was born in Toronto and grew up in Ottawa. He moved back to Toronto after graduating from Carleton University and started his career in the reinsurance industry. He was an active member of industry educational associations and was an Insurance Institute instructor at George Brown from 1980 to 1985. He and his wife enjoyed travel and travelled through much of Canada, Europe, the Caribbean, and Japan. He was also a skilled woodworker who built a boat, toys, many pieces of furniture, and added a second storey to his home with the help of family and friends. He is survived by his wife, their two daughters, and his sisters.
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Thomas Wilfred Hough
April 15, 1951 – September 22, 2024
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Alan Graham
July 4, 1928 - February 16, 2025
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Alan Graham was born in Bolton, England, and emigrated to Canada in the early 1950. He was an upholsterer who worked at George Brown College for many years, ultimately heading the Furniture Department at the Kensington
campus. He died in his 97th year and is survived by his wife of 65 years, Lorna, his three children, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. His family remembers Alan for his industrious achievements, his inspiring tenor voice, his humble demeanor, and his love for his family.
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Michael Trudell was a longstanding support staff member in the School of Social and Community Services and the School of Deaf and Deafblind Studies. He was the finance officer for most of that time and was known for his meticulous record-keeping. Michael was born in Cornwall, ON, and lived in Toronto for most of his life. He is survived by his husband, Peter C. Smith, his sister, two brothers, and other family members.
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Michael Trudell
1950 - April 16, 2025
| | Special Thanks to Georgia Quartaro, Krista Christou, Joan Reynolds, Crystal Kotow-Sullivan, Dianne Diniz, Barb Dunlop, and Bob Cox for their contributions to this edition. | | | | |
