A festive crowd met this morning as we welcomed past member Andy Coburn and on leave member Paul Clifford. SAA Bruce was in good spirits as he is rapidly recovering from yet another new knee surgery.

ImageLots of happy dollars this morning. Vlad returned from Myrtle beach playing golf; Bill's favourite three football teams won; Wayne is recovering from jet lag after being away in the Mediterranean area for a month; Derek who was just happy to see everyone return from vacationing; president Bob for all the returning members; Dave Carson, Paul and Peter for seeing Bruce; Carl for lending the Robear suit to McMaster Children's Hospital; Andy for just being here; Alycia for her new home in Guelph; and Bob Morrow who returned from a month cruise without needing a liver scan.

Bruce gave a great introduction for Paul who was the Remembrance Day speaker, honouring him for the fabulous work he does in the community.

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President Bob thanked Paul with a personal letter and a donation to St. Matthew's House on Paul's behalf rather than the usual cup. 

After Paul's talk members offered their own recollections for Remembrance Day. Ralph expressed his difficulty reciting In Flanders Fields while standing in the cemetery off John McCrae Way in Flanders. Bruce told of reading his grandfather's war records. Ken spoke of John Bertram's and John Craven's agreement to manufacture war machines to make gun barrels. Jan remembered that her father could not join the army because he worked at Bertrams. Carl saw a telegram in his grandparent's medicine cabinet saying their son was missing in action in Italy. Derek who was four at the time saw his father for the first time when he returned from Italy. And, David Carson recalled his dad wanting to meet a war buddy in Toronto who was with him during his training accident as a marine commando.