The end of an era - 2002 to 2014

CWSF 2008 Bid Team (St. John's, Newfoundland, CWSF 2004)

CWSF 2007 and CWSF 2008 Co-Chairs - L-R - Steve, Paula, Michael, Gilles, James & Chris (Truro, 2007)

CWSF 2008 Co-Chairs:  James, Gilles & Paula (CWSF 2008, Ottawa)

CWSF 2008 Co-Chairs:  Gilles, James & Paula (Ottawa, January 16th, 2014)

Today was definitely the end of an era - the Canada-Wide Science 2008 era which started in 2002 when James and I were in Saskatoon and decided that we would bid for the 2008 CWSF.  Today we closed down the bank account and transferred all remaining funds to the Ottawa Regional Science Fair.  It's the last official act we have done as Co-Chairs and decided a celebratory lunch/beer at the Manx, where so, so many Co-Chair meetings were held, was in order.  It hardly seems possible that 5.5 years have passed since CWSF 2008 ended in all its chaotic, wonderful glory.  Given that I started with CWSFs in 1990, it's certainly been a long-haul for me, but a great one.  It did take me quite a while to recover from our Fair - it wasn't easy, physically or mentally.  Being in charge of a $1 Million project and a +50 member volunteer committee was brutal and I'm not sure I would do it again, but I certainly don't regret doing it in the first place!  That day in Saskatoon where we sat down with Gord Belfry and told him our crazy plan, it was the starting point of a journey which brought so many amazing friends into my life and left me with hundreds of memories.  I wish Gord had still been alive in 2008 to see our crazy idea come to fruition, but I know he would have been proud. 

We poured our heart and soul into the bid in 2004 and when Lorne announced that we had won the bid for 2008, it was an amazing feeling - both a huge relief and also that "uh oh" moment where you know the hard work was just about to begin.  But all the Fairs from that point on are part of who I am, friends who turned into family, friends who you only physically saw once a year but with whom you shared an amazingly strong bond.  Especially the boys in kilts from Truro - I miss them a lot.  Steve especially.  He was my rock for so many years.  I miss the endless, sleepless nights, the safety checks, bus trips, the crazy hours leading up to the awards ceremony, the crazy awards ceremonies themselves!  even the crazy antics in the offices when no one was thinking straight, sleep-deprived and not getting along but knowing that everything we were doing was for the kids and that in the long run, we were all family and would do it all again in an instant (after 48 straight hours of sleep of course).  I remember the night we ran away from the University of Calgary security for no good reason other than they showed up!  Dairy Queen.  The whistles in St. John's.  Don dropping me on my head in Truro.  Kissing the cod in St. John's.  Giving a speech to open up our own Fair.  So many memories and thank god for photos!   

2009 in Winnipeg was my last CWSF, and even then I only went for a few days.  I was burned out after our Fair - not surprisingly!  But I do miss it and hope to return to my roots soon.  And today was good - a reminder of where my roots are and of that huge part of me which I have ignored since 2009.  I needed the break though.  But maybe it's time to return.