The Annual that Almost Was

The OHCG holds an event each year (the Annual) where rug Hookers gather for days of fellowship, classes, shopping and rug ogling. It’s a wonderful thing to attend and much anticipated by the folks across Ontario.....but it takes one heck of a lot of work to put together.....sometimes years of planning. 

This year, the folks from “area 11” were sooo close to delivering the Annual....everything was ready - prizes, gift bags, signs, class lists, volunteers, vendors, etc.....and then we had to cancel for Covid 19. We were all upset that the Annual wasn’t going forward,  but it was particularly difficult for the group that had worked so hard.  

Today, Dianne and I (in our new role as Annual Advisors)  were invited to attend the de-brief held by the group. This meeting is done at the end of most projects to celebrate achievements and to pass on learnings. We went to a park in Orillia and joined them for their regular Tuesday gathering. We were socially distant, but it was fun to get out with others!

The ladies showed us what they had prepared, and their creativity and generosity were clearly in evidence! The theme was “Everything Under the Sun”...with lots of sunflowers.  Here are some examples of the things we were going to see at the Annual....but what was also evident, but not obvious in the photos was the planning, thinking and ideas that ran behind it all. 

The team behind all this work include:

Brenda Hatcher

Chris Ennis

Suzanne Chaddock

Diane Audia 

Kathy Smith

Donna Dickie

JoAnne Inglis

Susan Barker

Barb Reif 

Barb Dietrich

Jean Chabot

Gail Mueller

Cheri Hempseed

Marion England

Marg Arland 

There were lots more folks involved behind the scenes. 

Congratulations for what was clearly going to be an event to remember.