What  Are We About?

The Probus Club of Western Ottawa is part of a world wide association of Probus Clubs,

The purpose of a PROBUS CLUB is to provide regular opportunities for retired and semi-retired men and women, who appreciate and value opportunities, to meet others with similar levels of interest.

Arising out of their association and activities, and mutual goodwill, a sense of community develops among members.  The diverse interests, the feeling of fellowship, and the cordiality invariably evident within the clubs ensures the ongoing success of PROBUS.

The word PROBUS was derived from the words PROfessional  and BUSiness, but membership is not restricted to these groups.  While some members may have had responsibility in some field of endeavour in the past, most are persons who enjoy the company of others and who want to learn more about all kinds of topics of current interest.

The emphases in PROBUS are on:
    .    Providing fellowship and opportunity for development of acquaintances
    .    Seeking members who are compatible with each other
    ,    Free from the constraints and obligations of service clubs
    .    Simple structure and operation

Activities include:
    ,    Regular meetins that are held on a set day of each month.  These meetins usually comprise a few minutes of business, some 30 minutes coffee time with             informal interaction, and 60 minutes to listen to a guest speaker and for discussion
    .  Visits to places and organizations of particular interest
    .    Occasional social and sports outings.

Some important features are:
    .    Probus is non-political and non-sectarian
    .    Probus is also non-profit making.  Membership fees are minimal and used primarily for rental of meeting facilities, printing and postage.  A nominal                     charge may be made at each meeting to pay for coffee
    .    Although its founding is sponsored by a Rotary club each PROBUS CLUB is autonomous and independent.  Membership in Rotary or any other service         club is not a prerequisite for membership in PROBUS
    .    Attendance is not compulsory
    .    Spouses and guests of members are welcome to participate in most visits and special events

PROBUS originated from two Rotary clubs in England.  First there was the "Campus Club" founded in 1965 by the Rotary Club of Welwyn Garden City in Hertfordshire.  Then the "PROBUS CLUB" was started in 1966 by the Rotary Club of Caterham in Surrey.  Since then PROBUS has spread worldwide.  New clubs continue to be established at a rapidly increasing rate as former professional and business people recognize the way in which PROBUS enriches the lives of its members.  PROBUS spread to New Zealand  in 1974 and Australia in 1976.  In 1987 the first PROBUS club in North America was founded in Cambridge, Ontario.  Today there are more than 90 clubs with 20,000 members in Canada and some 4,000 clubs and 300,000 members worldwide.

The PROBUS CLUB OF Western Ottawa was originally called The PROBUS CLUB OF KANATA.  It was  the 88th PROBUS club in Canada, and was founded under sponsorship of the Rotary Club of Nepean-Kanata in September 1998.  The change in name to The Probus Club of Western Ottawa was  made on September 1, 2010.

Meetings have been well attended, and our club continues to grow with a current membership of 128.

The Probus Club of Western Ottawa meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 10:00 a.m. in the Kanata United Church on Leacock Drive, Kanata.


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