The year 2008 will be the USCO's 50th anniversary. In the coming year, I would like each club to start planning how they are going to celebrate. If you have any suggestions that the Executive Board can use to promote the USCO, please share them with us. Let's all put our heads together and come up with some very exciting programs. Make it a fun and happy event. Please keep us informed of what you are doing.

Your resolutions need to be in by April 13th so we can have them printed. The Convention Committee is already planning for our August Convention. The tentative date is the last week of August, the same as last year. We'll keep you informed of their progress.

The USCO and the OPP are working together on a project to empower seniors against abuse and victimization. Selina Lai is the research consultant for Project SAV and she is working from our office. We will be contacting some of our clubs to get members for the focus groups. There will be no cost to any club; they only need your time. The program sounds interesting and fun so I hope you will volunteer when I phone you. You can contact me if you require further information.

The Ontario Government sponsored the Healthy Eating and Active Living Conference 2006. The Honourable Roy J. Romanow from Saskatchewan was one of our keynote speakers. It was alarming to hear that approximately one quarter of our children are overweight. And one quarter of those are obese.

Most of us are grandparents, so how can we help these children? One speaker said he could tell what the people would be like by their postal code! Overweight often leads to type II diabetes. Ontario has a problem that we need to help solve. Fifty three countries in Europe are already addressing these problems. The diseases caused by being overweight and obesity are national as well as global.

In late November I attended a session on Bill 102 concerning the Transparent Drug System Patient Act. I was concerned to learn that virtually none of the promises made by the government when they introduced this legislation as it pertains to improving senior's access to medication is in the bill.

Many of the public commitments to strengthen transparency and accountability are missing from the legislation too. Instead these promises will be brought forward as a government policy and are not subject to public input. On behalf of the USCO, I will continue to watch Bill 102 as it is implemented to ensure that seniors continue to receive the medications they need from their doctors.

Each month has a new set of challenges and I do enjoy the visits to each club. Thank you.