May 14, 2026 — Robert Ripley – Canadian Eh? What is it?
        What is a Canadian and What Shaped Canada? Robert Ripley is a distinguished and acclaimed expert in Canadian history. He has delivered presentations to many diverse audiences ranging from high school and university classes, tourist groups, even to US national groups in Washington DC.

April 9, 2026 — Kerry Jarvis – British Home Children: Canada’s Hidden Secret
        Did you know that over 4 million Canadians are descendants of British Home Children? Most Canadians do not know what a Home Child is, or, that they could be related to one. Learn one of the least told stories of Canadian history, as Kerry Jarvis, a Home Child descendant, takes us on a journey of discovery on how this child immigration scheme shaped and changed our country.

March 12, 2026 — Sue Bookshin – Be the Peace
        Sue talked to us about the organization and their work on violence against women. Slides from presentation.

February 12, 2026 — Liz Finney – Bonny Lea Farm
        (Originally scheduled for Feb 12, but storm-delayed to Mar 5)…Liz gave us a renewed description of Bonny Lea Farm’s development over the past several years.

January 8, 2026 — Kelsey Hertel – Lunenburg Language School 

December 11, 2025 — Mary Dillon – Lunenburg Folk Harbour Society
        Mary shared their many exciting new ideas and updates.

November 13, 2025 — Sherry Hudson – Whinney Hill Farms
        Sherry showcased the farm’s Equine Assisted learning and Therapy programs and tell us how the social and responsive nature of horses make them ideal companions.

October 9, 2025 — Michael Graves – Lunenburg United Way. 
        Lunenburg County is a wonderful place to live, work, play, and raise a family. But not everyone gets the same chance. (Cancelled) For the past 20 years, Michael Graves has been the Executive Director of the United Way of Lunenburg County. Working part-time, he’s also worn many other hats – local business owner, 2 term municipal councilor, and community volunteer. To keep costs low, Michael chose not to run a formal office. Instead, he prefers to meet people where they are – in the community, on their terms.

January 9, 2020 — Tina Hennigar – NOW Lunenburg County
        Tina Hennigar, population growth coordinator, invites you to learn about what NOW Lunenburg is doing to sustain the growth of Lunenburg County.

December 12, 2019 — Brooke Nodding  - Coastal Action
        The Story of the LaHave River – Our work to Restore the LaHave from 2007 to Today.

November 14, 2019 — Doug & Melanie Cook        Real world experience with an EV in Nova Scotia. Several commonEV myths debunked. EV Links

October 10, 2019 — John Hamblin – Senior Living with Google Home
        John Hamblin is involved in a variety of projects related to seniors and is working on a book on seniorpreneurship.
– VOICE BASED SYSTEMS MAKE IT EASY FOR SENIORS AND ALL OTHERS TO COMMUNICATE BETTER AND, STAY INFORMED!
JOHN HAMBLIN - 902 880 0172 HAMBLIN. JOHN@GMAIL.COM  WWW.AGING2.COM
– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoSGMKKqghQ

May 9, 2019 — Jeff Mercer – Between the Covers
        The new Lunenburg Library unleashed

April 11, 2019 — Moira Devereaux – Change your body, change your brain.
        The neurological effects of exercise

March 14, 2019 — John Gillis & Tony Schellink – SCANSA treasury of learning on the South Shore

February 14, 2019 — Jennifer Constable & Teresa Quilty – Rethinking Single Use Plastics

January 10, 2019 — Peter Puxley – Campaign to Protect Offshore Nova Scotia
        Offshore Oil and Gas: Entitlement, Risk and Democracy

December 13, 2018 — Charles Maginlay – Skulduggery on the South Shore, The other Chesapeake 
        – about the events in this area in 1863   

November 8, 2018 — Heiner Josenhans – Rising Sea Levels on the South Shore

October 11, 2018 — Evelyn Ernst – Terra Beata Cranberry Farm

May 10, 2018 — Deb Beers – Lunenburg Doc Fest

April 12, 2018 — Dr Sharon Mulvagh – Women’s Heart Health
        Putting some Understanding into Ms Understood – What do I need to know about Heart Disease in Women? CBC Story Link to video from presentation.March 8, 2018 — Rhonda Lemire – Lets Talk Gender – Hear about the services provided to the community by Second Storey Women’s Centre and the importance of recognizing International Womens’ Day.

February 8, 2018 — Dr Debra Gowan – Palliative Care

January 11, 2018 — Cheryl Lamerson – A Little Known Part of Canada’s History – Camp Norway –
        During World War II hundreds of Norwegian fishermen were in Lunenburg at a place called Camp Norway. Cheryl described why this occurred and what happened at this unique part of Canadian history. She also showed some excerpts from an overview of video interviews done with family and friends of Camp Norway sailors. Finally, the potential for future commemoration will be discussed.

December 14, 2017 — Russell Easy – The Blue Dream Project
        How and why The Blue Dream Project set out to help save the oceans worldwide from drowning in plastic debris. The history of the construction of a beautiful wooden schooner in Lunenburg and its latest adventures at sea. Let us look at what lies beneath the surface of our Nova Scotia waters.

November 16, 2017 — Andrew Button – Awesome Foundation

October 12, 2017 — Donald Gray – Rotary Club of Lunenburg

May 11, 2017 — Jill Martin-Bouteillier – 100 Miles from Anywhere 
        Through the window of young Trixie Bouteillier’s camera lens, time travel to Sable Island during her father’s tenure as Governor of the island, and experience what life was like on this most remote part of Nova Scotia more than a century ago.
 
April 13, 2017 — Sharon LeBlanc – South Shore Work Activity Program
        There is a program on the South Shore that many think is a best kept secret when they learn about it. Since 1986, the South Shore Work Activity Program has been working with individuals that have challenges in finding or keeping employment. Their tag line is Turning Abilities Into Opportunities and they work with people to build their potential for becoming good employees. They also work with community employers to make this happen through in-house instruction and work placements. Serving Lunenburg and Queens Counties as well as the west end of Halifax County, there may be an opportunity for you to refer or work with them. Sharon LeBlanc, the Work Centre Manager would like to tell you a bit more about the Work Centre and how it helps people become employed and contribute to our economy as well as to the labour market.

March 9, 2017 — Hon Wilfred P Moore – Lunenburg School of the Arts
        Lunenburg School of the Arts volunteer chair, the Honourable Wilfred P. Moore, will be speaking about the School and its many activities, including: offering courses and workshops in the visual arts; enhancing community appreciation of the arts through exhibitions and presentations; and its positive impact on the local economy.

February 9, 2017 — Charles Maginlay – History of Canada as revealed by flags and crests

January 12, 2017 — Chris Stanmore – Ocean Racing

December 8, 2016 — Lynne MacKay & Pierre Geuvremont – Ironworks Distillery

November 10, 2016 — John Davis – Offshore Drilling Issues

October 13, 2016 — Marilyn Congdon – Kingsburg Coastal Conservancy

September 8, 2016 — Mary Knickle – November Opera Performance
        Performance of Noyes Fludde, Benjamin Brittian’s children’s Opera. An exciting cultural collaboration involving the entire Lunenburg and surrounding community bringing together professional singers with community groups including crafts, instrumental, dance and voice to present a fully staged and costumed children’s Opera

April 14, 2016 — Angela Saunders – Fisheries Museum: Past, Present, Future

March 10, 2016 — Sue Kelly – Knaut Rhuland House, Who Gives a Damn?

February 11, 2016 — Nick Hallie – Capella Regalis Men and Boys Choir

January 28, 2016 — Mai and Maha Nabhan – The Culture, People, and History of Syria

January 14, 2016 — Claude Baril – Stelia NA – A Business Success Story

April 9, 2015 – Leslie Taylor – Seniors Helping Seniors

May 14, 2015 – Burt Wathen – Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance

October 8, 2015 — Harold Taylor – NS Tissue Bank 
        Regional Tissue Bank of Nova Scotia: What it is and what do they do and how is it relevant to members of our community.

November 12, 2015 — Scott Burke – Lunenburg Academy Project
        Scott Burke will talk about the project to redesign and refurbish the Lunenburg Academy building on the Top of the Hill

December 10, 2015 — Maggie Ostler – Picton Castle Travels
        Maggie Ostler will speak about the Picton Castle and her recent adventures. The PC is currently sailing around the world with Captain Dan Moreland.

March 12, 2015 – Donna Lugar – Lyme Disease
        Donna Lugar will talk about tick borne diseases in Nova Scotia – What you need to know. The talk will include Lyme disease diagnosis and treatment issues. Click here to download a useful reference document. More reference material from CanLyme: fact sheet. Donna West has formed a Lyme Disease support group that meets every second month at the Bridgewater Superstore Community Room.  Phone 902-530-6181 or email westmr@eastlink.ca

February 12, 2015 – Gerald Hallowell  
        Gerald Hallowell will talk about the writing of his award-winning The August Gales, and about some of the people and themes in the book.

January 8, 2015 – Laurie Swim 
        Laurie will speak about her Halifax Explosion Quilt Project

December 11, 2014 – Leisje Wagner & Ron Swan
        Leisha and Ron will speak about the proposed South Shore Centre for the Performing and Visual Arts OR the icing on the cake and the cherry on the sundae!

November 13, 2014 – Leslie Wright – Dressing the Part: The Sartorial Future of Life After Fifty
        Please join researchers Gary Markle, Elliot Mussett and Micheline Courtemanche for a presentation of the Elderwear Project, a Canadian Institute for Health Research (CIHR) study, looking at the connection between what we wear and how we feel as we get older.

October 9, 2014 – Bill Towndrow – Lunenburg Harbourmaster
        Bill will discuss the role of Harbour Master and also his personal take as a member of the community, on the Battery Point Light.

April 10, 2014 – Dan Pittman – History of Lunenburg Area pre 1756

March 13, 2014 – Sue Bookshin – Violence Against Women Project

February 13, 2014 – Melanie Williams – HB Studios

January 9, 2014 – Svenja Dee – Lunenburg Market Florist and Gardener

December 12, 2013 – Peter Roe – The Self Publishing Process
        Peter has written and published a series of books about the history of flight. He will speak about his experiences with the self-publishing process.

November 14, 2013 – Julie Lohnes – Music for the Future - Tusar naarniq Sivumut

October 10, 2013 – Ron Swann – South Shore Players
        The South Shore Players are celebrating their 25th anniversary.

May 9, 2013 – David Jones – Class Afloat

April 11, 2013 – David Findlay – Otitis Media
        David Findlay is a musician, composer and music producer. He owns and operates Otitis Media, a Lunenburg-based company that does music production, recording, audio for video, corporate or video presentations.

March 14, 2013 – Peter Barss  
         Author and photographer, Peter Barss, will give an illustrated talk re: his interviews with the last of the schoonermen who sailed from Lunenburg County to fish the Grand Banks. The transcripts, along with numerous photographs, have been compiled in Peter’s recently published book entitled A Portrait of Lunenburg County: Images and Stories of a Vanished Way of Life

February 14, 2013 – David John Lobb    
        David John will speak about some of the incredible glass installations he has done in his career.January 10, 2013 – Gerry Rolfson – Early Lunenburg – Speaking on original Land Surveyors’ challenges, building layout, early planning, construction and style of buildings.

December 13, 2012 – Leslie Wright – Luvly and The Makery

November 8, 2012 – Dr Peter Vaughan – South Shore Health Care
        The new CEO of South Shore Health speaking about the future of Fisherman’s Memorial Hospital and the new initiatives for better health care delivery through South Shore Health.

October 11, 2012 – Alan Hutchinson – Lunenburg Shipyard Alliance
        An inside look at the Bluenose II and its re-build…with emphasis on the formation of the Lunenburg Shipyard Alliance, partnership with other businesses, (architects, suppliers, etc.), the re-build team and the Alliance’s future.

May 10, 2012 – Dr David Abriel – Palliative Care

April 12, 2012 – BALLE-NS 
        Shannon MacLean, is the Nova Scotia Coordinator of the Business Alliance of Local Living Economies. BALLE Nova Scotia is a dedicated group of community-minded folks, business leaders, locally-owned businesses, and concerned citizens who are working together to support and promote the importance and the benefits of “getting it local.” Through BALLE Nova Scotia, business owners can connect with like-minded businesses, educate the public about local products and services, and network with others to promote sustainable local living in Nova Scotia. BALLE Nova Scotia promotes the triple P (People, Planet and Profits) bottom line approach for business and creating a sustainable future for our local communities. What we choose today will impact our tomorrow. Shannon shared several significant statistics with the audience. For example, for every dollar spent at a big box store, only 15% goes into the local economy. However for each dollar spent at a local business, fully 45% returns to the local economy. BALLENS is promoting the idea of the 10% shift. Look at one area of your spending and try to shift at least 10% to local suppliers. If we all did this for wine, the NS wine industry would double in size.

March 8, 2012 – Paul Kellogg – The Bluenose Opera House (the CKBW radio show)
        The Bluenose Opera House radio program is a wonderful mix of music and chat with a variety of co-hosts. The BOH invites writers, musicians, artists and the interesting people who contribute to our communities to share their stories and their favorite music. Paul is a broadcaster who has worked over the years with several radio stations in Connecticut, in New York City and in Toronto for CFRB, CKEY and CJCL. He created and developed the BOH and it was launched in November 2011. Playing to an enthusiastic, capacity crowd, Paul introduced several guests who gave readings: Jon Allen, Mayor Lawrence Mawhinney, actor Richard Donat and Jane Ritcey. Lunenburg’s Ernst Family Singers provided musical entertainment. At www.bluenoseoperahouse.ca you will find podcasts of past shows to listen to and enjoy. Tune in to The Bluenose Opera House every Sunday night from 8-10 pm on CKBW 98.1.

February 9, 2012 – Peter Kinley – Lunenburg Foundry Solar Furnace 
        Peter Kinley, the President and CEO of Lunenburg Industrial Foundry and Engineering (LIFE) gave a fascinating account of the development of his company’s unique Prometheus solar furnace. He was inspired by the lighting of the Olympic torch by focussed sun’s rays on Mount Olympus. The invention was also motivated by the desire to find a sustainable energy source in light of the overwhelming evidence for global warming/ climate change. The first prototype was manufactured in 2006 for a mere $500 and it produced temperatures high enough to melt the zinc off a galvanized bucket. Since then, the design has been refined to the point where current models are capable of vaporizing steel at temperatures in excess of 3000 °C. Meanwhile, the Prometheus design is protected by patents in many jurisdictions. LIFE is using the solar furnace to melt metals. There are many other potential applications for this technology.

January 12, 2012 – Roberta MacDonald
        Monarch Butterflies – The Monarch Teacher Network is an international partnership of educators who use Monarch butterflies to teach a variety of concepts and skills, including the need to be responsible stewards of the environment. Last year, MTN teacher, Roberta MacDonald, received one of only five travel fellowships granted in Canada by the W. Garfield Weston Foundation. It allowed her to study Monarchs in their winter sanctuaries. During her 16 years as a teacher at the Lunenburg Academy, Roberta encouraged her grade Primary students to raise everything from hermit crabs to ladybugs to Painted Lady and Monarch butterflies. In September, 2010, all students at the Academy took part in a Monarch “release” on World Peace Day. So, shake the snow from your boots and step into the world of this remarkable creature…one that weighs less than a dime yet, each Fall, makes an incredible journey of 4500 km from Canada to Mexico.

December 8, 2011 – Lorne Johanson, President LBOT
        This year the Lunenburg Board of Trade (LBOT) has proudly been represented by a council that is very actively engaged in all manner of business activity in our wonderful little community. We are a small business association with a large agenda. LBOT has a simple mandate. It is LBOT’s job to assist local businesses in their quest to become successful and enhance the business environment such that our whole community may benefit. Lorne discussed the activities that LBOT have been involved in, some of which could be considered accomplishments and some “works in progress”. The Board began the year with a very ambitious “Inventory of Ideas” and support has steadily been growing. It is always a question of being able to balance resources and priorities with ambition.

November 10, 2011 – Cheryl Lamerson  - Women in militaries around the world  
        Especially during the week leading up to Remembrance Day, we reflect on the contributions of every day Canadians to achieving and maintaining peace in our world through their military service. Sadly, some of these contributions were the ultimate sacrifice – their lives were given. For others, the contribution may have seemed small – they just did their job, or large – they defended their country. Regardless of the type of contribution made, the service of individual Canadians changed the world. The experience of women, in Canada and around the world, who wished, just as their male colleagues did, to protect and defend their countries, is one example of small individual contributions that have in fact changed the world as it was once known. Colonel (Retired) Cheryl Lamerson told us about what women are doing in various militaries around the world, and how the contributions of many Canadian servicemen and women led to these achievements.

October 13, 2011 – David Friendly – Galápagos Islands 
        David Friendly has visited Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands 4 times in the past 20 years. On the last two visits, he organized and led groups on their own chartered yacht. Over the two decades, David has collected some wonderful pictures and even better memories of a magical place that oozes of tranquility and the dynamic of natural selection. His talk will run the gamut from Andes culture to the geological tension in this part of the Pacific Ring of Fire; and from the ruggedness of the islands to their biological beauty. See and hear about their close encounters with sea lions and the giant tortoise – the picture child of Las Islas Encantadas (Enchanted Islands).

May 12, 2011 – Father Michael Mitchell 
        Father Michael Mitchell, pastor of St John’s Anglican Church in Lunenburg, and his wife Holly recently led a guided tour of the Holy Land. They will share their experiences with the Chowder Club.

April 14, 2011 – Kingsburg Coastal Conservancy
        The Kingsburg Coastal Conservancy is a story of dedication, optimism and luck, of valued partnerships and generous donors, and of an enduring appreciation for the natural beauty and worth of our land. Almost twenty years ago, concerns over both the privatization of our shoreline and exploitation of ecologically sensitive lands on or near our coast encouraged a group of individuals to do something proactive. The result was that in 1995 the KCC became an offlcially recognized charitable land trust with two broad goals: to conserve and protect lands on the Kingsburg Peninsula and surrounding area, and to maintain, where possible, traditional coastal access. Board member John Campbell gave an excellent presentation on, not only the KCC’s accomplishments to date, but also its ambitious plans for the future.

March 17, 2011 – Sheila Woodcock
        About 10 years ago, Sheila Woodcock formed her own consulting firm QSE Consulting, following a 30 year career in administration, education and professional regulation involving hospital laboratories. She has been volunteering in a program sponsored by the Clinical Laboratory Standards Instute based in the US, to provide prefessional assistance to medical labs in Africa, particularly in Tanzania and Mali. The goal of the program is to raise these labs to a standard where they could receive international accreditation.

February 10, 2011 – Paul Belliveau
        Mr Belliveau stated that the L unenburg County Lifestyle Centre had progressed, from its initial conception four years ago, to the point now where things are beginning to happen. Site clearing has begun and a request for proposals has been issued for the ice plant installation for the arena. The design of the facility includes an NHL size arena, two swimming pools and a library. The Centre will be environmentally sustainable to the extent that waste heat from the ice making process will be recovered to heat the swimming pools and climatize the rest of the building. There will also be a wind turbine on the property to help supply the electrical load. The $33.5 million cost of the project will be shared by three levels of government. The Society has been tasked with raising $3 million of this total and is more than 50% of the way toward this goal.

December 9, 2010 – Henry Demone 
        Henry Demone, CEO of Highliner Foods, along with his wife and a group of friends, climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania in September 2009. The expedition was partly a fundraiser for Laing House in Halifax, a home for mentally ill youth. Their effort raised more than $100,000 for the charity. Mt Kilimanjaro is an extinct volcano rising out of the Serengeti Plain to an elevation of 19,340 feet. Henry stated that the group climbed through five distinct climate zones from tropical at the base, through rainforest, moorland, alpine desert and glacier at the summit. The ascent was carried out under the guidance of Tusker Trail and took a total of 10 days. Mr Demone stressed the importance of hiring a reputable tour company because the risk of severe altitude sickness is significant. The tour guides must be knowledgeable in how to prevent problems and mitigate them should they occur.

November 18, 2010 – Ironworks Distillery
        Lynne MacKay gave an entertaining presentation about the founding of the Ironworks Distillery, an enterprise she started with her partner Pierre Guevremont. After reading a magazine article about boutique distilleries, Lynne and Pierre carefully researched the subject, learning all they could about distilling, before taking the plunge and establishing a distillery in the former Walter’s Blacksmith Shop on Montague Street.

October 14, 2010 – Bonny Lea Farm 
        Jane Rafuse, associate support co-ordinator at Bonny Lea Farm told the Chowder Club that over the years, people with disabilities have been marginalized in the world and Bonny Lea Farm has spent the last 37 years trying to encourage the general public to accept participants as great members of our society. Founded in 1973 by Alberta Pew Baker, Bonny Lea Farm developed under the auspices of the South Shore Community Services Association as a facility designed to serve multi-disabled and special needs people between the ages of five and 21 years who were not being served in the conventional school system. Each individual who lives at the facility is involved in a vocational training program designed to help develop their working potential through a series of varied and increasingly complex tasks, while encouraging a healthy, socially acceptable and enriching lifestyle. One of the participants who has benefited tremendously from the programs at Bonny Lea Farm is Rose Deveau, who has lived at the facility since 1982. “Some days I have bad days and some days I have good days, but the staff are always willing to help me learn to adjust my behaviour accordingly and how to care for myself, which I do very well,” she told the gathering. “It’s been a steady home for me for the last 28 years.”

May 13, 2010 – Kevin Jeffrey – Norseboat 
        A design engineer and entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience in the sailing industry, Kevin Jeffrey is the founder and president of Norseboat. He developed the concept for the NorseBoat in 2002. His concept was simple: seaworthy, high-performance sailing and rowing boats with classic lines that could be sailed and rowed equally well, and be used as comfortable camp-cruisers or motorized picnic launches. Norseboat is based in PEI. Its Lunenburg facility is becoming known as the Lunenburg Small Boat Centre, the place to come for high quality traditional small watercraft, small boat repair and maintenance work. Kevin showed a very intersting video of two British Royal Marines who sailed the Northwest Passage in a Norseboat last year. Their voyage is documented at www.arcticmariner.org.

April 8, 2010 – NSCAD - Lunenburg Community Studio Residency Program 
        The NSCAD program, now in its fourth year, offers recent graduates the opportunity to develop their studio practice. As part of the Residency, they also work with elementary and secondary school students and offer workshops and lectures to the Lunenburg community. Their unique studio space, located in a former fire station at 40 Duke Street, is made available through generosity of the Town of Lunenburg. Mayor Lawrence Mawhinney, Senator Wilfred Moore and Sharon Blanchard (Director of the School of Extended Studies at NSCAD) gave an explanation of the origins and an overview of the residency program. The current resident artists, Kat Frick-Miller, Jennifer Green and Katherine Thomas gave a spirited and well received presentation of their artwork and related their experiences with the program.

March 11, 2010 – John McGee, Lunenburg Rotary Club.
        The Lunenburg Rotary Club has begun a project to raise funds for the earthquake victims in Haiti. Over the past 10 years, the Rotary Club has supported an orphanage in Port au Prince called St Vincents Centre for Handicapped Children. It was destroyed by the quake. As a result, about 150 kids and staff are currently living in tents in a soccer field not far from the Centre. The Rotary Club is focusing our support for the disaster in Haiti on St. Vincents. John gave an excellent presentation about the Rotary Club’s work in Haiti, the history of their involvement with St Vincent’s, and the current state of affairs.

February 11, 2010 – SSDHA Continuing Care 
        Wendy McVeigh, District Manager of SSDHA Continuing Care, assisted by Kathy Thomson, Director of Senior’s Health for SSDHA gave an overview of seniors’ health programs on the South Shore. Continuing Care recognizes the demographics of the district and takes a very integrated approach to determining and meeting health needs. All levels of the health profession are involved. Wendy and Kathy detailed specific programs for seniors with health issues and unmet needs in an effort to keep them in the community – services such as home care, long term care, adult protection, home oxygen, etc.

January 14, 2010 – Doug Reid     - ICSP Coordinator
        Doug Reid is Integrated Community Sustainability Plan Coordinator for MODL. He was introduced by Norm Haslett and gave an update on the Feasibility Study for the Citizens for Public Transit initiative. Representatives from Kings Transit, Mark Pearl and Ron Mullins (General Manager) were in attendance to answer questions from the audience.

December 10, 2009 – The Toymaker of Lunenburg
        Peggy and Kevin Vickers gave a very interesting presentation about their toy making business which has evolved from humble beginnings 31 years ago, to a present day thriving enterprise. Kevin recounted various business relationships with material and equipment suppliers, the people who have helped along the way. The Vickers are rightfully proud of the business they have built up and derive great satisfaction in turning out high quality products.

November 12, 2009 – Barbara Butler
        Barbara Butler gave an account of her musical upbringing and the founding of the St Cecilia Concert Society. This organization has a mandate to promote emerging classical artists by providing an outlet to display their talents for Nova Scotia artists. When Barbara and her husband moved to Mahone Bay six years ago, their new home became the venue (St Cecelia’s Retreat) for house concerts by these artists, to the delight of local residents. She stated that she wanted the concert series to be something on the national level, that if a group like the Vancouver Chamber Choir were to come to Halifax, they would know that there is a series that would present them. Barbara was accompanied by one of those nationally acclaimed artists – composer, CBC host and pianist Peter Togni who played three selections for a very receptive overflow audience. 

October 8, 2009 – ethumb a ride
        Sue Kashanski gave an excellent overview of the origin of ethumb a ride, the social network ride-sharing program. Doug Cooke walked people through a demonstration of the website, ethumbaride.com which provides a convenient, user-friendly method to share rides with people you know. Chowder Club members are encouraged to register and check it out. Please regard it as an opportunity rather than an obligation.

May 14, 2009 – Folk Harbour Festival
        Shelah Allen stated that the Lunenburg Folk Harour Festival is more than just music, it is an event that helps maintain the sustainability of the town. The event, which began back in 1986 under the guidance of locals Alma Houston, Jim Pittman and Bill Plaskett among others, is now the second-longest-running folk festival in Eastern Canada. Entering its 24th season, it has seen such notable artists as The Barra MacNeils, The Rankins, Natalie MacMaster and Lennie Gallant, who headlines the 2009 program, nurture and develop their performing skills on festival stages. Ms Allen says she would like to see businesses in Lunenburg and Mahone Bay join forces to build a platform that would entice visitors of the festival to extend their stay. She suggested the festival could be bridged with Mahone Bay’s Classic Boat Festival in a package that would keep them in the area for at least 10 days. “That would be a real coup if we could create something like that,” she added.

April 16, 2009 – Maritime Concert Opera 
        Nina Scott-Stoddart, the founder of Maritime Concert Opera spoke about her operatic roots. She gave a light-hearted, hilarious description of all the operatic voices and the politics that go with them. Nina outlined the plot of Tosca, which the MCO will perform in June and related many of the funny mishaps which have plagued particular performances of this work. The audience was delighted by Nina’s singing of Habanera from Bizet’s Carmen, accompanied by Jim Aulenbach on the piano. This impromptu performance earned a standing ovation.

March 12, 2009 – Daphna Levit 
        Daphna Levit was an international equity analyst at Merrill Lynch in Tokyo, vice president at Morgan Stanley in London and senior vice president at Barings Securities in New York. She has taught finance and economics to MBA students. The origins of the global economic crisis were traced to the abolition of the gold standard by Richard Nixon as well as the deregulation of the US financial services by Bill Clinton in 1999. Those factors plus an over reliance on “sophisticated” mathematical models contributed to the current situation. Ms Levit stated that economics is a continuum between philosophy at one end and science at the other and economists have no definitive answer as to how to cure the ailing world economy.

February 12, 2009 – MacIntyre Purcell Publishing
        MacIntyre Purcell, based in Lunenburg, have published the national best seller The Nova Scotia Book of Everything as well as several other similar books. The company founder, John MacIntyre gave an interesting presentation about the origins of the company and its modus operandi and plans to expand into the US. Marketing Director, Kelly Inglis, followed up with marketing aspects and anecdotes about dealing with writers. She conducted a contest, won by David Wallmark who had the closest answer to the question “How many off shore islands are there in Nova Scotia?”

January 8, 2009 – Transit Lunenburg
        The Citizens for Public Transit group was represented by Norm Haslett aided by David Wallmark, Barbara Carthew and Doug Reade, the Sustainability Consultant for MODL. They provided a compelling case for a transit system linking communities in Lunenburg County. Chowder Club members are urged to email government representatives to express support for this initiative:
Town of Lunenburg: explorelunenburg@ns.sympatico.ca
Michael Baker: michaelbakermla@ns.sympatico.ca
Carolyn Bolivar-Getson: bolivargetson@eastlink.ca
Gerald Keddy: keddyg@parl.gc.ca

December 11, 2008 – Dr David Martell
        Dr David Martell, a Lunenburg family physician, spoke about his charity Green Solutions. This organization helps corporations and individuals dispose of no longer needed equipment by distributing it to third world countries. Green Solutions diverts many tons of useful gear destined for landfills at a cost that is competitive with trucking it to the dump. Their clients are environmentally responsible corporations all over North America. These companies derive substantial public relations benefit from this activity. Dr Martell needs more volunteers to help run this enterprise. Operating a busy medical practice on top of this work, does not leave him many free minutes.

November 13, 2008 – Stevie Cameron
        Stevie Cameron has had a diverse career in Canadian journalism, working in print, television and radio. She was the founding editor and editor-in-chief of Elm Street Magazine, a contributing editor to Maclean’s magazine as well as a weekly columnist for The Globe and Mail and political correspondent for The Ottawa Citizen. She is currently working on two new books including one on the notorious Pickton pig farm murder case in British Columbia. Her talk focussed on her experiences with this murder case. The following paragraph is an excerpt from a recent email from Ms Cameron: I have been thinking of talking about the last six and half years of my life — spent on the Pickton serial murder case in BC. It’s been an amazing experience and one I wouldn’t have missed for anything. … You may feel your audience would recoil at the thought of a talk on a notorious case like this one — but I can promise you that it has been a fascinating experience for me. It’s been full of surprises, heroic people, extraordinary friendships and interesting science. For me it has been a story of a lifetime and few people know much about it. Stevie Cameron gave a stirring presentation which was well received by a rapt audience.

October 9, 2008 – Rick Welsford 
        Rick Welsford spoke about the Sable Island Preservation Trust of which he is the executive director. His presentation touched on Sable Island’s historic connections to Lunenburg families, the historic and current uses of the island, its important location for Nova Scotia, and the current challenges for mangers of the island in advance of its designation as a National Wildlife Area.

May 8, 2008 – Dawn Higgins – The Slow Food Movement
        Slow Food is a growing international organization dedicated to the enjoyment of authentic food traditions. Slow Food acts to defend biodiversity, to teach taste education & to link small-scale, local, food producers with consumers. The Slow Food movement is a grass roots, member supported, organization wishing to celebrate and sustain the vital link between plate & planet. Dawn will speak briefly about projects that the international body is involved with but will focus mainly on the local events that Slow Food Nova Scotia are supporting & inspiring. Dawn Higgins is co-owner of The Biscuit Eater in Mahone Bay.

April 10, 2008 – Leslie Eliuk
        The Geology of Deep Panuke – Leslie Eliuk is a semi-retired petroleum geologist from Alberta who belongs to the three short-legged dogs and his gardening wife Velvet. He can’t give up on studying fossil reefs so is commuting from Lunenburg to Dalhousie University for a PhD after helping the discoverers of the offshore Deep Panuke gas field near Sable Island. In the International Year of Planet Earth, 2008, it is worth asking whether “the past is our future”. Certainly in Lunenburg local history continues to be an important part of the town’s future. And in Canada “deep time” and the products of geology – energy, metals and industrial rocks & minerals – continue to contribute to, and even distort to various extents, our economy and environment. However, as an exploration geologist specializing in carbonate rocks that include fossil reefs, the “deep history” of the former animals, plants and even bacteria that combined to create successive ecosystems preserved in the rocks is a fascinating study. Those ecosystems created a tropical continental margin 150 million years ago on the whole western edge of the early Atlantic that was then the size of the Mediterranean. These much changed settings and climates from the glacially-shaped drumlins that Lunenburg now rests on show a dynamic earth that we children of the ice age enjoy and imperil. At Deep Panuke those fossil reefs eventually formed the reservoir that holds the newest Nova Scotia gas accumulation a short distance from the producing fields of the ancient Sable Island river delta. Finally if you like reading history or natural history you might like to look at “The Last Billion Years – A Geological History of the Maritime Provinces of Canada” by Atlantic Geoscience Society 2001 and “Canada Rocks – the Geologic Journey” by Nick Eyles and Andrew Miall 2007. If you want a lot of details on the Deep Panuke gas field development go to the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board website. If you want to talk about geology and natural history give Leslie a call at 902-640-2332 or email geotours@eastlink.ca.

March 13, 2008 – Debbie Smith
        South Shore Family Resource Association – The South Shore Family Resource Association is a coalition of three family resource centres in Liverpool, Bridgewater, and Shelburne. In Bridgewater, the Family Support Centre on York Street provides education, information, referrals, and support to low-income families through a range of services and outreach programs. Families build on their strengths and learn new skills. The project’s objectives are to promote family unity and healthy interactions between parents and children, to promote parenting skills, and to provide a nurturing environment for children ages 0 to 6 with age-appropriate resources aimed at encouraging their physical, emotional, intellectual, and social development.  These objectives are met through parent education and support groups, a nutrition program, child care services and play groups. Debbie was unable to attend. However Marquise Sopher did an admirable job of substituting and gave a very interesting talk about local programs to promote early childhood education.

February 14, 2008 – Sattler Stained Glass 
        Norbert Sattler, aided by Sue Abata gave a very interesting presentation about the Sattler Stained Glass Studio in LaHave. They described in detail the stained glass window restoration work on St John’s church.January 10, 2008 – Laurie Swim – Laurie is a local fibre artist who creates fabulous quilts. She gave a presentation about her art and her new book “Rags to Riches: The Quilt as Art”.

December 13, 2007 – Michael Graves & Don Downe
        Michael and Don spoke about the Lunenburg County United Way campaign.

November 8, 2007 – Nick Newbery
        Educated in England and Ireland, Nick Newbery came to Canada in 1970. After teaching French for 6 years in Toronto, he went north in 1976 and for thirty years he taught in small Inuit communities in the Canadian Eastern Arctic. During that time, his published work included numerous photographs and articles on the North, a documentary film, some poetry, two coffee table books on Nunavut and a large number of resource manuals for Nunavut teachers. He gave workshops on teaching methodology and program development and for 17 years he ran a program for at-risk Inuit teenagers in Iqaluit. He and his wife retired to Nova Scotia in 2005 where he now teaches university courses on the Canadian North at local high schools and at Mount Saint Vincent University.  Nick has been involved with the committee seeking to restore St Jude’s Cathedral in Iqaluit which was destroyed by arson on Nov 7, 2005. He sought advice from the restoration committee for St John’s Anglican Church in Lunenburg, which is how he came to our attention.