VOTE - Best.Story.Ever.

Campbell & Farwell asked you to submit your Best.Story.Ever, a story that could be made into a movie, something you simply couldn’t make up! They have now taken four stories they think are worthy of being the BEST.STORY.EVER.

Help them decide who should win by voting!

Krista Gaskell:

My story begins with deciding to make the dream vacation trip to Nashville, Tennessee over my reading week. It was finally happening, NASHVILLE. I had plans made to see a show at the Rymen and Grand Ol’ Opry. Now before I left for this trip, I told EVERYONE (and their mothers) to “pray”/”hope”/”wish” I would get to meet my lover, Keith Urban. I was asked by a couple people who would be the dream celebrity to meet, and yes, my answer was Keith Urban. Fast forward now, a couple days into the trip and we were waiting for the Ryman to open so we could do a tour. It was closed until 4pm for a private event. So, while waiting in the cafe I walked over to use the bathroom. Coming out back toward the table something outside below caught my eye. If you know the Ryman, then you know there is a side/back alleyway. I could see a crowd of people, so I looked closer out the window, right away my heart began to beat fast, a celebrity! and whoever it was had hair that I recognized, but without seeing a face, I couldn’t be 100% sure. So, I ran right out to where my mother was sitting and said we had to go, there was someone outside. Quickly we both bolted to that alley. I ran ahead, anxious as ever, as I got closer I could not believe it, but low and behold, was KEITH URBAN. I stopped. I was shaking and started to cry. This was my dream, was it even real? I made by way closer and before he drove away (he drove himself, how awesome right?) I was able to snag a selfie with him. I have seen him multiple times in concert, I have even had a hand grab, but this was literally a dream come true. I had wished this and what are the chances that I would have actually got to meet him? The rest of that day I was on cloud nine. I even met who I later learned was his tour manager while shopping in the Ryman gift shop afterwards. It was great to meet him and the fact he came up to me to ask how meeting Keith was. This basically made my entire trip to Nashville worth it. Definitely glad I used my reading week for this over studying and papers.

Donna:

Every year at the end of the year, the grade 12 students at Waterloo-Oxford High School in Baden play a prank to leave their mark on the school. Being a country school, several students decided to give some chickens free range in the school. One chicken was labelled chicken 1 and another was labelled chicken 3. Chaos ensued as the principle and staff tried to round up the chickens. Chickens are not that big but it’s amazing how fast they can be. Teachers were running around like “chickens with their heads cut off” trying to capture these birds. Quite a bit of time and energy was expended searching for Chicken 2. Of course, there was no chicken 2. Needless to say, students found this hilarious, teachers and staff not so much. P.S. This happened several years ago and I may or may not know those involved. Disclaimer: This is no way intended to give anyone any ideas!

Fran Hood:

In 1994 I had the opportunity to throw out the opening pitch at the Dome, for the Jays, right after they won the pennant in 1993!!! Cito Gaston was on a suspension and the Jays hadn’t been doing too well the few games before I threw the opening pitch (which was a reward for being “School Bus Driver of the Year” for Ontario!!!)………well I threw that pitch, got to hang out in the dug out with Pat Borders, and all the fabulous Jays of that day!!!! They won that game, and I offered to throw the first pitch for the season if Cito wanted……………..Time passes, and I am at a Jays game last year with my daughters, who are now old enough to enjoy a brew or two! It was a super sunny day, we had consumed a few beverages, and it looked like the game was going south, so we decided to leave a bit early, and got on the back elevator in the Dome, as I am telling my “opening pitch story”, I was trying to remember the year I threw that pitch for Cito, and the elevator doors opened, and in walked Cito Gaston, who overhead me say “I think it was 1994”, and he touchs my shoulder, leans over and said “yeah it was 94″………………..my daughters are speechless, they are on their phones trying to let all of social media know what just happened………….honestly in the whole universe we are in the elevator with Cito, and I’m talking about him!!!!! After we all exited the elevator, my gorgeous girls are saying “he wants you mom, he could have been our father………”, sun, beers and Cito Gaston, my life is complete!!!!

Emily O’Gorman-Klein:

In August 2011, my husband and I embarked on a camping vacation with several of our friends for what was supposed to be a weekend to remember. It turned out to be just that. It was our second day camping and our group decided that it was perfect weather to go swimming. As we were all on the beach, one of our friends asked if I was ever afraid of losing my rings in the water. My other friend (who was also married) and I told him that the rings were a part of us and never thought to take them off. We all went back into the water and spent about an hour splashing around. When I came out of the water I noticed that my engagement ring and wedding band were gone. What are the chances after what was said earlier?!? Panic set in. Our friends immediately went back into the water to start our search for both rings. Numerous people on the beach and in the water asked if we had lost something, strangers were offering us their goggles, looking on the beach, and had people offering their help looking in the water. Unfortunately, no luck.
My husband and I ventured out the next morning and searched for hours, still nothing. We went out everyday hoping and praying that we would find our rings. We contacted the local dispatch of OPP; they told us the chances of finding the rings were unlikely. We filed a lost report with the campground. They were sad for us, but had not had any rings turned in.
Then came the Sunday, a grim day for myself and my husband, we had to go home. We left with broken hearts. On our way home, I cried and started the stages of mourning. I had hope that someone would find my rings, but was worried that I would never wear them again.
While at home, I googled “how to find lost wedding rings”, not thinking that anything would come up. Surprisingly up came a website called “Ringfinders.com”. I clicked on it and discovered that it was an international website. I quickly clicked on “Canada” praying that there was a resource close to Turkey Point. I found one that was close, who had an underwater detector. I did not waste any time, I immediately sent an email expressing my desperation and begging someone to find my rings. The next morning, I also called and left a message.
I received a call back the next evening, that a kind man in the region would take my case on. I was ecstatic! We finally touched base and decided to start our search on the Friday morning (1 week since losing the rings).
We met at the beach on Lake Erie at 5:30pm to start our search. The man who was helping our search was skeptical that he will find our rings, but would try anyways. The search was ON! This man started a grid pattern and found our engagement ring in less than 45minutes!!! My husband ran out to where the man was – Baywatch style and brought the ring to me and put it on my finger. We both were emotional and believed that the wedding band would be close by. We spent another 3 and a half hours looking for my wedding band, but had to stop as the sun was setting. The man with the metal detector felt bad that he could not find our wedding band, but we were happy nonetheless. We parted ways, having bittersweet feelings. Happy that we found our engagements ring, but sad that my wedding band was not on my hand.
On the Friday night, I was at work. Still glowing from the discovery! I checked my email quickly and there was an email from the man that had been helping us search for our rings and the title of the email was “Check this out”. I opened it and there was a picture of my wedding band!!! All I kept saying was “Oh my God, Oh my God….” In the email, this kind man explained to me that not finding the wedding band was bothering him. He went back to the beach on his own, conducted a new search, and BINGO, in a sandbar in approximately 1 feet deep sand and over 100 feet from where my engagement ring was found; there it was! I immediately called my husband and told him the news. He couldn’t believe it either.
I emailed the man who found the rings and told him that he had made our life (likely saved our marriage)! I also asked what we could give him in return. He stated that he was only happy that he could find it! My husband met this man the next morning to pick up the ring! We had decided that we would give this man a bottle of our wedding wine (1.5 years ago we were married).
I have learned a new life lesson. We don’t take our rings or emotional attachments for granted anymore. This life altering experience has brought our relationship closer together and we both realized that there are amazing people out in the world, who just want to make a difference.
This camping trip definitely created our best. story. ever.