There were certainly plenty of talking points at this year’s Annual Meeting, and the consensus among all who attended was that it was a resounding success. I’d go so far as to say it was one of the most complicated to arrange– given all the COVID-19 protocols and the additional security requirements from having a former U.S. President join us. And in my humble opinion, I truly believe it was also one of our best Annual Meetings ever.
We have some fantastic highlights from those few days and among them has to be the success of our community service event.
After its debut at our Annual Meeting in Marco Island in 2019 and the great feedback we received, it was decided to make this a regular feature.
The original idea came from a member who suggested we should take the opportunity, with everyone together, to dedicate a couple of hours one afternoon to doing something for others and helping the local community.
NACD’s Vice President, Meetings and Events, Tracey Pierce worked closely with this year’s venue to find a worthy cause. and we decided to partner with charity United Way of Miami-Dade to pack Thanksgiving meals for 200 children and their families.
Thanks to a small donation from those participating, United Way bulk purchased the food and supplies and had everything set up for us, ready for packing.
By the time everyone arrived that afternoon, the room was full of tables piled high with an assortment of packets, jars, and tinned goods.
A short presentation from the organizers explained not only the important work they do but specifically how everyone’s contribution that afternoon would be making a huge difference to low-income families in the surrounding area. Each packed box of food would allow at least four meals for each family.
After we’d received our instructions, everyone collected one of the pre-taped boxes and then circled the room, moving from table to table to gather each of the 19 items for their parcel.
At the end of the route, quality assurance continued by inspecting the contents to ensure nothing had been missed, sealing the box, and attaching an NACD Happy Thanksgiving label so the recipients would know we were thinking of them.
It's really encouraging to see organizations such as the United Way play such an important role in softening the edges for people in these challenging times. There was a fantastic atmosphere in the room and, with around 55 people donating their time, it didn’t take long to fill hundreds of packages.
Community service is a tenet of NACD’s Responsible Distribution® program, and events like this are a great opportunity for us to make a real difference and work together. It’s about working hard and having a great time doing it – walking away with a smile on your face and a real sense of satisfaction that you’ve done something good.
It allows us to take a little bit of time away from the speeches and presentations of the meeting, reflect and further develop the camaraderie and togetherness that makes our association what it is.
Earlier that day, we’d also had another excellent turnout for our 5k Fun Run/Walk for Charity. Despite the 6:30 am start, there were still 65 very enthusiastic participants taking to the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort’s Soffer Trail to raise money for the Children’s Heart Foundation.
Combined, the two charity events raised a total of around $6,000.
We’re delighted so many of you were willing to help those in need. It exemplifies the spirit and endeavor of our members and NACD as a whole.
It was a lot of fun and very uplifting, and we look forward to similar successes at next year’s event in Coronado, CA. Thanks again for all your efforts, and we wish you a happy holiday season!
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