REUNION PROGRAM SCHEDULE
Friday, May 25
1:00-5:00pm Check in at Festival Theatre (old arena at 540 Main Street). This is when and where you pick up your registration package and get your residence room assignment.
1:30-2:30 Campus tour departing from the Fountain Learning Commons (old McConnell dining hall). No doubt there have been many changes since your day so tour the campus and hear about campus life today.
2:30-3:45 Opening Reception hosted by the Society of Acadia University Recreation Graduates in the KCIC (Irving Centre) Garden Room in the Irving Centre. Come to this grand room, to begin reuniting with former classmates and meeting fellow graduates.
4:00-5:30 Official Reunion Welcome-Fountain Commons. At this event, we will officially welcome you back to campus, and you will discover who is attending the reunion, details of upcoming events, and begin the stroll down memory lane. Distinguished guests including Acadia President Ray Ivany, our own Hugh Bray ’75 who is President of the Associated Alumni of Acadia, and Wolfville Mayor Bob Stead, former Acadia Director of Admissions.
6:00-6:45 Kick-Off Dinner-Wheelock Dining Hall. Many will be amazed at the posh surroundings and quality of food available to students in dining hall today.
7:00-8:30 Free time to roam the campus and town or settle into your dorm room.
8:30-1:00 Nostalgia Night-Fountain Learning Commons. Come dressed in the fashion of your era to relive and share the special moments and memories of your experience at Acadia, and learn what resonates with other Acadia Recreation graduates. The evening will feature a “campfire” with musical entertainment provided by Acadia Recreations finest, videos from the vault, tables of memorabilia from each of the decades, live and silent auction, themed open mic sessions, an opportunity to reconnect with current/past faculty members, and of course lots of food and drink
1:00-5:00pm Check in at Festival Theatre (old arena at 540 Main Street). This is when and where you pick up your registration package and get your residence room assignment.
1:30-2:30 Campus tour departing from the Fountain Learning Commons (old McConnell dining hall). No doubt there have been many changes since your day so tour the campus and hear about campus life today.
2:30-3:45 Opening Reception hosted by the Society of Acadia University Recreation Graduates in the KCIC (Irving Centre) Garden Room in the Irving Centre. Come to this grand room, to begin reuniting with former classmates and meeting fellow graduates.
4:00-5:30 Official Reunion Welcome-Fountain Commons. At this event, we will officially welcome you back to campus, and you will discover who is attending the reunion, details of upcoming events, and begin the stroll down memory lane. Distinguished guests including Acadia President Ray Ivany, our own Hugh Bray ’75 who is President of the Associated Alumni of Acadia, and Wolfville Mayor Bob Stead, former Acadia Director of Admissions.
6:00-6:45 Kick-Off Dinner-Wheelock Dining Hall. Many will be amazed at the posh surroundings and quality of food available to students in dining hall today.
7:00-8:30 Free time to roam the campus and town or settle into your dorm room.
8:30-1:00 Nostalgia Night-Fountain Learning Commons. Come dressed in the fashion of your era to relive and share the special moments and memories of your experience at Acadia, and learn what resonates with other Acadia Recreation graduates. The evening will feature a “campfire” with musical entertainment provided by Acadia Recreations finest, videos from the vault, tables of memorabilia from each of the decades, live and silent auction, themed open mic sessions, an opportunity to reconnect with current/past faculty members, and of course lots of food and drink
Saturday, May 26
8:00-9:00 Breakfast available in the first floor lounge of Eaton house for those staying in residence.
9:30-11:30 Concurrent Offerings: Meet at the Fountain Commons
1. Recreation Soap Box: In this session, participants will have the opportunity to learn more about other members of the Acadia Recreation family and have others learn about you by taking turns on the ‘recreation soap box, taking five minutes to express their thoughts on whatever topic of their choosing. It may be a commentary on a current issue, description of a best practice, promotion of a particular product/service, etc. This may be your final opportunity to make a presentation at Acadia!
2. Irving Centre/Gardens Tour-Irving Centre. Donated to Acadia by the Irving family in 2002, this venue is a centre of excellence for the study of the natural environment, concentrating on the ecology of the native flora of the Acadian Forest Region. The main building of the K.C. Irving Environmental Science Centre contains state of the art research laboratories, greenhouses, and a conservatory. The Harriet Irving Botanical Gardens occupy more than 6 acres and represent a place where nature and science come together.
3. Come Play with Me (CPWM)-The first of the Come Play with Me Sessions. In your registration package you will find a list of 25 interesting things to do in the area today. If you would like to invite other to ‘come play with you’ at a certain activity, you can post a sheet on the bulletin board at the information desk in the Fountain Commons any time before 9:30am stating what they want to do during the designated time period and invite others to sign up to join you. Volunteers will be on hand at the information desk to assist you with ideas, directions, logistics and whatever else you might need to go play. Meet up at the Commons at 9:30 and off you go for a couple of hours of fun!
12:00 -12:45 Lunch – Wheelock Dining Hall.
1:30 -3:00 Concurrent Offerings: Meet at the Fountain Commons
1. Take a Hike!-Meet at the Fountain Commons. Head out for a guided hike around the woodland trails that surround the campus. The Woodland Trails cover a space that was once part of the old Acadia University Farm. In the 1940’s, orchards, field crops and farm animals were scattered throughout the area. The Woodland Trails consists of walking paths that follow a brook and a variety of forest habitats.
2. Special Interest Group Discussions - During this time, reunion attendees can facilitate a discussion session on anything that interests them, and invite others to join them by posting their topic on the bulletin board at the information desk. Topics could relate to shared career interests, current issues and challenges in the workplace, trends, best practices, or more personal topics such as parenting/grand parenting, wellness, or retirement planning. Anything you want to get a group together to talk about is fair game. One discussion session will focus on the Society of Acadia University Recreation Graduates, exploring initiatives that we may want to take on after this reunion. Suggestions already proposed include development of a history of the 40 years of the Acadia Recreation program, creation of a website, development of a database/directory of Grads and what they are doing now, educational tours/experiences, and future reunions/gatherings.
3. Come Play with me Session #2 -Fountain Commons (see description above).
3:30-5:30 Return to Planet Earth: Fountain Commons Anyone who attended Acadia Recreation Program in the early years, especially during the 80s will surely remember Spring Camp…that annual ritual where a resource team of alumni, under the direction of Jude (de Guerre) Hirsch, would facilitate an amazing week long camp experience for the first year class. Each year there was a themed program and each was more creative, innovative, and mind blowing than the one before. Now, nearly a quarter century later, Jude returns with another one of a kind themed experience, in the spring camp tradition, entitled Return to Planet Earth. This 2 hour adventure will take us all back to our common root, our Acadia experience, while weaving the threads that bind us. This is not an experience to be missed!
6:00-8:00 Dinner on your own in local restaurants. Wolfville and area boasts a broad range of culinary experiences and local eateries and are waiting to welcome you as reunion attendees. Form your own group or let us assist you to do so. Detailed information about the various restaurants and their respective fares will be available in your registration package.
9:00+ Reunion Dance-Axe Lounge in the SUB. Come ready to strut your stuff showing off your best dance moves from your era at Acadia. There will be a taking requests and dedications who will feature a mix of music from across the decades.
8:00-9:00 Breakfast available in the first floor lounge of Eaton house for those staying in residence.
9:30-11:30 Concurrent Offerings: Meet at the Fountain Commons
1. Recreation Soap Box: In this session, participants will have the opportunity to learn more about other members of the Acadia Recreation family and have others learn about you by taking turns on the ‘recreation soap box, taking five minutes to express their thoughts on whatever topic of their choosing. It may be a commentary on a current issue, description of a best practice, promotion of a particular product/service, etc. This may be your final opportunity to make a presentation at Acadia!
2. Irving Centre/Gardens Tour-Irving Centre. Donated to Acadia by the Irving family in 2002, this venue is a centre of excellence for the study of the natural environment, concentrating on the ecology of the native flora of the Acadian Forest Region. The main building of the K.C. Irving Environmental Science Centre contains state of the art research laboratories, greenhouses, and a conservatory. The Harriet Irving Botanical Gardens occupy more than 6 acres and represent a place where nature and science come together.
3. Come Play with Me (CPWM)-The first of the Come Play with Me Sessions. In your registration package you will find a list of 25 interesting things to do in the area today. If you would like to invite other to ‘come play with you’ at a certain activity, you can post a sheet on the bulletin board at the information desk in the Fountain Commons any time before 9:30am stating what they want to do during the designated time period and invite others to sign up to join you. Volunteers will be on hand at the information desk to assist you with ideas, directions, logistics and whatever else you might need to go play. Meet up at the Commons at 9:30 and off you go for a couple of hours of fun!
12:00 -12:45 Lunch – Wheelock Dining Hall.
1:30 -3:00 Concurrent Offerings: Meet at the Fountain Commons
1. Take a Hike!-Meet at the Fountain Commons. Head out for a guided hike around the woodland trails that surround the campus. The Woodland Trails cover a space that was once part of the old Acadia University Farm. In the 1940’s, orchards, field crops and farm animals were scattered throughout the area. The Woodland Trails consists of walking paths that follow a brook and a variety of forest habitats.
2. Special Interest Group Discussions - During this time, reunion attendees can facilitate a discussion session on anything that interests them, and invite others to join them by posting their topic on the bulletin board at the information desk. Topics could relate to shared career interests, current issues and challenges in the workplace, trends, best practices, or more personal topics such as parenting/grand parenting, wellness, or retirement planning. Anything you want to get a group together to talk about is fair game. One discussion session will focus on the Society of Acadia University Recreation Graduates, exploring initiatives that we may want to take on after this reunion. Suggestions already proposed include development of a history of the 40 years of the Acadia Recreation program, creation of a website, development of a database/directory of Grads and what they are doing now, educational tours/experiences, and future reunions/gatherings.
3. Come Play with me Session #2 -Fountain Commons (see description above).
3:30-5:30 Return to Planet Earth: Fountain Commons Anyone who attended Acadia Recreation Program in the early years, especially during the 80s will surely remember Spring Camp…that annual ritual where a resource team of alumni, under the direction of Jude (de Guerre) Hirsch, would facilitate an amazing week long camp experience for the first year class. Each year there was a themed program and each was more creative, innovative, and mind blowing than the one before. Now, nearly a quarter century later, Jude returns with another one of a kind themed experience, in the spring camp tradition, entitled Return to Planet Earth. This 2 hour adventure will take us all back to our common root, our Acadia experience, while weaving the threads that bind us. This is not an experience to be missed!
6:00-8:00 Dinner on your own in local restaurants. Wolfville and area boasts a broad range of culinary experiences and local eateries and are waiting to welcome you as reunion attendees. Form your own group or let us assist you to do so. Detailed information about the various restaurants and their respective fares will be available in your registration package.
9:00+ Reunion Dance-Axe Lounge in the SUB. Come ready to strut your stuff showing off your best dance moves from your era at Acadia. There will be a taking requests and dedications who will feature a mix of music from across the decades.
Sunday, May 27
7:30-8:30 Breakfast available in the first floor lounge of Eaton house for those staying in residence.
9:15-10:15 Chapel Service-Manning Chapel. A time for us to reflect upon and celebrate our common Acadia experience together and to remember those members of the Acadia recreation family who are no longer with us.
10:30 Tree Planting to acknowledge 40 of the Recreation degree program at Acadia University, and the fact that we gathered here, on this day, to celebrate. A plaque will be placed at the base of the tree that reads: In Celebration of 40 Years of the Recreation Program at Acadia University - 1972-2012-Placed by The Society of Acadia University Recreation Graduates
10:45-12:15 Society of Acadia Recreation Management Graduates AGM-Student Union Building. This will be the inaugural AGM of the SAURG and all reunion attendees are strongly encouraged to attend. A report of the work of the Interim Board of Directors will be given, an election of officers will be held, plans for future initiatives discussed, and committees formed.
12:30-1:30 Closing Luncheon: Fountain Commons. The luncheon will officially close to the reunion and will be an opportunity to reflect upon the events of the past few days, to bid farewell to old friends and new, as well as to look ahead to the future initiatives under the auspices of the newly formed Society of Acadia University Recreation Graduates. It is at this final event that one lucky alumnus will win the trip for two anywhere WestJet flies!
7:30-8:30 Breakfast available in the first floor lounge of Eaton house for those staying in residence.
9:15-10:15 Chapel Service-Manning Chapel. A time for us to reflect upon and celebrate our common Acadia experience together and to remember those members of the Acadia recreation family who are no longer with us.
10:30 Tree Planting to acknowledge 40 of the Recreation degree program at Acadia University, and the fact that we gathered here, on this day, to celebrate. A plaque will be placed at the base of the tree that reads: In Celebration of 40 Years of the Recreation Program at Acadia University - 1972-2012-Placed by The Society of Acadia University Recreation Graduates
10:45-12:15 Society of Acadia Recreation Management Graduates AGM-Student Union Building. This will be the inaugural AGM of the SAURG and all reunion attendees are strongly encouraged to attend. A report of the work of the Interim Board of Directors will be given, an election of officers will be held, plans for future initiatives discussed, and committees formed.
12:30-1:30 Closing Luncheon: Fountain Commons. The luncheon will officially close to the reunion and will be an opportunity to reflect upon the events of the past few days, to bid farewell to old friends and new, as well as to look ahead to the future initiatives under the auspices of the newly formed Society of Acadia University Recreation Graduates. It is at this final event that one lucky alumnus will win the trip for two anywhere WestJet flies!