Rendez-Vous Centre elects president and board, membership growing

Above: New Board of Directors – Seated: Therese Gervais, Carol Kaup, Judy Baker, and Fred Carlson.
Standing: Nicky Coughlin, Jeannette McMillan, Gary Pool, and Linda Mondor. Absent: Henry Lamoureux. – Lucie Roy Photo

by Lucie Roy

The Rendez-Vous Centre held their Annual General Meeting (AGM) Jan. 27 with more than 40 people in attendance.

Nominations were required to fill five vacancies, and four volunteers stepped forward, three currently serving on the board, and one new member, Jeannette McMillan. The Board of Directors’ first regular meeting will be an Orientation and Planning Meeting Feb. 1.

At the meeting, Fred Carlson took on the position of president. Joining him are Gary Pool (Vice-President, Fundraising, and Bookings and Rentals), Therese Gervais (Secretary), and Judy Baker (Treasurer ). Other board members include Carol Kaup ( Social Activities and representative to the Sturgeon County Advisory Board ), Nicky Coughlin (Social Activities), Jeannette McMillan (Communications), Linda Mondor ( Bookings and Rentals ), and Henry Lamoureux (Maintenance). President Carlson is also on Special Projects to complete the ones currently under his direction before the election.

In her President’s Report outgoing President Diana Moquin said the Rendez-Vous had 167 paid and 11 honourary members.

Moquin said the past year saw many accomplishments, including the installation of a new boiler, the re-siding of the centre’s shed, ew signs and landscaping.

“Since 2009 we have been upgrading the building,” she said. “We have a new kitchen and bathrooms, games room flooring and sound system. The roof was treated with a rubber coating and signs updated with snow shields – installed all of this for cost $175,000. These funds were made up of grants, a generous casino winner’ donation, a legacy and our own funds.”

Moquin said the money was well-spent for a clean and up-to-date facility for the benefit of the membership and the community.

“We receive a lot if income from rentals, so these upgrades allow us to remain competitive and attract clients,” Moquin said.

Rendez-Vous membership has been on the increase in the last few years. Members of the St Albert 55 + Club are also members in Morinville as they continue to use the Centre for floor curling as their facility gets renovated.

The centre has seen paid membership steadily increase from 124 in 2011 to 150 in 2015, and 167 plus as of the Jan. 27 meeting.

Flowers were presented to Rita Hebert for more than eight years’ service on the Board of Directors to Past-President Diana Moquin and acknowledgement to Madeleine Van Brabant for her years of dedication and coordinator the floor curling events.

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Above: Flowers were presented to Rita Hebert, who just stepped down after more than eight years on the Board of Directors, and to Past -President Diana Moquin.

– Lucie Roy Photo