top5s online

Well, that's it, the 2013 Tim Hortons Brier is over. All I've got left to do is email a big thanks to all my volunteers and that's it for my Director experience (I think, I might have to write a report or something?). Sad. I've already rambled on about how much I love working these events - "Yes Lisa, you love the people blah blah blah." But it's completely true: what a great week of fun filled with fantastic people! Now that it's over and real world shell shock sets in, well, all I can think about is doing it all again for the next event. It's no secret I want to get to Winnipeg for the 2013 Trials and Kamloops for the 2014 Brier - so if you live there and you've got a couch and want a low maintenance roommate for a week let me know, ha ha! I've got a few ideas about what I could do to help the CCA, and at least two backup plans. I'll be there regardless. But would I be a volunteer Director on the local organizing committee again? If y...

Thursday, March 7, 2013 Alarm went off at 5:30am. So early. Supervise program sales. Check on merchandising volunteers. Say hi to old CCA friends. Watch curling. Bedtime. One of my volunteers is carrying the NB flag, another one is singing the anthem. I'm so proud! Friday, March 8, 2013 One of my fantastic bankers took charge of a key and let me sleep in instead of hanging out for the morning draw! Otherwise today was much like yesterday. Work some. Chat to volunteers. Watch curling. I'll say it again: my favourite part of this event has been chatting to and getting to know better all of my volunteers. Curling volunteers are genuinely lovely people! All the volunteers are collaborating on a present for the winning team. For the first time this week I actually stayed until the end of the evening draw - and it was ridiculous! Alberta (hometown favourite) was sooo close to a tiebreaker and everyone was watching the other games as they mattered to Alberta and there was cheering and...

I miss writing daily posts from the curling world - mostly because I've forgotten what I've done over the past four days! Sunday, March 3, 2013 Up early. I am not a morning person. In fact, I think volunteering for curling events would be just about perfect if I didn't have to get to the arena before 10am! It was our first 3 draw day so we were still going through some growing pains, but as usual everyone has been super nice to work with. The program sales bankers are starting to develop routines and the sellers are starting to know what's what so everything is running smoothly. And my merchandising volunteers are mostly showing up at the right store at the right time so it's mostly working well. Today I learned everyone has a story. I spent a good part of my day just talking to people - mostly my bankers - learning more about them and their lives. That's why I love these events: the people are just fantastic. Yes, I had a few complaints from volunteers today (...

Usually I write a daily recap when I'm volunteering at curling events, but this year, as I'm a volunteer Director, I don't have quite have time. So here's a bit about what I've been doing! Thursday February 28 - Set Up. I met six of my merchandising volunteers (after a big snafu getting into the building) for merchandising set up. We were met by the manager of merchandising, who took us well into the bowels of Rexall to where they had unloaded the pallets of merchandising. I've been backstage at Rexall before, but this was something else! Huge bags of popcorn ready for the garbage. Kegs kegs kegs and more kegs. Kitchens. Narrow hallways. Floor to ceiling cages of...stuff. And half a dozen pallets of items to sell in the Brier stores, tucked into corner amongst all the other boxes of...stuff. First we unloaded the pallets, splitting the boxes into the North Store and the South Store - thankfully the boxes were mostly clearly marked. Then we opened the boxes that ...