View Full Version : Thanks to Everyone that Attended
Tracy Hautanen
08-12-2004, 10:52am
Thanks To Everyone
Just a quick note to thank all of the fans that attended this year's convention. I really enjoyed seeing old friends again and meeting new ones. Although the thought of planning next year's convention sort of scares me, I am looking forward to seeing all of you again.
Some of my highlights from the convention include:
Coming into the lobby of the centre on Wednesday and seeing 3 familiar faces in Chris, Irene, and Betsy, and realizing that there was no point in worrying about convention plans because it was already underway.
I also enjoyed seeing the looks on everyones faces on Thursday night as the reunited with old friends or met people they knew through the different message boards.
On friday of course, I was thrilled to hear positive comments about the exhibits, but most of all, I enjoyed watching Tom catch a fish............apparently the fish I saw him catch isn't as big as the one he tells everyone he caught??!?
I have to admit that the @#>%* stage gave me some grief on friday, but in the end, I loved watching the excitement take over as the intro music played and the lights flashed on the stage........it was amazing to watch all of you rush the stage and dance like you were really at a concert.
I will tell you some day about the entire bus "hiding" and moving from location to location, but it certainly was a relief to finally show it to all of you.
I was also relieved to pick up JD and Cory at the airport after some of the difficulties we experienced getting them into town. One person I continued to have in the back of my mind as the thought that they wouldn't make it was Ted.........someday Ted can explain.
The donation to the local food bank on Saturday blew me away, it was awesome, and finally,... watching everyone dance with Cory and JD on the stage made the weekend complete for me.
Thank you everyone for the memories, and I look forward to seeing all of you again.
Irene, I look forward to taking orders from you again next year.
Jack, bring extra balls next year, (golf balls!!!)
Linda and Debbie, I will try not to mix up your names.
Take Care everyone,
Tracy ;)
A BIG THANK YOU TRACY for organising the event and having us (or putting UP! with us - hee hee !).
I'm sure I speak for all the rest that we truly enjoyed ourselves very much and look forward to the 3rd convention next year..... another 358 days to go !!!! Woo hoo !!!!!!
Hope you're getting a well deserved break ....... and promotion (if it hasn't happened already !)....... !!!
You can also expect a bigger turn out from Europe next year. I'll be sure to post more pics showing the fun that we all had. Time went by so quickly in Timmins..... so much to do with so little time !!
Thank you for being there :D
Take care !
GB
A BIG THANK YOU TRACY for organising the event and having us (or putting UP! with us - hee hee !).
I'm sure I speak for all the rest that we truly enjoyed ourselves very much and look forward to the 3rd convention next year..... another 358 days to go !!!! Woo hoo !!!!!!
Hope you're getting a well deserved break ....... and promotion (if it hasn't happened already !)....... !!!
You can also expect a bigger turn out from Europe next year. I'll be sure to post more pics showing the fun that we all had. Time went by so quickly in Timmins..... so much to do with so little time !!
Thank you for being there :D
Take care !
GB
Well said Grace, and it was SO NICE seeing you again and watching you experience Timmins for the very first time. When you think of the little things such as JP sharing his personal video with us and the attentive way Tracy and Ren and Frank and Will looked after us all you can not help be moved by what the people of Timmins did for us this year.
I hope next year you get to meet David Hartt, the former keyboard player with Longshot so you can beter understand Eilleen's teenage years as much as I do.
I am so proud of the way we respected Carrie Ann and JD/Cory's space during this years events, only asking for photo's and all that when invited. I have said this before and I will say it again and again.
Individually Shania's fans are very good. Together WE ARE AWESOME and a great force for the good and positive in this World. I consider it very special to know you and thank you for letting me get this close. Thank's for hanging out with us last weekend.
So great to read all the stories from the convention, it was a success by all standards, and a big hurrah to Tracy and the people at the STC and Timmins who put this wonderful gathering together!!!!!! Thanks guys!!! :up:
Next year you are gonna see so many people from around the world that you won't believe your eyes, as people haven't spent their money on the tour and will have saved for a year to attend the FanCon :D
Yep, the begging starts here for next year!!! Unless you guys fancy going on the road next year? I hear Europe is nice this time of year!!!
Paul:)
Yep, the begging starts here for next year!!! Unless you guys fancy going on the road next year? I hear Europe is nice this time of year!!!
Paul:)
Sorry Paul all roads lead to Timmins, nice as England is any time of the year, August in Timmins is rather special for all Shania's fans.
Mizery1
08-13-2004, 6:52pm
Besides, I don't think the STC is on wheels!!
Sorry Paul all roads lead to Timmins, nice as England is any time of the year, August in Timmins is rather special for all Shania's fans.
Say Tom, did the STC choose August coz it's the month of Shania's birthday, or was it just a coincidence ?
Sorry Paul all roads lead to Timmins, nice as England is any time of the year, August in Timmins is rather special for all Shania's fans.
I wouldn't say England is particularly nice at any time of the year!!! It's August (hottest time of the year apparantly) and we can't even get to work because of the rain and flooding this week...... :uhh: But it's worth a try......being a poor student and all!!! I don't happen to own a convention centre so it would be a bit of a squeeze in my house, but I do make a nice cup of tea!!! :funny:
Paul:)
SpotGirl_2005
08-13-2004, 10:23pm
Thank you Tracy, for planning such a fun and surprise-filled convention. :D In my opinion it was the people like you and the fans that truly made the convention successful. I hope to meet a lot more people next year. Thanks to you and to everyone at the STC for a such great time.
See you next year! :D
Allison
Kristian
08-14-2004, 12:13am
Thanks for sharing all your stories, pics, etc. Even if I couldn't attend there, it sounds it was such a great time, and I'm sure it must be great to get to know some other fans from all this world :D I know I can't attend next year too, because of my Internship, but hopefully there'll be another one in 2006 or 2007, then if I have the time and money, I'd be there for sure :great:
Say Tom, did the STC choose August coz it's the month of Shania's birthday, or was it just a coincidence ?
The convention date is more to do with local holidays than any other factor. At any one time Timmins is pushed for hotel and Tavern beds, but in August as local and national contractors go on holdiay the number of free beds rises to around the 450 mark.
If the Convention numbers double each year in 4 years time Timmins will not have enought public accomodation to host the Fan Convention.... Now that would be something would it not.... and a real example of Shania Fan Power..
Let's work on running Timmins out of accomodation soon!!!!
FinnFreak
08-14-2004, 1:59pm
...and a HUGE Thank You to the nicest people in the world in Timmins..! :D:up:
...we got back home yesterday evening, it's cold over here again... heh, we got a nice tan in Timmins - unfortunately the sunshine didn't follow us back home..!
We got to go to the sauna soon, so I'll have to get back later on & read all the stuff you guys have posted here - looks like quite a bit..! :p
...can we register for next year already..? ;)
Heh, the people of Timmins showed us Shania is not a fluke - the town just happens to produce some of the nicest people on this earth... and it was a priviledge to get to know you guys..!
...we'll be back..!
Jaana & John
So great to read all the stories from the convention, it was a success by all standards, and a big hurrah to Tracy and the people at the STC and Timmins who put this wonderful gathering together!!!!!! Thanks guys!!! :up:
Next year you are gonna see so many people from around the world that you won't believe your eyes, as people haven't spent their money on the tour and will have saved for a year to attend the FanCon :D
You got that right
Tracy, we are the ones who should be thanking you, not the other way around. You and the rest of the STC staff and volunteers did a fabulous job. Beyond the technical competence was a genuine concern for our individual well being. When Kay and I met you in the lobby of the Days Inn the evening before the first day of the convention, you immediately invited us to join you and Sal in Nikki's. When we stupidly found ourselves at the McIntire Arena separated from our car but not wanting to go by bus with the others for the fishing, you arranged for Frank to drive us to the STC where we had left our car. I'm sure this sort of kindness was duplicated many times with other conventioneers.
BTW Tracy, a key indicator of the success of the convention was my wife, Kay's, reaction. She went there as a non fan just wanting to share what she knew was something important to me. She discovered that she really enjoyed it (and I have the photo of her standing on a chair at the karaoke to prove it) and fully intends to go back next year!! LOL!!
Roger (now back from vacation)
...we got back home yesterday evening, it's cold over here again... heh, we got a nice tan in Timmins - unfortunately the sunshine didn't follow us back home..!
Jaana & John
Welcome home John & Jaana !! Hope your luggage followed you back this time ;)
Btw, apparently Betsy's luggage did your trick ! Air Canada "lost" it but luckily was found the next day !!
BTW Tracy, a key indicator of the success of the convention was my wife, Kay's, reaction. She went there as a non fan just wanting to share what she knew was something important to me. She discovered that she really enjoyed it (and I have the photo of her standing on a chair at the karaoke to prove it) and fully intends to go back next year!! LOL!!
Roger (now back from vacation)
Hey Roger ! Welcome back from the lake :) :) :) Hope you had a good time there :D
Yeah, I saw Kay on the chair grooving away - LOL ! Very COOL !!! And I was too busy enjoying myself to take many pics. Glad to hear that Kay intends to go back next year ! Neat !!
See you in 2005 !! Do keep in touch !
GB
Welcome home John & Jaana !! Hope your luggage followed you back this time ;)Lost luggage on your way over there? :eek:
FinnFreak
08-16-2004, 7:14am
heh, our bag was somewhere in the twilight zone / on an European Tour for 6 days until it mysteriously appeared in our hotel room in Timmins... on the way back it was "misplaced" for only 6 hours... never got one apology out of the airline - actually sheer rudeness: like "looks like stuff like this only happens to certain people on certain routes" :shocked: heh... I've never been to Canada before, only used that airline once & back then they didn't even lose our luggage... :smirk:
I'll be sending them some feedback & suggesting that they set up some customer service features... boy, do they need help..! ;)
John - :p
6 days????????????? :shocked: That's some tour! One could have several Shania concerts in that time :p Or attend a FanCon while at it :p
...and a HUGE Thank You to the nicest people in the world in Timmins..! :D:up:
...we got back home yesterday evening, it's cold over here again... heh, we got a nice tan in Timmins - unfortunately the sunshine didn't follow us back home..!
We got to go to the sauna soon, so I'll have to get back later on & read all the stuff you guys have posted here - looks like quite a bit..! :p
...can we register for next year already..? ;)
Heh, the people of Timmins showed us Shania is not a fluke - the town just happens to produce some of the nicest people on this earth... and it was a priviledge to get to know you guys..!
...we'll be back..!
Jaana & John
Yes that is pretty well the way I see it too Janna and John and that is why I am still having fun in Timmins, I will post more on a new thread in this section.
FinnFreak
08-17-2004, 9:26am
Great stuff I've read so far..! :D:up:
...I'll be adding some of my own personal observations on the FanCon, but that will not happen in a few days... I've still got to sort out the videos & pics, continue with giving the airline some constructive criticism... and then finally write my bit on the Helsinki soundcheck / concert... I know, it was way back in March... but I really didn't feel comfortable writing about it, until I knew for sure what I'm writing about... got that bit clarified in Timmins... ;)
...but for now:
...that hot weekend in Northern Ontario was one of the most pleasant experiences we've ever witnessed..! - and we've been to fan conventions before..! I can easily see how this annual convention will continue to grow & develop into something different compared to what it was during the first two years... some of the intimacy will be lost in the higher numers of attendees, but that will also open doors to completely new possibilities in organizing the events... I guess the people who came the first year & returned, got maybe a bit more out of this - as they got to see this thing grow from last year... 'There's no way but up from here'..? - boy, are you people at the Centre going to have to work hard for next year..! :funny: :p
...but I know: you're gonna deliver..! ;):up:
John - :)
John, you are thoughtful and perceptive so I am looking forward to your comments (and your photos) whenever you have time to do it. I am finding it hard to make time for processing my photos and I am retired. Of course the fact that my wife Kay wants to be on our one and only computer as much as I am (working on wedding preparations for our daughter) does not help.
BTW that weekend was not really hot by our standards.
Roger
FinnFreak
08-17-2004, 10:55am
BTW that weekend was not really hot by our standards.
...but to us Finns - it was..! :funny:
...and I've got a tan to prove it..! :]
...and congratulations on your daughter's engagement..! :):up:
John - ;)
BTW that weekend was not really hot by our standards.
Roger
Well it was jolly HOT by Scottish standards too, so John gets my vote on that as well! I look forward to your revue John once you get the time to post.
I predict between 120 and 200 will attend Fan Convention 2005. That will take us almost to the half way point of running the City of Timmins out of Hotel and Tavern beds. I did promise JP last year that we would fill the Days Inn and the Sunday Brunch would have to be held in the Ballroom. Well this year we filled half the Ballroom and next year they will have to open the whole room to us. By the 4th Fan Convention I expect Hotel beds to be at a premium in Timmins over the whole event. When that happens no one in town will ever doubt the reason for the existence of the Shania Twain Centre or us Shania Fans and our ability to make a difference and be a force for good in town.
There will be coverage of the presentation of our donation to the South End food Bank soon in the Daily Press.
...and I've got a tan to prove it..! :]
John - ;)Too bad you were away from Finland just as we had our own little heatwave :funny: But at least you got it over there :p
I burned myself pretty badly right here last week :p
FinnFreak
08-17-2004, 2:19pm
...and the customs didn't mind us bringing back imported tan at all..!
:p
John - :cool:
:biglaugh: :biglaugh: :biglaugh:
They were very generous :p
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