Executive Message

This time of year is transition time for the CSEG Executive committee. As such, I’d like to take the time to thank Barrie Jose for his work as the outgoing Director of Member Services. Barrie has been a great mentor to me, and a real pleasure to work with. I’d also like to welcome Kim Nevada as the incoming Assistant Director of Member Services. Should you ever find yourself looking at the CSEG Executive and wondering which position you might want to run for, I suggest that Member Services might be one of the most enjoyable. Our main responsibilities lie in helping to promote membership in the CSEG as well as providing oversight for the extremely well run social events which are affiliated with the society.

It’s quite easy to be enthusiastic about promoting CSEG membership; this is a society where the dues are extremely reasonable and the return for those dues is very high. The number of quality events this society puts on, from the Doodletrain, to the Doodlebug, to the Annual Convention are all top-notch. By continually putting on these great events we create a sense of community and belonging that keeps our members renewing every year, and attracts new members all the time. Our society is developing a following and a growing membership from outside of Canada as well, which speaks to the quality and benefits of being a CSEG member

The Doodlespeil, the Family Ski Spree, the Doodlebug, the TWave, the Road Race and the Junior Geophysicists Forum are just six of the excellent events well worth attending. In January, the Doodlespeil made its return to Banff and a newly renovated and rebuilt curling rink. With a record number of participants this year, it was a great way to celebrate the 40th anniversary of this highly competitive bonspiel. The Family Ski Spree was held at the Fairmont Hot Springs Resort at the end of February for a 45th year of fun. This is a wonderful event, focused on families and making sure that everyone’s kids are spoiled rotten! The Doodlebug will be returning to Trickle Creek in Kimberley, BC for the third straight year to celebrate the 60th anniversary of one of the best golf tournaments in the Oil and Gas industry. This event has evolved over the past few years to maintain the established traditions while acknowledging the changing times; it has become more affordable and accessible for younger CSEG members while maintaining the high-class feel that has made it a success for 59 years. The T-Wave golf tournament was a huge success as well this year, and a great partner for the Doodlebug. The T-Wave is a one day event in June, hosted at the Inglewood Golf Course here in Calgary. This is a very well-run and highly enjoyable golf tournament which caters to golfers of every level. In September we had the Road Race, featuring both 5K and 10K runs. This event continues to show that we have some tremendously fit CSEG members who compete in this well organized and very fun afternoon. The Junior Geophysicists Forum continues to bring young Geophysicists together with some of our society’s best and brightest mentors. This has been a great event for getting our newest members involved and interested in what the CSEG has to offer.

Of course, none of these events would be possible without the hundreds of volunteers who donate their time and energy. Each year the Director of Member Services hosts a Volunteer Appreciation Party to recognize and thank all the people who have helped the CSEG continue to provide value to its members. With over 360 individual volunteers on our invitation list this year, it should be quite the party! When compiling the list, I was amazed not only by the sheer number of volunteers but also by how many of those people volunteer on multiple committees. The time commitments that people put forth to these positions are greatly appreciated and we as a society can’t thank you enough. As a small token of our gratitude, the CSEG will be handing out awards for years of service for those people who have been members of the society for 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 years. This year we will be giving out two 50 year awards, and one 60 year award, which is truly a testament to the dedication of our members.

The CSEG continues to grow and evolve and we are always looking for new volunteers with new ideas. If any member has a great idea they’d like to see turned into a CSEG event, or has ideas to improve the existing events, please feel free to contact me at 403-264-8722 or patrick@earthsignal.com. I look forward to hearing from you.