QUAQE was established as an Employee Resource Group (ERG) in 2020, but QUAQE's roots go back to the mid-2000s.
The 2007 organizing committee was: Gill Craxford, Julie Darke, Stacy Kelly, Ellie Kennedy, Kevin O'Brien, Terrie Easter Sheen, and Peter Thompson. It is believed that Julie and Stacy were co-chairs. Bob Burge ran the QUAQE email list-serve that is still used today.
By October 2008, the organizing committee saw some changes and growth, and included a great array of staff and faculty: Stevenson Fergus, John Freeman, Stacy Kelly, Patrick McNeill, Jean Pfleiderer, Terrie Easter Sheen, and Peter Thompson.
QUAQE was advertised through the Queen's Gazette several times throughout the years, including around 2009, and again as we have had several attempts to restart, both in 2017, and then 2020.
In the early years, QUAQE began as a networking and social opportunity. QUAQE held several events, including a 2006 Holiday Party, we won the "Best Banner" Prize at the 2007 Kingston Pride, we were in the 2009 Kingston Pride, and we did a "Taste the County" Wine Tour in July 2009. See some pictures below.
