RAQ: 17 Years Old and Counting!

RAQ’s Early Years

It’s been just 17 years since the founding of RAQ. Those of us who are relatively new members probably have the impression that RAQ has been around for decades and decades.

RAQ was officially launched and members elected to Council at the Founding Annual Meeting in April 2002.  A working group had spent much of the previous year gauging interest for such an organization among Queen’s retirees and seeking input about its purpose. John Meisel and Joyce Zakos, primary drivers of this initiative, were affirmed as RAQ’s inaugural president and vice-president.

We now know much about the early years of RAQ thanks to the work of council members (Eleanor Rogers and Cherrilyn Yalin most notably) and our office administrator Cheryl Descent who unearthed early documents associated with RAQ’s founding. These shed much light on the vision of the founders and their hopes and aspirations for the new organization.

RAQ’s formal mission, articulated in the first newsletter, was to “Facilitate and promote the dissemination of information of interest to Queen’s Retirees and to enhance and promote the sense of continuing membership in the ‘Queen’s Family’”.

But John Meisel described this vision more eloquently – and in a more personal way - in his first letter to RAQ members in September 2002:  “We aim to undertake interesting and pleasant activities catering to a variety of tastes, to keep a watchful eye on the developments affecting our physical and mental well-being, and to facilitate the social ties we forged while we were working together”.

RAQ flourished in those early years. In the words of Professor Meisel, “it completed its first seven months of existence with flying colours…” Membership was an astonishing 475 retirees and more than 175 retirees attended the inaugural luncheon and meeting.  Attendance at other events, such as the Principal’s reception and AGMs, regularly surpassed 100 people.

Like today, RAQ kept in close touch with members by publishing a newsletter*. More frequent communication through email was often not practicable since many retirees didn’t use email regularly. The events and activities of most interest to members seemed often connected with Queen’s – whether events at the Art Centre, guided tours of new buildings, outings at the Opinicon Biological Station or special lectures and visiting speakers at Queen’s.

The Next 17 Years

Today RAQ, while still a vibrant organization, is at a turning point. With membership now dipping below 400, the coming year will bring new strategies and ideas to re-energize the organization and encourage new members to join. As we look to the future, we pay tribute to the founding members of RAQ and hope that we can build on their legacy.

Donna Lounsbury

* all past editions are available at www.queensu.ca/retirees//

RAQ Founding Members

 Pat Bogstad,
John Meisel
Alison Morgan,                   
Dee Padfield,
Stuart Vanderwater,
Ron Watts,              
Bill Wright
Joyce Zakos

RAQ Presidents

John Meisel (founding & honorary president)
Joyce Zakos
Arlene Aish
George Brandie
Henry Dinsdale
Patrick Oosthuizen
Eleanor Rogers (current president)