#victoriatweetup my 6th month Twitterversary

Today is my sixth month Twitter anniversary! Appropriately, it was also the morning of our regular #victoriatweetup.

I remember being introduced to Twitter and thinking “this isn’t for me, it’s just another time waster”. Then, I went to a business breakfast where we discussed  social media. One of the participants@Susan_Low mentioned that twitterers in Victoria were actually meeting face to face at spontaneous tweetups.

Something went “Click! – I can use this tool to increase my network  in Victoria.”

From that very humble beginning in April 2009, I have found a new community in Victoria. Together we meet for business networking sessions and for fun. We’ve organized a Twitter fundraising festival –Twestival Victoria @yyjtwestival – and raised $5000 for Power To Be Adventure Therapy Society.

We teach and mentor people who are new to Twitter, we do business with one another; some of us are members of Social Media Club Victoria @smcvictoria an organization dedicated to social media literacy, knowledge and standards.

Projects initiated through Twitter, #victoriatweetup and Social Media Club Victoria include @yyjWordCamp, #vicChangeCamp and a Twitter based winter food drive (more details coming soon).

This morning’s breakfast included:

@Babes Go Bare –  a fundraising calendar for the BC Cancer Agency initiated by Trish Caddy

Christopher Loran –  the Q’s roadie #1 son to @lacouvee

@Rod_Phillips – buyer for Liquor Plus stores – the cork dork

@FootButterGuy – Scott McDonald, Rocky Mountain Soap Mayfair

@Ahkonsu – John Overall, Fire Dragon Hosting

@matvic – Mat Wright, the Wright Result, Web & Graphic Design

@ScottGarman – Scott Garman, realtor with Sutton Group

@_hipples – Jeremy from @HempandCo, Hemp and Company

@oceanrivervic Brian Henry , Ocean River Sports

@gapowell – Graham Powell , Ocean River Sportss

@sosaut – Bill Broughton, SOS Automotive

@CWCDVan – Dan Dobbie, City Wide Coupon Directory

@jodie_nodes – Jodie Gastel, In Jodie’s Brain

@josealbis – José Albis, marketing manager, Morriss Printing

Stan Gielewski – photographer & website development

@DustypupVI – Cathy O’Connor, volunteer extraordinaire

@LawlessBrown – Krista Lawless, mortgage broker

@B_West – Chris Burdge, BWEST Interactive

Randy Waldie – employment counsellor, Worklink and musician

@ArtofCocktail – Kathy Kay, general manager the Victoria Film Festival

@mikevardy – Mike Vardy, Eventualism (and operations manager the Victoria Film Festival)

@CJStephenson – Cindy Stephenson, communications professional

@hedyhear – Hedy Senz, director of meetings & events at Carlson Marketing

@NancyFraser – Nancy Fraser, Nota Bene Consulting

@margarethanson – Margaret Hanson, graphic designer

@lacouvee – Janis La Couvée, financial services professional (me!)

Thanks to everybody who has been a mentor and collaborator in the past six months on this fantastic journey of community building in Victoria, BC.  There is definitely more to come.