ARTA ’ s Honorary Membership for Gordon Cumming
JUANITA KNIGHT | Past President , ARTA
ARTA presented an honorary membership to traveller , advocate , historian , news junkie , patient listener and quirky humorist Gordon Cumming at the Annual General Meeting on October 3 , 2017 .
He has lived in Britain , Pakistan and India and knows a little about the languages spoken in all three countries ( except Britain ) and maybe a little bit of French too — but he will mangle it to convince you he doesn ’ t , if he can get away with it .
His education degree has a science focus , but social studies is his first love , thus his being a historian and news junkie . He was a teacher , principal and assistant superintendent ; however , he loved being in a school most of all .
Gordon and Bev , also a retired teacher , celebrated their golden wedding anniversary this summer . They are parents to three daughters and adoring grandparents to eight grandchildren . As each grandchild completes Grade Six , Gordon and Bev take them for several days to Ottawa , Montreal or Quebec City to immerse them in early Canadian history . They ’ re about halfway through the grandkids .
Since his retirement from teaching in 2002 , he has been reworking the definition of retirement . Gordon represented CRTA as branch president for several years , has served on every ARTA committee , was ARTA ’ s vice-president for one year , president of the association for three years and its past president for three years .
ARTA is pleased to bestow this honour on Gordon ( who never minds being called a senior as long as it ’ s connected to discount ) and in recognition of his many significant contributions to ARTA . �
Daniel Mulloy presents Gordon Cumming with his Lifetime Honorary Membership news & views WINTER 2017 | 27