Canadian Journey 2017
Twenty members of our club participated in amazing back-to-back journeys to two Canadian Clubs in Ontario - Stratford/St Marys from June 14-21 and Haliburton from June 21-28, 2017. Past President, Lou Rizk, along with assistants, Kevin Janiak and Susan Beaudry, were the outbound Journey Coordinators (formerly known as Exchange Directors).
In Stratford/St Mary's, club members were treated to an afternoon Welcome Party in a gorgeous backyard setting at the home of Rose and Ken. We were divided up with the Canadians to participate in a fun quiz on Canadian facts. A wonderful chicken dinner followed with bountiful salads and an array of Canadian desserts that featured homemade BUTTER TARTS. YUM! The club kept us busy all week with an itinerary featuring a wonderful performance of Guys & Dolls at the famous Festival Theater. We even learned a dance routine from the show and toured a Warehouse viewing costumes and props. We participated in a Car Rally followed by a fun dinner with a singer and lots of dancing. Later in the week, we went on a boat tour, the Hansall Co-op Tour and really had a blast on an Ice Sculpture Tour. The week flew by and before we knew it, we were saying farewell to this GREAT club.
We drove in vans to the next club, an easy 4-1/2 hour trip to the gorgeous lake region of Canada. The Haliburton Club welcomed us at their Curling Club. The week started with a Welcome Breakfast at Wintergreen. This place looked like an old-time cabin in the woods and featured a lavish breakfast with homemade maple and other syrups. We traveled to a fish hatchery for a tour, then onto a Sculpture Forest Tour (fantastic sculptures in the woods) and finally, our group was treated to a Welcome BBQ at the lake cottage home of Mary Lou & Bob Macklin. The Haliburton Club seemed to be very active (about 50 in the club) and most of them were there to welcome us. On Friday, we went geo-caching at Kinark's Outdoor Center and were hosted at family-like dinners by club members. Saturday's agenda was a trip to Petroglyphs Provincial Park anda Canadian Canoe Museum Tour. Another highlight of the day was viewing the canoes transiting the Peterborough Lift Lock, the largest lift lock in the world on the Trent Severin Waterway. Sunday's highlights were the Camp Wanakita Strawberry Social and a Voyageur Canoe Ride. Monday incorporated a visit to the Wolf Center where we saw baby wolves nursing (many of our Canadian friends had never seen this. Quite lucky for us!) Subsequently, we had a lovely tour and lunch at Abbey Gardens, Tour of Haliburton Wind & Solar company and their Brewery and Tasting. On Tuesday, we toured the town and had a rousing Farewell Dinner at Peppermill Restaurant. As with Stratford/St Mary's, it was difficult to say goodbye to these great Canadians!
STRATFORD/ST MARY's PICTURES
HALIBURTON PICTURES
