Canada - November 2008

The First Thirty by Jillip Naysinthe Paxson (and expanded version, The Silhouette Man ) tells the story of a person's efforts to make a difference in the world outside his window and the first thirty lessons learned along the way. The book was honored as NSDLC 2007 Multicultural Relations Book of the Year. Greg Forbes Siegman is the real-life person upon whom the two books are based.

Before he left for Canada, Greg made a list of goals for the trip.  They included: (1) getting there and back safely, (2) impacting as many people – and being impacted by as many people – as possible during his 4 days in Canada, and (3) to try and sleep a little bit along the way

This was Greg’s third trip to speak in Canada.  To see pictures and feedback from his trip in 2006, click Here .  To see pictures and feedback from his trip in 2007, click Here .

On Tuesday afternoon -- Election Day in the United States -- Greg arrived in Toronto.  [Voted early so that I could still take part in the election process back home.]  Upon arriving, he quickly discovered Canadians had a lot of interest in the election back in the U.S.

To ensure he got to the hotel safely and quickly (and got back to the airport when leaving the next day), he chose to ride with North Star Limousine Services . 

That night, after working out at the hotel's great fitness center and dinner with a new friend, Greg joined some other new friends to watch the results of the elections back in the United States. 

For his visit to Toronto, Greg stayed at the Novotel Toronto Centre .  

On Wednesday morning, in advance of Remembrance Day (a national holiday in Canada), Greg was a guest speaker at an event for about 400 of the 5th through 12th grade students at The York School -- an extraordinary school in Toronto.

In conjunction with the event, The Toronto Blue Jays ordered copies of The First Thirty for the school.  For more on the organization, their efforts on the field and in the community, visit www.BlueJays.com  

Two of the Blue Jays’ representatives attended the event on behalf of the team. Following the event, they took Greg to the Rogers Centre for an (awesome!) tour of the Blue Jays' home and then lunch.

That afternoon, Greg switched hats. Usually, he's the interviewEE. This time, he was the interviewER -- having accepted invitations to write articles for a couple magazines in Canada.

After the event, he walked around the area - where he saw locations like Chapters, Roots, Hearing Solutions, Toronto Public Library and NIKE Toronto.  (For more on NIKE supporting Greg’s recent participation in a triathlon, go to www.TakingLeaps.com and click Triathlon 2008)

THURSDAY MORNING

...but only after I got a chance to eat a little box of my beloved Cheerios while I was waiting in the green room!

After the interview, he served as a guest speaker at an event for staff members at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. 

In conjunction with the event, TBayTel ordered some copies of The First Thirty for the children who benefit from this organization’s efforts to fight cancer.  For more on TBayTel, go to www.TBayTel.com

That afternoon, Greg was a guest speaker at an event for seniors at the Herb Carroll 55 Plus Centre (among the nicest group of people I’ve ever met anywhere – ever!)

During his trip to Thunder Bay, Greg stayed at the Victoria Inn Hotel & Convention Center .   

On Thursday night, there was a one night only exhibit of My Sleepless Nights   at Lot 66.

The event was co-chaired by Rachel Law and Bianca Garofalo. The ticket proceeds for the event benefited Children’s Centre of Thunder Bay. In conjunction with the event, Victoria Inn Hotel & Convention Center made a very generous donation as well.

The outstanding chefs at Lot 66 provided appetizers for the guests at the event.

Printing sponsor for the event was Corporate Graphics. Media sponsor for the event was the Chronicle-Journal (the primary newspaper in Thunder Bay). Graphic design for the event was done by Britten Barton. Framing was done by The Framing & Art Centre. (And they all did a super job!)

As part of the event, a condensed draft of Greg’s Legacy Poem poster was exhibited for the first time. [The actual poster is being produced at full-length poster size].

The reception included the presentation of a special honor – Greg received the 2008 Portraits in Humanity Award, given to someone who has “used the arts to make a difference.”

At the event, Greg made some brief remarks – about the role art can play in our lives -- and took part in a book signing for The First Thirty  and The Silhouette Man.

FRIDAY MORNING

In advance, Children's Centre ordered some copies of The First Thirty which were given to selected members of the staff in a drawing at the event. Others ordered copies of their own - The First Thirty , expanded version The Silhouette Man , and/or companion workbook A Place To Sit - after the event.

Following lunch and milkshakes, Greg led a 90 minute workshop for students involved with the Centre.

Best part of an informal workshop ...I got to drink my milkshake during the event :)

In advance, Children's Centre also ordered some copies of The First Thirty which were given to selected students in a drawing at the event.

That night, Greg accepted an invitation to attend a gathering at someone’s home.  

Afterwards, they all went to a benefit for a boy in the area who was fighting cancer.  The benefit was attended by 1000 people. 

The benefit had a silent auction, a live auction, bands, food and drinks, and other very cool things like Highlights for Hope – all done to help raise funds for this young boy and his medical needs.  (Truly amazing to see a community come together like that!)

After the benefit, Greg went out to a club with people he met in the area - before eventually (finally!) getting to bed around 3 am

On Saturday, Greg spent the day working on two activities that are really important to him – thank you’s and remembering where you started.

In the afternoon, he went to lunch with Dr. Fred Gilbert, President of Lakehead University.  Dr. Gilbert was the person who first invited Greg to speak in Canada a couple years earlier – which is what led to these other invitations ever since.  The two having lunch has become a fun tradition on each of Greg’s visits to Thunder Bay.

On the plane ride home, Greg worked some more on his 3rd and final goal of the 4 day trip: to sleep at least a little

During the trip, another chapter of The First Thirty Elevator Project was implemented. To learn about this Project, how it started, what it has turned into, and how you could be part of it, go to www.TheFirstThirty.com and click Elevator Project.

As always, his trip was filled with meetings with old friends - some planned, some by chance - and unexpected meetings and adventures with new ones. Here are pictures of some of the memorable people and places who crossed his path during the trip...

From event for students:

Sean Mitchell, Director of Student Life, The York School: "... always love showing people around Toronto.  He was a great visitor.  The speech was great and I had some very positive comments come my way...  Thanks to Greg for doing such a professional and complete job from start to finish."

"It was so nice to meet Greg here at the Children's Centre. Just to help him identify who I am, I was the one who cried during his morning presentation with the staff. I had three of my youth attend his afternoon session and they really enjoyed it...the one thing that he said that has really stuck with me, is how he described how his brain works in a different way, "no better, no worse, just different". I recently met a new youth coming in to one of our residential homes who said almost the same thing at our first meeting. He talked about how his thoughts, and how he thinks, is very different than most other people. [Greg's speech] has really given me an 'in' to explore this with him...it is up to [us] adults in the [lives of students like that] to recognize, explore, encourage and celebrate the differences. Thank you to Greg for this reminder!"

From event for adults:

Jennifer Swerdlyk, Children's Centre of Thunder Bay staff: "I have to say that I was very touched by Greg's speech today. I can honestly say that I haven't been so captivated by a speaker since I attended World Youth Day in Toronto in 2002. ...I very much look forward to reading his books!"

From event for seniors:

Magdalena King, Executive Director, Herb Carroll 55 Plus Centre, Canada: "Phenomenal! Greg's talk was an inspiration and impacted everyone in the room. Didn't deserve anything less than a standing ovation and the seniors gave it to him. His gracious, sensitive nature and passion for life has made him the person he is today. Grandma taught him well. Thanks again fo his story - it was magical."

Laura Morine, Owner/Operator, ABC Embroidery, who attended the Lot 66 event, talking about another attendee she met through the event:  "At the event, I  met [another attendee] who...it turns out he had such instrumental advice and information that it will progress my business into the future. ..and it was someone I would not have met anywhere else due to the circles we run in.  I too, was able to provide aid to another person that night that will help in their future which is a nice feeling to walk away with..."

To return to Greg's website, visit www.GregForbes.com

Special thanks to everyone I met in Toronto and Thunder Bay, and along the way to/from each place, the organizers of the events where I spoke (and the groups to whom I spoke), as well as Lot 66 (and all the great groups that sponsored the event there), plus Rachel, Sean, Novotel Toronto Centre, Toronto Blue Jays, Herman Miller Canada, TBayTel, North Star Limousine Services, Hearing Solutions, Victoria Inn Hotel & Convention Center, Bianca, Mike, Chris, Randy, Firoz, Michael, Holly, Ray, Katya, Kelly, Barry, Hannes, Mark, Tom, Fred, Jen, Laura, Teri, David and many more. It was a busy 4 days! I appreciate so many people and places being part of it.