Meeples in your neighborhood: Carlos Rivera
If you’ve been to a Chewsday Challenge event lately, there’s a good chance you’ve met Carlos Rivera—registrar, leadership team member, Chewsday Ambassador, and all-around board gaming enthusiast. His story in the Regina gaming community is decades in the making, stretching from the early days of Risk and Dungeons & Dragons to his latest adventure captaining a PwYF team called Bees in Space!
“I’ve played games my whole life,” Carlos says, recalling how it all began. “I remember seeing my older cousins playing the original D&D release (1974). I purchased all of the basic and advanced editions that were released in the late 70s. I’ve been playing games ever since!”
In the years that followed, Carlos gravitated toward fellow gamers like bees to nectar. He found a home at the old south Comic Readers on Grant Road, long before the move to Albert Street, where he played “lots of Magic, D&D, Catan and Smallworld” with friends.
It was a tip from Dana, another local gamer, that first drew him to the Boston Pizza Chewsday gatherings. “I started coming out before the pandemic. I met lots of great people and I was even playing Pandemic Legacy Season 1 when the actual pandemic came along and canceled all in-person gaming!”
After lockdowns lifted, Carlos returned to the table, forming new friendships with Matt Robertson, Kathy Lewis, and many others in the vibrant Regina scene. “I heard how much fun PwYF was during their relaunch year and eagerly joined the second campaign.”
Carlos isn’t just here for the meeples and dice. He also believes in the fundraising work that PwYF spearheads for Carmichael Outreach. “I really believe in helping those in need, and so the cause is important to me,” he explains. “I also strongly believe in the values of the PwYF organization, especially around inclusivity. I think by embracing our differences we all become better people.”
That commitment has kept him participating for three straight campaigns – two with the Grim Reaples before launching his own team this year.
When it came time to form a new crew, Carlos joined forces with teammate Elizabeth Herod and recruited his daughters Maya and Solana. The name came naturally: “We are all big fans of the Apiary board game (bees in space) and after a bit of brainstorming decided on that being our team name.”
Alongside captaining Bees in Space!, Carlos also serves as registrar and participant outreach lead for PwYF, roles that keep him busy behind the scenes. “Like lots of us do, I wear a few hats,” he says.
Carlos’ board gaming tastes lean toward the fantastic. “My favourite genres are Science Fiction and Fantasy, so I tend to gravitate to games that incorporate those themes,” he says. As for mechanics, he’s an equal-opportunity player: “I enjoy all of the ones I encounter and don’t know if I could name a favourite.”
Some recent favourites? “Apiary, Voidfall, Tapestry, Vantage, Ra, and any good trick-taking game!”
But it’s not just the titles that matter, it’s who’s around the table. “Like all great things in life, it’s all about the people. I’ve made some amazing friends!”
Born in Mexico City, Carlos moved to Canada as an infant. He became a Canadian citizen in 1975 alongside his father and has called Regina home for most of his life. These days, he’s the planner/architect for the database team at SaskTel, where he’s worked since 1999.
Family is also central to Carlos’ story. He has three adult daughters, Olivia, Solana, and Maya, and recently became an empty nester. “I’m still adjusting to that!” he says with a laugh.
If you’re thinking of joining PwYF, Carlos has one simple piece of advice: “Get to know the people around the table with you. You never know who you might form a friendship with!” It’s advice he clearly lives by, as evidenced by the dozens of connections he’s formed over the years, connections that now form the backbone of his fundraising and gaming adventures. And, as he’s quick to point out, PwYF is always looking for new players and volunteers. “If you’re interested in PwYF, please reach out. It’s a great organization doing lots of fun fundraisers for a great cause!”
From a kid rolling D20’s in the 1970s to leading a space-faring bee crew in 2025, Carlos’ journey is proof that the best games aren’t just about winning, they’re about the stories you create, the communities you build, and the causes you champion along the way.
