A Warm Welcome to Tosha Rhodenizer The RA’s New CEO/General Manager

The RA is excited to welcome Ms. Tosha Rhodenizer as the new CEO/General Manager. Ms. Rhodenizer brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to her new position including facilities management, program development, fundraising and not-for-profit management.

“The RA is tremendously happy to have been able to bring in Ms. Rhodenizer to lead our historic association,” shared Diana Monnet, President of the Board of Directors, “Our not-for-profit organization has been a community mainstay, serving thousands of individuals looking to live healthy, social and vibrant lives. Our next GM had to have the skills and abilities to lead the RA strategically and inspirationally. The Board of Directors is confident that Ms. Rhodenizer brings the right mix of skills, entrepreneurial spirit and experience as a leader.”

Ms. Rhodenizer joins the RA with a fresh and experienced perspective after a seven year career at the National Capital Region YMCA-YWCA. While a member of the National Capital Region YMCA-YWCA team she served as the Vice President of Health, Wellness and Family Engagement responsible for operational and strategic leadership of health, fitness and recreation facilities and programs, licensed and unlicensed childcare as well as residential and day camp operations. Previous to that Ms. Rhodenizer was the General Manager of the east end Ray Friel Recreation Complex.

“I am eager to start contributing to the RA. With the region’s most diverse portfolio of sport, recreation and fitness activities, it is important for us to continue to provide quality programming and ensure that the RA’s impact in the community and with members is built on a solid foundation,” Ms. Rhodenizer excitedly shared, “I look forward to working with the Members and Staff to ensure that the RA is positioned to deliver on a strong community promise for the next 70 years!!”

volume 74 number 1 NOVEMBER 2014

A publication of the Recreation Association of the Public Service of Canada RA Centre, 2451 Riverside Drive, Ottawa, ON K1H 7X7 613.733.5100 November 2014 RA News

Did You Know?RA Charitable Giving CampaignThe RA has been part of the United Way Campaign for many years and this year staff are inviting members and guests to participate in a Charitable Yoga Class.

The LifeFIT team is hosting a Charity Yoga Class on Sunday, November 30 at 10:00 am in the West Gym. Donations will be accepted at the door. The minimum donation is $5.00. Charitable receipts are available for donations of $20.00 or more. All proceed will be donated to the United Way Campaign.

RA Riverside Ladies Curling Section is celebrating their 50th anniversary this year.

Rideau Tennis Club member Jim Cameron and his doubles partner Keith Porter won the Men’s Over 60 Doubles Championship at the 34th ITF Super Seniors World Individual Championships held in Antalya, Turkey in October.

Also of note, the Canadian Over 75 team came third of the nine countries in their age group at World Super Seniors Team Championships, also held in Turkey. Canadian team member and Rideau Tennis Club member Evelyn Hustwit won four of her five matches with victories over members of the Australian, British, German and USA teams. As of October 27 she is ranked 23rd in the world in singles.

RACentreOttawa

Please visit www.racentre.com

to download the interactive PDF

and take full advantage of the

additional digital content.

The 2014-2015 Fall/Winter Program Guide is available for pick up at the Member Services

desks or download the complete guide (in PDF) at www.racentre.com.

The RA’s Fieldhouse Bar & Grill – Your local Ottawa Senators Hockey Headquarters Molson Coors and the RA have joined forces to offer members exclusive access to the Ottawa Senators through a new Hockey Headquarters fueled by Molson Canadian. Based in the Fieldhouse Bar & Grill, the Hockey Headquarters offers exclusive content tied to the Ottawa Senators and NHL hockey.

RA members and guests now have the opportunity to participate in Ottawa Senators Hockey Headquarters activities, such as puck parties, Ottawa Senators ticket giveaways and the prestigious “Take a Bite out of Winter” promotion which will send two people to Barbados. RA members will experience renewed excitement in the Fieldhouse Bar & Grill reflecting an atmosphere that supports Ottawa sports.

With such a strong and varied line-up of clubs and sports leagues, members can not only unwind and socialize in an Ottawa Senators Hockey Headquarters but can also take advantage of other special sports promotions that are planned for later this year such as Coors Light Football, Rickard’s Beer Dinners and programming tied to the CFL, UEFA Champions League and much more.

Complementing the Ottawa Senators Hockey Headquarters is a new line up of products which include Coors Light, Molson Canadian, Heineken, Strongbow, Rickard’s Red and White, Creemore Springs and Miller Genuine Draft.

Stop by the RA’s Fieldhouse Bar & Grill and Confederation Lounge or the Member’s Lounge at the Rideau Tennis Club to enjoy a cold one and find out how to take part in all the Ottawa Senators Hockey Headquarters activities!

2 RA News November 2014

Largest Photo Club in Canada Celebrates Milestone Anniversaryby Erin Mccracken, Metroland Media

As an avid amateur photographer, Perpetua Quigley never leaves home without her sneakers and camera gear so as to always be prepared to capture spontaneous moments.

“I just make sure that I’m ready,” said the chairwoman of the RA Photo Club, which operates at the RA Centre on Riverside Drive.

In the event she doesn’t have her high-tech Nikon camera in hand, she won’t hesitate to pull out her cellphone and start snapping away.

“I always say now that my camera has a phone rather than my phone has a camera,” the Kanata resident said.

Her enthusiasm for her hobby and her desire to improve her craft prompted her about four years ago to join the RA Photo Club, which is now celebrating its 75th anniversary.

“It’s very much a milestone,” Quigley said of the landmark year.

To celebrate the club’s history, earlier this month members published a souvenir magazine chock full of stories and photos chronicling the club’s development over the years.

Since joining the 300-member club, which is the largest photo club of its kind in Canada, Quigley has taken part in field trips, weekly programming sessions and special workshops with

members, who come from as far away as Arnprior.

The club also hosts group outings, such as photographic scavenger hunts during which participants must find photos in several different categories.

“The scavenger hunts teach you to see,” said Quigley. “I think that’s what photography does, it teaches you to see, and peel back ... layers to everyday images.”

She has been amazed by the beauty that has emerged in these images.

“I think there’s a story that comes with that,” she said.

Within the club’s structure there are also special-interest groups, which allow members to focus on various photographic specialties, such as nature, architecture, studio work, and macro-photography, among others.

“So you can move within all of these subgroups,” Quigley said. “It’s just a wealth of knowledge and information.”

Also as part of the anniversary celebration, a reunion banquet will bring together past and present photo club members at the RA Centre on November 18.

Members are also looking ahead to Canada’s 150th birthday in 2017, and will host the Camera Club of

Canada conference to coincide with celebrations in Ottawa.

Over the coming year, the club will commemorate its past, but also continue to develop and offer a lineup of programs that reflect emerging photographic trends and technology.

One such trend members are looking to touch on is the popular use of Instagram, an online photo-and video-sharing website that allows users to apply various digital filters to photographs. The application also has a social-networking aspect to it.

“That is definitely a very popular style,” Quigley said, adding that by keeping up with technological changes, club members have an opportunity learn and develop their trade or interest.

“You always want to be growing.”

Other developments include cellphone photography.

“I use that for spontaneous moments and opportunities, and I have used

With her Nikon digital camera in hand, Perpetua Quigley, chair of the RA Photo Club, stands at the ready to capture impromptu moments. The photo club has a number of events coming up to mark its 75th anniversary.

Notice of

Annual General Meeting

those photos for submissions to competitions, as well,” said Quigley, adding that the club also offers in-house competitions as well as joint competitions with other organizations.

CELLPHONES

The advent of high-resolution cellphone cameras has allowed more people to take high-quality images of special moments in time.

“All the elements are still there - composition, lighting - because if I’m not carrying my (digital) SLR and my telephoto (lens) the moment is here,” said Quigley. “And so to me the best camera is the one that you have, and whether that is your cellphone, whether that’s a small point-and-shoot or whether it’s a DLSR, it’s what you’ve got.”

The RA Photo Club, located at the non-profit RA Centre at 2451 Riverside Dr., meets every Tuesday, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. For details about upcoming anniversary events or club memberships, visit raphotoclub.ca.

November 20, 2014 The Annual General Meeting of the Recreation Association of the Public

Service of Canada will be held Thursday, November 20, 2014 in the Canada Room, 2451 Riverside Drive, Ottawa commencing at 7:30p.m.

All members are encouraged to attend.

At this meeting President Diana Monnet will present the 2013-2014 Annual Report.

November 2014 RA News 3

RBC Dominion Securities

RA Member Seminar Series

RBC Financial & Wealth Planning Seminars

Seven Psychological Pitfalls of Investing Do you get anxious when investment markets are volatile? Or do you feel optimistic that everything will turn out fine? Both reactions – natural parts of your psychological makeup – can actually impede your progress towards your investment goals.

The good news is that you can gain some control over your psychological responses – unlike the financial markets. Following are seven psychological pitfalls of investing – and how you can avoid them.

Managing the household budget and planning for the future seems to be getting more difficult each day. There is so much information. So how do people cut through the clutter and find the time to think about their financial futures? Each person is different, but the RA members through partner Mark Ellis’ Wealth Management Team with RBC Wealth Management Dominion Securities can get a leg up through a series of FREE seminars. Covering a range of topics, members will learn some basics to ensure their financial wealth is in tune with their physical health! Drop-ins will be welcome, but ensure your spot is saved by contacting Member Services at (613) 733-5100.

Upcoming Seminars:

• GIC Refugee • 10 Strategies to Pay Less Tax in Retirement • TFSA Investment Strategies • Mortgage/Debt & Investment Planning• The Cost of Investing

Visit www.racentre.com for more details.

3. HindsightHindsight is the tendency to believe that after something has happened, you knew all along that it would – even though you didn’t. This tendency can lead you to believe that events are far more predictable than they really are, raising unrealistic expectations about how well your investments will perform and your advisor’s ability to foretell the future, among other things. If you find yourself confidently declaring that you “knew it all along” ask yourself whether you really did. As with optimism and over confidence, you may have to consciously compensate for hindsight.

4. ObsessionDo you follow the performance of your investments minute-by-minute on TV or the Internet? Do you dwell on short-term changes in the market value of your investments? Do you fixate on the negative performance of a single investment, even when your overall portfolio is doing well? These can all be signs of obsessive behaviour commonly displayed by investors.

Take a step back and look at the big picture. Are you on track to achieving your longer-term goals? Are you comfortable with the level of investment risk in your portfolio? If not, you may have to make adjustments to stop obsessing about short-term events.

5. DenialWhen stock markets go down, investors can sometimes panic and sell what is still fundamentally a good investment. The flipside of this is denial – when investors continue to hold an investment that has gone bad, thinking it will eventually come back. It can be hard, but when an investment has fundamentally deteriorated, it may be time to sell. Having an investment discipline in place with specific, rational criteria for buying and selling can help you overcome this tendency.

6. GreedThe desire to “get rich quick” compels many investors to take bigger risks than they should, such as investing too much in a single investment. When the risk doesn’t pay off, it can jeopardize their financial security. That doesn’t mean you should never take a risk – it’s a normal part of investing. The key is to take well-calculated risks within a properly diversified investment portfolio, which is designed with your personal risk tolerance in mind. That way, when the occasional risk doesn’t pay off, the impact is mitigated by the other investments in your portfolio.

7. Herd instinctWhen we see other people doing something, we have a natural tendency to think that it must be a good thing and we should do it too. This “herd instinct” is often behind sharp ups and downs in the financial markets. When other people are buying, propelling the market upwards,

we buy too, sending the market even higher. Similarly, when other people sell in a panic, sending the market downwards, we sell too, fueling the decline. Unfortunately, this often results in buying at the height of the market euphoria, or selling close to the depths of the panic. Instead of following the herd, follow a disciplined investment strategy based on logic and reason.

Successful investing over the long term is less about how the markets are doing than how we react to what the markets are doing. Unfortunately, many of our natural psychological reactions – like denial, panic or greed – can impede our long-term success.

This article is supplied by Pierre Tipple an Investment Advisor with the Mark Ellis’ Wealth Management Team at RBC Dominion Securities Inc. Member – Canadian Investor Protection Fund.

– and how to avoid them

1. OptimismPeople have a natural tendency to overestimate the likelihood of positive results on everything from the weather to investing. This largely explains why people are so often disappointed by their investment performance – they simply felt they would do better based on this psychological bias.

Avoiding the feeling of disappointment is only one good reason why you should consciously compensate for this natural optimism. If you base your financial goals on unrealistically positive expectations, you will almost certainly fall short of these goals. This can affect your anticipated retirement date, amount of retirement income, or the value of your estate.

How much should you compensate for this bias? Some people are better calibrated than others, but studies indicate that in general if you feel there is a 99% chance of something happening, the actual odds are closer to 85%.

2. OverconfidenceAnother powerful psychological bias is overconfidence. Just as people tend to be overly optimistic about the probability of positive results, they also tend to be overconfident about their own talents. Some investors think that they can “outsmart the market” – and even control largely unpredictable events such as stock market volatility.

This leads to one of the most common pitfalls of investing – market timing. Confident in their own abilities, many investors try to time the market so that they always buy low and sell high – despite the fact that not even the most accomplished professional investors can do this consistently.

Recognizing this tendency towards overconfidence is the first step towards dealing with it. Try to be honest about your abilities, and if you find yourself falling into traps such as market timing, take a step back and rethink your approach.

4 RA News November 2014

RA Member Zhou Wins GOLD at World Youth Chess Championships

If you require more information or wish to take advantage of this offer, please don’t hesitate to contact RA Member Services at 613-733-5100 or visit the Member Benefit section on the RA’s website at www.racentre.com

The RA is pleased to announce a new Member Advantage. RA members now receive discounts

with CAA North East Ontario.

RA Member Demonstrates Brilliance on World StageThe newest addition to the Olympic family has been the launch of the Youth Olympic Games. Beginning in 2010 in Singapore, the Youth Olympic Games provide an arena for young people from all over the world to demonstrate sport excellence. An event different than the Canada Games, a premier event in Canada, they also integrate a unique Culture and Education Programme (CEP), based around five main themes: Olympism, Social Responsibility, Skills Development, Expression and Well-being and Healthy Lifestyles.

The sports programme is based on that of the Olympic Games, with 28 sports featured on the summer programme and seven on the winter programme. In addition, the programme also includes exciting new disciplines and formats, such as 3-on-3 basketball, ice hockey skills challenge and mixed gender and mixed National Olympic Committee (NOC) events.

Away from the field of play and through a variety of fun and interactive activities, workshops and team-building exercises, the CEP gives the participating athletes the opportunity to learn about the Olympic values, explore other cultures and develop the skills to become true ambassadors of their sport.

Held every four years, the 2nd Summer Youth Olympic Games took place in Nanjing, China, from August 16 to 28 in 2014. Of great interest to the RA was the participation of 17 year-old Archer Eric Peters.

Eric won a bronze medal in international mixed team archery, an event unique to the Youth Olympic Games. Peters teamed up with Finland’s Mirjam Tuokkola to beat a pair from Guatemala and Belgium in the bronze medal match.

“I was coming into the team event fairly disappointed with how I did as an individual. It was good fun, it was something really different, something great for this event,” shared Eric.

Although Eric lost in the round of 16 of his individual event, the men’s recurve, he is still bringing back fond memories of a once in a lifetime experience in Nanjing. Eric’s Bronze medal contributed to the total of seven that Team Canada brought home.

Congratulations Eric on your performance!

(Source: Content adapted from multiple sources including the International Olympic Committee, www.olympic.org and the Federation of Canadian Archers, www.archerycanada.ca).

“The passion for playing Chess is one of the most unaccountable in the world” - H.G. Wells

For those not aware of the competitive chess world, the competition is fierce with lots of pressure. As Garry Kasparov suggested in the Harvard Business Review, he believes chess, “is very much a question of psychological advantage; the complexity of the game demands that players rely heavily on their instincts and on gamesmanship.” Now imagine you are a 14 year-old from Ottawa, playing in the World Youth Chess Championship in Durban, South Africa. Think you could handle it?

Not only did Qiyu Zhou [name pronounced: CHEE-you JO] handle the pressure, but on September 29th, 2014, she also won gold in the U14 girls division. She scored 8.5 out of 11, going undefeated (six wins, five draws). Zhou’s score tied with Oliwia Kiolbasa (Poland), but she had better tie-breaks after leading the event since the third round. The World Youth Chess Championship attracted nearly 1,000 players from around the world to compete in sections ranging from Under 8 to Under 18.

Born in 2000, this is, amazingly, Zhou’s ninth World Youth Championship. Beginning at the early age of 4, Zhou learned the cerebral game of chess while living in France. After moving to Finland with her parents, the next year Zhou won the Under 10 Youth Chess Championship of Finland, ahead of boys nearly twice her age.

Earlier this year Tromso, Norway hosted the Fédération Internationale des Échecs Chess Olympiad. Zhou represented Canada, competing against teams from 177 countries and delivering an individual score of 6.5/9. Zhou regularly plays with the RA Chess Club and is a two-time Canadian Youth Chess Champion, having won the U14 girls (2013, Ottawa) and U12 girls (2012, Victoria).

As Zhou continues her chess career, the RA is proud to offer an open environment for her to practice her craft!

“Chess is everything: art, science and sport” - Anatoly Karpov

Qiyu Zhou wins gold at the World Youth Chess Championship in Durban, South Africa

November 2014 RA News 5

Tickets are on sale at the RA Centre's East Member Services Desk. Monday to Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

or by phone at (613)736-6224 Monday to Friday 11:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The RA is proud to be a part of RBC Sports Day in Canada

Join us for an Open House on

Saturday, November 29 from 8am to 8pm

Go to www.racentre.com for a complete list of activities.

RACentreOttawa

RA Fencing a stepping stone to big competitionsEric Peters was not the only RA member to attend the Youth Olympics. Jenny Zhao, coached by Paul ApSimon, also experienced an opportunity of a lifetime by being named to the Canadian National Team for Cadet Women’s Foil.

Jenny qualified for the Youth Olympic Games by earning an eleventh place finish in the women’s foil event at the Cadet World Championships in Bulgaria. At just 17 years of age, Jenny has been a strong force in Canadian fencing events, taking home both silver and gold in the Junior Foil and Cadet Foil event respectively at Canada Cup competitions in 2013.

The Youth Olympic Games served as a great opportunity for international tournament experience for Jenny. Before leaving coach Paul ApSimon suggested, “Her goals are to perform and rise to the occasion. If she fences to her potential, a medal is (was) a possibility.”

Described by her coach as a tenacious, powerful and competitive fencer, it is to no surprise that Jenny was amping up her training regimen in the three months prior in preparation for the Games in August. Jenny worked hard with a conditioning coach and mental performance consultant to improve both her physical and mental game and is also training with the Canadian Senior Women’s Foil team.

Although marvelling at the chance to fence against the top fencers in the world in her age group, Jenny was most excited for the Athlete’s Village experience. “Funnily enough, the thing I am most excited for is the Athletes’ Village experience, such as rooming with top athletes from Canada, eating different foods from all around the world and even just being in the village.”

Great work Jenny on representing the RA Fencing Club!

(Source: Content adapted from the Canadian Olympic Committee, www.olympic.ca.)

Jenny Zhao at the FIE Cadet World Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria - photos from Facebook/Canadian Fencing Federation/Devin Manky

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. | Buffet served at 7:30 p.m.

$57.75 (HST and 15% service charge not included)The total cost including tax and service is $75.05.

Ring in 2015 at the RA!

New Year’s EveCelebrationDance the Night Away in the Clark Hall

with Randy from Celebrity DJs - playing the hits of today & yesterday

Enjoy a relaxing evening in the Canada Room and take a sentimental jurney featuring music from the 40’s to the 90’s

Doors open at 6:00 p.m. | Buffet served at 7:00 p.m.

6 RA News November 2014

After a two-season road trip to Kanata for home games, the 67’s returned to Lansdowne to open the new TD Place arena against the Niagara Ice Dogs. Coincidently, that’s the same franchise they faced off against in 2012 OHL Eastern Conference final, which was the last game to be played in the arena before construction crews took over.

Over half that 2012 Ottawa roster has since gone on to play pro hockey. Petr Mrazek, Shane Prince, Cody Ceci, Sean Monahan and Tyler Toffoli have all seen time in the NHL. Toffoli even assisted

on the Stanley Cup winning goal this past June. The only remaining player from that 2012 67’s team is Mike Vlajkov who missed most of last year with an injury.

The 67’s have a new look team and coaching staff at TD Place. On ice, the 67’s will be lead by last year’s CHL Rookie of the Year Travis Konecny. Konecny is forecast by many to be a top pick next June in the 2015 NHL entry draft. A few other 67’s that could hear their name called in the draft are Dante Salituro, Troy Henley and newcomers Leo Lazarev and Artur Tyanulin. Lazerav and Tyanulin are both Ottawa draft picks from last spring while Henley and Salituro both played for the 67’s last season.

The 67’s expect to have a blue line bolstered by the return of LA Kings 2014 draft picks Alex Lintuniemi and Jacob Middleton. Local boy Nathan Todd, who had a breakout Junior A season last year, and Travis Barron, the 3rd overall pick in the 2014 OHL Draft, are also expected to contribute after having strong pre-seasons for Ottawa. Overagers Brendan Bell and Erik Bradford are expected to have a big role in pushing for the 67’s return to the post-season. Brandford will be particularly inspired as he attempts to prove to NHL scouts he’s completely over a serious leg injury suffered last spring.

Not only has the player roster changed substantially but the coaching staff is brand new as well. Chris Byrne (LA Kings), Misha Donskov (Hockey Canada), Travis Crickard (Kelowna Rockets) and Shean Donovan (Ottawa Senators) have all moved-on to different organizations.

The 67’s brought in some new blood and moved some parts around to create a new look front office. It started at the top with Pat Higgins taking over as GM after serving as Assistant GM and before that Head Scout. The 67’s then welcomed former NHL’er Jeff Brown as head coach. Brown has a strong coaching pedigree at the junior level after leading Indiana to the USHL championship last season. Mike Eastwood, a veteran of 13 NHL seasons, will serve as Assistant Coach. The only person who was on the bench the last time the 67’s played at Lansdowne is former Equipment Manager Chris Hamilton, who now serves as Director of Hockey Operations.

TD Place has already hosted sold-out REDBLACKS games, an NASL record crowd for the Fury FC home opener and it’s received rave reviews as a world class venue. The arena renovations include a massive new HD video screen, modern concessions for food and beverage service and a new menu from Levy Restaurants. There’s also a new premium seating area with food and non-alcoholic beverages included in the ticket price.

The Ottawa 67’s Are Home

10% RA Member’s Discount on Ottawa SENATORS Tickets! On sale now!

Receive 10% discount on all Gold, Silver & Bronze games to the 2014-2015 season. Support your association and save!

The exclusive RA member Promo code is available to RA members only by calling Member Services at 613-733-5100.

RA Launches New BoathouseOn October 24, 2014, the President Diana Monnet, new CEO Tosha Rhodenizer, Mark Scott and Scott Campbell representing the RA Canoe Camping Club (RACCC) cut the ribbon to officially launch the new RACCC Boathouse. Following months of development, the new Boathouse will provide RACCC members with a safe and secure location for equipment and coordination of activities.

The construction of a Boathouse development was part of the transition plan which saw the Canoe Camping Club join the RA in 2012. While the project faced several challenges with suppliers, the finished Boathouse has plenty of room to store canoes and other equipment.

During the build of the Boathouse, RACCC Asset Coordinator Celeste Morley was using her house to store some of the RACCC inventory. The day of the ribbon cutting she exclaimed, “Now we have a boathouse, I’m excited to finally get my living room back!”

Celeste started bringing stuff home to get it inventoried, cleaned, repaired and packed up in boxes before Christmas last year. Spring came and still no shed, so she sat with boxes and RACCC equipment. She decided not to move the equipment back into the storage containers, and “it somehow moved in to her living room.”

“As it happens my roommate bought a house and moved away but she likes to say she moved out, and the boathouse moved in. I have had boats in my basement for repair, a living room full of airbags during their repair and probably a lot of other gear and boats all over my house,” Celeste shared.

The new RA CEO, Tosha Rhodenizer, was excited to be able to join the celebration, “For 65 years the Canoe Camping Club delivered on thousands of low cost paddling and camping experiences at the YM-YWCA. That experience and the excitement of members as they fit up this Boathouse are assets that ensure a strong RACCC. I look forward to many years of collaboration and contribution life at the RA by the RACCC and their members.”

RA members receive 15% off of single game ticket purchases for 67’s games so make you sure you pick a Friday night or Sunday afternoon and bring the whole family to catch your Ottawa 67’s at TD Place this fall. You can purchase tickets by visiting http://www.ottawa67s.com/single-game-tickets-2014 and entering RAPERKS in Promo code section.

The Boathouse design team consisted of Helmut Alexander, Doug Atwood, Eric Valk, Dan Jutzi, Jaclin Dufresne, Bruce Hinman and Emil Laurin. But support went beyond that with the RA Board of Directors and Management Team coming together to finish the project.

November 2014 RA News 7

Catherine MacLeod: Thirty five years of service and counting!

The RA is lucky to have a talented and determined workforce to help members enjoy the great programs that occur on a daily basis. Each RA News will introduce you to a team member. Please feel free to say hello and introduce yourself.

Open daily from 7:30 am for breakfast, lunch & dinner.

League Loyalty Program

Your pre & post social meeting place!

Get 5% back towards your year end party*

(*Before tax and to a maximum of $300)

The RA is lucky to have a talented and determined workforce to help members enjoy the great programs that occur on a daily basis.

Today Catherine works in the RA’s Finance and Administration Services overseeing the account receivable portfolio. But she hasn’t always been behind the scenes so to speak. Catherine began her career at the RA on the Member Services desk some 35 years ago. “At the time I was working at the Ottawa Athletic Club and a co-worker told me that the RA was looking for front desk staff.” That conversation with a co-worker kicked off her 35 year career! Following a number of years on the front desk and in the membership office, Catherine

moved into accounting, sort of by chance. “Back then it was not uncommon for staff members to move to different positions within the RA and when a account receivable job became vacant, I decided to take a leap. The rest is history.”

As an account receivable clerk, Catherine ensures the Association receives payment for all services offered or goods sold. This typically involves invoicing clients, posting financial transactions to the accounting system; and counting and balancing all deposits.

Although she no longer works directly with members, Catherine still enjoys friendly conversations with members while working out in the LifeFIT Centre. Catherine gets her customer service fix working part time at the Canadian Tire Centre and TD Place. “This moonlighting allows me to indulge my love for hockey and football while enjoying the great atmosphere of the fans.”

An avid runner and mother of two girls ages 25 and 29, Catherine sums up her RA experience with the following statement. “The people I work with are great. We are like a family”.

Although Catherine is tucked away in the Finance and Administration office on the second floor of the West Wing, please do say hello when you see her around the RA.

RA Centre • 2451 Riverside Dr., Ottawa, ON K1H 7X7 613-733-5100 www.racentre.com

Sign up at www.racentre.com or stop by the RA’s Member Services Office, open seven days a week.

This 7-day trial fitness membership gives full access to the LifeFIT Centre, GroupFIT and SpinFIT classes at the RA’s LifeFIT Centre on on Riverside Drive.

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8 RA News November 2014

Program Feature: RA Ski Club

Happiness is ... first tracks on fresh snow!Join the RA Ski Club today to access special trips, ski deals, snowshoeing trips, and in the off-season special events like biking and hiking.

Most importantly, join a social and fun network of like-minded enthusiasts to share in the experience!

Do not spend another winter wishing away the days – get out there and get active, join the RA Ski Club TODAY!

Are you interested? If so for $18 you can make winter the best season of the year!

For more information visit www.raski.ca or www.racentre.com.

Recreation Recreation Give the Gift of...This year

Give the Gift of...

RAGiftCertificatesThe perfect gift idea! Available in any amount.RAGiftCertificates

This year - Clubs & Classes

RA Centre | 2451 Riverside Dr., Ottawa, ON K1H 7X7 | 613-733-5100 | www.racentre.com

Aikido | Archery | Badminton | Bridge Canoe Camping | Chess | Curling

Fencing | Judo | Fifty Plus Club | Gun ClubPhotography | Racquetball | Squash | Stamp

Ski & Snowboard | Tennis and more...

Micah Garten/Development Officer Shepherds of Good Hope Women’s Shelter, Anita Bloom/ Executive Director The Olde Forge Community Resource Centre, and Brian Lamarre/Chairperson RADBC .

Each year the RA Duplicate Bridge Club provides donations to organizations helping people in need in our area. This year the recipients of $500.00 donations were The Olde Forge Community Resource Centre and the Shepherds of Good Hope Women’s Shelter. All duplicate bridge clubs operating as part of　the American Contract Bridge League are required to hold a few games to benefit local charities, although the RADBC contributes significantly more than the minimum required. Over the past several years the RADBC has donated much needed funding to The Children’s Wish Foundation, St. Patrick’s Home, The Ottawa Humane Society, The Ottawa Food Bank, The Hospice at May Court, Chrysalis House, The Ottawa Mission, Nelson House, and The Salvation Army.

RADBC Donates to Local Charities

For over 14 years the members of the RA have generously supported the RA’s Angel Tree Holiday Gift Drive. It starts with a gift but it is so much more! “We are always so amazed with the generosity of members at this time of year!” says Jane Proudfoot, Director, Recreation, Sport and Fitness Services, “with the support that RA Members offer, children from more than 200 families will be opening presents during this holiday season.”

The RA is pleased to partner with Better Beginnings Better Futures. Better Beginnings Better Futures provides support and services to families with children 0 to 5 years old. They primarily offer programs for families servicing the Albion, Heatherington, Banff and Fairlea neighbourhoods and the Richlin apartments at 1500 Walkley Road. Better Beginnings Better Futures works closely with parents, community members, volunteers and other service providers to

promote optimal development in young children. Through all of this the organizations supports the parents role in development and ensures the programs are helpful and accessible to families.

This year, the RA is accepting donations of unwrapped gifts for boys and girls from newborns to 12 years of age. If you would like to participate, you can place a gift under the Angel Tree located in the central lobby of the Riverside Drive facility or drop your gift off with any of the RA’s Member Services or LifeFIT Staff at any of our locations! Donations will be accepted until Friday, December 12.

Thank you for your generous support of this charitable campaign. The RA staff and members can take comfort in knowing that our support will bring a smile to a child during the holiday time!

RA Members are Truly Angels!

November 2014 RA News 9

RA Squash Club Fall ClassicThe 2014 Fall Classic was a great success – there were some amazing matches, fun doubles which often ended up deciding the fate of the match, and the handicaps made it very interesting indeed.

Thanks to all of you for participating and making it into the event it was. It was great to see new members getting a taste of what the RA is all about! A special thanks to Alan Smith for studying the rankings, asking questions about recent form and coming up with the handicaps.

Teams were randomly chosen and put into the draw. First round matches saw all ties being decided on the doubles!!! The All Stars beat Hangovers on the deciding doubles match (Dave Morrish (subbing for Dan Begin) and Barb Byrne taking on Steve Gobel and Jeff Cullis). Greatness overcame Boasters in the same fashion (notable first round clash between Anthony Boschin and Rob Mulrooney – Anthony wining in 5). Fast Finger Fischer (team name decided by Pierre after Barb) beat the Inconsistent and finally, DJ-ME pipped Enforcer (Nolan Derby beating Ken Workun 3-2 was the match of this tie).

So onto the consolation and main draw semi finals on Saturday morning. Few tweaks with the handicaps and we were ready to go. The Boasters were clearly not happy being in the consolation and literally boasted the Inconsistent off the court 4-0! There were no evident Hangovers Saturday morning for this team as the enforcer were not living up to their name, going down 3-1.

In the main semi the All Stars yet again won on the doubles! There were 2 great tussles in this tie – Mark Beauregard taking down Matt Finucan in 5 and Jane Hicks doing the same to Barb Byrne. The 2nd semi final really did have everything. 3 of the 4 matches went to 5 and it was Fast Finger Fischer who came through.

Sunday morning was the playoff for positions 1-8. Enforcer beat Inconsistent for 7th place; Boasters beat Hangovers in the doubles for 5th; and Greatness overcame DJ-ME for 3rd.

The final could not have been a more perfect ending to this event. Michael Gracequist got Fast Finger Fischer off to a perfect start with a 3-0 win over Philip Steiner and it looked like Fast Finger Fischer herself was going to pretty much seal the deal as she went 2-0 up on Barb Byrne AND had match balls to win 3-0! Byrne saved 3 and found herself having to do the same in the 4th. A good 5th from Byrne and the match was tied at 1-1. Debbie Witham put Fast Finger Fischer back in front with a tight 3-1 win over Mark Beauregard but Dan Begin put the team back on even keel with a tight 3-1 win over Pierre G. So, fittingly, down to the doubles to decide the 2014 Fall Classic Champions. It was tight to 10-10 and then All Stars pulled away to win 15-11 and the title.

All Stars

inConsistent

EnForcer

Greatness

Boasters

DJ-ME

Fast Finger Fischer

Hangovers

Men's Daytime Curling Section Learn to Curl Program!

This introductory 12-week instructional program is designed for retired men with little or no curling

experience. Our team of experienced curling coaches will be on hand to lead the program. You will learn the basics

in technique, rules, strategy and etiquette and try out your newly acquired skills in game situations. It’s a great way to meet new people, up your exercise level, compete

in friendly competition and have fun! Just bring your enthusiasm and let us do the rest.

We will provide the necessary equipment required the first week so hold off on purchasing any curling gear. All

you need is a flat sole type of running shoe which will work well with the slider and grippers. Light gloves are necessary during the instructional time, and we

recommend loose fitting clothing with a couple of layers on your upper body that you can remove when not

required, but will keep you warm when you are less active.

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For Information: Contact John Thera at 613-249-8007

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To register: In person - East Member Service Desk, RA Centre,

open seven days a week By telephone -RA Member Service at 613-736-6224

On line - visit racentre.com and click on the icon Play RA

10 RA News November 2014

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