Alumni

Founder's Day 2021

Founder’s Day is an opportunity for the Shawnigan Lake School community to gather and celebrate not only the founder of the School, CW Lonsdale, but also the alumni and the broader school community that has shaped where the School started from its humble beginnings in the Vancouver Island rainforest in 1916 to what it is now, a large co-educational boarding school with a mission to Spark Minds, Kindle Hearts and Forge Futures. Traditionally a weekend for alumni to gather, Founder’s Day has evolved into an event for the entire School community to celebrate.
After Founder’s Day 2020 and the hopes of meeting in person in 2021, the pandemic created yet another opportunity for the School community to show their resolve, resourcefulness, and resilience. As the pandemic continues to dictate how we must operate on a day-to-day basis, the safety of students and staff was yet again at the forefront so the decision to hold another virtual Founder’s Day was made. Head of School Richard ‘Larry’ Lamont welcomed the School community from around the world in a live-streamed video message and emphasized the desire to provide a genuine connection for all due to the isolation experienced from the pandemic and to ‘dare to dream of better days.’ From virtual class reunions over Zoom, to the launch of an online commissary, to an in-person gathering in Victoria, to gatherings in cities across the globe where regional COVID-19 restrictions allowed, the Shawnigan Community did not disappoint. Fittingly, celebrating the one’s (the classes of ’21, ’31, ’41, ’51, ’61, ’71, ’81, ’91, ’01, ’11, ’21) this year, being ONE as a community is more important now more than ever.

Harriet Klumper ’09 (Renfrew) addressed the School community at the Founder’s Day Chapel service and reflected on what it means to be a Shawnigan alumnus/a and through a metaphor of weaving a ‘Golden Thread’ how it relates to one’s Shawnigan experience; ‘what you leave behind and what you experience is like a stitch, there are parts you can see, and some you cannot, however it is all connected. Your people, your character, your strengths, and even your soul are all a part of being an alumni.’ Following these words, alumna Amelia Macintosh ’19 (Kaye’s) performed a beautiful and inspiring version of ‘Heavy’ by Birdtalker, a piece with the message that things can be hard and ‘heavy,’ but you can leave them behind, and now more than ever is an exciting time to look forward.

A year of isolation with travel restrictions and an added mask mandate have made for challenging times where connection and community are more important than ever. Reverend Jim Holland spoke of ADAPTability carrying us through the previous school year, and how LOVE will guide us through the current one. These words as chosen by Grade 12s to guide the School community through the year have been vital the last couple of years as we navigate through the ever-changing pandemic environment. With his words of wisdom, the Rev emphasized that we must live the best lives we can during COVID-19 and not slow down, reassuring those present from all around the globe that ‘everything you love about Shawnigan is still going strong.’

Many thanks to Harriet Klumper ’09 (Alumni Relations) who worked so hard to make this year’s Founder’s Day so special for our alumni.

Shawnigan Lake School is adhering to all COVID-19 guidelines released by the BC Ministries of Health and Education.
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We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.