By Julie Stone
It’s March!
March is the third month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars and has 31 days. In the Northern Hemisphere, the meteorological beginning of spring occurs on March 1. It is also Irish Heritage Month, with Saint Patrick’s Day (Patron Saint) occurring on March 17. Noel Nason and Jim Grennan will be entertaining the folks at The Gathering Place at 2 p.m. on that day. March 8 is International Women’s Day, and March 14 is Commonwealth Day. We welcome spring in March, usually between the 19 and the 21 of the month. Clocks spring ahead on March 9, and the month is known for its cold winds. Folklore says that if March comes in like a lamb, it will go out like a lion and vice-versa. Hope you enjoy the month for whatever reason you may have.
Volunteer of the Month
The Volunteer for the Month of March is a relative newcomer to our community. Tom Tompkins of Southampton is the lead for the Wheels to Wellness program. Not only does he keep the appointments straight, but he also drives clients. Tom supports other initiatives within Wellness, including helping with food preparation for our senior meals and working at the Community Bingo and Breakfast. We appreciate all that you do, Tom, and are happy you chose to reside in our community. Thank you for your volunteer work.
Cribbage Tournament
The Royal Canadian Legion Branch #27 will host a Cribbage Tournament on Saturday, March 22. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m., and the games begin at 10:00. The cost is $40 per team, with room for a maximum of 20 teams. Teams pay at the registration desk. This event is popular, so get your teams together soon to see who can chase the pegs past the skunk and up to the winning mark.
Exchange Students
This school year has been great (best ever) for the Nackawic High School (NHS) International Student Exchange Program. At various times throughout the year, NHS has hosted 13 students from eight different countries. It is now the time of year when host families must be identified so that plans are all in place before the students arrive. Hosts can opt to take students from September to January, February to June or for the whole school year. Visiting students live with the host, attend regular classes at NHS, and participate in family, community and extracurricular activities during their stay. There is a financial incentive of approximately $850 per month to help compensate for the extra expenses of welcoming a guest into their home. If you want to host an international student for the upcoming school year, please get in touch with Sean Newlands at 506-575-6041 or at sean.newlands@nbed,nb.ca.
Remembering Gerald
On February 27, a crowd assembled at The Gathering Place to honour one of the centre’s first and most frequent visitors. Gerald died a few weeks ago of a lingering illness, but that did not stop him from making his nearly daily visits. It was a delicious lunch that featured all of Gerald’s favourite snacks, especially the sweets. The wellness group prepared and served lunch. Those in attendance chatted and shared their personal stories of the Gerald they knew, and to a person, all memories were of a kind, generous, coffee-drinking or napping guest who was loved by all. You will be missed, Gerald!
