AOTS National Spring News Update

Central Region just had a very successful Roundup at Jackson's Point. We had a dynamic and enthusiastic lady minister as speaker and discussion leader on the subject of "What's Next". I detected a mood of enthusiasm and optimism. Clubs are trying out new ideas.

 For example, Trinity North Bay purchased dark blue jackets with the AOTS crest printed on them and offer to arrange to supply jackets to any other club wanting to have them. Contact is Bill Brownlee, wbrownlee@sympatico.ca. They also are spearheading a campaign to label all liquor containers warning of the dangers of drinking while pregnant. This is in support of the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder group. Other Clubs are having some success in working with other groups in the church and including youth in activities.

There was expression by some members that they were not getting information which I had sent out to each Club representative at year end. I hope you are passing the information here along to your members. This letter and the website are our only means of communication to Clubs so we need your help in this. Maybe you could copy this and give copies out at your meetings.

John Cooke is a Member at Large of National and he presented  the bylaw changes which have been approved. They involve inclusion of ladies in Clubs and suspension of dues for three years in lieu of donations to the Camp Improvement Fund. Info on these is on the website. 

There was enthusiastic response to the new Camp Improvement Project presented by myself. Nationally, it looks like some Clubs which have withdrawn support may return to the AOTS because of this initiative. Hopefully Clubs will  initiate discussion with informal men's groups in their area and encourage them to support the project and maybe become active in AOTS as a result. There has been a generous response from some clubs to date and I encourage those who have not contributed to date to do so. We are granting $15000 this year and I would like to see enough donations to let us donate $20000 next year.

There have been three Camp Improvement grants made to date. $3000 to Wellman Lake Camp near Flin Flon Manitoba and $5,000 to Five Oaks Education and Retreat Center in Brantford for snowblower/mower units. A third grant is to Loon Bay UC Camp near Gander, Newfoundland for 20 mattresses. This Camp is being revived  and they needed 20 new ones to replace those condemned by the Health Authority. A couple of pictures of the project purchases are attached. 

Wellman Lake snowblower

Five Oaks 

mower purchase

An individual club would not provide grants of this amount. We are making a difference by pooling money from many clubs! 

I hope you will remind your Club members of the Biennial in Newfoundland in August. All details are on the website aots.ca. A good old Newfoundland party is ensured!

Sent by Marvin Bildfell

AOTS National Camp Improvement Project

The National AOTS initiated the Camp Improvement Project in 2012 to support Canadian not-for-profit camps that offer youth camping programs as part of their mission. The project goal is to provide financial grants targeted to improving campfacilities and/or equipment. Support from The National AOTS, we hope, will assist camps in achieving their mission as it relates to youth camping.

The National AOTS is an association of Men’s Clubs in the United Church of Canada. The AOTS achieves its outreach through the projects and activities of both local clubs and the AOTS organization. One of the principle aims of the AOTS is:
To give encouragement and practical assistance to work among the youth of the church and community.

Please check back in the new year to see how we are going to make this National Project a reality.

National Executive Update From Minnedosa

The executive met in June in Minnedosa and I want to share some news from this with your club.

Most important--we have a new project! We have a long term relationship with camps and decided to build on this interest. The project will provide funding for Camp Capital Improvements up to $5000 per camp. Target amount would be $15000 per year and the first year will be funded from assets in existing General Funds.

A second part of this is a proposal to temporarily suspend dues in favour of a voluntary donation to this new fund. All income in 2013 and 2014 will go to this project in each of the following years. This is still subject to approval of a bylaw change by the Executive. Thus, a donation to the fund becomes the criteria for maintaining association with AOTS National. We hope clubs will embrace this idea and that their contribution would equal or exceed their current dues payment, knowing that all the money will go to a project. There will be a requirement that camps work with an active member of AOTS in requesting and implementing the grant. When finalized, the full details and grant application forms will be put on the AOTS website. This project will complement our existing Youth to Camp Fund which provides financial rewards for clubs sending the most youth to camp and is presented at each Biennial.


We also approved a change to allow some participation by the ladies and I will share the exact wording of this change on my next e-mail.

The Harry Colnett scholarship in the amount of $3000 will be presented to a University of Saskatchewan Veterinary student, Caitlyn Best from Powell River BC. The scholarship amount was increased this year due to the buildup of donations from clubs and failure to identify a recipient last year.

2013 is our next Biennial year and the meeting will be in Gander Newfoundland on August 14, 15 and 17. Check out the AOTS website for details and make your plans to join us on the ROCK next summer. This is your chance to have a vacation in this great part of Canada. Gary Ross, our Eastern VP recommends that you make plans and reservations early.

Please share this news with your Club members. An individual is limited in how much he can do, and a club working together can do more, but all the clubs working together can accomplish much more!

by Marvin Bildfell

We Need Your Articles for the Next Handshake Newsletter

We are looking for United Church Men from across the country to take a moment and write an article or let us know what their Church, AOTS Club or Men’s Group is doing in their area.


We are putting together the next addition of the National AOTS Newsletter “The Handsake” and we would like to have representation from all of the communities in Canada. We would also like to include some information on the website.


Please send your articles, stories and updates to the Handsake Editor Harold Lorenz or the AOTS Webmaster and we will make sure that people know about your area. Remember that no article is too short and we love hearing from you!