2019 JS Board Retreat

This past weekend was the Joubert Foundation’s annual Board retreat, held this year in Chicago, at the same hotel where they had their conference in 2015.

Like last year, my Dad went with me, which I grateful for, especially after foolishly thinking I could maybe go it solo. 

We left early on Friday, and landed in Billy Bishop airport later that morning. Very nice! Smaller, very accessible. None of the insanity of Pearson, where I've flown out of before. 

From the gate, we were taken directly to a lounge for US departures. After two hours, which was exactly long enough to enjoy a snack and finish a sizable comic book, we left for Chicago.

Midway in Chicago was a little bigger, but still pretty easy to get around. A very long Uber ride later, and we were at our hotel. Upon entering, memories of the Chicago conference 4 years ago started flowing back: the entrance a young friend eagerly followed me into on the first day, the hallway where my mother lost it after seeing one too many little guys like me, and the auditorium where I first physically met, and spoke alongside, another older guy with JS!

Anyway, back to the present. After getting to our room, I immediately went to the hotel’s shop and bought a massive bag-full of American junk food to enjoy over the weekend! A couple hours of unwinding, then I met the rest of the Board for our first meeting to discuss the weekend’s events and what people were doing. I described my idea for a fun way to profile adults with Joubert syndrome, which everyone liked. After that, we went out for dinner.

This being Chicago, dinner meant deep dish pizza! The restaurant, Giordano’s, was across the street from the hotel. Fellow Board members were quick to offer assistance with hills and curbs and other uneven bits of terrain along the way. My Dad arrived shortly after we got there.

So good!

Four years ago, I barely made it through one slice of Giordano’s deep dish pizza and a couple one-bite appetizers. This time, I enthusiastically devoured a small portion of salad, a slice of a very good thin-crust Bruschetta-style pizza, and a whole deep dish piece of the best meat-lovers pizza I have ever had! Good conversations were had, plenty of leftovers were divided among various Board members, and then we proceeded to leave, with food comas causing several of us to call it a night.

Saturday was the big work day. It started with a good breakfast and gifts of a comfortable JS pull-over and a new travel mug.

The day’s events were guided by a team of facilitators, who organized several activities to help us define visions, goals, and tasks for the next years of our respective tenures, and for the Foundation in the years beyond that.

Throughout the day, we each got to have our pictures taken, for professional headshots. A very interesting experience! When everyone was done, we gathered for a group photo, which turned out nicely.

At the end of the day, as we were wrapping things up, one of the facilitators, who incorporates art into her work, did up a video for us, sort of a visual representation of the day’s events and accomplishments. 

Very cool to watch!

That night’s meal was out to a fancier Italian place, which was followed by some socializing, outside because the weather was amazing!, then hugs and handshakes goodbye when we were all tired.

Another quick couple flights Sunday, and we were home.

I had such a great weekend. The retreat made me feel like I was making a contribution and that I was a genuine part of something. As always, thank you to my fellow board members for including me, helping me out, and including my Dad in the nightly activities. Looking forward to keeping up the momentum built over the weekend and doing it all again next year.

Cheers!