Setting Up Our Displays

Today is setup day where all Finalists prepare their displays for judging tomorrow. We started off with a quick breakfast before gathering our materials to bring down to the exhibit hall. The South Fraser Finalists started right away. For most, it took about two hours to complete their setup. Lots of glue, tape, scissors and little pieces of paper. Every word had to be in the right place. Every information sheet had to be aligned with one another. Everything had to be perfect! 

Poor Stuti and Cheryl. They had used their own double sided tape as instead of the official tape supplied by the CWSF. After completing their setup, this was brought up and they had to take everything down and re-tape it all with the proper tape. Reason being is that any other tape than that supplied by the CWSF would be too sticky and peel off the coating on the panels. Unfortunately this made their setup over four hours long. 

Spencer and Charles had to sort out Big Bertha (their project). As everyone knows, it's huge. We requested that the CWSF make provisions for them to show Big Bertha. In order to not block their display, they were given a second booth right beside their official stall. The head person of whom granted the boys permission for this wanted to perform the safety check herself. Without a hitch, Big Bertha passed with flying colours. 

Jenny, Jesse and Katarina had to re-align their displays as they drifted off alignment. It was really handy to have their smartphones because they used the levels to align and make certain everything was square.

Winnie was super fast with her display setup. She had brought her project in on the pre-printed poster rolls. Winnie then had the time to wander. 

This is the healthy food they are feeding us

Poor girls had to re-tape everything a second time.

It's all numbered. 

Here's the second booth for Charles and Spenser. 

One sheet a time, the setup can be slow

Jesse fixing the drifting alignment of her displays.

Jenny starting to set up her display

All setup was completed by 1PM. After this, the Finalists attended an orientation meeting that would give them an overview of the CWSF. Susan and I had to go to a Delegates meeting about the happenings CWSF as well. After doing so, our team came back up to their rooms to rest up or practice their presentations. They were instructed to practice their 1, 3, and 7 minute presentations. 

Shortly after 4PM, we boarded a school bus and ventured to the local curling centre for the opening ceremony and dinner.  We started off with a few speeches from the organizers and some of the CWSF National Committee members. Soon after, the flags to Mexico, Turkey, Canada, and all the provinces and territories were paraded in one by one in a flag ceremony.  The dinner was held in the arena. The menu tonight included BBQ ribs and chicken, baked potatoes, salad, and a good assortment of vegetables. Dessert was both heathy and sinful. There was plenty of fruit available such as cantaloupe,  pineapple wedges, and strawberries. The sinful part was all the brownies, lemon squares, cake, and profiteroles. 

The pseudo-selfie

There were a several speeches made, then the ceremony concluded with two performances. We got to enjoy a local native drumming circle. The drums were loud and had deep resonance. The singers voices could barely be heard above the drums. Shortly after the drumming circle, we were entertained by the German Dance Group. They were quite humourous dancing away in their suspenders and lederhosen. I'm sure their relevance is due to the German settlers of the early days of Saskatchewan.

Drummers circle with deep resonating beats. 

The lederhosen boys.

Our bellies were stuffed to the top and we were ready to head back to the residences by 7PM. After a quick meeting before going their separate ways, Susan and I walked our Finalists through judging day and events that would follow afterwards. We recommend that they practice their presentations, and be in bed for 10PM. Tomorrow before breakfast, the Finalists will have to get dressed up before going down to the cafeteria.