Friends of Feral!

Friends of Feral!

Friends of Feral! are awarded annually to one or two individuals who have gone above and beyond over the years to help keep Feral! going. From people who run events or workshops every year, to staff still helping out a decade after retirement, to some non-furry friends and allies, these people have all made Feral! fantastic.

2011

Deuce: Supplying his time, energy, sewing machines, fur, and YEARS to camp makes Deuce the Master of the Costuming workshops for well over a decade!

Miami: Long-running,  M.C., retired in 2015 though you still see him shout from the back of the room. Otherwise, find Miami in performance at the Musician's circle. A Camp Feral! fixture, a Feral! family member, and one of two Feral completionists who, as of 2018, had attended all 21 events.

2012

Hiker: He began as a student of fellow 2012 Friend of Feral!, Loopy, before he became an instructor himself. He has been on staff, and since leaving staff, has continued to devote time, most notably to Furry Improv.  Hiker is the second of our Feral! completionists, who in 2019, will have attended all 22 events!

Loopy: Loopy brought Feral's first mascot, Farley, to life. He is the longest-serving workshop instructor, and has trained his students so well many have been instructors themselves! He has dedicated himself to Feral! for nearly each of its 20 years!

2013

Branwyn: You hear his voice emerging from the dark by the Curve Campfire, or belting out a song during the Musician's Circle, and a decade ago you would have heard his voice in a different way: in charge of Camp Feral! Chairman in 2003, and still helping out year after year, Branwyn is truly dedicated to Feral!, and we appreciate it!

Wotan: Feral's Poet Laureate, founder of the Poetry Corner in 2003 at Camp Kinark's Free to Be stage. It was perfect to offer the Friend of Feral! nod to Wotan on the 10th anniversary of Poetry at Camp Feral!

2014

Max: There is nothing like it in the entire fandom. While furry conventions have struggled to maintain a good reputation with their business associates at hotels and convention centres... Camp's Feral! and Arowhon have been busy building our relationship as a strange, annual family that gets together, strangely,  to give each other a break. Max built that friendship with his INCREDIBLY POWERFUL bear hugs and smiling face each time we arrive on site. There is no Feral! as we know it without Max, which most definitely qualifies him for Friend of Feral!... Brother of Feral! would be more accurate.

Rhys: Awarded after a long run of being one of our sexy favourite counsellors. Rhys was always the happiest face when the bus pulled up and the saddest face when the bus pulled away. We wish him luck in his life outside of camp... while secretly wanting to see him as the Prince again...

2015

Arius: Hyper-talented graphic designer and previous GOH! If anyone was our Johnny Ive, it's Arius, giving the camp a distinctive look from 2010's "Feral! the 13th" through to 2013's "Canadiana." We stand behind our claim that he changed the furry convention shirt forever, going with subtle nods to furry and theme that other furs would pick out on a crowded street but you can wear to work.

Rithy: The breeze, the creature about a hundred feet away in the woods... did I just hear a twig snap? When not helping us in ways we are contractually unable to discuss in detail, he is the noise in the darkness, the feeling of being watched when you're certain no one is around... and as you see the life flash before your eyes, a half-man, half-shrub leaping at you... with a Caesar and a story... you know you have been tracked by the best: Rithy... Master Tax Man

2016

Halex: The man with the velvet voice... and generous spirit, supplying cookies at the busses' halfway stop at Tims. Has been on security, helped set up musicians circle, and is always a hell of a good guy!

2017

Archeus: What words could possibly describe Archy? Charismatic? Helpful? Funny? Generous? Is there a word for "All good things?" Archeus has always been there to offer encouragement or a hand, has has been so amazingly generous in one particular act that we prefer not to go into detail for fear that it might embarrass her.  As a side note, just prior to giving her this award in 2017, she was in the act of giving a surprise gift to one of our staffers in gratitude for kind words offered the year before. You can't get any better than that!

Josh: Josh has taught us things that we needed to know, stuff we never knew we needed to know, concepts we knew we didn't need to know, but most importantly... facts that we never knew we never, ever wanted to know. Josh is the only person to make our chairman cry in front of the campers. He is also as much a part of the camp landscape as the lake and the  lodge.  He is so important to us that learning of his absence in 2018  crushed the staff. Knowing we'll see him again in 2019 has us grabbing the closest thing and swinging it around over our heads in celebration!

2018

Fuzzmonster: Year after year, without any prodding, Fuzz offers up his culinary skills knowledge to help enhance our already fantastic Sponsor's Event. We always want to offer appreciation to our sponsors and patrons for their extra financial help to keep Feral moving, and this year felt  it was time to offer our sincere gratitude to the man who ensures that it is always a spectacular night!

2019

Joanne and Leon: Building a relationship with the various institutions and businesses needed to run a convention is a challenge for most furry events. Joanne and Leon have made Feral! a second home for hundreds of furs. The gratitude we feel for this family and their kindness in allowing us to escape to this campsite — a place that has been central to their family for nearly a century — is impossble to describe in words alone. They say when visiting the wilderness to 'take only photographs, and leave only footprints.' We prefer to leave camp better than we found it, just as they have done for us year in, year out.

2022

 nɥɔɐʌǝƎ and Razzmatazz!

2023

Could Be You!! Most Friends of Feral! don't even know they're being acknowledged and don't catch on even as their friends usher them to opening ceremonies. The Announcement will come just before we raise the flag. Or after. Who's counting?!