Calgary, Victoria...and What Happens When People Show Up
Prairie Sunshine in Calgary and Scottish Rain in Victoria
Two more stops on this Quiet Champions tour — Calgary and Victoria —with each being a reminder that every one of these events is its own thing. Different venues, menus and norms – all drawn by a few hours to explore the theme of mentorship in our communities.
Calgary: Sunshine, The Ranchmen’s Club and New Friends
Calgary welcomed us with that bright Prairie sun.
As I mentioned on the night, my Grandpa Roy would have been so pleased that we hosted this event at The Ranchmen’s Club in Calgary. It turned out to be exactly the right place: perfect size, a fireplace for the musicians, great wine and amazing food. The team at The Ranchmen’s Club bent over backwards to tend to every detail we could imagine.
Dean Koeller from Calvert Home Mortgage Corporation, one of our sponsors, kicked things off with such a warm introduction. His whole team pitched in with set-up and registration and Dean didn’t leave the Roy Group team until we had been fed and had all of our gear loaded in the minivan.
A little lesson on leadership I’ll carry for a long time:
My mentor, Bob Chartier, was in the room. He hopped up with the musicians and played an original song about mentors, and the whole place went pin drop silent. We were able to surpriseBob with a special edition of the book. Bob’s the one who first told me that mentor is a gift word. It felt right to honour that with everyone present.
People asked great questions. People met strangers and left as friends.
The musicians (once again) were outstanding.
Calgary’s renowned spirit of hospitality was a key player in our Calgary launch.
Victoria: Storm Outside, Full Heart Inside
Victoria was… well… classic Victoria.
Sheets of rain. Traffic that made you question your life choices.
And still, people came. To fill the room to capacity.
The Scottish Community Centre - that beautiful round room - filled up fast. There’s something special about a hometown crowd. There was a lot of warmth in the room, and you could feel it as soon as you walked in.
Our friends from Nicola Wealth and VIATEC showed up with sponsorship and genuine friendship. They’ve been champions of this book from the start.
A moment I loved:watching special guests and my sons give books to their mentors. Seeing your kids understand gratitude; that’s a whole different level of meaning.
We asked people to have conversations with one another, and they jumped right in. Some of those pairings were multi-generational, and you could feel how much it meant…
The Real Lesson in All of This
Every event teaches me the same thing in a slightly different way:
People want to connect.
People want to honour the folks who helped them along.
People want to feel part of something bigger than just themselves.
All we have to do is set the table.
Thank you to everyone who came out; in sunshine, in storms, with questions, with stories, with heart. Makes me wonder what Vancouver will be this Thursday.
Secure your spot here:https://roygroup.net/news/quiet-champions-a-book-launch-experience-5-vancouver/
Onward,
Chiz
