Retiree social club seeks chapter in Medicine Hat

By JAMES TUBB on June 9, 2022.

jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb

Medicine Hat seniors have an opportunity to help bring a new social club to the city.

The Canadian PROBUS retiree social club is looking to establish a new chapter in Medicine Hat to join eight others in Alberta.

Dennis Pommen, PROBUS’s Alberta director, said the potential club in Medicine Hat isn’t looking to compete against any other active senior groups, but provide just another social network for semi and full retirees.

“The purpose is to build friendships and to have lifelong learning,” Pommen said. “It only meets once a month, it brings in an excellent speaker of any profession to keep their minds active and to stimulate discussion. From there, little subgroups can evolve where you might have a book group or a walking group, or things like that. Where people just get together and have fun, go for dinner, go for lunch, whatever they might like to do.”

Pommen said all they need is someone who’s willing to make some phone calls and get a couple people together, eventually leading to around 30 participants, or what he calls a good starting group. The PROBUS group is a non-fundraising club which relies on membership fees for licensing, renting out halls, etc.

Pommen has been a member alongside his wife for 14 years and describes PROBUS as the “do nothing club.”

“A do nothing club to spend your time with people you’d like to associate with, have fun, go out for a dinner or lunch and just enjoy each other,” Pommen said.

He said anyone can call or text him at 780-497-8877, or email him at dennis.personal@yahoo.ca if they are interested in being part of a Medicine Hat PROBUS chapter. His hope is they can charter a new club by September, as October is PROBUS month and kicks off with International’s Day for Older Persons on Oct. 1.

10
-9