This was my first "tweetup" event, and unfortunately I was unable to attend due to my own health issues. Thank goodness for the event organizers who decided to stream the event live on Ustream. I was able to feel involved in the event from the comfort of my bed.
I was so excited about this event, as I had watched how this event transpired from the very first tweet from @C_DIG (Camilla Di Giuseppe)"#YYCTWEETUP - All 4 a tweetup where we can raise funds 4 #Haiti Relief. I believe #YYC can pull off something very special. Who's in? RT pls 6:00 PM Jan 14th". This one tweet got the ball rolling, and rolling fast. It was amazing to watch all of #YYC come together and jump on board for this event. I spent my time leading up to the event sending out emails, tweets and wall posts on Facebook to bring as much attention as possible to this event and do my part in raising awareness about the relief efforts for Haiti.
The event was going to start at 5:30, the geek that I am was already to go and viewing the live stream a 1/2 hour before the event even started. I wasn't excited at all..lol. I watched as our host for the evening, @ispeakcanadian, aka Sarah, prepared herself for the live feed. I was not envying Sarah, as we all know how live interviews can be nerve racking, as you never know what people may say, and you have to be on your toes for the possibility of anything. And trust me, everything and anything did happen during the live feed and Sarah handled herself famously.
What I enjoyed the most about watching the live feed was putting faces to many of the tweeters I have had the pleasure of following on Twitter. It also gave me the opportunity to be introduced to other, like minded, Calgary tweeters that I may never have came across if it wasn't for #YYC4Haiti.
I was really impressed with how @ispeakcanadian incorporated some, if not all, of the questions that were being thrown at her by people tweeting, I was one of them. I had made a comment about how there were a lot of female eye candy in attendance at the event (Stampede Queen/Princess, Cheerleaders, etc) and I was wondering where the male eye candy was for us females. Sarah did not disappoint...she found some of the best eye candy in attendance and interviewed them, and I totally agreed with her choices (@roger was one of them...yummy)
One of the funniest moments of the evening for me was the smell of bacon. Yes, you heard me right, the smell of bacon was so overwhelming I could smell it in my bedroom. I was wondering where the smell was coming from, when, lo and behold, the biggest piece of bacon I had ever seen appeared on camera.
As soon as I saw this, I tweeted the following: "OMG the guy dressed up as a piece of bacon at #yyc4haiti too funny. Did he lose a bet?" I received a bunch of responses introducing me to Jerry Aulenbach (@ZoomJer) and was told that this is what he does. Thank you @ZoomJer for the best laugh I had in a long time. Keep up the good work.
My priceless moment of the evening would have to be the interview with the magician. The magician himself was forgettable, but the expression on @ispeakcanadians face during his magic trick was priceless.
All in all I had an awesome time participating in #YYC4Haiti. A moment, that hit home for me, was when the emcee at the event, sorry cannot recall his name right now, quoted the lords prayer "Give us our daily bread" and requested that everyone in attendance give their daily salary. This moved me enough that I instantly went to the Red Cross site and donated my daily wage of $225. This wasn't the first time I donated, as I have been busy donating via text since the earthquake happened, but his request hit home and I had to act.
The success of this event is in the amount raised for Haiti relief, well over $25,000. I am proud to live in a city where so many citizens have such great civic pride to come together like this as a whole and help those less fortunate than us. This event would not have been a success with out the outstanding work done by the following ladies: @C_DIG, @alex_ruiz, @that_angela and @ispeakcanadian. Ladies without your tireless effort this event would not have been as successful as it was. You inspired Calgary to come together for a great cause and I am truly happy to have been apart of it.
Miss Candy
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