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December Fox Talk
Digest
VOLUME 8, ISSUE 11 2002

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Articles:
RECREATION CENTRE
SERVICES & EQUIPMENT
WOODWORKERS
CONDOMINIUM FEES
Hazard
Chorus

Events:
SPECIAL EVENTS
DANCE PARTY
L.C.B.O.
EUCHRE
Red Hat
FUTURE EVENTS

Social:
CARE
CHRISTMAS CHILD
STITCH & BRAG
HAM AND TURKEY
POEM

Notices:
Phone Book
Salt
CHRISTMAS TREES
PLANT DONATIONS
Rec.CONTACTS
BINGO

The season, believe it or not, is still autumn! It won't be for another three weeks or so that we will see the first of Old Man Winter. The white stuff on the ground? Just practice! As of November 24th, we'd already had three major snowfalls, and by the time this is printed, we'll undoubtedly have more. Am I complaining? Not really, but I've always been perplexed by how we perceive the seasons. Spring is moist and green. Summer is hot and vibrant. Autumn is cool with colours blazing. And Winter.... well; it's cold, white and beautiful, as long as you don't have to travel.

So what on earth are we doing with the cold and the white so early? There may be a logical explanation, or it may be just coincidence. The summers are getting hotter, and the winters are getting colder, at least if you listen to everyone who believes in global warming. I, on the other hand, believe that the warmer summers are in sync with our growing population of seniors. Most of us feel the cold more than the younger generation, and so with this fairly recent climate change, we are able to enjoy the summer more when it is hotter. Please accept my condolences if you are one of a number of women (of which I am one) who know only two seasons....hot and hotter.

As for the colder winters, I'm not so sure that they are a reality. Temperatures here last February weren't too much different from what some of us were experiencing in Panama City at the same time. In retrospect, last winter would have been a good one to stay home and enjoy the mild temperatures, at least until March. As for the snow in October and November this year, perhaps it's just a reminder for the snowbirds that it's about time that they got a move on. And believe me, it encouraged some of us to leave even earlier than usual, and made the rest of us wish we had joined them. There may be a few of our loyal Canadian winter-lovers who are hoping for more snow for one of two reasons: either they love to ski, or they're hoping that some of our snowbirds get to use the "neighbourhood snow blower" before they go south.

Wherever you spend your winter, we wish everyone the very best of the Season, and hope that on Christmas Day, we can toast all the good memories of family and friends, and remember the real meaning of Christmas!

FUTURE EVENTS

All Candidates Meeting, Salons A &B DEC. 5th

Condo Meeting & Elections DEC. 19th
St. Agatha Community Centre, 7:00 p.m.

Christmas Decorations Down JAN. 5th

Marian's Country Cupboard FEB 14th

CARE COMMITTEE
Marg Macdonald
Care Committee Coordinators:zCC#1 Barb Koerber/Norma Fisher
CC #2 Marg Macdonald/PatTibbles
CC#3 Faith Mundy/Marian Koehler
CC#4 Audrey Euler/Ellen Bowring

Keeping in Touch

Judy & Garth Nussey , 111 Foxboro Drive. Great to have you in Foxboro Green!

Pearl Battley received a plant and Jan Price a fruit basket following their hospitalizations. We are sorry to hear that Doris Bruder has had to return to the hospital! A card and flowers were given Frieda McAdam in memory of her mother.

We lost Stan Hartley this month. He has been fighting illness for the last couple of years. We extended community sympathies to Gladys, his wife, and made a donation to the Heart & Stroke Foundation in his memory.

Care Committee Gala Evening

What a great time we had! The desserts dazzled, sparkled and shone with cherries, raspberries, chocolate, gooey sauces and heavy cream. Cholesterols soared. We left the diets at home and enjoyed the goodness of rich and decadent desserts.

When finally all had filled up, our entertainer took over. Florence Hansen pulled out violin, played a background orchestra through her PA and strummed favourite tunes. She played, sang and batted her eyelashes at the many handsome men in her audience. What was amazing was her agility and speed, ringing some 30 different cowbells and actually making music with them. And at the finale, Florence played her violin while doing the "Can Can"!!! We saw it with our own eyes.

Seventy-five residents attended this event. We raised $329 to support the activities of the Care Committee. We, the Care Committee, thank all who attended. Your enthusiasm for the desserts and the music made the effort of organizing worthwhile. All the Care Committee Coordinators contributed their cooking and organizational skills, making this event the success it was. Two special volunteers worked throughout the evening. Thank you Shirley Thom and Joan Roberts.

Thank you Condo 278 for your recent donation to the Care Committee. These funds will be directed to the ongoing activities of the Care Committee which benefit all residents in our community.
Audrey Darbyshire

SPECIAL EVENTS COMMITTEE
Elaine Simpson
UPCOMING EVENTS

ANGEL WISH TREE: This is your chance to help provide a happier Christmas for some local families in the region. The Wilmot Resource Centre has provided us with a list of items they could use in order to fill the needs of local families. Soon you will be seeing angels in the mailroom and written on each angel is an item that you could purchase. These unwrapped items should be brought down to the Centre no later than December 15th and placed in the decorated box in the lounge.

CHRISTMAS DINNER
Pauline Tickner

There will not be a bus running to Golf's Steak House this year due to the low number of bus signups. We are suggesting car pooling with a designated driver. If you do not know anyone who can drive, please telephone Helga Stamm at 634-8737. She will endeavour to put you in touch with a driver. Helga would appreciate hearing from anyone who has room in their vehicle to take extra passengers.

Tickets for the Christmas Dinner will be on sale December 10th, 11th and 12th, 3:15 pm to 5:30 pm--cheques to be made payable to Foxboro Green Social Committee. For people paying cash, the correct change would be appreciated.

CHRISTMAS TREES
Hanna Pedersen
When the party is over and the tinsel is taken off the tree, don't forget that the regular garbage collection will not pick trees up. It is your responsibility to dispose of them, either at the Erb Road Landfill site, or if you prefer, there is a drop off point beside the Community Center in St. Agatha, but it is not easy to find.
Merry Christmas

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD
Maureen Wills
A sincere "thank you" to all the ladies who contributed to the Operation Christmas Child boxes. Fourteen boxes were received and delivered to the Waterloo warehouse. There will be many smiling faces when the boxes are delivered to the needy children. Thanks again for your contribution.

This was a combined effort by Willie Lootens, Maureen Wills and Rosemary Schaaf.

ATTENTION WOODWORKERS
Fred Rastel
We request that members who have not paid their annual dues and who will not be renewing their membership to please return shop keys to either Jack Koehler or myself (Fred Rastel). We are short of keys and need more for new members. Copies of the minutes of our annual meeting are now available in the woodshop.

DANCE PARTY
Connie Schaffer
A lively group gathered at the rec. centre on October 26th and danced the night away. Thanks to all who came, making it a great evening. The next dance party will be in late Spring. Watch for the notice.

L.C.B.O. EVENING
Pauline Tickner
88 residents enjoyed an evening of wine, Icewine and liqueur tasting accompanied by cheese, crackers and delicious liqueur chocolates. Rick from the New Hamburg L.C.B.O and his staff did an excellent presentation, as did the representatives from Kittling Ridge and Pelee Island wineries.

$205 was collected for Anselma House (caring for battered women and children).

PAYMENT OF CONDOMINIUM FEES
Doug Wendland
The election for the Board of Directors is scheduled for December 19, 2002. At that time, the New Board will establish the process for the payment of Condo Fees.

1. If you have already given postdated cheques to your previous Treasurer, disregard this notice.

2. If you will be leaving for the winter, please prepare postdated cheques dated the first of each month payable to "Waterloo Standard Condominium Corporation 365" and deliver to the Property Manager, Theresa Tewfik for collection.

3. All January 1st cheques are to be made payable to "Waterloo Standard Condominium Corporation 365" and delivered to Theresa by December 31, 2002.

Riepert Salt
Delivery of salt from Riepert Salt in December has been changed to Tuesday, December 17th. Regular last Thursday of the month delivery will resume in January, 2003.

WEEKLY PROGRESSIVE EUCHRE

With Christmas approaching, we will be ending our 2002 weekly euchre games on Tuesday, December 10th. The 2003 weekly games will commence on Tuesday, January 14th - the signup sheet will be posted one week prior to the startup.

The euchre has been well attended with a full house of 11 tables during many weeks. The $1.00 fee per week is returned in the form of prizes, with the high score winner taking home between $12.00 and $18.00 (tax free!). Subsidiary prizes are awarded for most lone hands, most euchres and a 'surprise prize'.

To date, Archie Watt has been our highest scorer, with a weekly total score of 70. Norma Fisher holds the record for most lone hands, with 5, and Olive White has the record for most euchres, with 12. Lil Good has been the most frequent winner, with wins on 3 different weeks! Over the period of 9 weeks, we have had approximately 30 different winners; spreading the wealth!!

All in all, we have a great afternoon. Many of our group will be heading south for the winter and we always welcome new players. Watch for the signup sheet.

Merry Xmas and Happy New Year to all!!

BINGO!! BINGO!! BINGO!!

Because of lack of interest and poor attendance, Bingo has been cancelled indefinitely.

STITCH & BRAG
June Davies
Stitch and Brag has been cancelled until further notice. Anyone wishing to make a quilt, or learn to quilt, please contact June at 634-5724. I am still looking for someone to stitch squares together for the Cuddle Quilts we make for the Resource Centre. It is a shame to let them down by not having Cuddle Quilts for the children of needy families.

New Phone Book
Ruth Dean F. G.
Is now available
Get your copy from
Theresa (Property Manager)
Tuesdays and Fridays
9 a.m. - noon

When any changes are to be made
Or extra copies required,
Please contact
Ruth Dean
634-5471

Note: Extra copies cost $3.00 each.
This money will be given to the Treasurer
And a receipt will be given to you.

A Potential Hazard
Bob Price
The design in the majority of homes in Foxboro, places the stairs to the basement in a very dangerous area. Guests unfamiliar with the layout, also owners who become disoriented and inquisitive grandchildren could tumble down the very steep stairs. If you agree with my concern you might want to put a night light and gate or barrier at the staircase opening. Apparently, quite a few people in the Arboretum in Guelph have installed gates at the top of the staircase.

GARAGE SALE UPDATE
Bob Price
The date of the garage sale will be Saturday, May 31st , 2003. I have had one offer to help, but I will need at least five people.

RECREATION CENTRE REPORT
Ron Donaldson
Noodles and Alarms
No - not noodles in your soup or a casserole but the noodles in the pool area. If you use the exercise noodles at the pool, please see that they are securely placed back in the storage bin. If a noodle pops out or falls out during the night, the motion detector is activated and the police are called. The last time was at 3:00 am!

Pool Lights and Hydro Bills
In order to keep hydro costs down, residents are being asked to consider using only one set of the overhead lights in the pool area at night and to be diligent in turning out lights when not needed. The Recreation Centre hydro bill last year was over $12,000.

Activity Contact List
Attached to this issue of FOXTALK is a revised list of the contact people for the many activities at the Recreation Centre. This list replaces the contacts listed in the Welcome Booklet you should have received when you moved in to Foxboro Green.

Have a Healthy, Happy and Safe Holiday season and a good winter. See you in the Spring.

SERVICES & EQUIPMENT COMMITTEE
Bill Simpson
Our thanks again to Mike Vadura, assisted by Ken Hoffman from this committee, for the fine piece of work in building the new cover for the waterfall pump well. Volunteer work such as this saves the community hundreds of dollars that would otherwise be reflected in higher condo fees for us all.

Snowplowing season is upon us and to avoid damage to your driveway edging or lawn, you may wish to place stakes at the edge of your driveway and lawn approximately six inches back from the pavement. Don Hill will be in charge of this service and we would appreciate your reporting any problems to him rather than approaching the employees of Active Paving.

We are proceeding with some drainage work this fall to fix a couple of ongoing problems, firstly an oozing spring at the back of 22 Woods Edge Ct. (Dietrich property) and secondly a swale beside 117 Golf Links (Wills' property) that is improperly sloped and pools in the spring and after a heavy rain.

The committee normally meets every second Thursday at 9.00 am in the library except that through the winter, meetings will be monthly, the first Thursday of each month (next meeting December 5th). The writer will be off to a warmer place after Christmas and Bill Goddard will be in charge of the committee. Anyone interested in coming out to our meetings will be most welcome with no obligation to join the committee if you don't like what you hear.

ANONYMOUS PLANT DONATIONS
Marg MacDonald
The Lake & Ponds Committee has recently removed several clumps of plant material from around the Sun Valley pond. An anonymous donor placed these plants without notifying any member of this committee.

There are several concerns raised by this type of activity. First, no resident may make any change on a common area without permission from the condominium. Second, the donated plants were placed in an area that is being naturalized, that has been planted with native species by a contractor to an agreed plan at community expense. Third, the plants were horticultural species that are invasive when allowed to establish in natural areas.

If residents have leftover plant material that they think would be of value to the community, the grounds committees would consider the offer in light of the suitability of the plants for the proposed use. Horticultural interests have imported many of the species that we have in our gardens from around the world. So long as the plants are contained in our gardens and given regular control and maintenance, there is no problem. But let the alien plants grow uncontrolled in conditions akin to their natural habitat, then serious problems can occur in the absence of natural control mechanisms. Ornamental grasses are a good example. Plants such as this can create single species stands to the exclusion of other native diversity. These plants spread by sending out subsurface runners, in some cases up to 20 metres long. The growing tips are extremely strong and will penetrate asphalt and crack concrete much like bamboo. We already have a problem near the gatehouse where the waterfall ponds flow under the road into the lake. There the stand of Phragmites Australis, or Common Reed, is invading the road asphalt, the rock walls, and the water channel into the lake. We are faced with the costs of chemical control and/or cutting twice a year.

The Sun Valley pond abuts the Philipsburg forest, and the pond discharge flows into the swampy area and creek that ends up in the Nith River. We believe we have a responsibility to be good stewards of this valuable natural environment. We urge residents to exercise care and to ask the appropriate committee chair when able to donate plant material to add to the beauty of Foxboro Green.

Forget the health food; I need all the preservatives I can get!!!

NORTH METRO STRIKES GOLD!
Sharron Mitchell
North Metro Chorus, of which resident Sharron Mitchell has been a member since 1992, has won its Third Consecutive International Competition held November 9, 2002, in Nashville, Tennessee. This award is also recognized by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Performers. The 181-member chorus placed first in a field of 33 competitors from around the world, including the United States, Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain, and the panel of 8 judges awarded the chorus a new record high score of 2983 out of a possible 3280 points.

The chorus competed in the finals Saturday afternoon at the Gaylord Entertainment Centre. The show package North Metro performed includes selections from the musical Paint Your Wagon, which chronicles the "gold rush" history of North America. The theme also mirrors the chorus' quest for a third consecutive gold medal.

North Metro is the:

� ONLY non-USA based chorus ever to win
� LARGEST Sweet Adeline's chorus in the world
� LARGEST female a cappella group in the world

North Metro's success is due to the work of Master Director, June Dale, under whose direction the chorus has consistently placed FIRST in every eligible regional competition since 1978, and has placed in the top ten at every International competition it has entered since 1985. North Metro is proud of its many successes, including achieving the highest total score ever recorded in the 50-year history of worldwide regional competition.

The chorus sings a blend of traditional barbershop, inspirational, gospel and contemporary music. Barbershop is a style of four-part a cappella harmony characterized by a "cone-shaped" sound, specific chord structures (arrangement), delivery and interpretation. These integral factors contribute to a "lock and ring" sound in which a perfectly sung chord creates unsung harmonic overtones.

The North Metro chorus is a member of Sweet Adelines International, based in Tulsa, OK, and is among 700 choruses world wide, with a total membership in excess of 30,000.

Red Hat Ladies
Lil Good
Seventeen of Foxboro's ladies made the news on CKCO's television station. They were all wearing their bright red hats and purple outfits to signify that they were part of the Red Hat Ladies. They certainly made a fashion statement- when they went to lunch at the Black Shop restaurant in Cambridge. Our next lunch will be on Thursday, December 5th , at the Waterlot restaurant in New Hamburg. A signup sheet is in the mailroom for anyone interested in joining

WARNING
By Jenny Joseph
"When I am an old woman
I shall wear purple with a red hat
which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.

And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves,
and satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.

I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired,
and gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells,
and run my stick along the public railings,
and make up for the sobriety of my youth.

I shall go out in my slippers in the rain,
and pick the flowers in other people's gardens,
and learn to spit.
You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat,
and eat three pounds of sausages at a go,
or only bread and pickles for a week,
and hoard pens and pencils and beer mats
and things in boxes.

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry, and pay our rent and not swear in the street,
and set a good example for the children.

We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.
But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked
and surprised when suddenly I am old
and start to wear purple."

THE COOK'S CORNER
Food Editor Alan Groves
Everybody is thinking of the menu for Christmas, but what do you do with all the leftovers. Another term for leftovers is MUST GO. This recipe looks after the leftover turkey and ham.

HAM AND TURKEY CASSEROLE

Sauce

Melt 1 Tbsp of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Add 2 Tbsp chopped onion.
Blend in 4 Tbsp flour, � tsp poultry seasoning, � tsp salt, 1/8th tsp pepper.
Stir in 2 cups milk; cook until thickened. Remove from heat.
Add 1beaten egg and � cup light cream.
Carefully stir into hot sauce and cook a few minutes longer.

6 slices chicken or turkey breast
6 slices ham
6 slices Swiss cheese
Grease 9 x 13 casserole and layer chicken or turkey breast, ham, and cheese.
Cover with sauce.
Top with 1 tsp butter and � cup breadcrumbs

Bake at 350F for 20 min.
Serves 8

Recipes Recipes Recipes
Would you share a few of your very favourite recipes? Help us help Foxboro Green. The Cook Book Committee is in the process of gathering recipes for the Foxboro Green cookbook. We have a few suggestions for a name but let's hear your ideas as well.

Our mission statement:

"This committee is committed to produce a quality cookbook of resident's favourite recipes, providing a means for groups within Foxboro Green to raise funds for their designated projects."

We need your recipes to get this off the ground.

You can drop your submissions, including your name, in the condo mail slots near the copying machine or e-mail them to: [email protected]

RECREATION CENTRE CONTACTS

RESPONSIBILITY	CONTACT PERSON (S)	PHONE
Billiards Room	Ron Donaldson	634-8592
Book Club	Jean Usaty� or Val Grant	634- 5286 or 1061
Bookings� and� Copier	Theresa Tewfik	634-8700
Bridge Group	Wilma & Ron Wilkinson	634-5200
Computer Club	George Walker or Arnold Muma	634-5232� or 8454
Craft Room	Marcie Fry	634-9770
Euchre	Sandra Moore or Janice Long	634-5504 or 8825
Fitness Room	Ron Donaldson	634-8592
Garbage	Bill Wills & Ron Bleier	634-9865 or 5363
Library	Brenda Churton� or� Rosemary Schaaf	634-8513 or 8066
Line Dancing	Lil Good	634-9902
Mail Room Bulletin Board	Ralph Adsetts	634-8982
Pool Fitness Programs	Marg Macdonald	634-5633
Scrabble	May Aquilina	634-9977
Social Committee	Joan Roberts	634-5226
Swimming Pool Area	Mary Wright	634-8131
Tennis Court	Bob Joiner	634-5156
Shuffleboard	Bill Simpson	634-9733
Horseshoes	Alberto Alves	634-5527
Video Room	Arnold Muma	634-8584
Woodworking Room	Fred Rastel	634-9945
Recreation Centre Convenors	Ron Donaldson� or Peter Soloman Building concerns, keys, etc.	634-8592 or 8282
EMERGENCIES	Ron Donaldson �(away Dec-April) or George Jones or� Tom West or�� �Russ Wilson	634-8592� or 634-9839� or� 5000 or� 634-9823

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