Gail Marlow (speakers@nbprobus.org) is our club’s Speakers Committee Chair and welcomes member suggestions (and help!) to find and schedule speakers on a range of compelling, entertaining, educational & current topics. The list below shows speakers we have had the pleasure of hosting at our General Meetings
2026
Jan. 16 Cosette Justo Valdes, Artistic and Music Director of the Vancouver Island Symphony
2025
Nov. 21 Heidi Stokes, Communications, Nanaimo-Oceanside branch of Elderdog Canada
Oct. 17 Mike Judson, Ocean Wise Operations Manager, Whales
Supplemental information: https://nbprobus.org/4670-2/
Sept. 19 Tim Schewe, Road Safety Advocate, Road Safety for Seniors, DriveSmartBC.ca.
Aug. 15 Michael (Mike) Garland (volunteer) and Sergeant Shane Worth, Oceanside RCMP Community Policing, “Heads-Up”…! The latest frauds and scams happening in the Oceanside Regional area; how to recognize and how to prevent being tricked by becoming more aware.
June 20 Melissa Dinsdale, Consulting Professional Geoscientist, P. Geo, Geology of Vancouver Island
May 16 Robin Fisher, Elder College is alive and well.
April 25 Mike Bonkowski, Remembering the Ferries and Passenger Ships that served Nanaimo from 1881 to 1961
Mar. 21 Lynne Bowen, author, how 100 years of coal mining shaped the people and landscape of Vancouver Island.
Feb. 21 SOS Communications Manager Lissa Alexander and SOS Volunteer Resources Coordinator Shelly McCullough Website: SOS
Jan. 17 Debra Hagen Mosaic ArtistWebsite: goldbugmosaics.com
2024
Nov. 15 Dr. David Prud’homme, “The International Space Station”
Oct. 18 Linda Derkach, Master Gardener, President of the American Rhododendron Society, “Garden Forecast: Hotter, Drier, Wetter: Garden Sense for a Changing Climate“
Sept. 20 Dr. Mel Vincent, B.A.Sc., M.Sc., M.D., F.R.C.P.(C),
Director of Psychiatric Services at EHN Edgewood Nanaimo, “Addictions: Causes and Solutions.”
Aug. 16 Dr. Marlea Clarke, Associate Professor Political Science, University of Victoria, “The Dirty Side of the Clothing Industry: Is Fast Fashion Sustainable?”
June 21 Gary Anaka, Brain Wellness Motivational Speaker and Brain Based Learning Specialist, “Taking Care of Your Brain”
May 17 Dr. Mark Williams, Professor of Political and Global Studies, VIU
“Canada and the Crumbling of the Rules-Based International Order“
April 19 Onnig Cavoukian, “The World of Portrait Photography”
Mar. 15 Pamela May-Straka, President, “Oceanside Classical Concerts”
Feb. 16 Peter Kawerau, Owner/operator of Mid Island Computer Enterprises (MICE) Ltd., “Adventures in Computing”
Jan. 19 Darrell Robertson, VP Probus Club of Nanoose Bay, The Road to Riches, Canada’s Northwest Territories
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| 2023 DATE | SPEAKER | PROFESSION/AFFILIATION | TOPIC |
| Jan. 20 | Marilynne Manning | VP/Concerned Citizens of Bayne Sound Society (CCOBS) | Ship-Breaking in Baynes Sound |
| Feb. 17 | Glen Stedham & Wilfrid World | Friends of Rails to Trails VI (FORT) | Rail Trail Opportunities on VI’s E&N lines |
| Mar.17 | Andrew Bury, KC | Law | Walking Across NA on the Continental Trail from Mexico to AB |
| April 21 | Ken Lee | IT, communications & technology | Understanding Marshall McLuhan |
| May 19 | Jacques Marc FRCGS | Writer, underwater archaeologist | Historic Shipwrecks of the Southern Gulf Islands |
| June 16 | Graham Farstad MCIP | Member, Probus Club of Nanoose Bay; Principal, The Arlington Group | Adventure in Costa Rica |
| July | none | Annual Summer Picnic | fun outside |
| Aug. 18 | Commander Craig Piccolo | Canadian Forces Maritime Experimental & Test Ranges (CFMETR) | Unmasking the Mystique of CFMETR |
| Sept. 15 | Cheryl Alexander | Wildlife Photographer, Naturalist, Author, filmaker |
Takaya, the Lone Wolf |
| Oct. 20 | Alli Roberts | Biologist | BC Parks Foundation |
| Nov. 24 | Jos Krynen | Board member of the World Cetacean Alliance and owner of Eagle Eye Adventures, | The Magic of the West Coast: oceans and the incredible life within them |
| December | none | Annual Christmas Party | holiday cheer |