President’s Message

It’s the middle of February, and you can argue we have broken the back of winter. Our winter this year has gotten off to a very slow start insofar as snow fall and temperatures were concerned, but that was brought to an abrupt end by the time January got rolling. Skiing conditions have been excellent, and thanks to snow making and natural snow fall, skiers have been rewarded for their patience. But it was cold, and those who have taken a vacation to warmer lands in January are no doubt thankful for their timing.

Some may suggest that the oddity of this winter is a sign of things to come. Its difficult to predict with any certainty, but one thing does seem certain – it’s the uncertainty of what we will experience from year to year.

Blue Mountain PROBUS has gotten off to a strong start to begin 2024. The January meeting afforded those attending with an enlightening case for the importance of strength training for seniors to stave off the effects of advancing years. Bonnie Campbell had everyone’s full attention throughout her presentation, identifying those things we need to do in order to maintain a high quality of life for as long as we can. She called it “squaring the curve” – those attending would know what that means.

Looking ahead, we have an exciting array of speakers lined up for the remainder of the year. Presentations will cover a wide spectrum of subjects and interests. The speaker’s committee is looking for ideas on individuals or topics for 2025, so if you have any suggestions or ideas on what you would like to hear about, feel free to contact Don Stockman. stockmanocj@gmail.com

As is typical for the beginning of every new year, we do experience a slight decline in membership for a variety of reasons. However, through the year, our membership base does recover. As you are aware, we do have a program to reward members who bring guests to our monthly meetings, and you are strongly encouraged to invite new people – we would love to have them. Guests are a major source of new membership for the club.

And don’t forget, new members are identified by the red dot on their name badges, so at our meetings be certain to introduce yourself. New membership is critical to the future success of the club.

Stephen Hyndman sghyndman@gmail.com