Thank you QB Berwick’s Strings and Sings Group
Hi Folks!
On March 7th, after our weekly meeting involving: speech therapy sessions, exercise therapy, caregiver meeting, and of course lunch, we had some friendly visitors!
Strings and Sings stopped by to sing and play for us! I believe we were fortunate to be some of the first to hear them play a few of their new songs! While some of the songs might’ve been newly added to their repertoire, we couldn’t tell… because they were that good! I especially appreciated their rendition of Neil Diamond’s ‘Sweet Caroline’.
Good luck to the Strings and Sings Group in their preparation for the big event down in Victoria in April. Sounds exciting, and fun!
Also, special thanks for their donation to OSRS, it is a huge help!
Lastly, thank you Marie R for sharing these pictures with us (see below). If you’d like to share a picture you took, please send them my way! I can add them to the ones below, and am especially keen to get one of the pictures of Marie and the QB Berwick Conductor (I forget her name, but she has great energy!) holding the cheque!
Cloggers visit OSRS + a timely donation
January 29th, 2025
Hi Folks!
On January 24th Sharon Lafferty and her talented dance group “The Rainbow Stew Cloggers” entertained members of the Oceanside Stroke Recovery Society.
Their up-beat clog dancing performance accompanied by Celtic music was very much enjoyed by our stroke survivors, caregivers and volunteers. These energetic, talented ladies have given our group many happy hours throughout the years and are deeply appreciated by our OSRS members.
Thank you so much for coming and brightening our day:
The Rainbow Stew Cloggers having a blast as usual!
Great Picture! Is this a reference to the musical Chicago?
Also, you might’ve noticed some friendly faces in the PQBNews recently!
Special thanks to the Qualicum Beach Legion 76 for their timely donation to OSRS, and for everything else they do for the community.
Looking Back and Celebrating 2024
January 7th, 2025
Hi Folks!
2024 was a special year for more reasons than I can count, but we can try:
- 34 Friday Meetings at the Church
- 118 hours of speech therapy (group and Individual)
- 34 ~1 hour Exercise Therapy Sessions with Melanie
- 6 Group Music Sessions with Doug in the hall
- 10 Group Music Sessions with Doug in the park
- 9 Art Therapy Sessions with Carrie
- 21.25 hours of Counselling
- 46.5 weeks of Coordinator help (thanks Kathleen!)
We also had some amazing Guest Speakers/Visitors:
- January: Guest speakers, Monk (Artist) and Dr. Betty Dekreker, Audiologist
- February: Guest Performers, The Ramblers Band and Bill Preston and Kaeden Letcher
- March: Guest Speaker, Meghan Crosby – Recreational Therapist
- April: Guest Performers, Songbirds Choir Concert
- May: Guest Performers, Strings and Sings
- June: Guest Speaker, Pauline Martin, Physiotherapy
- July: – Guest Speaker, Jessica E. Taylor (Author) and Rainbow Stew Cloggers Performed
- August *Break for AGM*
- September: Guest Speakers, Life Support Presentation, and Nutrition Consultant D. Westermann
- October: Africa Slideshow Presentation by Wayne Duke
- November: Guest Speaker, Archna (Archie) Patterson, RMT and Songbirds Choir Performed
- December *Break for Christmas Party*
We can’t forget the other social/informal aspects of OSRS that create opportunities for magic to occur:
- 34 Caregiver Meetings
- 11 Lunches out
- 100s of stories shared, laughs had, and memories made
- plus much much more!
Final Note
A member of ours was doing some tidying up over the 2024 holiday season, and found some treasure from 2023’s holiday season.
This person wanted to share it with you and said, “My next Timmies run is going to be extra special”.
Below is a picture of what they found (their name blacked out):
“My next Timmies run is going to be extra special”
A heartfelt thanks to all the volunteers, donors, supporters, guest speakers/presenters/performers, and of course our members and their loved ones!
Here’s to 2025!
Christmas Party 2024
December 27th, 2024
Our annual Christmas event came, and a good time was had by all!
Special thanks to our volunteers who helped package the baskets, set up the tables, manage the tickets/raffle, and take down everything down when it was over.
Also, lets not forget to thank:
- SAVE-ON FOODS that donated the turkeys in memory of Robb Glazier, (who often gathered at Save-On, for coffee with his friends)
- UP BEET EATS CATERING (DEBBIE AYERS) who prepared the food (donation of supplies, time, energy and skill to prepare our delicious meal). The deserts were especially amazing!
- Mid-Island Pensioners & Hobbyists Association who donated the Bradley Centre venue and I believe helped serve the delicious food!
- Everyone who donated items for the silent auction
I hear attendance was one of our best years ever, and the fundraising elements were a great success!
Last, but certainly not least, thank you Kathleen for being such a wonderful coordinator for OSRS, and MC-ing the event
See below for yourselves (thanks MJ and Donna for sharing these pictures)!
We wish a warm Christmas holidays to you and yours, and a flourishingly wonderful New Year!