Brooster's SegwayFest "Thank You" Thread

[Brooster]

Hi All,

I just wanted to start a thread to say "thanks" once again to everyone who made SegwayFest such a success:

Thanks to "Fathertime" and "Ladytime," Jim and Chandra Reynolds--for their financial backing, vision, leadership, and tireless dedication to making this event really special.

Thanks to the entire Segway LLC Team, many of whom helped behind the scenes to put this event together, but couldn't be with us. Here's the list of people who were -- you folks did an amazing job, and we can't ever thank you enough.

* Dean Kamen
* Vern Loucks
* Doug Field
* Ron Reich
* Michael Taylor
* Dana Brown
* Jeff Brown - who barely got a rest, from start to finish
* Corey Brown - our young friend in red cap; helped with LLC's truck
* John Morrell
* Scott Waters
* JD Heinzmann
* Linda Brennan
* Carla Vallone - who somehow held us all together in planning :)
* Jolene Greer
* Brianna Allard
* Kurt Heinzmann - DEKA Research and Developement Corp.
* Michael Kaufman
* Chris Gorglione
* Eric Olson
* Reina Ellis
* (I know I'm missing a few people who were there)


Our thanks to our honored guests Mr. and Mrs. Kamen (Dean's Mom and Dad) ... Jack, those limited-edition prints are absolute treasures.

Thanks to Mr. Steve Wozniak, for his friendship with the community and an inspiring address on the parallels between the early days of the personal computer and the starting days of the Segway HT. It was enjoyed and appreciated by all.

Thanks to seminar presenters David Vass (SeaDream Yacht Club); Matt Rathke (City of Seattle); Frank Tropea (SegwayChat.com) and Philip Torrone (BookofSeg.com).

Thanks to Bruce Mueller and Dan Green, and Motorola's "Wild Stang" FIRST team; also, to Bill Beatty and Beatty Machine's "Team Hammond." The FIRST robotics demonstrations were fantastic!

Thanks to Steve, Joanne and Kelsey, for superb performances in the "Fred and Ginger" competition. You guys were just awesome! You had quite an audience, including a certain guy Himself, who was all smiles.

Thanks to Greg ("Deviant") for the mini tire pressure gauges; to Wayne for his display of innovative "Seg-On" products, and to Itsi Atkins for his array of interesting wares.

Thanks to Keith Albrizzi and the entire NEVrland/Relay Transport team, for providing rentals and machine transportaion from Florida.

Thanks to the wonderful team from Segway of Texas, for a great display of the FIRST Segway HT and their generosity with the nice free bags and hats.

Thanks to Mayor Daley's Office, and the Chicago Police Department. If you were there at the right time, you may have been lucky enough to see the CPD's Hummer (which I'd never seen before), loaded with Segway HT's, and a couple of CPD Officers riding in and around SegwayFest.

Thanks to Tom Mobley, General Manager of McCormick Place; and to Bill Antonick, McCormick Place Director of Security, for working with us to provide access and a route to the lakefront.

Thanks to Dustin Arnheim of the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, and to Joan Padda, of the Hyatt Regency Printer's Row, for your assistance in putting all of this together.

Thanks to my fellow Organizing Committee members, some of whom have been mentioned already, but some of whom haven't: Fathertime, Ladytime, GlideMaster, Blinky, Pam, PT, X-man and Ftropea. You guys all did a tremendous job, and it's been a privilege to be associated with such a super group of people. We did it, guys! We pulled it off, and it's "in the book." What book I don't know, but it'll be in some book someday. :D

Last, but certainly not least ... my heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you who believed in us enough to come all the way to Chicago for this first-ever event. I'm aware that there are a whole bunch of people who "believed" but just couldn't make it for one reason or another, but were very much "there with us in spirit." We've seen your enthusiasm and "participation from afar." That's what makes this community great. There's no doubt in my mind that all of you who couldn't make it ... are every bit as wonderful as the people who were there. We're all a big "family." It really did feel that way.

As I mentioned in my Friday evening "welcome" speech, this is a technology that "in the big picture," is still in its infancy. All of you are pioneers, forging a new way of thinking.

Day by day, one interaction at a time, it's working.

Dean Kamen said something to me, which I'll pass along to all of you: "You should be very, very proud of what you're doing."

I am proud. All of you should be. Thanks again, everyone. Please look us up when you're in Chicago, with or without Segs. You always have friends here.

Very best wishes,

Broo

[:P][8]











Brooster

[Neelix]

That's great, Brooster. I think that echos everyone's feelings.

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Fear not, for even though I come from the Forbidden City, I surely do not agree with the rules.

[wayne]

And Broo thanks to you form the rest of us.

Wayne

[mzokc]

Broo, Perfectly stated! The quality of the event was perfect. It was a special time with those who were there and through photos and discussions, those who will be joining us at a future Segway Fest city. Everyone who participated is to be congratulated for a perfect Segway Fest. Thanks for putting into words what we feel in our hearts. My glides are more enjoyable since Segway Fest 2003.

Mark

[GyroGo]

I'll pile on to the LoveFest heap, as you all did a great job. But somehow I'm sure there is no one that worked harder and deserves more credit than you, Broo.

A brew for the Broo!



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[toybuilder]

Broo, thanks for all the announcements and rallying you did here at SC. The Chicago organizing team did a fantastic job, and the exhibit booths and activities topped it off wonderfully! It turned out to be a terrificly fun and enjoyable event with lots of learning, too! I think you all did a great job.

http://www.pasadenasegway.org/

[Jameskk]

Thanks Broo for such nice words! But YOU are the one who deserves a big Thank You!! You were the first person we met when we arrived at the Hyatt on Thrs. and you seemed like a friend that we had known all of our lives!! It was my first time visiting Chicago and I still can't stop talking about what a wonderful city it is. It was the first time I've visited a northern city where the folks reminded me of the good old South (hospitality). I am hoping that we can have the next event in Atlanta so we can return the favor, but if not, Chicago will be just fine!!

[Brooster]

Thanks everyone, but the work I did on this event was nothing compared to what Jim and Chandra did. They're the ones who really made this happen, and deserve the lion's share of the credit. We're sure glad everyone found the event fun and informative ... that's what we'd hoped for.

Brooster

[fathertime]

Segway Fest was made so wonderful by all of the people who came and shared their passion. We want to thank you all so much!!! We hope that you all enjoyed Chicago, even though the weather was a little unco-operative. The pictures that you all have shared are great, as we didn't get to participate in the lakefront glides. It is terrific to read your perspectives. Like usual, there simply was not enough time to get to know you all. We are so lucky to have this forum to continue to share ideas and conversations that were cut short. To know a face and to have met the person that goes with the name has made it all worth while! We have received many appreciative acknowlegements of our efforts by many of you, and we just wanted to tell you that we are so happy to have been able to facilitate this event!! The extra bonuses for us have been to find Bruce and Glynn and Bob Jones and their wives and friends, and feel like they are now part of our family of Segway, as well as some of our dearest friends. How wonderful is that! Then, to have been able to meet the engineers and facilitators from Segway was unbelievable!! Each and every one was the kindest, most passionate, wonderful person that we have ever met! We can't tell you how blessed we feel to have had such support from this fabulous group! Even Dean Kamen's parents were there, and once again, were the sweetest, kindest folks! His mom and dad are absolute dolls. When Mr. Kamen signed my poster, he wrote "to Chandra, with love!', and I showed it to Mrs. Kamen, who said "Don't show me that, I'll get all jealous!" They both have a sense of humor that is rare today! We could go on and on, about all the great experiences we have had the privelege to participate in, but especially want to thank Kelsey and the Krogmans for their extraordinary Fred and Ginger routines, complete with full costumes and tuxedo! FANTASTIC!
Several moments stand out in our memory. Seeing everyone's face at the hospitality reception, watching Dean get a little misty as he observed "Fred & Ginger", hearing one of our friends exclaim "I didn't know he could walk" when she finally saw Kurt Heinzmann stand up off of the "IBOT", getting a private demo, pre-show, of the IBOT with our son Preston administered by none other than Kurt himself, shaking the hand of Mr. Vern Loucks, seeing "the Woz" for the first time, and finally spending some down time with Dean and a few friends at the end of the day!
We are basking in the warm glow of your friendship and savoring the memories of a fantastic celebration made possible by all of you and a fabulous company called Segway! Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts!

Jim & Chandra Reynolds


JR

[GlideMaster]

Still trying to recover from SegwayFest and finish moving. Which means I haven't had a chance to do much gliding. I've been suffering from Gliders Withdrawal. My many thanks are forthcoming.

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[Brooster]

Thread being released from "stickiness." Thanks again everyone.

Brooster