Accommodation Program: Choice Hotels Canada is pleased to offer to our association a discount program. Choice has 245 locations coast-to-coast, "Comfort, Quality, Clarion, Sleep, MainStay Suites, Econo Lodge, & Rodeway. To make reservations or get quotes, please call 1-800-4-CHOICE (1-800-424-6423) and use ID # 00088531. For more information contact Rick Carrey at 969-0197.

As promised at the Grand Session in Kelowna, I will be trying to keep all members informed.

Our Focus for the year is still Membership. At the Supreme level our Grand has one vote for every 750 fraternal members and as of July our total is 4,258 members. We will have one more voting delegate at the Supreme session if we reach 4,501 by March 31^st, 2002. With 43 Councils that’s just 6 new or re-instated members.

There are many discount items that are available to members, like, hotels, car rentals, etc., and we are adding more. In September, you will be receiving a package from Liberty Mutual Company on how you can receive a discount on Home and Auto Insurance, which will be for UCT members only. Liberty will be paying for this mail out, and no further action will be taken by them, unless you are interested.

There will be a 800 number to call and when you give them the information on your home or auto they will quote you a special rate. A few of our members across Canada were tested and their savings were up to $500.00 You are under no obligation to buy. This can be a great selling tool for us to increase membership

… continued (grand)

The Council would like to welcome new members John Grant, Bill Sloan, Cara Maley, Julie & Richard McCutcheon, and Paul Kenny. As our membership continues to get older we are losing more members than we are signing up new. So invite your co-worker, neighbour, son or daughter, family members, or freinds to become part of this great organization. There was a reason you became a member, so invite someone else to join.!!!!

On Saturday, Sept 22, 2001 we have our FOURTH A.C.T./UCT Roadside Clean Up between Balsam street and Fielding Road in Copper Cliff. NEED 25 Members for 3, hours.

I thank all 25 volunteers that came out last time. Everything is supplied, we just need bodies, with Hats and old good walking shoes.

Joe Wilcox, Chairperson

Again next spring the council will be offering bursaries to qualified dependants of members in good standing. For an application call 969-0197

We will once again, this Christmas Season, be selling HAMS as a fundraiser for the Club. Start thinking of your customers who could use hams as a Christmas gift.

At the Supreme Session in Chicago, the assembly passed a motion to increase the Council dues by $6.00, (effective September 1^st, 2001) and this would all stay in Head Office. The good news is that after the Fall edict is paid, the yearly assessments of $2.00 will be stopped. This is the first increase that has been put on the dues in many years, and we all know that everything has gone up. We have to get behind the membership increase, and sell the new members as to what your Council is doing for your community, and what UCT can offer the members for discounts.

The final item I would like to touch on is the name of the Associated Canadian Travellers, which disappeared in May 1993. We are now chartered as the United Commercial Travelers of America, and we are in the ACT/UCT Dominion Grand Council # 31. When referring to your Council, you can still use the term ACT/UCT, because this is included in our Grand Charter.

Don’t get me wrong, we do not want to forget about the Associated Canadian Travellers, THIS IS OUR HISTORY, and all of our clubs are very proud of the work that we have done in our communities over the years. We are now the United Commercial Travelers of America, and it is time to move on and do more great work in our communities for the betterment of the people.

Gordon A. Ross,

Grand Counselor

ACT/UCT Dominion Grand Council # 31