My thoughts ...

September 22, 2021, has come and gone, and on that day, instead of lamenting the province’s new vaccine certificate program as I’m sure many did, I chose to celebrate the birthday of my eldest daughter. Yes, the same one who got married in April when I mused on how the wedding and event industry that prides itself for the ability to plan and execute events was not nearly as organized as construction.

Plenty has changed since then. My family celebrated a beautiful, yet teeny tiny wedding; we mourned the passing of a lifelong friend from COVID; we have a new G1 driver; plus countless other ups and downs along the way. We certainly appear to be a resilient bunch.

As we at the League of Champions prepare to join the OGCA team in Quebec City for their 83rd AGM, I for one have no issue sharing #WhyIGotTheShot. It was solely my choice to vaccinate. I was not forced or shamed into having it. I have a not-so-senior dad with early dementia, and seeing him thrive in his retirement community brings me so much comfort. I have kids who are mostly grown, but they still need their mum to do things with. I love my job, and my increasing interactions with our Champions. For these reasons, plus many more, there was always the potential for me to be a high transmitting individual. I want to continue representing the LOC and supporting Safety Excellence. I want to continue to have a positive impact on my members and build lasting relationships with our Champions, and if I was unvaccinated, I may not have the same opportunities, nor would I necessarily feel safe doing all that I currently do. These are just a few of the reasons #WhyIGotTheShot.

I believe that the goals of a strong leader should include focusing on the growth and well-being of both employees and stakeholders, and helping people develop and perform as highly as possible. Now that we have reached the next critical period in our recovery from COVID-19, as an industry, our cumulative actions speak louder than words. I want to continue representing the LOC with a commitment to growth, building a safety community, and I encourage you to join us!

After all of this, I do have one small request. If you are attending the OGCA AGM, please ask for me – I’ve waited long enough to meet you!