NAC-O President's Update
October 27, 2018
Dear NAC Member
It has been an interesting month in Ottawa, with the announcement of the preferred ship design team for the Canadian Surface Combatant being made on October 19th. The full text of the announcement can be found at https://www.canada.ca/en/public-services-procurement/news/2018/10/government-of-canada-delivers-on-its-commitment-to-the-navy-by-announcing-next-steps-in-fleet-procurement.html
Fall Edition of Soundings
Richard Archer has completed another recent magnum opus. The Fall 2018 edition of Soundings Magazine is now available on our website at Soundings. Access to the current issue is restricted to NAC Ottawa members only, and you will have to log on with your user-id and password to see this edition. Members who have elected to receive a paper copy of Soundings should find it in their mailboxes soon.
November Monthly Meeting
Our November Monthly meeting will take place on Monday November 5 in the Crowsnest at HMCS Bytown. Our guest speaker remains a mystery as I write this email. Unfortunately our planned speaker had to cancel his appearance, and your program committee is working on an alternative program. The details of this will be announced as soon as possible.
NAC Endowment Fund
In 2018 the Endowment Fund of the Naval Association of Canada was able to sponsor and promote a number of worthwhile and important naval and marine initiatives across Canada. The Endowment Fund received submissions with recommendations for sponsorship totalling $58,000. And in 2018 was able to recommend support in the amount of $37,000. These awarded grants range from assisting with sea cadet scholarships, ongoing maintenance to the Battle of the Atlantic Memorial in London, Ontario, sponsoring the Shipbuilder’s Statue in British Columbia, and support to the HMCS QUADRA Education Foundation, to name but a few.
I encourage you to consider a contribution to the Fund, as best you are able, on an annual basis. Your continuing support is most valued. Also, you may wish to consider in your estate planning creating a legacy to the NAC Endowment Fund. It is particularly convenient to make a contribution to the Endowment Fund at the same time as you are completing your 2019 membership renewal.
Additionally, I encourage NAC Ottawa Members to consider nominating candidate naval and marine initiatives or projects for Endowment Funding support. Wewelcome submissions from individual members. Please provide your recommendations on potential Endowment Fund Projects to your Endowment Representative, Howie Smith at (613) 286-8555 email at h.smith@lansdowne.com.
Membership Renewal for 2019
The annual Renewal Campaign for the 2019 Membership year will start on 15 November and run through to the end of February. The preferred method of renewal will be online through your personal profile. The roll-out of our new membership management system is now largely complete, and it is anticipated that the campaign will be even more successful and timely this year! Payments can be made either directly while online or manually with an invoice (sent by email). In addition to seeing what is now available to our members, this is also a good opportunity to review your personal profile to update your contact details and preferences. Passwords can be regenerated on the NAC Ottawa log-in page if necessary. However, you can contact our Membership Director, Gerry Powell, if you need further assistance. For those without online access, an offline renewal form is included in the latest edition of SOUNDINGS.
More detailed Information will be passed to everyone by email beforehand, and our membership management system will send out reminders during the campaign to those who have yet to renew. The renewal campaign is also the most prominent time for donations to the Branch or one of the worthy charitable organizations it supports. Please consider a generous donation with your renewal!
Rembrance Day Ceremonies
Details of the ceremonies at the National War Memorial and in Beechwood Cemetery have been posted to our events calendar at National Remembrance Day Ceremony and Remembrance Day Ceremony. I encourage you to participate in one of these ceremonies, or at a local Remembrance Day ceremony in your community.
Happy Hallowe'en, and I look forward to seeing you on November 5th.
Barry Walker