Issue link: http://psai.uberflip.com/i/1377370
ASSOCIATIONINSIGHT Portable Sanitation Association International News BIWEEKLY EDITION MAY 26, 2021 Page 22 I'll Be Seeing You By Todd Ginter, PSAI's Director of Marketing Continued on page 23 W ritten in 1938, and sung by Bing Crosby in the 1944 film of the same name, "I'll Be Seeing You" was a popular World War II tune that starts out, "I'll be seeing you In all the old familiar places That this heart of mine embraces All day through…" I sure hope that sentiment comes true! "We can't wait to come back," is a phrase I have heard a number of times from PSAI members over the last year regarding attending in- person conferences. I have heard other members say, "Attending PSAI events is really one of the best parts of our job," and "My business just works better when I can meet and talk with colleagues face to face." These comments make me believe that the motivation for attending events is out there. But…after a year of virtual conferences, Zoom networking sessions and shuttered venues, are people really ready to return to in-person events? Wondering Immediately after the Virtual Educational Conference the PSAI hosted in April, I began thinking about the next two PSAI events—which we are planning as live, in-person experiences. Even though these events are a ways off—the Nuts & Bolts Educational Conference is November 2–5, 2021 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and the PSAI Convention and Trade Show is February 1–4, 2022 in Reno, Nevada—I began to wonder how people would really be feeling about traveling and meeting in larger groups. Although each day brings a growing feeling of normalcy, we are not yet out of the pandemic. There are still factors many people and companies are weighing when it comes to health and safety. The main concern revolves around the fact that planning for these events needs to begin now. Whether it is booking flights and hotels, requesting time away from work or even wondering how many staff should attend, knowing what actions to take right now isn't as simple as it would be in more "normal" times. Another consideration is what next winter will look like. Will another round of vaccinations be needed? Will there be another wave of outbreaks? During 2020 there were nothing but questions we didn't know how to answer. And right now, we are not yet at the point of knowing the answers for the future, but at the same time, we can't sit still. So as the host of these events, the PSAI is planning that we are a full-go for our upcoming gatherings, with the excited expectation that we will see you in a few months. Here's why I think that is so. Ginger Rogers and Joseph Cotten starred in the 1944 film, "I'll Be Seeing You."