I just realized that while going a box in my room that I have been working the Tall pines and various rallies for the last 10 years ( oldest worker badge is 2004  for the Tall Pines )   .
I would like to thank all who have helped introduce and teach me this GREAT sport, especially Trish Groom who mentioned to my brother one day while working on their Jeep " you should volunteer for the rally instead of just watching it, you get to watch it from better locations then everybody else ".
This also got me thinking, how long have you all been working / volunteering at rallies for.

I spectated a few of the old Rally of the Voyageurs when it ran out of North Bay. Saw Doug Sheppard in a Daytona, the Sprongl's in an Audi and some guy in a Mustang that had knocked off the exhaust and was sideways even on the straight! Someone told me that it may have been Sylvain E. I had seen them up in Temagami (Red Squirrel Lake Rd), north of Sturgeon Falls and servicing in Temagami.

My first year as a volunteer was 2000 Pines. I was living in Kingston at the time, I was going to spectate and went to the website and fell for the, "why not volunteer".

Went to the work day. Meeting place was the old Town yard (where the Shell is now). Some young guy pulls up in a puke green Toyota Tercel by the name of John Vanos.

Haven't managed to get in a car yet, but its on the bucket list. Excited to see what the new rules for Rally Sprint may be!!!

First Mini-Rally TSD and ORRC: 1987

First time at Pines: 1991

I spectated the Pines for the first time in '05. WRC coverage was getting sparse on the TV so I sought out somewhere to watch it. I had no idea there were so many events in Ontario. I'll spare the long romantic version of the story but the Pines is the reason I'm married today. I figured if a woman will stand outside with me and watch rally cars speed by then she is worth marrying. Started the volunteering thing in 2007. Very grateful to have met you all.

Justin

Haha Dave, I recall that day very well!!  The tercel was pegged most of the time to keep up with the best road sweeper there is, Ross in the duallie!  

I was dragged out to spectate swift rapids in 1999 I think, by some guy named Alan Ockwell and his brother Erik....I wasn't really that keen on the idea but I had nothing better to do so I went.  

First car I saw on stage was Barry Latreille in the ludicrous Talon.  He went off on the outside of the corner and sort of pirouhetted where I was parked (about 1 m higher than the road was), he put it in first before he even landed and dumped the clutch as he did, which just sprayed my car with all sort of debris and sped off into the woods, then it was quiet again.  That one moment sealed it for me, I had to do that!

The next year I went to Tall Pines to spectate then started volunteering from there.   Ive been fortunate to meet many great friends in this sport and I am constantly amazed at how many good people we have working to make the sport a success along all avenues.

This'll be my 10th year in a row. 1st year did security at HQ and didn't see a kilometer of rally but did see the cars come and go (2005-lot of snow that year).  About the next 4 years did FF with Bennett at middle Hastings (plus other stages).  Have now graduated to going where ever I'm needed. Highlight had to be as DSC for Egan creek in about 2010 with #2 son, his friend & father (who still come). As I'm getting "up there" I recently got my Ham licence (thx Bennett) and am enjoying that tremendously and  I still mostly enjoy starts or finishes. Also have done 3-4 Perce Neige, 1xBB, 2xLHFR and this year my 1st Defi (w/Ross). I like to thank many of you who have done this longer than me for helping me perhaps become one of you. Oh BTW I'm Mike and call sign is VA3NMR.