Something wonderful happened at the beginning of June. Something that hasn’t happened since 2019. Admin Slayer was finally able to hold an in-person retreat for its Slayers on beautiful Bowen Island, B.C. Just as wondrous was that we actually had the opportunity to interact with goats while at our retreat! Why goats, you ask? Goats are perfect. They provide milk, entertainment, and landscaping. Plus, they travel well (ask a Mongolian nomad). They are multi-talented, intelligent models of efficiency, and they’re Admin Slayer’s spirit animal.

So, it was no surprise that when Team Lead Christina found a “Hike with Goats” on Bowen Island, we didn’t hesitate a second to say “YES!!”

The goats were a definite highlight during the Saturday morning hike around Grafton Lake, but they were only a small part of a fabulous weekend.

Held at the gorgeous The Ark Retreat, the house and its facilities were perfect for holding a corporate event where we needed to sleep 13 people for two nights, feed everyone and have enough space to hold both social and work activities.

Slayer Arrival!

During the final days of May, our Slayers from across Canada began arriving, some at Vancouver Airport and others by car. Three of our Team Leads had never met in person before yet have been working closely with each other for over three years; bringing them together with Shannon and myself was long overdue.

With all the pre-retreat event coordination and logistics planned and organized - yes we do that! - Friday morning began the trek to Bowen Island. After hellos and hugs and a quick 20-minute ferry ride to Bowen Island, we wandered around the quaint village, picking up some delicious breakfast treats from The Village Baker Café and Artisan Eats. Who knew that the price for eating delicious artisan eats was a trek up a steep trail that goats would have appreciated!

Ooh La La!

The Ark Retreat was a short drive from the ferry and more of our fellow Slayers arrived over the next couple of hours. While our plan was to have dinner back in town, the house and the location were so beautiful that we didn’t want to leave so soon. Instead we swapped our dinner plans around, ordered pizza, and enjoyed our surroundings with people that we’ve built a community with. This simple activity, hanging out on the patio on a warm June day, was effective team-building at its best!

Yoga-Goat-Discourse-Day

Saturday morning was free time where many of us joined Slayer LaDawn in an early yoga session. While some of us practiced yoga, others enjoyed a peaceful hike to a nearby lake. Pretty great that we have our own Slayer who can lead a restorative yoga class, getting us ready for the day!

Excitement was high when it was time to leave for the Goat Hike around Grafton Lake. Pickles and Peanut were there to eagerly greet us, along with our host for the hike, Adrian.

Back at The Ark, our afternoon work session began with exercises and activities to encourage collaboration, ideation, and open communication on how the past year has unfolded. We initially thought the activities wouldn’t take the allotted two hours. However, the conversation on each of the topics was so honest and forthcoming that we let the exercises come to their own natural completion.

Free time for the next couple of hours allowed everyone to relax in their own way before it was time to head to the village for dinner at The Bowen Island Pub. Later in the evening, everyone gathered to play Pictionary on Shannon’s renowned whiteboard (finally being used for fun!). Many, many laughs were shared.

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

Sadly, Sunday morning arrived too soon. Many of our Slayers had travelled far to be with us and now they were heading back to Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Quebec, Alberta, and from across B.C.

From myself and Shannon, our heartfelt appreciation goes out to everyone who had a role in organizing this year's retreat and its activities, and especially to all of you who took precious time out of your busy lives to spend these valuable days together. And, special thanks to Pickles and Peanut!