Our Goals
The goals of the Probus Club of Kingsway/Islington are to provide Fellowship, Friendship and Fun for men and women in their retirement and semi-retirement years. Our club is all about encouraging healthy minds and bodies, participation in activities, and socializing with other retirees in Etobicoke.
Friendship
A basic purpose of a PROBUS club is to provide regular gatherings for semi-retired and retired people in local communities that appreciate and value opportunities to meet with others with similar interests. Meeting new people, making new friends, discovering new interests are just some of the advantages of being a PROBUS member.
Fellowship
Rising out of membership activities there is a self-generating goodwill, a sense of fellowship, a diverse background of interests and a strong feeling of cordiality.
Fun
Our Club’s focus is to foster similar interests, social events and provide monthly meetings with interesting speakers.
Our motto is “Our Strength is Fellowship; Our Success is Participation.”
Our club is simple in structure, and minimal in cost. We do not have compulsory attendance at meetings. We do not engage in fundraising, sectarian or political activities.
We meet as a group most months. We start with a social period and a coffee, followed by an interesting speaker and a short business meeting. The meeting costs and speaker fees are funded from annual dues.
New interest groups, usually called Clubs, can be formed provided that there is sufficient interest within the group and an identified volunteer leader. This is financed by cost recovery from participants.
We have a varied program of outings and events that include live theatre, cultural events, sporting events and out of town trips. This is financed by cost recovery from participants.
If you would like to be added to the waiting list of our Club, please click on the link “Join Us” at the top of this webpage.
Club History
The Kingsway/Islington Probus Club History
The Kingsway/Islington Probus Club was sponsored and facilitated in its formation in September 2007 by the Probus Club of Etobicoke whose membership was full. At the inaugural organization meeting of our Club, we were overwhelmed by 278 people who joined with 32 others placed on a waiting list. Fire regulations stipulated a maximum of 250 people in the room rented at the Islington Golf and Country Club for our meeting. After much deliberation, it was agreed that membership had to be closed with the current number of signed-up members, and allowed to drop through attrition to 250 members. Individuals from the waiting list were invited to join when the membership fell below 250. The popularity of Probus was described as “It is free of the constraints and obligations of service clubs and involves membership at minimal cost. It is for those who want to get involved with a group that doesn’t require a lot of responsibility and offers the chance to socialize with friends”.
In January 2023, the club moved its monthly meetings to the Lambton Golf and Country Club – its current location.
Our membership cap of 250 remains and we currently have a waiting list of about 90 people. We welcome both men and women. Our dues are currently $75.00 per year.
History of Probus
History of Probus Internationally and in Canada
The name of PROBUS, was derived from the words – PROfessional and BUSiness, however today our clubs welcome anyone who considers themselves either retired or semi-retired.
International
The first PROBUS club specifically for active retirees was formed in 1966 by the Rotary Club of Caterham England. In 1974, PROBUS expanded into New Zealand and by 1976 the idea had spread to Australia. Although PROBUS membership has its greatest concentrations in Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand, clubs today exist in all parts of the world, including the U.S., Belgium, India, South Africa and several other countries in Africa, Asia and South America. There are over 4,000 clubs worldwide.
Canada
The first PROBUS club for seniors in North America was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Galt in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada in 1987. Growth in Canada (since 1987) under the leadership of John Morris, has since successfully developed about 250 clubs across Canada from Saint John’s Newfoundland to Victoria, British Columbia, with a membership of over 36,000.
Our location
Our Meeting Location in Etobicoke
Our monthly meetings are in person at the Lambton Golf and Country Club at 100 Scarlett Road in Etobicoke.
We are one of three clubs in Etobicoke.
If you would like to be added to the waiting list of our Club, please click below:
Our Management
Our Probus Management Committee
There are a number of management roles in the Probus Club of Kingsway-Islington Islington that are filled by volunteers. There are always opportunities to join this group and help lead the Club. Below is a description of the different roles of the Executive:
Probus Club of Kingsway-Islington 