[Barefoot]

The Villages has recently designated 'Loonies & Toonies' as a valid Village's club.

The response from Canadians has been enthusiastic, with over 160 members, and we haven't even had our first meeting! The Club will meet every month at Hacienda Recreation Center, Carmen Miranda Room. The meetings will be held on the second Wednesday of each month between November and April, inclusive. The first official meeting will be at the Hacienda Rec Center on Wednesday, April 13, from 6:30 to 9:20 PM. There will be a speaker and entertainment.

In the meantime, there is another party planned! Loonies and Toonies is now booked to take the private back room of Gator's Dockside bar and restaurant in the Spanish Springs square. The party will be on Monday, March 28, from 3 to 6 PM. Happy hour bar prices will apply, and Gators will also have a food menu at reduced prices available.

There is also an April golf tournament planned.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to PM me!

[ducati1974]

Don't leave us in suspense- what's the premise behind this club?

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by ducati1974

Don't leave us in suspense- what's the premise behind this club?

In Canada, we don't have $1 and $2 dollar bills. We have a coin with a picture of a Loon which is worth $1. As soon as it was introduced, it was promptly nicknamed a Loonie by Canadians. A few years later, as a cost savings device, the government replaced the $2 paper bill with a coin. And the $2 coin was promptly nicknamed a Toonie. Obviously Canadians like rhymes!

[ducati1974]

I'm a U.S. citizen but I have strong roots to Canada- all of my grandparents were Canadian- Gauthier/Perreault/Gagne/Landry. By the way we stayed in Quebec at a bed & bath one time and the proprietor was horrified by the American pronunciation of Gauthier. I have to agree with her! Its too bad its so hard for your kind of "frogs" to become TV "frogs"! (health care issues)

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by ducati1974

Its too bad its so hard for your kind of "frogs" to become TV "frogs"! (health care issues)

Yes, you are so right!!! It is really too bad that it is impossible for Canadians and Brits to become TV Frogs.

Canadians are only allowed to stay in the US for 182 days in any calendar year. Even though we own a house in TV and pay taxes and amenities all year long.

However it is a misconception that it is about health care issues!! Canadians can buy health care in the US .... no problem. The 182 day rule is a rule made by the US Government, which apparently is so wealthy that they don't want Canadian and British Retirees spending money in the US all year long.

At present, there is no such thing as a Retiree Visa, which could be issued with a requirement for Retirees to provide their own health care insurance. I'm hoping someday a Retiree Visa becomes a reality. Owning two houses is costly!

[frannieb]

Great to hear!!! We will join you next year.

[ducati1974]

Barefoot, despite my reference to the term of French as frogs, I embarassingly don't know what the term means. Are only Canadian French referred to as frogs? Please set me straight as you did with the health care issue! Thanks for the education!

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by ducati1974

Barefoot, despite my reference to the term of French as frogs, I embarassingly don't know what the term means. Are only Canadian French referred to as frogs? Please set me straight as you did with the health care issue! Thanks for the education!

Ducati, sorry, I didn't mean to preach at you about the Retiree Visa issue. It's just one of my hot buttons. I'm hopping off the band wagon now.

Re Frogs ... Embarrassingly I don't know myself why English Canadians call French Canadians "Frogs". Obviously a slang term .... I think the nickname evolved from the fact that frog legs are thought to be an integral part of French cuisine. Probably similar to calling Germans "Krauts". I'm sure that these terms are probably thought to be racist in these Politically Correct days. (But as kids we just picked the terms up from other people without thinking about it!)
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frannieb
Great to hear!!! We will join you next year.
---------------------------------------------

Wowser Frannie, I was beginning to think I'm the only Canadian on TOTV! Great to hear from you ..... I'll look forward to seeing you next year. I think the new Loonies club will be a lot of fun!

[gump1]

Hi Barefoot,
Is the party at Gator's Dockside an open event in that anyone can just show up or do we have to notify someone ahead of time? We are heading back to Canada on Apr. 9th. until the fall but would like to meet some of the people in the club before going home.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by gump1

Hi Barefoot,
Is the party at Gator's Dockside an open event in that anyone can just show up or do we have to notify someone ahead of time? We are heading back to Canada on Apr. 9th. until the fall but would like to meet some of the people in the club before going home.

Yes Gump, please come, the party at Gator's Dockside is in Spanish Springs, not LSL. It is definitely an open event. You don't have to notify anyone ahead of time. I think you'll really enjoy meeting some new friends.

Loonies & Toonies is booked to take the private back room of Gator's @ SS exclusively for the Loonies on Monday, March 28 from 3 to 6 PM. They have happy-hour" bar prices from 3 to 7 PM. During that time, they also have an early bird food menu at reduced prices.
Sorry you'll miss the first meeting on April 13. We're heading back to Ontario ourselves around April 17.

[Canabarrybarb]

Congrats on getting official recognition of the Loonies and Toonies club. Sorry to hear that the meeting time conflicts with that of the other venue for Canadians in The Villages. The Villages Canadian Club also meets on the second Wednesday evening of the month at the Paradise Rec Center. It would have been nice if the Loonies and Toonies had picked another date so that Canadians could attend both clubs if they were interested.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by Canabarrybarb

Congrats on getting official recognition of the Loonies and Toonies club. Sorry to hear that the meeting time conflicts with that of the other venue for Canadians in The Villages. The Villages Canadian Club also meets on the second Wednesday evening of the month at the Paradise Rec Center. It would have been nice if the Loonies and Toonies had picked another date so that Canadians could attend both clubs if they were interested.

I am a member of the Canadian Club that meets at Paradise. I wasn't involved in choosing a time and day for the Loonies. I think the meeting date for the monthly meeting was dependent on when a large facility was available, in this case the Carmen Miranda Room in the Hacienda Rec Center.

Thanks for your comment. I'll forward it along to the meeting arranger.

[mom2five]

I asked Dave one of the founders of this group why it was going to be held on the same day as the other Canadian Club and he told me that it was not their choice. The Villages gave them this day despite the fact that they had asked for meeting days other than Wednesdays so as not to conflict with The Canadian Club. Their reason was something to do with they want all clubs with a similar theme to be held at the same time. I was also told they are still hoping to change this next fall.

[katezbox]

Originally Posted by Barefoot

Yes, you are so right!!! It is really too bad that it is impossible for Canadians and Brits to become TV Frogs.

Canadians are only allowed to stay in the US for 182 days in any calendar year. Even though we own a house in TV and pay taxes and amenities all year long.

However it is a misconception that it is about health care issues!! Canadians can buy health care in the US .... no problem. The 182 day rule is a rule made by the US Government, which apparently is so wealthy that they don't want Canadian and British Retirees spending money in the US all year long.

At present, there is no such thing as a Retiree Visa, which could be issued with a requirement for Retirees to provide their own health care insurance. I'm hoping someday a Retiree Visa becomes a reality. Owning two houses is costly!

Bare,

I think the US gov't would want you to pay Income Taxes if you were to stay here year round... They don't get a penny of benefit from your property taxes.

I am curious about the insurance, thought.... if you stayed here for 12 months, would you lose your Canadian health care? As for buying health care int he US, wouldn't you be subject to the same exclusion for pre-existing conditions as US citizens? For example, if Fireboy was American, any private insurance he purchased would not cover any lung related issues - because as a long-term firefighter he may have done damage to his lungs in the course of his career...

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by Canabarrybarb

Congrats on getting official recognition of the Loonies and Toonies club. Sorry to hear that the meeting time conflicts with that of the other venue for Canadians in The Villages. The Villages Canadian Club also meets on the second Wednesday evening of the month at the Paradise Rec Center. It would have been nice if the Loonies and Toonies had picked another date so that Canadians could attend both clubs if they were interested.

I advised the Head Loonie about your concern. This is his reply. He requested a meeting date on either Monday, Tuesday or Thursday. The Rec Department gave them the Wednesday date. The Loonies objected because it is a conflict with The Canadian Club. They were told that the Villages Rec Department has a new policy that all clubs of the same genre are to meet at the same time.

The Head Loonie immediately contacted Ray Smith, Canadian Club President, to explain. The Loonies and Toonies goal is to supply a forum where Canadian Snowbirds can meet, mingle and share experiences here in The Bubble. They do not wish to be in any conflict with any other club. They hope long term they can get the schedule worked out and have both clubs flourish.