Reminiscing about DISC Toronto By Anke Foller-Carroll, Archdiocese of Toronto
What do you mean, “it’s over”?!?!?
Planning the conference had been on our radar for such a long time, that it had become a permanent staple on our weekly to-do lists. It always seemed “far in the future”, and then it came and went so fast that it almost took us by surprise. Now that things are back to “business as usual”, we find ourselves somewhat confused – feelings of disbelief, relief, let-down, and utter excitement all at the same time. The title “Past Host” doesn’t quite sound right in our ears, yet.
Even though it was a huge undertaking, we enjoyed every minute of it. The plans, the challenges, seeing how things fell into place (seemingly out of left field sometimes), witnessing how people pulled their resources together to make this wonderful event happen, was a one-of-a-kind and utmost rewarding experience. It allowed us to grow, as a team, personally, spiritually and professionally, and presented to us an opportunity that we surely would not want to have missed!
We are so thrilled by all the fantastic feedback from you, the conferees, as well as our vendors and speakers. We had made a few changes to the format this time around. It seems as if most of you went home with their expectations met, if not exceeded, and the feeling of harmony and content among the group paying tribute to the success of our event’s purpose, that of reflecting on Christ’s presence in our lives and our ministry, and showing by our actions that we truly intend to embrace His message.
Our speaker sub-committee did an awesome job to line up powerful presenters and experts. Moving, and at times very humorous, speeches by three clergymen shone light on the vast and exciting opportunities in expanding our use of technology to further our ministries, but also on the shortcomings and dangers that come along with it, and on how technology can be a crucial tool in assisting a bishop with his day-to-day work.
Our Pre-Conference consisted of a one-day workshop, facilitated by Dr. Richard Routh from the Institute for CIO Excellence at the University of South Carolina Upstate, taking a look at modern best practices for using I.T. resources and planning to better support the strategic goals of the Church. Speakers in the main conference shared their expertise on securing data and disaster recovery, offered insights in how to choose the right tech partners, increasing efficiency by centralizing data management as well as managing electronic donations, and continuing education options. Famous Church blogger Rocco Palmo reflected on the new media’s impact on the life in the Church and the way it is currently being used vs. what untapped potential it holds.
One addition to the old format were the Quick Byte Sessions on Thursday, where vendors had the opportunity to speak to attendees during a period of 20 minutes in a rotating order. They were quite well accepted.
One very upbeat presentation that received enormously positive feedback was a bit out of the ordinary, titled “Living a Stress-free Life” by renowned Life Coach CJ Calvert. Conferees commented that it was very inspirational to focus on the individual wellbeing, as you can’t excel in your career and be a good missionary for the church if you don’t put things into perspective on a personal level.
We enjoyed a great turnout among the membership as well as our cherished vendors, who are vital to the success of our conference. We had taken the initiative to boost the attendance by offering local parishes day passes to attend the sessions of their choice and to browse among the vendors in hopes of increasing business opportunities for them. Also, we had changed the format of sponsorship this time around to increase exposure options for our vendors. This has proven to be a huge success, although as always with new attempts, there is still room for development and improvement that will surely bear fruit in Boise and conferences beyond.
As for the events framing the conference, our Opening Reception was held at the studio of Salt + Light Television, our international Catholic TV Station. They served us wine and cheese, and Director Father Tom Rosica, as well as the station’s young and diverse staff, had a lot of interesting stories to share, especially since Father Tom had also been CEO of World Youth Day here in Toronto a few years back. The studio chapel was filled with memorabilia given directly to Fr. Tom by John Paul II, which was quite neat to see, aside from all the impressive work that is being produced from this rather small locale.
The Opening Mass the next day was held at St. Michael’s Cathedral, presided over by the Archbishop of Toronto, Thomas Collins, and followed by a tour. The cathedral was only a few steps away from the hotel, so we took the green approach and walked there, despite a slight drizzle from above. A few rain ponchos from the Dollar Store did the job of keeping hair and makeup in place – Ladies, you looked great!
Upon our return, we celebrated our vendors by putting on a Grand Opening ceremony. Now we wouldn’t be the “Eh? Team” if we didn’t make it all Canadian. Hard to believe, the hotel wouldn’t let us bring in a moose (ok, kidding), but we hired a “Mountie” (Royal Canadian Mounted Police). Accompanied by trumpet and drum beat, he did the honours to call each vendor into the spotlight, as well as the first time attendees at this DISC event. You may feel sorry to know that the Newbies had to endure wearing a huge Canada hat, long enough to have their picture taken, which will promptly be uploaded on the DISC website soon. Nothing like a little chuckle at other people’s expense, eh?
Double-decker buses took our delegates on a tour of Toronto, showcasing the city’s history, diversity, as well as a nice, brand-spanking new fence around the downtown core in preparation efforts for the G20 that took place two weeks after our conference. The tour ended at the Pier 4 Storehouse Restaurant along the waterfront, and the menu represented pretty much everything that the Canadian Atlantic ocean has to offer, from succulent shrimp and lobster tails to salmon and perch, and steak for those who weren’t seafood lovers. And since we didn’t just want to end the evening right there, a boat at a nearby dock took us on a cruise through the harbour taking in the city lights of Toronto.
Another opportunity for the delegates to socialize was during our Networking Banquet at the hotel on Thursday night. A murder mystery injected us with a lot of laughs as the dinner and theatrics unfolded, and a fantastic DJ made us work off those calories on the dance floor after the meal (he just knew what kind of music would fly with our group!).
A small closing reception at the hotel bar on Friday evening concluded the official event, and for those extending their stay to see more of Canada, a full busload went to explore one of the seven natural wonders of the world, nearby Niagara Falls. Standing beside the gushing water as it falls down into the gorge was a great experience, along with a dramatic IMAX movie, buffet lunch atop the Skylon Tower overlooking the Falls, and last but not least, a tour and tasting at one of the oldest and most famous wineries of the Niagara Region.
If you ever felt that the members of the board, the planning committee and the host looked a bit too relaxed during the entire time, you may “blame” it on the students from our local Tourism and Hospitality college program who had agreed to volunteer for us. It was a win-win situation as it gave them hands-on experience in event organization, which is what they are training for, while we were all able to join in the sessions and social gatherings as we pleased without having to worry much about the registration desk, meal services, or other hosting duties.
All in all, we are nothing but thankful for this wonderful time. Knowing that the membership left in high spirits, that all events went as planned, and that even the weather was on our side during those times when we emerged from the hotel to experience what Toronto has to offer, is comforting and gratifying. We truly felt God’s presence among us as we gathered together, and we hope and pray that everyone took a bit of inspiration and zest with them to their homes and workplaces.
We are handing off to Boise now, and we’ll be seeing you all in beautiful Idaho next year, eh??!!!
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