Today, for a full day, I got to do exactly what I want to do…I took pictures. For the past two years, I have been the official volunteer photographer for The Great Canadian Picnic in Phoenix.
We have a tremendous community of Canadians in our desert…and the population grows, of course, during the winter months.
This annual picnic began 61 years ago to provide a sense of home to homesick Canadians. From the website The History of The Great Canadian Picnic:
In 1953, when Vic Wallace’s job at the Wallace Lumber Mill brought on acute asthma, his doctor advised him to move to a drier climate or his life would be cut short. So Vic, his wife, Reta, and their two daughters moved from Thamesford, Ontario, Canada – a small rural village 15 miles east of London – to Lynwood Street in downtown Phoenix.
Reta, Vic, and other expatriate Canadians arrived in Phoenix when the only things many had in common were respiratory ailments or arthritic conditions. To counteract the isolation and homesickness that sometimes troubled new arrivals, Reta and Vic started the Canadian Social Club of Greater Phoenix, bringing together newcomers who would otherwise have gone it alone. During the 1950s and 60s, it was a vital source of exchange, support and referrals for families who had relocated to the Valley.
The Royal Canadian Mountie looks out of place in the desert, doesn’t he? This gentleman was an absolute delight to photograph.
Thank you for the history info
You’re welcome, Andy. There’s much more, of course, but I found it interesting that that one woman brought together so many isolated people and that the tradition continues 60 years later.
It is amazing what people can achieve, When they put their hearts to it right
Mona, as a Canadian, your shot MOVED me. Thank you. AHA! THAT’S why you have the maple leaf as your gravatar!
Thank you, David. That is a great compliment
Oh how fun! Great blog Mona
It was a lot of fun. Thank you!
Good day – fun day. Those are the kind of events that are fun to attend, and even more fun to photograph because it lets you see/talk/photo nearly every guest. And I bet you took a bunch of photos, eh?
You betcha. It was a wonderful opportunity to practice. Today, as I was editing photos, I regretted not talking to more people than I did. I chatted with some, but not enough. Next year! It was a wonderful day.
This is very interesting. Wish here was/is someone that could organize a day like that here. I tried to attend many “gatherings” but still not really at home here.I know it takes time but I think at my age it takes much longer to fit in.
Apparently, when they organized the very first picnic, they searched the city for cars with Canadian license plates and left flyers / notes advertising the picnic. They also have many other events throughout the year, but this seems to be the largest. My friend, who married to a Canadian, is the volunteer coordinator; that’s how I got involved. I’ve had fun taking pictures, and it’s been a great for me to practice my skills.
Wonderful. Good for your photography, nothing posed everything natural . You are a very good photographer with an eye for detail.
Wow, that Mountie looks so cool! Fab portrait.
and thanks for sharing the background for this.
LOL—Canadians in Arizona…..Who knew?!
That was my first response… There is a huge Canadian community here. Some full time. Some only in the winter. The more I am with them, the more I enjoy their sense of humor.
I never heard of this! Good to know there’s a place you can feel at home, even when you’re far away…