Moving homes and hearts in Fredericton

Greetings from NB… what a great few days we have had since we left Saint John. Thursday morning Suzanne and I drove out of the fog and straight to sunshine in beautiful Grand Falls NB. We were eagerly greeted by the staff at our GRS Satellite office in down town Grand Falls. Tina Desjardins and her staff fed us local YUMMY pizza and provided us with a great tour of their wonderful contact centre. It was so great to see such passionate employees!

Staff of GRS Satellite Office in Grand Falls, NB

After our visit to GFS we headed to the provinces capital city… Fredericton!!! With a huge smile Martin Gilbert welcomed us to the Delta Fredericton for what turned out to be an amazing event. Maple Leaf homes, Recycle NB and a wonderful company called Track joined the Delta Fredericton and GRS staff along with dignitaries, such as the honourable Mayor Brad Woodside to parade the new modular home onto the Delta Fredericton site. With an excited crowd watching, media snapping pictures and tears flowing, the Habitat for Humanity family along with their new home made their way on site.

The Barton Family

Suzanne and I had the privilege of meeting and spending a lot of time with the Barton family which included 3 young children and a 4th on the way on August 11th. They told us that they are counting down the days until they can settle into their new home. Tyson their oldest son (who stole my heart) loved the cruiser and NEEDED to wave from the sun roof as I honked the horn to get everyone’s attention … he had an important message… “I am getting my own room”! Needless to say I was happy to have my sunglasses on so no one could see me choking up!

Tyson making his announcement

While everyone mingled, the staff from the Delta Fredericton along with Delta Global Reservations Services worked diligently on serving the community with a free BBQ along with free face painting. It was an amazing day for everyone involved.

Delta Fredericton and GRS Staff Volunteers

Suzanne and I were thrilled to hear that the shingles that were being used on the house were made from recycled plastic and they are guaranteed to last a minimum of … 50 years! How impressive… and GREEN!
Our next stop is Delta Beausejour … look out Moncton… here we come!

Suzanne and I heading the parade!

Charlene

Packing the Prius in Winnipeg

We started our engines by filling (literally) our tanks with a fantastic breakfast buffet at the Delta Winnipeg. After a very delectable meal we were off to help set up for the anticipated barbeque that was about to take place out front of the Elephant and Castle Pub which happened to be attached to the hotel. We quickly removed most of the tables and chairs and set up the patio. We moved the shiny Community Cruiser right in front of the patio, opened up the trunk and attached some balloons to either side.

The event was about to begin and more and more people started to crowd around the Toyota Prius and the Delta Winnipeg’s well-displayed patio. This event was in support of the city’s Winnipeg Harvest. The Winnipeg Harvest is a local food bank and organization that received over 10 million pounds of food in donations last year and feeds an average of 48,000 starving mouths annually. Out of the 48, 000 people fed last year they claimed that half of those in need were children.

Geoff and Suzanne Packin' the Prius

For this event, participants were being fed a sausage on a bun, a bag of chips and pop all for $2 if they donated a non-perishable food item and for $5 without a donation of a food item. With the help of the well-organized staff at the Delta Winnipeg, Suzanne and I were placing all of the food donations into the back of the Community Cruiser. People sat on the patio enjoying their lunches while socializing and asking some very curious questions about the cruiser tour.

About half way through the event, a cameraman from CBC came by and took some shots of the cruiser and of the event that had been causing lots of commotion on this busy downtown corner. After speaking with him and informing him about what the Community Cruiser tour was all about, I convinced him to do a brief interview with Suzanne. Being the “celebrities” that we had both become, a photographer from the Winnipeg Sun newspaper attended the event and took some photos of Suzanne and I beside the cruiser that was now overflowing with the food donations.

The busy afternoon started to wind down and it was now time for us to visit the Winnipeg Harvest’s warehouse. After the barbeque we had some left over sausages, chips and drinks so we wrapped them up and donated them to the hard working volunteers and staff at the Winnipeg Harvest. We had a brief tour of the facility before unloading the donations. Overall the Delta Winnipeg donated $610 in cash and an outstanding 334 pounds of food!!!!

Delta and Winnipeg Harvest working together!

Along-side my newfound friend Suzanne; I had begun the tour 16 days ago. Unfortunately this incredible once in a lifetime experience was about to come to an end for me, as the Ontario regional ambassador Carys was about to take over. After meeting and working with so many fabulous individuals and organizations, this was a life changing experience that I will definitely remember forever. The gratification I have felt being a part of the Community Cruiser tour is unexplainable. Words cannot express how I felt being able to help so many people in need, and it really opened my eyes to see how much a lucky individual like me takes for granted. I’m extremely sad to go but I look forward to following the tour online and watch my fellow cruiser’s continue to help others and work hard to achieve the goal of raising $1 million dollars for charities and help donate 10, 000 community services hours…

Farewell my friends, it has been an absolute pleasure to have been a part of the Delta Community Cruiser tour.

The hand-over!

Warmest Regards,

Geoffrey Alan
Prairies Regional Ambassador

Big Bike! Bigger Hearts!

How many people can say that they have ridden a 29 person bike before? How many people can say that they were shot in the back of the head with a water-gun continuously while riding a 29 person bike before?? Thanks to the Delta Regina and the Heart & Stroke Foundation I can claim the first and thanks to Regional Ambassador Geoffrey I can also claim the second!!

The BIG bike

Geoff and I, along with 27 Delta Regina employees peddled our hearts out as we propelled the giant bike through the city streets. Funny hats, noisy bells and water-guns were all part of the ride, which culminated a heartfelt fundraising effort by multiple members of this caring team. The cost of a seat was $50 raised, however that was just a target and clearly not the ultimate goal. This fantastic team raised a total of $4250 for the Heart & Stroke Foundation thanks to their big hearts and their pocketbooks.

Money raised by the team at the Delta Regina

Way to go team! With the amount of fun Geoff and I were having on the big bike we could have ridden all the way to our next stop in Winnipeg! Well, maybe not! We still have the Prius though, and it’s a ton of fun too!

Sleepless in Edmonton

After a short but sweet stop in our home city of Calgary, Suzanne and I continued on our expedition and made our way north to the city of Edmonton, Alberta. Once we arrived, the fabulous staff at the Delta Edmonton South warmly welcomed us. We took a few photos with the friendly team surrounding the community cruiser and later checked into our rooms.

Being an ambassador has really started to make me feel as if I am a famous celebrity. We never know what to expect, as there have been so many surprises along the tour. Although we had no event scheduled for the evening, we unexpectedly got invited to a private VIP launch party for NOW radio. This popular local radio station welcomed us into their studios where we were given a tour and had the opportunity to indulge in everything from pizza and chicken wings to sushi and champagne! While being overwhelmed with free stuff we were then invited into a sound proof recording room where Suzanne and I were able to introduce ourselves and got to record a short conversation between the two of us and the NOW radio stations DJ. This was very interesting and exciting experience to say the least.

After a well-deserved sleep, we prepared ourselves both physically and mentally for the big event we had ahead of us. We arrived at the Telus Baseball Field shortly after 4pm. We met lots of volunteers who had been hard at work setting up for the event. We drove the community cruiser right onto the middle of the field so that everyone could see the gleaming Toyota Prius. The event “Homeless for a Night” was about kick off as hundreds of people started arriving at the field. This event was organized with the intentions of raising awareness and donations for the Youth Emergency Shelter Society. Volunteers raised money for this organization and donated their time, as they were about to spend the entire night in the field.

With the help of the Delta Community we stuffed a whopping 93 pillows into the cruiser. We then sold tickets to people who were given the chance to guess how many pillows were in the vehicle. With so many close guesses, we finally determined a winner who guessed that there were 92 pillows inside the Prius. This lucky lady won a two-night stay at any Delta Hotel across Canada.

A large tent was set up in the middle of the field near the community cruiser where a Delta Sanctuary bed was set up just like a hotel room. This tent had everything from carpet, lamps, a television and even a DVD player. We showcased the tent as we sold tickets to people. Around 9pm we drew the winning ticket and called out the number. The winner came to the stage and was escorted by the Canadian Army to the Delta room (open tent). This proud and popular winner got to spend the night in the comfortable Sanctuary bed. All the proceeds from both contests were donated to the Youth Emergency Shelters. Around 11pm we took the 93 pillows out of the cruiser and donated them to the shelters as well.

A stage was set up where people were enjoying themselves listening to live local bands, comedians and watching dance shows. There was a beer tent and concession stands for people to enjoy. The field was full of excitement as people (including myself) played football, baseball and passed around Frisbees. As the sunset and the sky got dark, the Army set up controlled bonfires, which become very popular spots. As people enjoyed the warmth of the fire, marshmallows were being roasted and people were playing their guitars.

Being in Alberta, the sun set very late and rose very early, which didn’t help many of these excited participants settle down and fall asleep. The majority of the participants did not sleep and made it through night with ease. Suzanne and I were both very exhausted around 6am where we returned to the hotel to get some rest. This was a very successful event and I was astonished at how many people came out to raise money for such a great a cause. The organizers seemed very grateful for everyone’s efforts and donations. I found this event to be very touching and I will remember this night for the rest of my life.

Best Regards,

Geoffrey Alan- Prairies Regional Ambassador

Chills, Grills and Thrills!

What is June in Calgary without a little rain??
As a native Calgarian I wasn’t completely surprised by the gloomy day that was on hand for our Thrill of the Grill kickoff at the Olympic Plaza site in downtown Calgary. Geoffrey and I, now accustomed to rainy Cruiser events, donned our warm Cruiser fleeces and our well-worn raincoats. Along with the many, many volunteers from the three Calgary Delta locations, we were prepared for whatever the skies would bring.

Now Calgary is my hometown, so when I say that this was by far the best event, I am completely biased!! However it was fantastic! Spirits were high when Geoffrey and I arrived to find the site organized with multiple grills set to thrill and a fantastic stage area for the Iron Chef competition; and what a competition it was! Thanks to the good humor of the three Calgary Delta hotels Executive Chefs and some local celebrity antics assisting them, an entertaining show was on display for all those charitable patrons purchasing a yummy lunch.

After a 45-minute preparation period, in which the two special ingredients of Bison (a local delicacy!) and pineapple (less local!) were to be incorporated into the meals, the three teams were ready to WOW the judging panel, which was comprised of three local media personalities and a representative from Habitat for Humanity Calgary. While it was evident that the judges were thoroughly impressed with each of the meals, not surprisingly (to me) the Delta Calgary Airport pulled out a win and proudly hoisted this years Thrill of the Grill trophy (Way to go Chef John!!). After the newly crowned Iron Chefs posed for pictures with their impressive trophies and made a sentimental acceptance speech (which included a huge thank you to Gary Coleman!) the event swiftly came to a close.

Despite the rain and the chill, this years Thrill of the Grill kick-off was a success, as it brought out a number of media outlets to recognize and communicate our fundraising efforts to the fine citizens of Calgary. While neither Geoffrey nor I were interviewed, we did have an opportunity to speak about the tour during a “commercial break” during the Iron Chef competition. It has become a lot less nerve wracking speaking in front of large groups of people. I really enjoy being able to share all of the amazing events that I have participated in and the amount of good we have done for so many communities. This time it was nice to be home and to contribute some goodness alongside my Calgary family.

Now in true Calgarian fashion, I should be dreading our upcoming trip to Edmonton. However, I’m not. I am intrigued by their “Homeless for a Night” event and what it will entail. While I know in the depths of my being that the Stampeders and the Flames FAR out-rank the Eskimos and the Oilers, I somewhat suspect that they may have a pretty cool event awaiting us. Time will tell…

We Raised A Lot More Than Just The Roof In Whistler!

After a warm send off from the team at the Delta Burnaby Hotel and Conference Centre, we were off to test our ride on the new Sea to Sky Highway as we headed to our next destination.

What a send-off!

I would have to say that there is no better spot to test out the full potential of the Toyota Prius – then this scenic highway. The road is filled with many steep inclines which allowed us to enjoy the “Power Mode” feature when we needed an extra boost and also use the “Eco Mode” to charge our battery while we cruised smoothly through many of the valleys.

When we arrived into Whistler, we were welcomed with a loud and friendly cheer by all of the team members of the Delta Whistler Village Suites and the Tantalus Lodge. They were eager to have the Cruiser back in their home town, help make a difference in their community and to get the party started! The 2nd Annual Raise the Roof Party took place at Buffalo Bills and was being held in support of the local charity partners: Whistler Adaptive Sports Program, and Habitat For Humanity – Sunshine Coast Region.

An incredibly successful and entertaining night ensued; to the sound of Bluesberry Jam, people mingled, raffled, and generously bid on a number of fabulous donated items. All told the evening was a huge success, raising an amazing amount (approximately $12,000) and beating their efforts from the previous year. Way to go!!

After a fun packed week of excellent events, I’m looking forward to a weekend of taking in the wonderful sights and food of Whistler, before we embark on the next leg of our journey. Look out Kelowna, here we come!!!!!

Blog by BC Regional Ambassador - Denise Jury