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This Newsletter is going to all VRMNC Paid-Up Members.
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NOVEMBER GENERAL NEWSLETTER
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"All the VRMNC News that's fit to print"
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Message from the President
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I had the honour of being elected to the position of President for our Club at our AGM in September; unfortunately I was not able to attend that meeting due to being overseas on family vacation.
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I am blessed to be coming into this position with a Club that is very strong in numerous ways, including financially, membership numbers, and having excellent volunteers in place for Activity Coordinators and the Executive Committee.
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Our Executive Committee will continue to progress and complete the initiatives that were begun over the previous year, including addressing our approach to Special Events.
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I look forward to serving our Club and meeting more of our members over the upcoming year. As always, please contact me directly if you have any concerns, questions or suggestions.
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Membership Report
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Our club continues to attract a steady flow of new members. We have had 14 new members join VRMNC since July 1,2025. This brings our total membership to 287 paid members as of November 5, 2025.
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Please welcome the following new members who have joined us since the last few months:
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For the new members please feel free to ask any questions you may have about our club by contacting myself at the email address noted below.
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It is also important to take this opportunity to remind our members that for the Club to continue to operate in a manner acceptable to all members, we must be aware and understand our Bylaws. Here is a quick link to the VRMNC Bylaws so you can remain up to date. https://www.vrmnc,ca/bylaws
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Members are also asked to notify the Membership Director (membership@vrmnc.ca) if they are no longer interested in participating in the VRMNC which will allow us to maintain an accurate membership list. If you know of Members that have left the area, please notify the Membership Director.
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In the unfortunate situation where a Member has passed away, please let us know so we may take appropriate actions.
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Activities Updates
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Is there an activity your passionate about that is not part of the current VRMNC activities?
You might consider starting a new group. We're here to help and coach you on how to set up for a new activity.
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New Activity: Pickle Ball !!!
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AD-HOC PICKLEBALL:
Group forming, first game scheduled for Monday Nov 10, email John.Pierce@Live.com to be added to Activity Email.
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Once on the Activity email process for booking:
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1) Members and their partners who also want to play sign up to the Activity Email.
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2) Anyone on email list can book an Ad-Hoc court ie Henderson, or Pearkes or outdoors etc, on any day / time and is that Game's Host.
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3) That Game's Host emails time / location / cost ie $5 pp to ahpickleball@vrmnc.ca which auto-forwards to the group.
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4) Players who want to play reply Just To The Host Yes.
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4) When full, that Game's Host re-emails ahpickleball@vrmnc.ca that full / closed, and lists the players.
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THREE SOCIAL BRIDGE GROUPS
New Members Welcome
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Bridge Group: The Unconventionals.
Our bridge group, The Unconventionals, Continue to get together at a member's home on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month.
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Sometimes we do not have enough for 2 tables but always at least one and the host provides some kind of snack or refreshment.
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We have a number of regular players each of whom would host on a semiannual basis. We also have a number of spares to fill in. We play a very basic bridge but have knowledge of basic conventions.
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We welcome new players either as regulars or as spares
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VRMNC has three social Bridge Clubs: The focus of all three is on the social side of bridge, not the competitive side. New members are welcome in all the groups. Some playing experience is preferred.
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The first group plays on the every Monday afternoon, from 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm .... Coordinator Fred Stepchuk <stepchuk.fred@shaw.ca>
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The second group plays on the every Tuesday evening, from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm .... Coordinator Bruce Thomson <bthomson99@gmail.com>
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The third group plays on the every "other" Thursday afternoon, from 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm .... Coordinator Dave Nicholds <jdnicholds@gmail.com>
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Keith Beange, Overall VRMNC Bridge Coordinator
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Appy Gang
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What a night! What a feast! What a celebration!
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Thanks to our hosts, Ian and Arlene Weatherdon, for having all of us to their home. Thanks to all of the guests for following directions and the men for stepping-up to make all those fabulous appies. Additionally, I would like to acknowledge the people on our waitlist - and there were several of you. Next month, you get first priority. This is also a reminder that we will continue to accept as many people as we can but sometimes not all who respond will be admitted due to space constraints. Eventually, all our regular attendees will have to wait out a month.
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Next month we are expecting to join Murray and Tricia Webb at their home. Since Murray has recently retired, I am sure he is finishing renovations to host even more people!
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Contact Tim Allen if you’re interested in the November event.
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Tim Allen
Appy Gang & Golf Tournament
Email: aggt@vrmnc.ca
Phone: +1 (416) 540-8782
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Field Trips
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Victoria Architectural History Walk
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November Field Trip: Fisgard Light
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Three field trips have been organized this fall to date, with three more scheduled before the Christmas break.
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On October 8th, a group of 20 members and guests enjoyed a 2-hour History & Architecture Walk led by tour guide Dave Mason of Come See Victoria. The tour took us through Old Town, Chinatown and down Government Street to the Inner Harbour, with insightful commentary by Dave on the buildings and events that have shaped Victoria over the past 150 years.
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§ On October 22nd, a group of 15 hockey fans attended a Victoria Royals game at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre. The exciting and closely fought game ended 2-1 in favour of the visiting Kelowna Rockets after one period of overtime and a shoot-out. A tough loss for the home side, but the season is still young!
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§ On the morning of November 5th, a group of 17 members and guests gathered for a tour of Fort Rodd Hill and the Fisgard Lighthouse, despite an ugly weather forecast of high winds and rain showers. I’m happy to report that the group enjoyed a fascinating tour with our terrific guide Anna, and the weather turned out to be fine, with even a bit of sun and blue sky, making for some dramatic photos of the 150+ year old lighthouse (oldest on the west coast of Canada) and rocky coastline.
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The following is a summary of upcoming field trips. A registration email will be sent out to all members a week or so before each event so please check your inbox.
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Architectural Heritage Museum
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Craigdarroch Castle – Christmas Tour
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Vancouver Giants at Victoria Royals
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Save-on-Foods Memorial Arena
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Going forward, we will be prioritizing members first on these field trips, with guests welcome to join if space allows.
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THURSDAY PUB LUNCH
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October's Pub Lunch was held at the Bard & Banker
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November 6th Pub Lunch was held at Fernwood Pub
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Pub Lunches are held every two weeks.
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A great way to connect with fellow VRMNC Members.
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Next Pub Lunch on November 20th watch for the notice
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VRMNC History Book Club.
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The History Book Club met on October 8th when John Waterhouse led a discussion on The Wide, Wide Sea: First Contact, Imperial Ambition and The Faithful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook by Hampton Sides. The group explored the life and final voyage of Captain James Cook, one of the eighteenth century’s most renowned explorers and mapmakers. In 1779, Cook met his end at the hands of natives on Hawai’i, an event that remains a focal point of historical inquiry.
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The book portrays Captain Cook as a figure who was highly respected by the crews on his three voyages. It emphasizes Cook’s generally friendly and respectful interactions with indigenous peoples, painting a nuanced portrait of his relationships across various expeditions. One central question addressed in the book, and discussed during the meeting, was: what were the circumstances that ultimately led to Cook's death?
John pointed out that the author entertained this and other questions about Captain Cook's third voyage in the style of a narrative history. Such historical writing focuses on individuals—their experiences, emotions, and personal stories—drawing extensively from historical records and journals. As a result, readers gain valuable insight into the social, political, and personal circumstances that shaped significant historical events.
Of particular interest to the group was the section detailing Cook’s first European contact with the people of Nootka Sound, where he spent several months. (The term “Nootka” was used by residents to advise Cook to seek a better anchorage around the corner). This episode highlighted the complexities of early encounters between Europeans and indigenous peoples.
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As residents of Victoria are aware, Captain Cook, and other historical personalities have faced criticism in some circles for their colonial legacy. The book—and the ensuing discussion—raised the important question of whether such vilification is justified, prompting thoughtful reflection on how history is interpreted and remembered.
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On November 12 Michael Randerson will lead a discussion on Ken McGoogan's 2018 book Dead Reckoning: The Untold Story of the Northwest Passage.
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History & Historical Fiction Book Club
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The History: Fact or Fiction Book Club meets 10 times per year with a hiatus in July and August when many of the members are vacationing. The membership is limited to 10 members at any one time. Those interested in joining are welcome to add their name to the waiting list.
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The selected titles for the remainder of the year ( 2025) are:
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· September The Silk Road by Peter Frankopan
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· October Dissolution by C.J. Sanson
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· November Empress of the Nile by Lynne Osbourne
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· December Caste: The Origins of Discontent by Isabel Wilkerson
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Cameron Berry; Coordinator
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Luncheon Speakers Series
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On October 23, Kevin Scott from the Victoria Hospitals Foundation spoke to 25 Club members at the Oak Bay Rec Centre, Sportsview Lounge, on innovations in men's health care at Victoria's two hospitals, the Vic General and Royal Jubilee. These include cutting edge robotics and laser surgery, making the Vic General one of the leading hospitals in the country in this field. These technical advances are important in attracting expertise to the local area as the most advanced specialists want to work with the most advanced equipment. Fully forty percent of the equipment in Victoria's hospitals is funded by the Hospitals Foundation, which undertakes a variety of fund-raising activities, including legacy giving. Kevin's talk was followed by a lively Q and A session.
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Bob MacDonald host of CBC's Quirks & Quarks
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The speaker in November will be Bob McDonald, well known host of CBC's Quirks and Quarks science radio program. As an exception to the general rule of having our talk on the fourth Thursday, this event will take place at the Oak Bay Rec Centre on Friday November 28 at the usual time, 1130 am. This change is to accommodate Bob's broadcast commitments. This presentation promises to be an interesting talk from Canada's best known public science commentator.
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Tennis
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VRMNC Members who Dominate the Courts
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Back inside as fall comes to an end and intermittent rain and wind makes playing outdoors impractical.
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We have secured indoor booking in the Oak Bay Rec Center for two morning secessions on Monday and Friday mornings and look forward to both tennis and coffee later upstairs in their excellent facility.
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Still at sixteen members and happy to welcome four more so come join us in one of the finer ways to stay fit.
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We invite other Newcomers who enjoy tennis to join us and share great exercise and some pleasant times at Hortons or Starbucks.
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Call Des at 250-721-1496 for details
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Tuesday Hikers
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Tuesday hikes begin at 9:00 a.m. and are approximately three hours in duration. The number of participants tends to range between six and 15.
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We had mixed weather for our Tuesday hikes throughout October, with some warm sunny days and some cool wet days. Our hikes included a wide variety of settings at the following locations:
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Niagara Creek, Gold Mine & Prospector trails in Goldstream Provincial Park. This hike crosses under Highway 1 at two locations, one along Niagara Creek and the other along Goldstream River. - led by Keith Knowles
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Shepards Creek Trail in Sooke Hills Wilderness Regional Park, a great hike through a very pleasant variety of forest types. - led by Lou Sanche
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Various trails through Matheson Lake & Roche Cove Regional Parks, which included some stunning lake views - led by Rick Jess
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VRMNC Hikers on Matheson Lake Trail
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Tim took the photo= 14 Trail Blazers
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Monday Ramblers
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The Monday Ramblers group have been enjoying the generally great weather and as usual walking in various areas around greater Victoria over the last few months including hikes throughout the Westshore, Saanich Peninsula, Oak Bay and Victoria. More recently we took in Mill Hill and Edwards Park led by Richard Neff , Royal Roads and Mnt. Work both led by Marcel Mercier, Havenwood & Latoria Parks and Copley Quick Bottom Parks both led by Ted Mathie.
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Our hikes are led by various volunteers, coordinated by Ted Mathie (mathie@uregina.ca, if you wish to join our activity). Typically our hikes are 2 to 2.5 hours duration, about eight km distance, starting out at 09:30 Mondays. An invitation is prepared by the volunteer leader three days ahead of each hike and sent to the whole ramblers mailing list. The invitation includes the exact meeting location and some advice about the hike. Those who want to participate, register with the leader, who normally follows up with a note listing those registered in case anyone wants to sort out some car pooling for themselves.
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We are looking forward to hiking throughout the winter and leaders are organized through to year end. Next Month, Ted will be working out the three month roster of volunteer hike leaders for the first quarter of 2026. Throughout the year we have a blend of the hikes offered locally. Our winter hikes include a rather larger portion of urban parks and urban areas, whereas the summer hikes include a rather larger portion of forest walks. Victoria is blessed with a huge number of choices.
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Wednesday Nine Hole Golf
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Open for additional players !
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October was another good month. We played all five rounds at Highland Pacific Golf Course. We only had one cancellation due to inclement weather.
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We are getting very near to the end of our year. We will be looking for members to commit to next year and we will have room for new people to join our golf group.
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We are planning a Christmas luncheon on December 12th and after that we only have one game left before the Christmas break.
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I look forward to hearing from new members who would like to golf. This is a very casual group of golfers. Don't be afraid to come out and participate.
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For more information phone me at 778-584-4171.
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Sunday Hike and Pub for Members/Couples
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On November 09, our leaders will be Keith Knowles and Yvonne Beaubien. We will start Thetis Lake area from an unusual starting point - the north end of Bellamy Road. Lunch afterward will be at the Loghouse Pub. See below for details.
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This Activity is not just for couples; individual VRMNC members are absolutely welcome. If you would like to be on the mailing list, contact Coordinator Greg Bosecker at gregorybosecker@gmail.com
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Friday Coffee Chat Group
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A great opportunity to meet some fellow members and enjoy some stimulating conversations over coffee. The Coffee Chat Group meets every Friday at 10:00am on the second floor at Quality Foods in View Royal. (just next to the Victoria General Hospital). There's ample free parking and a separate quiet space where we meet on the 2nd floor above the deli. Come out and enjoy the comradery and conversation.
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We talk about a lot of topics and solve all the world's problems. Given the different backgrounds of everyone the discussions can be very informative. There are also a lot of laughs.
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E-Bike Brigade
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Wine Making Group
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Hello to all wine lovers.
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Cheers from your wine maker,
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Billiards Group
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Enjoy the fun and camaraderie of shooting pool with fellow Members! Ability ranges from beginner to experienced. After the games we socialize over an optional light lunch in the Legion lounge. WHERE: Royal Canadian Legion, 411 Gorge Road E. (corner of Gorge and Jutland). PARKING: At Legion, free. WHEN: Weekly every Friday at 11:00am – 2:30pm. WHO: Open to all.
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We play billiards on Tuesdays and Fridays at 11:00 am sharp. We can accommodate a total of 16 players.
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We play at the Trafalgar Pro Patria Legion on Gorge Road at Jutland. New members are welcome. (New members may require to be signed in at the Legion).
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To be Humble
Article Submitted by Wally Lazaruk
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“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less”. – C.S.Lewis
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What is humility? In his book entitled Humble: Free Yourself from the Traps of a Narcissistic World, author Daryl Van Tongeren defines humility as “knowing yourself, checking yourself, and going beyond yourself.”
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We can cultivate humility in four ways according to Dr. Van Tongeren:
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1. Seeking feedback to know ourselves
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2. Reducing our defensiveness to check ourselves
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3. Building empathy to go beyond ourselves
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4. Regulating ourselves by managing our impulses and reactions
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Let’s examine each of these four strategies:
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1. Seeking feedback to know ourselves
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· We adopt a growth mindset in which we value learning and open to self-improvement.
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· We start from a place of security, accepting that we are already worthy, already enough.
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· We meet with a trusted partner, spouse or friend on a regular basis to seek honest feedback about ways we can grow. We ask our trusted source to tell us the truth about ourselves so that we can see ourselves as we are.
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· Through honest feedback, we learn to better understand our strengths and weaknesses. We can then own our limitations and make improvements.
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2. Reducing our defensiveness to check ourselves
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· We examine and affirm what we value. These values may include personal mastery, relationships, play and creativity, search for meaning, compassion and contribution, financial independence and learning.
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· We affirm these core values, for example, through self-reflection and intentional actions to align our behavior with our values. In this way, we increase our sense of authenticity and integrity, feel more secure and become less likely to act defensively.
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· Second, we open our minds and acknowledge and own our limitations.
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· Third, we diversify our social contacts by establishing friendships with people from different backgrounds and interests. We listen to different voices. We seek out perspectives that are different from our own to keep learning and growing.
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· We are aware of confirmation bias which is seeking out information that confirms our beliefs and attitudes and seeing the world the way we want to see it. Instead, we question our beliefs, argue against ourselves and acknowledge that we do not know everything and are not always right.
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3. Building empathy to go beyond ourselves
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· We cultivate a sense of empathy toward others by considering the needs of those around us. We ask people what their needs are.
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· We feel compassion and warmth toward other people. We open our hearts to become attuned to the emotional experience of other people.
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· We learn active listening and practice perspective-taking to see others’ viewpoints.
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4. Regulating or controlling ourselves
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· We control our impulses and reactions.
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· We treat ourselves with kindness. We refrain from harsh self-judgment and negative self-talk.
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· We align our thoughts, emotions and behaviors with our values and goals.
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· Our goal is progress rather than perfection.
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In summary, humility can help us to develop an accurate and realistic view of our strengths and weaknesses. We open to honest feedback and become less defensive about our limitations. We strengthen our relationships by practicing empathy for others and acknowledging different perspectives. We manage our emotions and align our thoughts, emotions and behaviors with what we value.
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A practice to consider: know yourself, check yourself and go beyond yourself.
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We can continue to grow and improve with humility.
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“If you are humble, nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are.” -Albert Einstein
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Prepared by Wally Lazaruk, November 2025
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Book: Humble: Free Yourself from the Traps of a Narcissistic World
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Author: Daryl Van Tongeren
Publisher: The Experiment
Publishing Year: 2022
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Webmaster’s Corner! Did-You-Know:
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Re-Newed Website Feature: CLUB CHAT
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VRMNC has reinstalled our Chat feature on our website but on a dedicated webpage. To access it just click on Club Chat in Menu Bar and type away!!
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We encourage all members to sign into our website and check out this newest feature. Note that you need to sign in to post a chat.
If you stay signed in you will not need to repeat this step in the future. If you make a post and a fellow member replies it will be forwarded to your email.
Please give it a try and let your Coordinators and club Executive know your thoughts.
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1) car pool to a Field Trip
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2) discuss an existing Activity
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3) brain-storm / start a new regular or one off activity (ie Happy Hour Group, Cooking Class, Volunteer with Our Place, travel ideas to Portugal, Nova Scotia . . . ).
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4) New Joiner just posted asking for interest in Trip to Phoenix for Baseball Spring Training.
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NOTE: If you are logged-in when post, you can tick the small Bell button beside "Post Comment" button to be notified of responses.
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PRO-TRICK: When logging-in to our website, tick the "Remember Me" tick box so you stay logged in and don't have to next time visit. You can tell if you are logged in as top right beside Menu will say "Welcome Back Orlie".
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QUESTIONS: Please contact:
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OTHER WEBSITE INFO:
- New arrival to Victoria? Check out our Members Area > Useful Web Links webpage.
- VRMNC Branding - Need our Logo? Several formats available at Members Area > Branding.
- VRMNC Assets / Signage - Need a screen projector or pull-up banners or other signage, see all our assets and their custodian in Members Area > Assets.
- CONTACT DETAILS CHANGE: Please contact Membership@VRMNC.ca with any email, phone number or address change (no need to make these changes yourself).
- MISSED / LOST A NEWSLETTER: Go to website > News > Newsletters to see all of them.
- EXEC MEETING MINUTES: are published on Website > Members Area > Meeting Minutes.
- CONTACT LIST: This is maintained and updated on website by Membership Director Dennis Aitken just Log-In to website and go to Members Area > Contact Book. Please do not share this outside the club!
- FAQS: These have been updated on our website under Members Area, have a look, and please suggest any additions / changes!
- VRMNC GROUPS: Anyone can start a new VRMNC Group, just email email Activity Coordinator Bruce Shore at bruceshore@gmail.com with your ideas!
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