Several people have asked me recently about the past year. I guess this is appropriate as the end of 2011 arrives in a few more days. 2011 brought a 40th birthday, as well as the 25th Anniversary of RAD. If I look back a year ago today when I was booking my ticket to attend the first RAD planning meeting in Cochrane, I could not have predicted how cool the year ahead would be. I arrived in Calgary to -20F, and thought, what the hell am I doing here. The planning of this event was unlike anything I have ever pursued before. Everyone worked so hard, contributed countless hours, incurred expenses that will never be reimbursed, and made a few people mad. Countless volunteers lended their talents to accomplish tasks with total professionalism. We taxed our personal relationships with emails to return, driving around town planning out routes, and having meetings. Constant outreach to partners for sponsorships and networking our butts off to apply for grants, and sponsorships. We were turned down, ignored, and laughed at, but inside we all knew that this was going to be an awesome project. That determination is what so many people delivered and I hope walked away with an immense satisfaction. I could not be prouder of the results of the 25th Anniversary.
We have done this many times, but I want to publically thank Brenda Lieberman of C.U.F.F. and Kurt Alksne for all that they sacrificed, and contributed to the RAD25. This was a life changing year for me and I owe alot of it to their tenacity, and commitment.
Cheers to 2011, RAD 25, and new friends.
Jeremy
