That is Elmer Verigin with his new monitor, looking at his program CadPro

I recently came to the conclusion that retirement is much to stressful. When a body is used to action 105% of the time, leisure becomes too difficult to adjust to.

Yes I know that we all need breaks and I do that but soon I become irritable and difficult to live with (so Marilyn admits now).

My back has been seriously compromised over the years and my step not as high as it used to be.

I saw this ad for CadPro, a computer drafting program. I had look at CADD previously but the earlier programs were too challenging and required Plotters, etc., rendering them applicable only to serious Engineering and Architectural firms.

So I investigated and now am reasonably adept at developing drawings which I used to do with old fashioned drafting boards, parallel arms, etc., and was not as exciting but just work.

My family was quick to offer projects:

• Daughter Nona – interior renovations of her house
• Daughter Lori and Rick – New detached garage for their new housr
• Daughter Tamara and Kyle – interior house renovations.

The practice was good but it was a tough battle uphill to associate all the icons with an application to achieve what I knew was the intended results. Progress was very promising.

I also remember in my earlier years with Verigin Industries Limited (ViL), being the “design department” and met many clients that needed a custom house or a renovation. I enjoyed meeting these people and translating their dreams to reality. I also found that I could easily suggest changes that would render their plans much more economic. In many instances, the result was that they saved more money than what they paid for their plans. In most instances, ViL became the General Contractior.

That progressed to the design and development of:

• 98 unit Townhouses at Glenmerry Village, Trail, B.C.
• Dental Building, Grand Forks, B.C.
• Various subdivisions
• and much more

So my mind is still active, why not apply this to the plans of people who need this guidance??

So I printed some business cards and named my new enterprise:

ELMER VERIGIN DESIGNS

(250) 608 2215 cell

EMVerigin@shaw.ca

Posted Elmer Verigin, May 20, 2018

This is the President’s Report to be delivered at the AGM Monday, May 21, 2018 at the Doukhobor Discovery Center, Castlegar, B.C.

I served as President of the former Doukhobor Heritage Retreat from 1981 through 1999. There were a few years, during the time of Doukhobor Heritage Retreat Society #1999, that several Directors undertook this elected position. Now that I am voluntarily stepping down, I can vouch that the position is very challenging. I wish Jim Laktin, as incoming president, all the good wishes that can be provided.

In the end, it is the Directors and the members that require their entire commitment to ensure that this Society to continue as a success.

We can take brief snap shots at our successful history:

• Financial contribution from fifteen families in the Doukhobor Cultural Association (DCA) in 1980 to support a loan of $150,000 to pay for the two parcels of land now owned by the DHRS #1999
• The orderly process to selectively log the large parcel that retired the loan completely
• The founding of Doukhobor Heritage Retreat Society (DHRS) in the early 1990s by a portion of the early DCA and supporting individuals to conceive the concept of a Retreat
• The cash contribution of 7 members to pay the $1,400 Building Permit fee for the Retreat Building
• The contribution by the DCA of 3 loads of logs to initiate the cash for start up funding
• The long list of Donators of materials, equipment and labor to build the Retreat Building
• The entry of Allan Markin and his contribution of $1 million (and subsequent donations) to establish the basis for the current Doukhobor Heritage Retreat Society #1999 (DHRS #1999) in 1999
• The approval of charitable tax status by the CRA in 1999
• The continuing process of construction that followed in this order:
  • Start Retreat Building in 1995 and completion in 1999
  • Cabins 1 through 5 inclusive along with the Whispering Pines Center in 2003
  • The Volunteer Campsites in 2003
  • Cabins 6 through 8 inclusive and the stage in 2004
  • The Care-Taker / Office building in 2005
  • Wells #4 and #5 and water distribution system in 2006
  • Well #6 and the Fire Suppression System in 2014

All this was achieved by exceptional cooperation of all Funders and Volunteers who had a vision that attracted their attention. I am proud to have been associated with all this these 46 years!

As I look around this room, I see some of you who have been with me all this time. There are many more who are here in sprit only but continue to support from where they are.

If I begin to thank each of you individually, I would miss one or more of you. You were all fundamental to the success. Yes, we had fun as we worked. The saying that “whatever happens in Whatshan stays in Whatsan” is our secret. Those who want to know, will need to find out for yourselves when you able.

As the Founders age, we are being supported by enthusiastic Supporters. We can now support paid staff that was once all volunteer but today is impossible to achieve that way. I want to congratulate:

• Nona Kucher, our Rental Coordinator and Caretaker Contact
• Tamara Verigin-Burk, our CEO

The day to day operations are continuing to become “business as usual” and do not require emergency trips to Whatshan by the President to resolve site issues.

The financial statements show that all bills are being paid with a reserve funding at this time. This is a vast difference from when the project was started and there was no money for a keg of nails. The principle and policy is that there will not be an mortgages nor debts created for the DHRS #1999.

What is in the future? The CEO and RC will report what is taking place and some of the objectives for the future include:

1. Refund the Markin invested funds in the Vancouver Foundation ($180,000) which is underway
2. Use this funding to initiate the Society entry into Bulk Water Sales
3. Complete the zoning application to permit Bulk Water Sales
4. With Bulk Water Sales revenues, reduce dependence on donations to balance the books
5. Once all the above is established, search new ways in which the objectives of the Society can be directed.

Whatshan has been my life as well as that of many of my contemporaries, I wish Jim Laktin and the new Board every success to achieve greater heights of success.

Elmer Verigin

So it I 0840 hours PST on May 13, 2018 here in Castlegar, B.C. It is Mothers Day!

My Mother is now in another dimension but what I recall most about her that reaches far above her unconditional love for her family and I, is her persistence in educating me on the meaning of the word honesty……….

Also the consequences of honesty versus lying. Her ability to penetrate my young mind was successful so that today, I still find that I avoid people that have even mildly lied to me. In many ways that has affected my social interaction with people. Especially people who consider fibs and a few “white lies” as a normal way of life. Well even Presidents of USA and our Prime Minster do that.

In a dated article on this blog, I introduced my understanding of Neurons! Since then I have had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Ryan Darcy, a progressively accepted NeuroScientist, who is the Head of that department at the Surrey Hospital and is heading a full exploration of this new Science in the Federal Research Department.

Last year when I met him for a weekend at Whatshan lake Retreat, he explained a few fundamental facts about Neurons:

• “there are as many Neurons in your body as there are Celestial Bodies in all of Creation”
• Neurons communicate directly with Quantum Physics (the Environment, partially correct for a better understanding)
• Neurons control the body functions
• Neurons can be successfully directly for physical and mental health
• We talked about this fact in the addictions treatment of drug and alcohol as well as many of the aging diseases such as Dementia and related diseases
• Even blindness and sight have been successfully treated by inserting microbes in the tongue and communicating with the Neurons. Resting shows great possibilities

Last Monday I went to see my Acupuncturist, Dr. Justin Kanigan, while he followed my aging pains and treated them by poking needles just about everywhere. We talked about Neurons and he suggested that there may be as many Neurons in our stomachs as there are in our heads. I did not know that and I thought about it since. I could not understand all this and so I emailed Dr Darcy for input which he responds as follows :

“…..The sentiment – about gut feelings – is one I have always been a huge fan and encouraged thinking and there is far more to the enteric nervous system that we think. However, there are not more neurons in the stomach than in the brain (100 – 200 million versus 100 billion, respectively). Enteric system does come in second though compared to spinal cord and peripheral nervous system. And it has 90% of body’s serotonin with brain only at 10% – serotonin is key neurotransmitter for mood, emotion and other things……”

Let us just think about that and after a short time, think again!

So what we have going on in our stomachs is a huge explanation of how we think and our actions. Perhaps our reasons for being honest and some lying as I am sure in each person’s life there have been sufficient reasons to be dishonest in order to be able to survive. Once that has taken place, the next time it is much easier to be dishonest.

Now I have a better understanding about Nature and I will work on understanding people. It is not the person but the Neurons / Quantum Physics interrelationship that is causing that person to act mysteriously.

I will write more on this later as now I need to prepare for a Mother’s Day Brunch. The family has decide that we will gather all together:

• Great Grandmother
• Grandmothers
• Mothers

All together and celebrate at the Castlegar Golf Course followed by a likely visit to the Casino while some of us will just go for a walk.

Posted 0945 hours, Sunday, May 14, 2018 by Elmer Verigin