Almost 300 people attended this reunion, including 17 former Quarriers children ranging in age from 94 to a mere 82 years young, far surpassing anyone's wildest dreams. The General Director of Quarriers Scotland, Gerald Lee, opened this emotional weekend with the simple phrase "We are all family" and pledged that contact between Canadians and Quarriers Scotland would remain strong and constant. Other representatives from Scotland were Human Resources Manager, Zara Ross; Honorary Archivist, Bill Dunbar; Director of Fund Raising and Publicity, Tony Williams; Fund Raising Co-ordinator, Sue Campbell; and Assistant Director for People with Epilepsy, Albert Edwards
Sitting the audience of the crowded auditorium, one only had to glance about the room the see the emotional impact this gathering had on those in attendance. It was quite commonplace to see people dabbing tears away from their eyes throughout the afternoon.
An area in the room was set aside for people to bring photographs, and other memorabilia relating to their Quarrier connection. The staff had to scramble to expand this area because so many items were brought in and lovingly displayed.
During the morning registration, Quarriers staff were on hand to discuss questions one on one with anyone interested. If a request was known in advance of the event, then the information was brought along. Many people left the weekend with their questions answered. Others found that the information they received, opened the door to more questions.
Dinner was a sit-down affair, with haggis, potatoes, and turnips being feature items on the menu for the evening. After dinner, we were entertained by a group of Scottish Highland Dancers and a group of Scottish Country dancers.
During dinner, it was revealed that Kingston Mayor, Gary Bennett, was himself a descendant of a Quarriers child. Hollywood couldn't have written a more fitting script.
After the entertainment, there was a draw held for a number of door prizes, including a framed 8x10 aerial view of Quarriers Village, which was won by Janet Regan.