KEYNOTE SPEAKERS WOW ATTENDEES
BCRTA’s Conference 2021 continued our tradition of engaging and informative presentations with a free online conference that ran for two mornings on September 30 and October 1, 2021.
Moderator Caroline Malm put together an impressive line-up of keynote speakers, who lived up to the anticipation.
Technology trainer Linda Fawcus spoke on the topic of “Cyber Wellness”, touching on the changes in technology, the particular needs of retirees, and security considerations in today’s environment. Her keynote session is available online.
James McCormack, a professor from UBC who has won teaching awards at the provincial, national and international levels, offered a presentation on nutrution that served up equal parts of whimsy and scientific method. McCormack’s data-packed talk is now posted on the BCRTA website.
The final keynote address was given by Brian Minter, the master gardener known nationally for his personable media presence. With his many years as an advocate for home gardening, Minter offered a thoughtful perspective on how gardening can address the needs of society today in his talk “Reconnecting People to Plants, Wildlife, and the Planet”. Brian Minter’s talk is now available to stream.
After a year’s delay, this year’s conference marked the celebration of BCRTA’s 75th anniversary, and featured a montage of tributes sent from across Canada and from branches across BC. Our association has made a positive impact on the lives of thousands of retirees for the past three quarters of a century. The tribute video is now available on YouTube.
The conference was rounded out by our annual traditions of the Golden Star Awards, branch Membership Awards, and our celebration of member contributions to our magazine in the 2021 PostScript Excellence Awards, as noted on other pages of this issue of Connections.
Well done, everyone!
Some Conference Viewer Comments
• The speakers were very informative and there was a good scope of information. The entire 3 days were
informative, motivating and just all around great.
• I really enjoyed the Conference. The presenters provide excellent information in a thought-provoking manner.
• The whole Conference and AGM was well run and the speakers were timely and enjoyable. The virtual version worked very well.
• Excellent job done by all involved. Great presenters.
• Excellent, well organized, and engaging conference. Well done!
• Liked the Gold Star Awards and the Postscript Awards. The AGM and RR Smith portions were also good. Information re: Johnson and pension were good.
• I loved it and especially having the convention posted from Day#1 and #2 on YouTube. These keynote speakers are well-worth listening to again.
• Keep doing what you are doing!
