So, remember that I said that the idea just kind of came out of nowhere and it wasn't a big deal? That's how it was at first. We held an audition, did a little bit of prep like confirming the venue (WLSS commons), nothing big. I don't think anybody was all that excited at that point, because we had a month to go and nobody really foresaw what a hit it would be at that point. I think what got us really excited was seeing the poster Riley designed for us.
After I saw the poster, it hit me, you know? It hit me that we were really going to do this, we were going to attempt to pull off the first event of it's kind in Williams Lake. We might make an actual difference. I think I can speak for everybody when I say we were getting really, really excited.
The planning process was stressful, to say the least. I didn't know what I was doing - nobody really did - so we were kind of running around like headless chickens trying to make it perfect. We wanted to make a statement and we only had one shot, so we had to make it count. Out of all the GSA members, though, I was by far the most stressed - somebody (I can't remember who but I think it was Jo) once referred to me as a "giant chaotic tornado of stress".
After a lot of maybes and cancellations, we managed to put together a show consisting of 14 performers/performing groups and then there was me with my speech. The advertising began - posters everywhere, and I mean everywhere. We printed some pretty colourful ones and then about 200 half-page black-and-white flyers that were divided up among GSA members and I'm pretty sure every single one was used.
It was on the radio, too. Still, since it was the first event of it's kind here in town and Williams Lake is a bit behind in the times, we weren't expecting that many people. Our goal was 100 - that would have been amazing, we figured. We ironed out every last little detail and were determined that things would go smoothly and according to plan - maybe that was just me. Like I said before, I didn't know what I was doing, so I just worried constantly and incessantly about everything from what the set list order would be to how many balloons we should buy.
The big day got closer, and I got more excited - and nervous - and then things sort of came crashing down. The Sunday before the concert (it was a Wednesday) I unfairly lost my job and was having some other personal issues. Jo showed up at my apartment at 10 p.m. and sat on my front step with me while I ranted and tried not to cry, then she took me for ice cream. She assured me that this was going to be huge, and I had to focus on our goal & not let all the hurt I was facing get into the way of that. I wanted this so much and I had to be strong. So, for the next three days, I immersed myself completely into the last minute preparations. I ended up getting tonsillitis, so I literally stressed myself sick.
Still though, I went to school on the Day of Silence (I was grateful that I didn't have to talk all day because my throat was killing me), downed a lot of Buckley's, and tried to relax. At 3:30 sharp I was at WLSS to start setting up. I was kind of unpleasant to deal with, I think (Riley will confirm that for you), but really it was just because I cared so much and wanted everything to go smoothly, which of course, it didn't - does anything ever go smoothly?
The biggest problem we ran into was the sound system - we thought we had somebody who could work it but it turns out he didn't have adequate permission, kind of the fault of everybody for not looking into the fine details of permission to use the WLSS sound system (we know for next time). We are forever in debt to Mr. Morton for staying way later than he had to to run the sound system for us - thank you so much, on behalf of the whole GSA.
Then there was a bit of drama with one performer in particular, who walked out of the building literally minutes before the show was supposed to start. Oh, and the CDs I burned with a couple peoples' backing music didn't work, so Jo and I had to race back to my house and put said backing music on my iPod.
Still, though, the show must go on, and it certainly did. Jeremy Nicholson opened the show, and instantly, all the stress and worries we were facing melted away. Everybody who was back stage started hugging and grinning and whispering "We did it, we did it!"
The performers were amazing - they were amazing to work with, amazing to listen to, amazing support of our cause. My nerves pretty much dissolved, that is, until it was time for me to recite my speech. Like I said before, I was sick - really sick. About 30 seconds before going on stage I was downing the Buckley's like it was lemonade on a hot summer day (don't do drugs, kids). Shaking and shaking and shaking, I stepped on stage, took the microphone with Jo, and launched right into it without even looking at the audience. My heart was pounding. I had never attempted anything like this before - I mean, I'm a shy person. I'm way better about it than I used to be but still.
Get Loud (From The Silence Comes The Noise) from lexiii flora saffel! on Vimeo.
All I can say is, wow. Wow, wow, wow - I mean, I got a standing ovation for that. I got tons of emails and Facebook comments and status likes and smiles and waves in the halls and people coming up to me to say thank you. I was overwhelmed with all the positive support. Truth is, I don't feel like I said what I wanted to say in the most articulate, powerful manner that I was capable of and I'd love a do-over (in a perfect world, eh?), but apparently it was enough, because I managed to open people's eyes. I managed to make people think, make people tear up, even change a couple people's perspectives. That's all that matters in the grand scheme of things.
I'm really proud of that moment, I think that was the proudest moment of my life up until this point. I'd never done anything meaningful or great until then. I was so overwhelmed with emotion by the end, when Jo and Megan and Tara came out on stage, that I didn't even realize I had gotten a standing ovation until I'd gone back stage and Megan told me. I guess coming out on stage in front of 200 people isn't something that happens every day.
Oh, I hadn't mentioned that already - we had over 200 people show up! That's double what our goal was. We got six big boxes of food for the Salvation Army in donations, and about $90 in cash donations. We did a good job of spreading the word, I guess.
Hallelujah from lexiii flora saffel! on Vimeo.
Photo collage courtesy of Laureen Carruthers, www.laureencarruthersphotography.com
There are tons more pictures on the Facebook group if you're interested.
This was the GSA's first big event, first big impact, and we're all pretty proud of it. I think I can speak for everybody when I say that. Thank you so much to everybody who was a part of it, from the other GSA members to the audience members.
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