wpss_admin

2023 CASINO FUND RAISER

by

Our Casino Fund Raiser happened on Wednesday and Thursday, July 26 and 27. Our sincere Thank-you’s go out to all of our volunteers for manning the various work stations from 9:00AM through 3:30 PM. Shifts went from 9 until 6:30 and 6:30 until 3 or 3:30. These were long days but so worth it for WPSS. We should receive anywhere from $60,000.00 to $95,000.00 for our efforts. Doing this one fund raiser roughly every 18 months sure beats monthly bingos, auctions and other types of fund raising activities – far less work and way more money!! I believe we, the volunteers, are all somewhat bagged after this effort but we got through it and had fun doing it. I am happy to be retired and able to take Friday to recover. I’m pretty sure that the rest of the volunteer crew feel the same!

I want to send a special thank – you to Marie and George Kunec. These two worked tirelessly to organize the event and navigate the treacherous pathway through the AGLC rules and regulations, to recruit the volunteer crew members and set up the shift schedules. They also were on hand at Yellowhead Casino both mornings at 9:00 AM to get things rolling, staying around untill 300PM whe Pat Murray relieved them. They went home for a rest and were back on the job to relieve Pat by 10:00 PM and closed things down at 3:30 PM> That is what I call DEDICATION!! I can’t say thank-you enough.

For the first time in all the years we have been doing the casino we had to rely on “casino angels”, a paid group of people who give their time to fill staffing shortcomings. We just did not get enough participation from our group to fill all the positions. I know we are all getting older and it gets harder each year to put in these long and late hours. However, this event represents the money pot which allows WPSS to continue to function; to publish the Polio News, to run the web site, to offer the reimbursement program and the water exercise program at the ACT pool as well as the social functions which we sponsor every few months. In short, the Casino Event is vital to our very existence. If WPSS is important to you, please consider, if you are at all able, to volunteer a shift or two or even a partial shift.  If you cannot, that’s ok too but perhaps you can recruit a friend or relative to fill in with us. Our next casino hopefully will happen in 18 months time and the time to think about making the commitment is now.

Please, please give it some serious consideration!

NEW TECH

by

Here is some great new wheelchair technology! I am not yet at the wheelchair stage in my pps journey but seeing this machine in action really excites me. It goes everywhere, it turns on a dime and it is hands-free. Wow!! For all you folks who want a chair/scooter that really sets you free, this may be your dream come true!

New Board Member

by

We are very pleased to welcome Sandra Mooney to the WPSS Board of Directors. Sandra was nominated to stand for election at the past AGM and was elected by acclamation.

She becomes our 9th board member, leaving just one chair open. If there is anyone in our membership, a polio survivor, spouse or caregiver who would like to help shape board policy and be instrumental in moving WPSS forward please get in touch with the WPSS office at 780-428-8842. Our last vacant chair awaits you!!

2022 AGM

by

Well, the 2022 AGM is now in the history books. We had a very successful meeting, beginning with registration at the St. Albert Legion around 11:30 AM. We had had some nice socialization and visiting time, followed by a great hot lunch buffet. The meeting started just after 1:30 PM and we adjourned around 2:10 PM. The highlights of the meeting included the election by acclamation of  Sandra Mooney to the Board of Directors, brief commentary on the reports found in the AGM booklet and some excellent feedback from the floor on future social events. A copy of the booklet with all reports is available through the link below.

There will be a B of D meeting on Monday, April 24 where items arising from the AGM will be discussed.

AGM BOOKLET

JUNE SOCIAL

by

June 2nd, just prior to the start of SENIORS’ WEEK, will be the date of our next WPSS social event.  This lunch meeting will be centered around a talk by a representative of the Alzheimer’s Society! Seeing we are all getting a wee bit up in years this should be very interesting for us all.

Nothing has been confirmed as of April 14 but I thought I’d give you a heads up as to where we are going with our social events. The next Board meeting will be April 24th and more details will be forthcoming after that. There will be another notice on this page and full details under Future Events!

Please, feel free to comment on this tentative event

Picnic in the Park

by

Our annual Picnic in the Park event has been officially booked! We will be meeting at Emily Murphy Park, Picnic Site #1, from 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM on  Friday, August 11!

I’ll be posting these details along with a park map in the Events section in the next little while. Keep checking for updates.

KEEP MOVING!

by

SWIM PROGRAM

Our great water based exercise program has finally started up again after the multi-year Covid shut down and lengthy renovations at the ACT Center.  We gather every Tuesday at 5:00 PM and spend an hour in the water with a certified exercise therapist from Equality Fitness. These trainers are qualified to work with people dealing with disabilities and they go out of their way to tailor programs to individual needs! This program is worth the effort of getting there and goes a long way to keep us active and moving!  WPSS has private time at the pool every Tuesday from 5:00 PM through 6:00 PM and every Saturday from 4:00 PM through 6:00 PM. At the moment we have a coach for every Tuesday session. If attendance warrants it we may bring the coaches in for Saturday sessions too.

Come on out and join the fun!! KEEP MOVING!!

Bernd Schwanke

OUTREACH

by

REACHING OUT TO POLIO SURVIVORS

Your Board has been working on ways of spreading the word out, primarily to Polio survivors, but also to other members of our community, about Wildrose Polio Support Society.

Our first project was to design and produce an updated version of a brochure, “Are you a Polio Survivor,” a document that WPSS first produced more than 20 years ago.

We have sent copies of these brochures to all of our current members. We hope that you are able to pass these around though your own contacts for the benefit of other polio survivors and the various care and medical  agencies.

We have also visited many Seniors Centres and other Care Homes in our region and have left posters on Notice Boards together with a supply of these brochures.

Recently we have contracted with “Coffee News” to have a series of business card-sized advertisements about WPSS appear over the next year. These adverts will appear at random frequencies throughout Edmonton and  surrounding areas.

If any of you have more ideas about getting the word out about WPSS please contact any one of our board members. We would surely appreciate all the help we can get with this.

Jonathan Smethurst – Director

 

Sad News

by

We are sad to announce that we have lost some members and friends in the past few months.

Catherine Strome passed in February of 2022

Diane Thompson passed in November of 2022

Margaret Sugden passed in December of 2022

Glyn Smith passed in March of 2023

 

We all remember Glyn as our long time office manager/administrator.

There will be a “Celebration of Life” held in Glyn’s honor on April 15 at 2:00 PM in the Social Room of Glyn’s and Chris’s condo at 511 Queen Street, Spruce Grove.

Everyone is welcome.

 

Our condolences to the families of these individuals. May they rest in peace.

 

A POLIO STORY – LUNCH and a MOVIE SOCIAL

by

On Friday, March 3 WPSS hosted a lunch and movie social at the St. Albert Legion featuring the film “Warm Springs”. The afternoon began with registration at 11:00 AM, followed by an excellent light lunch of soup and sandwiches catered by the legion kitchen.
Half way through the film we had a half hour intermission during which a dessert of fruit and baked goods was served.

After polio threatens his political career in the early 1920s, Franklin D. Roosevelt (Sir       Kenneth Branagh) desperately searches for a cure to his newly acquired disease, hoping to regain the use of his legs. He learns of a promising spa in Warm Springs, Georgia, and travels there, only to find it dilapidated. Determined to overcome polio, Roosevelt invests in the spa’s revitalization, and sets about recovering, aided by the support of his wife and his physical therapist.

This real-life story is a tremendous example of perseverance, determination and overcoming some of the obstacles which polio survivors and post polio syndrome sufferers have to deal with on a daily basis. The courage displayed by these people provides inspiration and hope for us all as we struggle with the burden of our daily challenges.

This lunch time event was attended by 30 members and guests. Hopefully you had an enjoyable time and find some inspiration in the FDR story.

Let the office know how you feel about this event and if you would like more of the same in the future!         PHOTOS