FUSION’s Report from the Chair – September 2009
Shawn Peterson, Chair, FUSION Saint John Inc.
It has been a busy time for me since becoming Chair of FUSION Saint John in August.
Since then, we have hosted our first board meeting where we welcomed several new people to the board: Shilo Boucher, Jessica Gozdzierski, Alexander Pesold, Thomas Roberts, and Lenny Qian.
It’s great to see so much enthusiasm on the board towards the city we love!
FUSION has been very active in the community this month. As communications is a top priority of mine, I thought that providing a report on what FUSION has been doing would help people understand what we do in the community.
Here is the first – “FUSION’s Report from the Chair”:
August Party with a Purpose
Our last monthly Party with a Purpose took place on Princess Street, which was closed from Canterbury to Prince William so that people could mix and mingle out on the recently rebuilt street. The weather was nice, the street was busy, and the businesses were packed – overall, another a great time for everyone who attended. Check out some pictures here!
An important thing to mention about these parties is that our Ambassadors committee was out in full swing – welcoming new members to FUSION and the city. This committee works very hard to make sure that people feel at home in Saint John!
FUSION raises over $2500 at the Saint John Dragon Boat Festival
FUSION once again participated in the annual Saint John Dragon Boat Festival. The team was made up of variety FUSION members who responded for our call for volunteers. Those who didn’t paddle came out to cheerlead!
Despite the wet weather, the team was in good spirits – and even finished in 15th place.
FUSION raised over $2,500 for the St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation by having a silent auction and 50/50 at July’s Party with a Purpose, a yard sale in Queen Square, and much more.
Thanks so much to Katie Emrich, FUSION’s 1st Vice Chair, for organizing the team and fundraising events. Stay tuned for a call for team members for next years team!
Fifth annual Harvesting the Arts Festival
The fifth annual Harvesting the Arts Festival took place in King’s Square on September 12. The rain held off, the square was packed with people, and everyone had a chance to see great local bands, artists, dancers, and more! Read more about the event in our InFUSION article and HERE magazine.
The festival was organized by FUSION’s Arts and Culture Committee, who put in a tremendous amount of time and energy into making this a successful event. I am personally very impressed with all of the volunteers who came out to help setup tents, chairs, tables, and move them back at the end of the day. It was truly a team effort!
Germain Street Open
FUSION will be hosting a hole in the Germain Street Open, an annual “urban golf” tournament, later this month. This unique event raises money for the Children’s Wish Foundation. Be sure to stop in and say hello to the FUSION members taking part!
Get Involved!
As always, FUSION is looking for people who want be involved in our local community. There are a number of committees working on fun events and activities that make a difference in our city. Everyone is welcome, and your ideas and feedback really do matter.
Remember – all of our major events, committees, and projects started out as a “what if”. Your idea could turn into our next big thing!
