|  | | gratitude, joy, rest and what’s next | |  | See?! 129 Strolls & 1105 guests is the reason for all the gratitude, joy and need to catch my breath! As the world re-opened more completely in 2022, things were far from normal in the tourism and travel industry. I just didn’t know what to expect from the year. So, I gave myself permission to experiment and try EVERYTHING to see what worked, what didn’t, what patterns emerged, etc, etc, etc. It felt like the first year of business all over again.
EXPERIMENT - 2022 word of the year!
Now, it’s time to reflect on those experiments. Each year, I take time to reflect on the wins, choices, decisions, flops, missteps and adjustments. 2022 had ALL of them and I plan to use them for learning, growth and change.
When I look back on the past year, here’s what stands out the most… YOU!
You and your support, curiosity, questions, feedback, reviews, collaborations, connections and referrals! Honestly, Stroll couldn’t be what it is without you!!
Here’s my Top Ten list of amazing Stroll adventures from 2022 (in no particular order) Obviously, working with five incredibly brilliant guides who hosted all these tours with me - Mary Sehl, Peggy Plet, Wayne Miedema, Glenn Smith & Todd Bowman
Launched THREE new walking tours!! (what was I thinking?) It’s an understatement to say that launching Black Presence in Berlin was a wild ride. We had SIX sold out walking tours in February…. FEBRUARY!?!?… demonstrating a strong appetite for learning about Black history in Waterloo Region. This walk kept us hopping all year long and we were overwhelmed in the best way.
Presented five community speaking engagements (Rotary Club of Cambridge, Renison College & Waterloo Public Library, KW Society of Artists, and THEMUSEUM & Caribbean Canadian Association of Waterloo Region with Peggy Plet
Gave a dozen media interviews for CBC KW, CityNews, CTV News, and The Record
Hosted 9 free walking tours with 185 guests in less than 24 hours during the Downtown Kitchener Summer Kick Off weekend (again, what was I thinking!?) But so much fun!
Solved a mural mystery that I’ve been digging at for 10+ years!! I’ve been searching for the artist of these two murals for a long time & the answer just dropped in my lap one day!
Noticed a mosaic mural in Downtown Kitchener that I had never spotted before. Even someone who pays very close attention while walking misses things, sometimes for years ;)
Stroll was featured in The Collective, a Downtwon Kitchener publication and Power Your Platform, an online publication
Developed Stroll’s Dog Friendly policies and hosted several dog-friendly walking tour dates
Received my Rainbow Registered business accreditation from the Canadian LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce
Partnered with KWFamous, Dog Friendly KW and Downtown Cambridge BIA to host some special edition walking tours during their festivals
Peggy Plet & Stroll Walking Tours were nominated for a Public Education & Engagement, Heritage Award, by the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario. We didn’t win - there was worthy competition! - but it was truly an honour to have the work recognized & shared widely.
Disappointed the guests from Berlin, Germany who booked tickets on our Black Presence in Berlin walking tour! 😆 (I’ve always known that having ‘Berlin’ in several walking tour titles is a marketing risk, but it’s one that I’m willing to accept, for the same of historical accuracy!)
Sewed my own dress in celebration of Stroll’s two-year business anniversary! In teal, of course, always on brand!
Ok, okay… that’s more than 10, I know, but there were so many wonderful moments that I could easily do a Top 22 list! All that to say, THANK YOU for being such amazing guests and participants on our 129 walking tours this year. I can’t wait to host you again in 2023. | |  | I’m in the middle of planning for 2023 and my primary goal is this…
make 2023 more manageable! 2022 was wild and adrenaline-filled, but it was also a tad chaotic and stressful 🫤 I learned a LOT last year, which will help me focus, streamline and manage some business operations more efficiently. Here we go! | |  |  | Interested in a Stroll this winter? It’s been pretty mild….
Juanita can host your private group of 4 - 20 people for 60 or 90 min tour the following Strolls: | | |  | A very cool workshop for people who want to travel more, while spending less! This workshop is hosted by Tara McAndrew, a KW travel blogger, travel coach and fan of Stroll Walking Tours! She has fabulous tools, resources, tips & tricks to get you on your travel journey 💕 |  | Curious to learn how to afford travel? Tara has been travel hacking as a Canadian for the past decade and wants you to enjoy all of these perks too!🌎
She has always believed that travel doesn’t have to be expensive and elusive like we’re led to think. There are a million different ways to travel and all sorts of tools to help you to save money in the process.
🗓️DATE: Sunday, January 29th
🕚TIME: 10:30am - 12pm
📍WHERE: @midnightruncafe in Waterloo, Ontario
🪙COST: $50 + HST
🎫INCLUDES: Ticket, Paper & Digital Worksheets, Freebies, Draw Prizes from @strollwalkingtours and @vapur water bottles
✨BONUS✨: Receive $50 off the Pay Yourself to Travel online course ✅HOW TO REGISTER: E-Transfer $56.50 to connect@travelwithtmc.com |  | Last Saturday morning I heard an interview on CBC Radio with Jacqueline Scott who developed two new Ontario Culture Guides on Black History in Ontario. Jacqueline Scott is an adventurer, writer and social justice worker. As a current PhD candidate, her research work is on the perception of wilderness in the Black imagination. She also leads a great Black History walking tour in Toronto. I’ve been on her tour and I look forward to exploring the Owen Sound & Windsor guides she has created. |  | Did you know.. January is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month? Chances are you know some who had it or has it, or you know someone caring for a family member with Alzheimer’s disease. I do.
This winter & spring, ( weather depending!), I’ll be filming two virtual mural tours for the Alzheimer’s Society of Waterloo Wellington. They will use the videos for their online programming. Fingers crossed for us! | |  | I’d love to hear from you… Did you take a walking tour last year and want to share some feedback? Have a suggestion for a walking tour topic you would love to see in Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo or other location in Waterloo Region? Know an organization that would love to learn more about a Stroll tour for their staff team or company?
Please get in touch, I’d love to hear from you! —> juanita@strollwalkingtours.com | | The one thing I had hoped to share at the end of the year was a photo of our whole team - T O G E T H E R - but you'll have to wait until next year. Until then, please remember...
"Walking is how the body measures itself against the earth."
~ Rebecca Solnit
All the best,Juanita Metzger
Owner + Operator
Stroll Walking Tours | | |
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