Between work, sickness and the inevitable grind of an election campaign, New Westminster school trustee candidates are making their final push to Saturday's civic election.
A cold and shivering Jim Goring is taking four days off from his day job to campaign, but that means being at New Westminster SkyTrain stations as early as 6: 30 a.m.
"It feels like I'm going to get hypothermia," joked Goring on a break from gladhanding. "I know that I have to engage as many people as possible. - I wish I could do more, but I'm doing everything I can right now."
Also on the campaign trail, but without time to take off work is 32-year school trustee veteran Michael Ewen, a Surrey school teacher.
"I teach during the day and after work, I go and coach my volleyball team," said Ewen. "I then go home and do some phoning."
Despite being the longest serving trustee in the province, Ewen is taking nothing for granted.
"Losing, of course it enters my mind," said Ewen. "I'm not arrogant enough to think magically I should get people's votes. - I have to earn my votes, just like everybody else."
For newcomers to the race, overcoming the name recognition of incumbents is the biggest challenge.
"I would say it's the biggest challenge, but the way you have to overcome that challenge is you have to build up your profile through your activities as a parent, as a community member and as a volunteer."
McEachern-Keen isn't taking much time off from her day job as a lawyer, but that means she's out campaigning at SkyTrain stations as early as 6 a.m. before heading in to work. She concedes she'll probably take Friday afternoon off to campaign.
"It's a sprint to the finish," she said. "One can never do enough, but I'm going to do as much as I can do in the time I have."
Another candidate who isn't taking time off from his day job with the home library service for the Burnaby Public Library is incumbent James Janzen. Janzen is also doing his regular school trustee duties while trying to fit in some campaigning.
"I've got a PAC meeting (Wednesday)," he said. "I've done more phoning and door-knocking than I have ever before."
Janzen also isn't over-confident of winning.
"You can never let yourself feel too comfortable," he said. "I realize that incumbents do have an advantage but I'm not getting the sense from people I've talked to that they are saying 'throw the rascals out.' I'm just not getting that sense."
Janzen said he wishes he was doing more in terms of social media, but it's not something he's comfortable with at this stage of the campaign.
Also conducting an old-school, tradition-al campaign is James Bell, who's running for both council and school trustee.
"Talking to people, meeting them on the streets is what I'm doing," said the retired senior who has had more than his share of maladies during the campaign.
Bell, who gets around on a scooter because of two fractured hips, said he sustained shoulder and rib injuries in October that have also slowed him down.
"I'm heading to the dog park (in Hume Park), and I do a lot of campaigning around Timmy's (Tim Hortons in uptown New Westminster)."
Also part of the campaigning wounded is incumbent Casey Cook, who was in a rear-end car accident on Marine Way recently.
"I'm out, doing my thing, but I'm still having some (health) issues," said Cook. "I'm main streeting as much as I can. - It's been a very intense campaign."
Cook, endorsed by Voice New Westminster, said he feels like he's in a David-and-Goliath-like situation, as he is self-financing his campaign while his opponents are getting monetary support from district labour.
"In terms of resources, it's almost impossible to compare what we're going up against," said Cook. "
Another teacher who can't take time off is David Phelan, who said he's campaigning as hard as he can, but he's also trying to do the things that are most important to him.
"My kid's got hockey practice, so I have to continue trying to make that," he said. "I've worked pretty hard the last month, door-knocking and talking to as many people as I can, but I'm also trying to spend time with my family."
Incumbent Lisa Graham is also trying to combine her campaigning with her daily routine.
"I'm all over the city, doing the things that are part of my routine," said Graham. "Whether it's picking my daughter up at school or paying my bills, I'm always taking the opportunity to talk to people.
"I'm not taking anything for granted. I'm working hard, and I hope that shows up in the numbers."
Another newcomer putting in as much time on the trail as possible is MaryAnn Mortensen.
"I start at 6: 30, 7 a.m. at the SkyTrain stations and I don't start door-knocking in neighbourhoods until 11," said Mortensen. "I also don't like going past 5: 30 p.m. because I know families need that time together."
Mortensen said she's learning about what is important to local parents and families - the biggest issue she's heard about is traffic, especially around schools - and she won't ever take that for granted.
"If you stop listening and think you know it all, that's the time when you need to leave office," she said. "I have a passion for this, a passion for making my community better."
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