Pacific Pyros 25th Anniversary

Here’s to 25 Years of the Pacific Pyros!

We gathered in Melanie’s beautiful Chilliwack backyard to celebrate a milestone worth every bit of the fuss: 25 years of the Pacific Pyros Glass Beadmakers. What a day it was!

The weather did its part, sunny with a welcome breeze that helped clear the smoke drifting in from the forest fires in the Interior and Okanagan. We set up tents for shade and tables for eating, and most folks brought their lawn chairs and arranged them in one big, friendly circle. From there, the afternoon unfolded exactly the way the best gatherings do: lots of talking, laughing, and catching up.

Reconnecting Across the Years

Because this was our 25th anniversary, we made a special effort to reach back through the years and invite past members to join us. Of the 70-plus current and former members invited, 34 made it out, no small feat given summer vacations, busy schedules, and the sheer amount of ground 25 years covers. Several travelled in from the Interior and Vancouver Island, folks we don’t see nearly often enough, and watching those old friendships pick up right where they left off was easily one of the best parts of the day.

Once we were sure everyone had arrived, we gathered for our group photo. Melanie’s big backyard makes the perfect backdrop for a crowd, and it’s a picture we’ll treasure for years to come.

Thanks to everyone who took a video or photos, there’s no way one person could capture everything going on but here’s one of my walk-abouts.

Good Food, Good Company

As always, nobody went hungry! Members brought a generous spread of snacks, appetizers, salads, and beverages, and the main event was hamburgers and fresh Chilliwack corn-on-the-cob, gently steamed in a cooler (a trick that never fails). And of course, there was cake, a big one plus a gluten-free option so everyone could join in. I’m fairly certain there’s still cake left over.

Rather than a formal speech, we kept things simple and heartfelt: a cheerful “Happy 25th Birthday” and a big thank you to everyone for coming out, before we cut into that gorgeous cake.

Glass Demos in the Studio

We were also treated to demonstrations from two of our talented members. Melanie showed off her beautiful faces, and Deb Tarry demonstrated fuming, giving everyone a chance to watch some real artistry up close.

The 25th Anniversary Commemorative Beads

Trade beads are a Beer & Beads staple, and this year 24 members brought one to swap. Since this was our commemorative celebration, we asked everyone to work the number 25 into their designs, and did they ever deliver, some scrolled “25” across their beads, others used the Roman numeral XXV, and every one was a little work of art. Seventeen members went a step further and made commemorative beads: two matching designs, one for the exchange and one to be photographed and returned, all in service of a special commemorative poster. A link to a .pdf version of the poster can be found here. You should be able to right click the image below to get a .jpg version of the poster.

Trade Beads

Here’s how the exchange works: everyone who brings a trade bead goes home with someone else’s. We put numbers in a hat and draw them one by one, the first number drawn claims that bead, then the person whose bead was chosen draws next, and on it goes until every bead has found a new home. Do we have this process perfected? Not even close. We managed to muddle it up again this year and improvised our way through, same as always. One of these days we’ll get it right, but honestly, the chaos has become part of the fun.

Thank You, and Here’s to Another 25 Years

A day like this doesn’t come together on its own. Our heartfelt thanks go to Melanie Rowe and her husband Ray for hosting us so generously (and for putting up some of our out-of-town guests). The biggest shout out of all goes to Trudy, who managed the entire event from top to bottom, organizing the food, coordinating who was bringing tents and tables, tracking down past members from across 25 years, collecting the beads for the exchange and commemorative project, and generally making sure the whole thing ran beautifully. Thank you, too, to everyone who pitched in, brought a dish, or simply showed up ready to celebrate.

Twenty-five years of glowing torches, molten glass, and the friendships formed around them, what a thing to celebrate.