| CSA News On-Line - Issue 31 Spring 1999 |
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Bird Talk - Featuring the letters and concerns of our members
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Dear Bird Talk,
We attended the 1999 Extravaganza at Tampa Fairgrounds and were astounded to see one of the booths handing out cigarettes. It was our assumption that this organization would take a definite stand against the use of tobacco. The monthly magazine includes good living and health articles. Why would the organization, for a few dollars in booth rent, associate itself with the tobacco industry. Most organizations and businesses are attempting to distance themselves from the habit-forming and health-destroying product. We brought some visitors with us and they, like us, were truly offended. This, in our estimation, was in very bad taste. If you are so inclined, you may publish this letter in the Letters to the Editor in your next publication. We are sure many other people share our concern. Sincerely, While we appreciate and understand your concern, we must also yield to the "freedom of choice." We would gladly provide a free booth to any non-profit organization which will help our members quit smoking. Although the Canadian Snowbird Association promotes taking a proactive approach to one's health, we must also acknowledge the needs and interests of those who have not yet "kicked the habit." Dear Bird Talk, I have just returned from New Zealand where I spent a second winter in that country. Hence, I would like to start a Canadian chapter of CSA for those of us who go to New Zealand. I hear many of my friends are selling their properties in Florida or cutting short their winters there due to the dollar exchange and the medical fees. Well, the exact opposite is true for New Zealand. In fact, the Canadian dollar is 20% higher there and doctors' fees are normal. New Zealand really welcomes Canadians and the tourist industry is tops. Now the air flight out of Vancouver via Air Canada and Air New Zealand is timed perfectly as you depart at 5:00 p.m., have dinner on board, watch a movie and arrive in Honolulu at 11:00 p.m. Then, you switch planes and fly during the night with a blanket to sleep and arrive in Auckland at 7:00 a.m. Suspect (the) CSA would like to compare prices of a winter in NZ vs. U.S.A. and we have the figures. Ted Rooney Have you checked to see if there is a Canada Club in New Zealand? If there is, we'd be more than happy to profile it in an upcoming issue of CSA News. If any of our snowbirds are interested in learning more about wintering in New Zealand, drop us a line and we'll forward your note to Mr. Rooney. (Ted Rooney is president of K-W Television Productions in Waterloo, Ontario, as well as being a columnist for the Waterloo Chronicle.) Dear Bird Talk, I feel the following letter would be helpful to all snowbirds if it were printed in the CSA News. It might keep them from making the same mistakes as we did. Fellow Snowbirds, We have been fortunate to have been able to spend six months in Florida for the last several years. However, we are back three months early and experience winter weather in Ontario. On January 20, my husband had a heart attack. I realized what was happening and took him immediately to our hospital only two miles away. The E.R. attendants and doctors immediately checked him over and within 11/2 hours, he was in the operating room where two stents were implanted in one artery to his heart which had been completely blocked. While this was being done, I called World Access from the hospital. They received all the necessary information from me as well as from those who were attending my husband. World Access obtained the fax number of the hospital at that time and kept in contact so they could monitor the situation. My husband got along fine and was discharged from the hospital after a five-day stay. Before he was discharged, however, World Access informed us that we had two options We could stay in Florida but my husband would no longer have insurance coverage on any further heart problems and we would have to stand the expense ourselves; or We could go back home. Actually, we had one choice as it was too risky financially to stay there. Our daughter and her husband flew down and took our belongings home along with our car. We flew home. Our insurance covered all the medical expenses and our flight home. Before we leave in the fall, our insurance company asks that we give them the dates of our departure and our return. These are firm dates and, since we had returned early, I notified them a few days after we got back that we had returned to Ontario. I was stunned when I was told that we could have had another 62 days in Florida with full coverage. However, it was necessary that my husband first return to Ontario and see his own doctor here. If the doctor examined him and felt it was safe for him to return to Florida, he could go back and we could stay there another two months. I was quite upset to hear this because, if we had known we had that option, we would have taken it. I did not realize that option was in our policy and I should have consulted with our insurance company before making any decision. I know now how important it is to keep in touch with our insurance company (see page 12 of Winter Issue of CSA News). Instead, I believed that World Access had complete authority but that was not true. I have written this letter in the hope that other snowbirds will not make the same mistakes we did. Sincerely, Many people are unaware of their options when facing an evacuation. The best course of action is to request a written medical ruling from your insurer as to whether they will waive the pre-existing condition arising from your claim. In many cases they will. Dear Bird Talk, As Lifetime Members, Holly and I would like to thank you very much for the crests, booklets and pins that we received recently. Both crests and pins are excellent quality and we shall wear them with pride during our extensive retirement travels! Could I please make a suggestion re: your (our!) booklet CSA "Working for You!" I refer to the photographed models on page 2, page 5, page 13 and particularly on the cover (same as page 5?). Anyone looking at the cover would think that the CSA is only for "old folks!" Many are retiring much earlier. Holly and I are well below 60 and many of our fellow retirees retired at 55 or younger. None of us have gray hair! Please consider adding younger models to your promotional photographs you would, by implication, attract more of the younger population! Keep up the great work. Thank you for your suggestion regarding photographs - we've already started looking into having younger snowbirds appear in CSA News and our promotional material. You can expect to see the results of our search very soon.
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We have been members of CSA for the past seven years and also use some of the services. We are generally in agreement and appreciate the activities and direction of this organization.