Describing themselves as “one of retirement’s best-kept secrets,” Probus Nanaimo North members are celebrated their club’s 20th anniversary in the community.
Probus, which is independently operated but co-ordinated through Probus Canada, offers social opportunities for retirees and semi-retirees including participating in discussion groups, playing cards and games, trail walking, golfing, dining and taking excursions.
“Reaching 20 years is a testament to the strong community we’ve built,” said Wendy Pickering, Probus Nanaimo North president, in a press release. “While clubs are seeing declining membership, we are growing because people recognize the value of having fun, staying socially connected and engaged in retirement.”
There are four Probus clubs in the city – Nanaimo, Harbour City, Bastion City and Nanaimo North – the last of which was started when the Probus Club of Lantzville surpassed its maximum capacity of members in 2005.
Val Nickerson, North Nanaimo events and communications coordinator, said that despite attrition rates the club has been able to attract enough new members to consistently increase its membership, and currently sits at 188 members out of a capacity of 250. Still, she finds many community members aren’t aware of the existence of the not-for-profit social club.
“In order to keep club membership even stable, a club needs to be conscious about developing new members…” Nickerson said. “In our case we have done a very good job in recruiting members, but the majority of those are recruited through a member recruiting a guest, not through community awareness.”
The club celebrated two decades on April 10 with a special 20th anniversary pancake breakfast and AGM, attended by Mayor Leonard Krog and B.C. District 1 Probus director Ian Kennedy, who presented the club with a certificate to make the occasion.
Nanaimo North's next meeting will be on June 12 at 10 a.m. at St. Philip by-the-Sea Church. Membership is a $35 annual fee, and non-members are welcome to come to their first meeting at no cost. More information can be found online at http://probusnanaimonorth.org. People can find their local Probus club online at http://probuscanada.ca/find-a-club.
Nickerson said Probus is a not-for-profit, non-sectarian, non-political social organization for friendship and connections.
“We are simply an organization that enables retired and semi-retired people to get together for social interaction.”
