Greetings to you, and to all our precious Jewels across Canada.

 

We wish to take a moment to ask you to keep our Prairie members in your thoughts and prayers. With winter storms still raging and more snow this past week and flooding yet to come, the harshness of Mother Nature is taking it's toll. We hope that you all come through these tumultuous times without too much hardship or damage to your homes.  

 

A salute this weekend to all Mothers everywhere. May you have wonderful memories of your mother if she is no longer with you and if you are lucky enough to still have your mother, cherish her. Happy Mother's Day to all of our Jewels.   

Belated Happy Birthday wishes to our Jewels who celebrated a birthday the past few weeks when our office was closed. When home, Lynda stops into our web site every day to send a special birthday greeting to our Jewels celebrating their birthday. When away she often can't get online so misses some of you. She sends sincere apologies and belated Birthday Greetings to those she may have missed. (We hope you too will take a minute or two each day to stop and wish our Jewels celebrating their special day a warm greeting. It's a great way to meet other Jewels. - You'd be surprised the number who've "discovered" lost friends from their childhood on our web site or at our events!)  

 

We have removed the "FORUM" link on the member's private web site. This was similar to the Queens Message Board you may have used on the RHS. We found it was not being used so it has been removed. 

 

The Board's decided to give a special name to our member's private web site and we're now calling it the "Jewel Box" and to access all the Precious Jewels of course, one does need a "key" (password) Come on in and meet all the Jewels. They're beautiful and full of fun.

 

Here's a challenge to you all found posted in "THE JEWEL BOX" recently:

The challenge is on since the Moose Jaw fun week-end to raise the numbers on the Sask. (group) website.  Where are you?  Now that Spring has Sprung, maybe........time to check this site out for all the upcoming news happenings in Saskatchewan.  The race is on!!!

Come on ladies, let's see more of you in the Jewel Box, either:
#1 joining the CJCS member web site andor,
#2 joining your provincial group and posting your events and activities and photos of your activities. What a great way to meet other Jewels from across Canada and within your own province too! (Not to mention ideas for events for your chapter - check out the group "What plans Does Your Chapter Have This Month")
and,
#3 wishing the Jewels a Happy Birthday! (Only takes a moment!) 

Our sincere apologies that the newsletter is a few days late this month. With our office being closed recently, we didn't have access to the data base of members and of course upon our return had many changes to make to the main data base (address corrections and additions.) As of today, May 6th all changes are made and new members added so here is your newsletter. Membership confirmations will be emailed to our newest members shortly.    

 

The Board wishes to congratulate the Brandon Jewels who've been working so hard on the Convention. Their registrations are way up over what last year's convention registration numbers were at this time of the year! Obviously word's out that it's the place to be in the fall. Be there or be square (TARNISHED!?!)  Well done Judy and your Committee!!!  

 

Lynda Millard and B.C. Provincial Representative Sue Schierer, are heading to Nanaimo June 5th or 6th to visit chapters in that area and then to Victoria before heading home. If your chapter is on the island or lower mainland and would like to meet with them, please contact our office immediately as their time is very limited. 

 

This brings up something really important:

Ladies we are so frustrated and don't know what to do but can no longer spend time on this. We've tried to phone many of you but are often told the number is no longer in service or the mailbox is full and can't leave a message. Others don't have voice mail so we can't even attempt to leave a message.

YOU must notify us if you change your address and only YOU can change it on the member's web site in your profile. Go to your page and click on "settings." Our office cannot access your web page on our web site. Only you know the password to access your page and the site.

There are SO MANY emails and newsletters (approx. 280 or more) that are NOT being delivered because our office has been given an incorrect email address, OR you've not added info@crownjewelsofcanada.com to your safe senders list or we've entered incorrect information as we couldn't read your writing. We are constantly getting notices that email sent is not being delivered and this is frustrating. We hate to think some of our members are missing out on the information we share with our members. This also means that some members are not receiving their confirmation of their membership, membership numbers, receipt, insurance information etc. If someone is not receiving our emails, please ask THEM to email us so that perhaps their email program will recognize our address but also so that we will have their accurate address. Do not send us a notification that someone wishes to be added to our mailing list or has a new email address. ALL MEMBERS that we have an email address for, are automatically added to the email mailing program. (if we have an email address for them.) We've had people send us someone's name and email address and it can take us up to 15 minutes to look up their membership information, make the change, and then discover we were given incorrect information and have to do it all again. At this time there is no paid staff in our office. Lynda and Mike are volunteers who spend hundreds of hours of their own personal time each month working on your behalf.  

When a member emails us with a new email address or a change we will have their correct information. All too often someone will send an email address and make a mistake such as sending us Hotmail.ca when it should have been Hotmail.com or nancy1 instead of nancyl  or sandy_h@ instead of sandy-h@  etc.  If they email us directly we have a better chance of getting the right address.  

 

Your board has discussed posting the newsletter in an online blog but it was felt that if you have access to the internet, then you have access to our emailed newsletter. In addition, our members have paid a membership fee, and a perk of being a member is the montly newsletter, so why post it for "just anyone", i.e. the public. Those members without email receive our news through their Queen. 

 

When you do contact our office we need ALL of the following information to locate your file:

Province, City, Chapter Name (it's amazing how many aren't sure what their actual chapter's name is) your surname, first name, email, membership number (Your Queen has been supplied with your membership number and should have shared it with you when she renewed. In future, emails received without complete information will be returned to the sender asking for info and not dealt with until the complete information has been received. It's just too time consuming at this end. I'm sure you can understand.

 We apologize for having to take these steps but should we hire someone to help with office work, they would have no idea who you are. So please, remember to include your information when you contact our office. THANK YOU! And to those of you who do this - BUG HUGS!   

 

On a happy note, apparently we're growing. Beverlee Steele recently met four nurses who were visiting Kamloops B.C. from their home province of Newfoundland. They want to start a chapter! 

 

 

All information relating to the convention is posted on the Convention web site at  www.royalgala.info      

 

Congratulations to Judy and her convention committee and all the ladies in the Brandon area who've been working so very hard to put this event together for us. It's a LOT of work. They're obviously doing a bang-up job because tickets have been selling like hotcakes. NO, it's not sold out (as they can accommodate more than we had in Kelowna) and tickets ARE available. The registration deadline has been extended. The revised registration form is on the convention web site. Check it for occasional updates.  

 

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) is held during the Annual Convention.  The AGM is open to all members who are attending the convention. This is your opportunity to be involved in any major decision making should their be issues to vote on. Due to limited space in the convention facilities, those not attending the convention will not be able to attend the AGM. Members attending are required by law to sign in prior to the meeting with their convention registration number to ensure that we have a quorum for the meeting. All CJCS members have the opportunity to vote on issues brought forth at the AGM. Those unable to attend the Convention have the right to send a signed proxy (details will be included in the July 2011 newsletter) to our office designating their provincial representative to vote on their behalf on any issue. 

 

We've been asked to bring this to your attention: 

The Convention is open to EVERY MEMBER of the Crown Jewels of Canada Society. 

 

Every Jewel is welcome and wholeheartedly encouraged to attend. If no one else in your chpater is attending, come with with friends/relatives from other chapters from any province or come on your own. If others in your chapter are unable to attend, we will welcome you and make every attempt to make you feel comfortable and not alone. It's a great way to make new friends from across the country as participants last year discovered! 

 

We do not accept "requests" for seating. Instead, we seat participants with other members so they will have the opportunity to meet new Jewels from across the country. We know you get to see your own chapter members and friends at home every month so this is the perfect opportunity to enlarge your friendships with Jewels from all over Canada.   

 

If you need a room-mate, let the Convention Co-ordinator know and the host committee will attempt to find you a room-mate.

 

Buses to Brandon:

If you wish to take the Regina bus please contact SK Rep Mary Huber. If interested in the Alberta bus, please contact Elaine Hill. The Alberta bus will be driving to Brandon on the Thursday and the Regina bus will be leaving Regina at 7am so that they arrive by noon on Friday.

 

Regina Bus information:

Contact Mary at mothbal5@accesscomm.ca

 

Alberta Bus information:

A charter bus will leave Calgary, Sept. 15th, from a hotel on the south side at approx. 7:30-8:00am. There will be a pick-up in Medicine Hat on the east side of the mall and will arrive in Brandon in the evening. The return will leave Brandon at approx. 1:00pm Sunday, Sept. 18th. The cost is $145/person and there are 50 seats available. If the bus is not full their may be a slight cost increase. Please contact Elaine Hill at jewelsofab@hotmail.com by May 15th for information. Payment is due prior to May 31st.  If there is not enough interest, the bus will be cancelled.   

 

Hotels

Please remember that we are using three hotels for this event in Brandon and there is a FREE shuttle between hotels and the convention site, compliments of the convention committee and their families. 

 

Meet Your Board  by Debbie Lamb

 

This month we're featuring our Saskatchewan Rep, Mary Huber, also known as Queen Mary of the Regina Crown Rebel Rowsers:  Queen Royal Court Regina & Area.

Mary is a true Saskatchewan girl, having grown up in Regina and also lived in Saskatoon.

If she could visit any part of Canada for the first time, she'd go to Nova Scotia or New Brunswick to take in the history and enjoy lots of fresh seafood.

Mary describes her family as "A happy family of five and all the extras that came along."

The greatest influence in her life has come from her Dad and Mother.

Her career was in the private secretarial field branching off into numerous office managerial positions.

This busy lady enjoys crafts, reading, sewing, needlework, dancing, walking, and enjoying life to the fullest now with CJCS.  She's also involved with Lionism, the Western Blind Golfers Association, and her church.

For Mary the best thing about being "of a certain age" is the freedom now to do the many things she was unable to do before.

Fun, laughter and friendships attracted her to join CJCS.  She agreed to become a member of the Board of Directors to help further the cause for Canadian Women to experience "me" time.  Her vision for us in the next five years includes growth to enhance fun, laughter and fellowship to live life as it should be with that "Canadian" flavour.

Contact Information

Crown Jewels of Canada Society

Box 29012, Okanagan Mission RPO, Kelowna B.C. V1W 4N2 

Email: info@crownjewelsofcanada.com 

Crown Jewels of Canada Society Web Site (For general information on our organization)

 

Crown Jewels AGM & Convention Web site  (This is a permanent web site for every annual convention)

 

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