TOPS State Recognition Days 2009

I just got back from my TOPS convention this morning. It was a fun weekend, with lots of inspirational stories, and good motivational speakers. We had a guy who has walked across the USA seven times now, and another gentleman who has lost over 100 lbs and kept it off for 13 years now. Good stuff.

These are the members of my chapter that attended this convention. We had four rooms at the Hilton in Eugene, and it was pretty busy. The actual convention is always organized chaos. It's volunteer-run, and the volunteers do their best, but it's never a smooth-running thing. At least this time, we weren't cramped, or boiling from heat, or not able to use the facilities due to lack of facilities!

Actually, my club's rooms were only a floor up from the mezzanine level, so I was able to take the stairs. The line for the elevators was pretty long every time the sessions ended.

On Friday, I wanted to grab Diana for dinner after we were done, so I told the ladies I was going to get her & grab some Taco Bell. Suddenly I was taking orders for 9 people :P That was fine. I got Diana & we got the food & went back to the hotel. We ate in the room, and Diana got to hear some of the ladies bicker, including my 83-year-old friend saying "Bullshit!" lol.

Saturday we got to see all the division winners (those people who lost the most weight for their weight division, from teens to folks who have had surgery for weight loss). There were at least four people who had lost over 100 lbs.! We also found out who our Oregon King & Queen are. Those are the male & female who reached their goal weights last year with the most weight lost since they joined TOPS to reach goal. The lady is 75 years old, and it took her 8 years. The man is a young guy with Down's Syndrome. He needed someone to assist him, but boy, was he enthusiastic! He lost 78 lbs or so, while the Queen had lost over 100. Amazing stuff!

For the afternoon session, all of those who have reached their goal are recognized and announced on stage, along with how long they've been a KOPS. I was at the 6-year mark this time. We had a new graduate this time, and she's in the middle of the photo. She lost 80-something pounds to reach her goal :)

After all that, the session ended at 3:30, so I called Diana about going out to dinner together. The rest of the club does the banquet, except a mom/daughter couple, and they asked to join Diana & I. We went to an Indian/Greek restaurant, and it was really good! After we dropped the ladies off, Diana & I went to the Sweet Life Cafe, which is a really hopping bakery near downtown. It was pretty cool. We shared a lemon bar & I got Diana an Apfel Studel to eat over the next couple of days. It was pretty big! Then I dropped her off at her place again, and I headed back to the hotel. The rest of the club were already in their rooms, and I chatted with my roomies a bit.

This morning we checked out early, got breakfast along the way & got home. Yay!