Find Strength Among Community

Find Strength Among Community | President’s Message | May 2020 Issue

This letter has changed several times in my mind as I thought about my topic for this issue. Several recent events have fueled the changes.

With the COVID-19 crisis, things change pretty fast. It will change even more by the time this issue is printed and in your hands. We are facing a global crisis that reaches our hometowns, main streets and businesses.

The frustrating part is we don’t know when it will end. And we don’t know what the human, emotional and economic impact will be. More than anything, the unknown is what drives us crazy.

So, let’s focus on what we do know. MWACA is an organization that bands together like-minded, focused-driven repair shops, other industry professionals, instructors, and industry suppliers or vendors. Many of us had just returned to our shops from the automotive premier training event known as VISION Hi-Tech Training & Expo. For almost a week, we came together as one big 3,000-person family, and we shared our thoughts and ideas. We learned from instructors and from each other, fostered new friendships and rekindled old ones. 

This year, as in years past, the Godfather (aka Jerry Holcom), the VISION committee and I are so happy that it came off as another huge success. Thanks again to everyone involved, as it takes a team: the committee members, volunteers, temp workers, hotel staff and OPCC event center. And the biggest thanks to Sheri, Heather and Julie in the MWACA office. We cannot thank them enough.

If you have not attended this event, you owe it to yourself, your clients and your community. I promise it will make a positive impact on you.

In times like this, throughout all the changes in our lives and businesses, those relationships built at VISION and MWACA chapter meetings are what will get us through this crisis. I encourage you to phone a friend, join an online webinar and talk to others who are going through the same thing. This is when our organization can shine. We have each other and we need each other.

Together, we’ve got this.