Notice of Annual General Meeting & Call for nominations for the Harvey Bell Award

[president YRARC]

For those who might not have received the email directly today.

Notice of Annual General Meeting 2025
Take notice that the Annual General Meeting of the members of the York Region Amateur Radio Club, Inc., will be held at the usual meeting place, the Sharon Temperance Hall, 18974 Leslie Street, Sharon, at the usual hour of 7:30pm on Tuesday June 3^rd, 2025 for the purposes of approving the financial statements for fiscal year 2025 and the election of directors to hold office for 2 years commencing July 1st, 2025. Directors whose terms expire on June 30^th are Chris VE3NRT, Rob VE3XBI, Alan VA3WAH, Rose VE3SFB and Jan VE3ZYL. Ron VE3CGR has resigned from the board, and we will be seeking a replacement for his seat as well.

 

Regular, family and life members are advised that they have the right to attend and vote in person at this meeting, in accordance with the usual rules of order, and further, in the event of a member’s absence, the member has the right to appoint a proxy to vote on his or her behalf. An appropriate form is included at the end of this publication. Members who are unable to attend the Annual General Meeting may complete, date, and sign a proxy form, which must be delivered to the Secretary prior to the call to order of the Annual General Meeting, to be eligible for voting.

 

For those wishing to mail a proxy, please send it to the club secretary, Martin Francis, VA3PHP, at secr...@yrarc.org.

 

Dated this day May 13th, 2025, at Aurora, Ontario.

Chris Sullivan, VE3NRT, President.

PROXY

The undersigned being a current member of the York Region Amateur Radio Club, Inc. hereby appoints (Name of Secretary or other person) _____________________________________________ as proxy to attend the Annual General Meeting of the York Region Amateur Radio Club, Inc., on June 3rd, 2025 and vote on my behalf on each and any question brought before the assembly, or at any adjournment thereof, and I do hereby revoke and make void any former instrument appoint a proxy on my behalf.

Dated at _______________ this ___________ day of _____________, 2025.

Name and call of member (print) __________________________________

Signature of member __________________________________

NOTICE TO ALL YRARC MEMBERS

Each year about this time, the members of our radio club can nominate a member for the Harvey Bell Award by contacting the club secretary no later than Monday (May 19th, 2025).

Nominations may be presented by individuals or may be co-signed by several members. Your nomination should be made in writing or by email to the club secretary Martin Francis, VA3PHP,  and should include your description, explanation, or citation in support of the nominee.

At the January 1971 meeting of the York North Radio Club, as YRARC was known at the time, the membership established an award in memory of the late Harvey Bell, VE3AFK, of Aurora.

It was the wish of the members that this award be presented annually to a member in good standing with this club, in recognition of substantial achievement involving Amateur Radio, particularly in connection with the York North Radio Club.

The winner would hold the trophy for one year, and would also receive a certificate, or other citation outlining the achievement.

Any club member would be eligible to nominate any other club member for the award. Nominations will be considered by the 2024 Board of Directors at the May 21st meeting.

Harvey Bell died unexpectedly in December of 1970. At that time, he was in the process of making his third attempt at keeping the club together and active. He had been a club member for almost ten years, enjoyed the fellowship and the sharing of technical information regarding Amateur Radio. He was especially interested in the Morse Code, and CW operation, but was also very involved with the SSB technology that was growing with leaps and bounds.

During the late 1960’s activity in the club seemed to wane, and Harvey Bell, along with a couple of other area hams kept up a steady contact with other hams in Newmarket and surroundings. Invitations were sent out on at least three occasions in an attempt to keep the club active and growing. He had just succeeded, in the fall of 1970, to get the membership back together again, and had turned the leadership over to Frank Rusholme.

His influence and his leadership in club affairs will long be remembered by the Amateurs in this area who knew him personally. In addition to being an active 80-metre DX chaser, Harvey was also involved in RTTY (radio teletype), VHF, and had one of the outstanding stamp collections in the region.

The award, which honours his name, is considered the highest acclaim that the club can give to one of its members.

73,
Chris VE3NRT
President, YRARC