Water Haller: Introducing the Order of the Toque!
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CWWA can only exist through its volunteers who form the technical committees, review federal policies and legislation, provide critical input at the federal level, and create the program for our national conference. Many of them step up to serve on the Board of Directors and even take on Executive roles. We’ve been wanting to recognize our volunteers for many years, but wanted to find something unique to CWWA – that came in the image of the toque.
At our National Water & Wastewater Conference in Niagara Falls last week, we were so very excited to introduce our volunteer recognition program – The Order of the Toque.
The first level is the White Toque, presented to any CWWA member who has served on a CWWA committee or special project. The second level is the Red Toque for leadership, presented to any member that has stepped up to a leadership role as a committee chair or has served on the Board of Directors. This Red Toque can also be presented to volunteers who have provided invaluable contributions to CWWA for many years. The highest level is the coveted Golden Toque, presented for exceptional leadership – primarily for serving as Vice-President, President or Secretary-Treasurer on the CWWA Board.
If you are not a long time CWWA member, you are probably wondering, "What’s with the toque obsession?” Back in 2015, we held our first ‘amalgamated’ national conference in the ski resort town of Whistler, BC. As a theme for the party, we gave everyone a ski toque with our CWWA logo. This proved to be popular swag and we received photos of members wearing the toque across the country and around the world. So we repeated the toque gift in Toronto and St. John’s and every year since…and it is now an iconic symbol of the CWWA.
The first recipients of these pins were presented at the Opening Plenary of the national conference as MANY volunteers were called to the stage. Of course, we could only present these pins "live" to those in attendance. We know we still owe a LOT of pins to you volunteers out there. We’ll get you at the next conference, or let us know and we’ll mail the right pin to you. Wear them proudly!
The first group of recipients of CWWA’s White Toque pin for volunteers. There are also several Red Toque and Golden Toques winners in there too.
You REALLY should have been there in Niagara!
If you WERE at the national conference in Niagara Falls last week, I expect you’ll agree with everything I write here. For those who made the horrible decision NOT to attend, I am writing this just to make you feel bad!
It was another amazing conference, and perhaps, according to many delegates, the best CWWA event yet. I don’t know how, but we keep managing to outdo ourselves. First and foremost, we presented an incredible technical program with 2½ days of inspired sessions. Thank you to all the speakers and to the committees and staff that developed the program.
Secondly, we were in a great location. I grew up down that way, but I still stand in awe of the majestic Niagara Falls. Standing before the Falls is truly the definition of awe. Clifton Hill? Maybe not so much, but our hotel and conference centre was excellent.
Finally, what will be most-remembered, is our Celebration Social Event at the Niagara Power Station. We had such a wonderful night of delicious food and the funniest dance band, but the facility itself stole the show. This is an architectural gem, filled with fascinating hydro-electric equipment that has been re-imagined as a museum and event space. The highlight was taking an elevator down an old water shaft to walk what was once an underground river to come out at the base of the mighty Falls.
The pressure is on, but we’ll create a new experience in Winnipeg next November!
Celebrating at the base of the Falls with Director Jaime Boutilier and happy delegate Edgar Tovilla.
