Women’s Canadian Club of Hamilton

Centennial Gala

May 9th, 2012

Scottish Rite

4 Queen Street South

Hamilton, Ontario

We Celebrate 100 Years

While the Canadian Club originated in Hamilton in 1893, the Women’s

Canadian Club of Hamilton was not formed until 1912. It appears that

the women were welcomed as guests to the former club before deciding

to start their own club with the assistance of members from the original

club. The women who formed the first club consisted of forty-three

ladies, who elected a seven-member Executive and six Councillors under

the Honorary Presidency of Lady Gibson. Mrs. John Crerar, Mrs. John S.

Hendrie, Mrs. Charles McCullough and Mrs. Sidney Dunn served as

President and first, second and third Vice-President, respectively. It

should be noted, that unlike today, for many years members were

required to be British Subjects and their names were put in for

nomination and voted on by the Council.

Their first project, a recital at the Hamilton Conservatory to benefit

Titanic victims, was held exactly one hundred years ago today. The

substantial sum of fifty-four dollars was raised. A second project was a

bronze plaque mounted on the Pigott Building honouring the location

where the first Canadian Club was organized. Also in the first year the

Club purchased a leather bound book into which each speaker was

invited to enter their name and comments. It is a treasure with signatures

from hundreds of provocative, controversial, outstanding and creative

speakers from around the world. This original book was present at every

meeting until early 2005 when concern arose over its preservation. At

that time a conservator made an electronic archival copy as well as a

clone. The latter and the new book are dutifully carried to each meeting

and continue to be honoured.

Over the years our club has donated its documents to the Hamilton

Public Library. There are many original books with meeting minutes

written in beautiful longhand script, discussion materials, speeches that

have been given and a wide variety of ephemera. The club donated a

painting to the Art Gallery of Hamilton, the flag poles on Jackson

Square, an epergne to Dundurn Castle, helped students with scholarships

to McMaster University and Mohawk College, donated to charities of

speakers and sent numerous students to Encounters with Canada.

As with everything there is change and we continue to deal with that as a

club. It is unavoidable. However, we still have a desire to strengthen

Canadian unity and identity, encourage the preservation and promotion

of Canadian heritage and history and to extend the knowledge and

understanding of Canadians to the people of other nations. V. K. Wilson

SARENA PATON - www.sarenapaton.com

Contemporary lyrical singer Sarena Paton grew up in Dundas and while she appeared on Mr. Dress-Up and Road to Avonlea, it was her singing that had truly started to define her. She started signing at age five for residents in nursing homes to connect with people, as only music can do. She trained in classical music. She learned songs of the big bands and the World War era from her Gramma, a WWII veteran.

Her clear, angelic crossover sound, has taken Sarena to stages with her fiancé, Argentinian counter-tenor Fernando Lima in Argentina, Spain, Mexico & Canada, and she has performed with John McDermott, Rita MacNeil, Welsh star Peter Karrie. She also visited Salzburg, Austria to participate in the 8

th

Annual International Mozart Festival. Her connection and devotion to WWII veterans and current military and

peacekeepers throughout the country is something Sarena treasures. It has taken her to performances for the federal and provincial governments on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Queen’s Park, the Canadian Military Tattoo and ceremonies and memorials for fallen RCMP officers throughout the province. She was also honoured to perform the songs of Vera Lynn on Juno Beach, France.

One of Sarena’s goals with her music is to deepen her capacity to give back through charity work and contributions. She has worked with Canadian Food for Children, Canadian Food Banks, MS Society, Canadian Cancer Society, the Alzheimer’s Association & Lung Association.

Her independent recordings include: La Carissima – recorded with the Moscow Studio Symphony Orchestra, Remember – honours of veterans and peacekeepers and Almost Like Love – shows the singer’s love for jazz standards.

Sarena is currently working on an exciting new recording project with Fernando and concerts await the pair in Latin America later this year. Sarena is thrilled to share this evening with the Women’s Canadian Club and she sends her deepest congratulations for achieving 100 years of inspiring tradition and uniting through challenges and triumphs to make the WCC the treasure that it is.

Charles T. Cozens is an internationally acclaimed arranger, composer, conductor, pianist and producer. His writing, conducting and production credits among many others include The Nylons, The Canadian Tenors, The Canadian Brass, Quartetto Gelato, David Foster, many Canadian Symphony Orchestras, The Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra, The Russian National Cinema Orchestra, over 80 CD recordings for Universal, Sony, CBC SM 5000, Attic, Solitudes, Avalon, Reflections and Jazz Inspiration and a plethora of musicals including Beauty And The Beast, Cats, Ms. Saigon and Fiddler On The Roof. Some of Mr. Cozens special career highlights include a Command Performance for HRH Queen Elizabeth as an Arranger and Composer with the Ontario Youth Concert Band (London, 1984), and as Conductor for The Duke Of Edinburgh Awards, HRH Prince Philip (Toronto, 2004: Mozart and Bach program with members of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra). Mr. Cozens is recognized as an expert in orchestral conducting for the recording environment. Consequently in January 2007, he was invited to be a Guest Keynote Speaker at the International Conductors Guild Conference in Toronto Canada, lecturing on “Conducting For The Recording Orchestra”. This lecture has subsequently been published by the International Conductor’s Guild. The subject of many articles, reviews and journals, Mr. Cozens has been a contributing author to Broadway North: The Dream Of A Canadian Musical Theatre (Mel Atkey) and Glory Days (Bill Freeman). A past recipient of the Established Performing Artist Award from the Mississauga Arts Council, he has been nominated for both Dora and Chalmers Awards in composition and a Juno Award for his album “Balance” (Instrumental Album Of The Year).

CHARLES COZENS

www.charlescozens.com

Past Presidents Mrs. John Crerar 1912-1914

Mrs. C. R. McCullough 1914-1916 Mrs. Harry Carpenter 1916-1919

Miss Caroline Crerar 1919-1921

Mrs. Sydney Dunn 1921-1923 Miss Eugenie Gibson 1923-1925

Miss Madeline Bell 1925-1927

Mrs. Dudley Smith 1927-1929 Mrs. C. A. Sparling 1929-1931

Miss Florence Baker 1931-1933

Mrs. Charles Carter 1933-1935 Mrs. R. S. Harder 1935-1937

Mrs. F. R. Martin 1937-1939

Mrs. R. S. Harder 1939-1942 Mrs. Hugh Lumsden 1942-1944

Mrs. Leon Smith 1944-1946

Mrs. James Garrow 1946-1948 Mrs. J. W. Watson 1948-1950

Mrs. Fred Hamilton 1950-1952

Mrs. A. T. Eaton 1952-1954 Mrs. H. F. Lazier 1954-1956

Mrs. H. P. Kelly (McAllister) 1956-1958

Mrs. D. A. Warren 1958-1960 Mrs. W. D. MacClement 1960-1962

Mrs. H. O. Trusdale 1962-1964

Mrs. D’Arcy Lee 1964-1966 Mrs. David A. Robinson 1966-1968

Mrs. George Morrow 1968-1970

Mrs. P. J. Whyte 1970-1972 Mrs. G. E. Carswell 1972-1974

Mrs. R. L. Gentilcore 1974-1976

Mrs. T. H. Keighley 1976-1978 Mrs. M. G. Marshall 1978-1980

Mrs. A. R. Wright 1980-1982

Mrs. A. L. Bass 1982-1983 Mrs. S. W. Schatz 1983-1984

Mrs. P. Ogden 1984-1986

Mrs. D. McDougall 1986-1988 Mrs. W. D. Hitchcox 1988-1990

Mrs. R Wills 1990-1992

Mrs. W. Bryce 1992-1994 Mrs. R. P. Paterson 1994-1996

Mrs. C. MacSavaney 1996-1998

Shelley Vaughan 1998-2000 Gwen Myatt 2000-2002

Irene deLievesley 2002-2006

Valerie Wilson 2006-2009 Jan Olde 2009-2012

Pat Saunders 2012 –

Programme

Review Artifacts and Displays

Harp Interlude~Patricia Good

Welcome~Valerie Wilson

National Anthem~Margaret Davis

Grace~Canon Fred Roberts

Toast to Queen and Canada

Dinner

President’s Address~Jan Olde

Entertainment Introduction~Jo An Thomas

Sarena Paton & Charles Cozens

Royal Anthem~Margaret Davis

Menu:

Mixed Greens Salad

Beef Tenderloin

Parisienne Potatoes

Baby Carrots

Green Beans Almondine

Tiramisu

Coffee &Tea

Photo Above: Circa 1890 looking north on James at King

Photo Below : Circa 1890 Wentworth Street Inclined Railway

Hamilton Public Library digital collection