Founder's Day 2018

 

Stories of growth and transition lasted late into the night, as Shawnigan hosted Founder's Day 2018.

 

30 years after the first female cohort arrived at Shawnigan, the school welcomed back some of these pioneering women to a campus glowing with the colours of the changing seasons.

 

In his welcome in chapel, Headmaster Larry Lamont – an avid fly fisherman – drew a parallel between Shawnigan alumni and the local Coho salmon that return each fall to their natal waterways. "There is something magical about the Shawnigan salmon's loyalty, navigational instincts, and sense of homecoming," he said. "We hope that through your lifelong migrations, as alumni, you have retained and continue to retain that vital connection with your former school – responsible perhaps for giving you the initial confidence and strength to explore uncharted waters beyond our streams and shores."

 

This year's keynote address was provided by Becky (Davis) Anderson, the current Director of the Junior School at SMUS and a member of the class of 1993. Reflecting on the transition of which she was part, Ms. Anderson described the first meeting when she and her friends proposed the formation of a girls' rugby team. "[Headmaster Hyde-Lay] listened very respectfully but came to the quick conclusion that it was not going to happen," she recalled. "And so, we accepted that answer and we walked away … Wait a second. No we didn't!" Ultimately, the persistence of Ms. Anderson and her peers paid off, and the 'Iron Women' won their lone game of the 1993 season. "What remains are the friendships and the core belief that there is a responsibility to make our communities a better place, one girls' rugby team at a time."

 

The weekend offered a selection of opportunities for alumni to actively engage with school programming, from a printmaking workshop with Director of Visual Arts Vikki Agate to alumni hockey, rugby, and field hockey games. In the afternoon, a cabaret in the Hugh Wilkinson Theatre showcased some of the school's current standouts in music, theatre, and dance.

 

Saturday also brought a celebration of rowing to the Frank Read Crewhouse, as Director of Development Greg Stevenson unveiled a new strategic plan for rowing that includes 14 new shells plus facility renovations. Ten years after winning the Princess Elizabeth Cup at the Royal Henley Regatta, Shawnigan's famed 2008 crew returned to mark the occasion. Click here for a look at Shawnigan Rowing's latest news and the 2018 - 2021 Strategic Plan.

 

As always, the reunion weekend offered a particular focus on those celebrating their 10th, 20th, 25th, 30th, and 40th reunions. 20 members of the class of 1968 returned for their 50th reunion and received certificates, pins and ties confirming their induction into the Shawnigan Gold Club.

 

For alumni who weren't able to attend this year's Founder's Day but who wish to connect further with the school and with the wider Shawnigan community, Shawnigan Connect provides an exclusive online professional networking and mentorship platform for Shawnigan alumni. Learn more at this link.