Message from the President

Ilze Epners

I was so proud to be a member of QALL on Friday, March 23rd, as I stood and watched all the guests gather for our first annual Gala Dinner. Everybody was so excited and happy. Our Honourees glowed and the members seemed to stand a bit taller.

QALL turned the page to a new chapter after the Gala. We had shared our vision of being the voice of the English Lifelong Learning Communities in Quebec from universities to local community schools. There is no turning back now!

ADVISORY COUNCIL
This spring we will be starting to assemble an advisory committee on lifelong learning. We are looking for participants from all of the different levels of learning. If you would like to participate, or know of someone who could bring information to the table, please let us know. We need a large cross section of individuals to help us look at our common challenges and how we can deal with them collectively.

AGM
Our next big event is the annual AGM on May 26th, in the beautiful town of Knowlton. This will be an all-day event that YOU CANNOT MISS!!!! Mark it in your calendar NOW and ask your friends to come. If they are not members - get them to join now!
On Saturday, May 26th, a Knowlton-bound bus will leave Montreal, so everybody can relax and not worry about the drive. Our fist stop will be the winery Domaine Les Brome (www.domainelesbrome.com) where we will enjoy the view, the wine and fellowship. Off to CIDI Radio station, in the village of Knowlton, to dine on a meal provided by one of the best local caterers. After a delicious lunch, everybody will be invited to participate in the business part of the day the AGM. QALL will be electing new board members to ensure that the board carries out QALL’s mission of becoming the voice of the English Lifelong Learning Communities. As a special treat, we will have Mr. Albert Nerenberg as our keynote speaker. Mr. Nerenberg has been a guest speaker around the world and we are very fortunate to have him join us.

Albert Nerenberg, founder of “Laughercize”, works as a Laughologist, traveling the world studying and exploring the potential of laughter. Nerenberg talks laughter on CBC’s Radio Noon. He writes a popular series for the Montreal Gazette on the New Positivity and the Science of Fun. Mr. Nerenberg recently completed the breakout documentary Laughology for CTV network and Canal D. Mr. Nerenberg demonstrates contagious laughter techniques with large groups who “often end up rolling in the aisles, literally.” (CBC) As a filmmaker he has been the subject of retrospectives at the Just for Laughs Festival and the Cinemathèque Québecoise. Mr. Nerenberg believes the promotion of laughter skills is the best way to bring about gentle, non-judgmental change.