Speaker Schedule

"Avoid Probate"

Jason Laidler is the founder of Avoid Probate, and the co-host of the Avoid Probate show on Zoomer Radio.

Jason is a certified Financial Planner, a certified Seniors Advisor and a certified Executors Advisor. His company is based on his belief that everyone should benefit as much as possible from the effort and work they have put into amassing their estate. The government has the power to tax your estate, and Avoid Probate is here to help you understand the pitfalls and help your heirs keep those assets.

"Power of the Pen"

Elaine Charal is a Certified Graphologist - that's an expert handwriting analyst!  She is a keynote speaker and an event entertainer. And she is fun!

Come prepared to laugh and learn during Elaine's "Power of the Pen" while you discover how to communicate even more effectively with family and friends through knowing what the strokes of handwriting mean.  Everyone will learn about their strengths as reflected in the 'paper mirror' of their handwriting.  Elaine will be e-mailing Handwriting Profiles to the Participants who fill out the Handwriting Form! 

The Handwriting Form will be emailed to members before our September meeting.  

"Wildlife in the Kawartha Lakes"

Dave Ellis is a wildlife photographer that lives in Omemee and writes a wildlife column in the Peterborough Examiner newspaper.

Dave grew up in the Annapolis Valley, NS.  When he was younger he travelled and lived in places all across Canada. In 1982 while living in Edmonton, Alberta, Dave sold his small aluminum fishing boat to buy his first 35mm film camera and began learning how to use it. Eventually he settled down in Toronto. There he operated a small street vending handcraft business right downtown on Yonge Street. That was an education for a country boy! 

He says the best move he and his wife Astrid ever made was when they moved to Omemee in 2001. With all of the lakes and rivers and nature areas here, it is a great place to be. They love it here and even more so since they took up wildlife photography as a hobby in 2016. The wildlife that is all around us here in the Kawartha Lakes is quite phenomenal and they really enjoy being out in nature most days photographing it. 

You may know Dave’s work from his weekly column in the Peterborough This Week and Kawartha Lakes This Week newspapers. He began writing a wildlife photo column for them in 2018 and continued until the newspapers ceased publishing in 2023. His column and photos were moved over to the Peterborough Examiner where he continues to write a column each week. His photos have also been featured in Outdoor Canada Magazine, Canadian Geographic Magazine, The Toronto Star, PTBO News Canada, and in John McQuarrie’s coffee table book “Peterborough – Spirit of Place”. Each year Dave and Astrid publish a calendar featuring the wildlife of Kawartha Lakes.

Dave enjoys sharing his photographs and the stories that go with them at presentations all around the Kawarthas.