Just returned from an amazing Stampin' Up!'s Founder's Circle Retreat 2012, at my favorite spot on earth Southwest Utah. I want to thank my customers and downline for their support over the last year, helping me earn the biggest honor with Stampin' Up! for the 11th year in a row. Founder's Circle is presented to the top 100 demonstrators in the US and Top 20 in Canada who have shown leadership and a balanced, successful approach in developing their businesses. I went out a day early and met up with Cindy Baughman, Lynsay Mahon, and Meg Loven and had a great time catching up with them. We stayed at the Marriott in St. George where the retreat was to start the next day. When we woke up the next morning we were greeted with our names on the door. The theme this year was New England Beach and the whole hotel became ours for 5 days.
We were placed on TEAMS and my Team was called Hampton Beach. It is so great that SU! Teams us up, as it gives us a chance to get to know other demonstrators. My Team included from left to right bottom me, Mary Polchin, Ronda Wade, & Jo Golden. Top Jenn Galch, Martha Armstrong, and Sharon McNeeely.
On Friday we headed to Kanab, it is a 2 hour bus trip but this is where Stampin' Up!'s manufacturing facility is. Over the last 11 years there has been such growth in the company and I have seen lots of changes. We even got to see the newest changes that are just taking shape. I always get misty eyed as we round the corner and see all the employees outside cheering us in. You don't find this in corporate America. The plant shuts down for lunch, while we were there, so we could eat lunch with the employees. The employees are as thankful for their jobs, as I am with mine. Stampin' Up! is the most amazing company.
After our tour of the plant & lunch at Kanab, we headed to Page, AZ and Glen Canyon Dam. We boarded float boat and headed down the Colorado River. We followed the trail of Major John Wesley Powell. Astonishing cliffs, rocks and we also got to view ancient petroglyphs left by Ancestral Puebloan people. We were honored to have Shelli and Sara, Shelli's daughter, on our boat. It was an afternoon I will never forget.
It has become a highlight of a SU! trip to get pillow gifts at night. After the most amazing day on the Colorado, we returned back to the hotel to find an aerial pictue of the Colorado River that we had just spent an amazing day on, maybe hard for you to see but it is a picture of Horseshoe Bend. What touched my heart was what was written on the back of the picture that I will cherish forever. It says "Certificate of Inspiration While you were on the river trip you focused on what was before you—the fun of navigating the current on a slow-water float, the beauty of the cliff walls around you, and the joy of experiencing the trip with other people. This photograph shows you "the big Picture" that you were part of! As a demonstrator leader, you may sometimes be so involved in the daily routine of your stamping "trip" that you forget to look at your part in the bigger Stampin' Up! picture. We hope this photograph will remind you of the thrilling experience we shared at Founder's Circle 2012, as well as inspire you to keep "the big picture" of your role with Stampin' Up! in mind!" All I can say is WOW, as I say so many times Life IS good as a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator. Thanks to all of you for helping me along this amazing journey.
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