Calgary steals lighting show
Stephanie Burr
Staff writer
January 14, 2008
Lookout’s 2007 Navy Lighting Contest display gave the Admiral’s Residence a run for the win in the building category.
The votes are in and the ballots counted for the 20th Annual Navy Lighting contest. While all entries put their best effort forward, HMCS Calgary stole the show coming in first in the ship’s category. It was a close race between the 11 entries in the buildings category, but the Admiral’s Residence won first place when all the ballots were counted. The Main Gate, Fire Hall and Lookout were close behind.
“We had a very successful year, and we are thrilled with the effort everyone put in to make this year’s contest a great one,” says Capt Darin Guenette, Assistant Base Public Affairs Officer. “We had a record 18 entries for each of the previous two contests. I have no doubt visitors got full value for their time here and left with a positive impression of the Department of National Defence, the Canadian Forces and the military community.”
The Lighting contest raised $5,508 in cash donations, and 5,095 pounds of donated food for the Mustard Seed Food Bank.
“The Mustard Seed are able to convert the pounds of food into a cash figure which, coupled with the cash donations, totals $18,246,” says Capt Guenette. “This figure is up from last year, and we had a 30 per cent increase in attendance compared to last year.”
This year’s buses were equipped with tour guides who informed visitors about the base and its buildings.
“The guides really added a lot of value to the tours. There were two dozen guides, all volunteers, and they contributed a huge part to the contest’s success,” says Capt Guenette.
Capt Guenette received plenty of positive feedback from visitors via emails, phone calls, and tour guide anecdotes.
“I heard nothing but great things from the guides about the tours, who were told over and over again from many different families that visiting the contest is a part of their annual Christmas traditions,” he says. “It’s really nice for us to hear the contest is such a success and that each year people are automatically making it part of their family celebrations.”
