EDITOR’S NOTE

Giving Back

BY STEVE GUGLIELMO

Fax to: (954) 367-7790 Mail to: GAWDA Headquarters One Oakwood Blvd. Suite 195 Hollywood, FL 33020 Email to: bellenbogen@gawda.org

Steve Guglielmo is GAWDA Media’s Editor-in-Chief. He has more than a decade of experience working with industrial associations. He can be reached at steveg@gawdamedia.com.

GAWDA President Abydee Butler Moore and her husband Ryan have selected Children’s Literacy Center as the recipient of donations from the 2021 GAWDA Gives Back Program. Donations from the Gives Back campaign will fund specific projects at the charity and GAWDA will also be taking new or gently used donation books that members can send to the hotel. We will announce the dates in which members can send the books via email blast and it will also be posted on the 2021 Annual Convention registration. Children's Literacy Center's (CLC) mission is to build a life of success through a foundation of literacy…..ONE child at a time. CLC works with families and the community to provide an effective literacy program that helps the struggling reader become a successful reader. Through one-to-one tutoring, each student gets personalized tutoring with long-lasting results. Tutors help their students by providing patience, support, and, in turn, increasing the students' self-confidence. CLC's program, together with tutors, can create successful readers…..ONE child at a time.

I’ve worked in association publications for my entire career. I mentioned in my first ever editor’s note, in the Q3 2019 issue of Welding & Gases Today, that I was hired fresh out of college to work with GAWDA’s previous publisher. While I worked primarily with one of our other association publications at the time, and eventually went to work for a different publisher, again with other association publications, before rejoining GAWDA Media, I’ve gotten to experience some really cool things in my career.

I’ve gotten to travel to some really cool places, eat at great restaurants, meet people from all over the world and network in places I probably would have never gotten to go if not for this job. But the coolest thing about working with GAWDA isn’t the food, or the resorts, or the golf courses. It’s working with people who genuinely want to make a difference.

One of my primary missions since I became editor of Welding & Gases Today is to shine a light on all the member benefits that come with your GAWDA membership. How are your member dues working for you and your company? But today, I want to discuss the GAWDA Gives Back Program and how GAWDA members are bringing benefits to the cities that we visit.

GAWDA Gives Back started in 2000, when then NWSA President Dave Mahoney and his wife, Donna, suggested that GAWDA help support the cities and communities that we visit when we hold our annual Convention. Dave and Donna, together with GAWDA’s Board of Directors and leadership team, worked tirelessly to make this vision a reality, culminating in the

DONOR LEVEL SUGGESTIONS CORPORATE DONOR

Diamond $10,000 Platinum $7,500 Gold $5,000 Silver $2,500 Bronze $1,000 Contributor $500 Supporter $250 Friend $100

INDIVIDUAL DONOR

Founders Club $2,500 Presidents Club $2,000 Members Club $1,000 2000 Annual Convention in Maui, when GAWDA Contributor $500 Supporter $250 Friend $100 donated to Adult Day Care Centers. Participant $50 In the two decades since GAWDA Gives Back was formed, every subsequent GAWDA President -YES! I want to make acontribution in the AMOUNT OF $ to 2021 GAWDA Gives Back Charity. and their spouse have continued the tradition by On Behalf of: (Please fill out official donation name for signage) reviewing local charities and picking the one or Donor Contact Name Company Name Telephone two charities that are near and dear to their heart. Email And GAWDA members have answered the call Payment Information CHKwith aplomb, raising more than $2 million for (make check payable to GAWDA Gives Back) CC (Circle One) Visa MC Amex Discover

CARD NUMBER Exp. Date CVV

charities across the country.Cardholder Name Signature This year, we are headed to Colorado Springs, Billing where GAWDA President Abydee Butler Moore Street City State Zip Code and her husband, Ryan, will once again continue this grand tradition. The Moore’s have chosen the

Children’s Literacy Center (CLC) as the recipient for donations for the 2021 GAWDA Gives

Back Program. The CLC works with families in Colorado Springs communities to provide an effective literacy program that helps the struggling reader become a successful reader. Through oneto-one tutoring, each student gets personalized tutoring with long-lasting results. GAWDA is inviting all members to support

CLC’s mission to build a life of success through a foundation of literacy. This year, in addition to our members’ generous donations, GAWDA is asking Members to promote a book drive at each company as CLC is in need of new or gently used books for 1st – 6th graders. On behalf of GAWDA Media, I want to send a heartfelt thank you to all GAWDA members who have ever donated to GAWDA Gives Back.

You make us proud to be GAWDA members.

Thank you so much, we can’t wait to see you all in Colorado.