OABA Update-by Bob Johnson, OABA President & CEO “Oh What a Night” None of us will ever forget the inside the trade show free fireworks
show at this year’s FFF’s and Zone 2 Convention at the World Golf Village. Our good friend Tom Umiker, last year’s FFF president showed great leadership, along with Lisa Hinton and others to quickly react and overcome this interruption in the trade show and festivities. It showed the resiliency of all attendees to overcome obstacles we face at our fairs, carnivals and our food concessions. Hopefully no exhibitor had any sig- nificant damage and my congratulations to President Tom and others on their quick reaction to sooth emotions and keep things on track! The OABA was pleased to present our education workshop, which I
moderated, regarding Animal Welfare verses Animal Activists/ Extremists at our fairs. This was a packed house with a great audience comprised of fair management and board members, animal exhibitors, and circus folks who were all very interested in how to protect all animal exhibits and the animal education aspect of fairs. Federation general counsel, Lance Fuchs gave an excellent summary of the legal rights Florida fairs have under their statutes, as protected by FL Agriculture and legislation. Monica Welde, owner of Bearadise Ranch/Welde Bear Attraction,
along with Heidi Herriott, animal welfare expert and the OABA’s USDA consultant and performing exotic animal expert, Joan Galvin, with Kel- ley Drye & Warren, all did an outstanding job at helping to educate fairs about the impact and tactics of animal activists. It was a standing room only session, with some great audience participation and questions. This session has started a groundswell of activity not only by the OABA’s exotic animal exhibitors, but by the IAFE’s President/CEO
Marla Calico, who is working with her board and fair members to develop a “White Paper” to help America’s fairs deal with this increas- ing threat by activist groups to all animal ex- hibitors. The OABA will presenting similar education sessions at the IAFE Convention in Las Vegas and at the Western Fairs Conven- tion in January. Thanks again, Marla! If any of you missed this session and want a
copy of the two Power Point presentations that provide some great education and a basic action plan for your fairs, please email me at:
bobj@oaba.org. And lastly, I mentioned in my OABA update at the luncheon, we have
this great, new Children’s Carnival Ride Safety video, done by young people in our industry, geared towards parents and young children with regards to carnival ride safety at America’s fairs. You may simply go to our website:
www.oaba.org and download this short ride safety video, free, for use on your fair’s website for your communities. As our carnival and fair season in America kicks off this Spring and
Summer, I hope you get to see other fairs and network with some great folks who have a lot in common with you and your fairs in this Great State of Florida. Safe travels and enjoy your summer!
NICA Update By: Rey O’Day
NICA members spent the Spring host-
ing Benefit Rallies, Fundraising Events and Convention Workshops like “Good Things Happen when Concessionaires and Fairs Work Together” at the Florida Federation of Fairs gathering in St. Au- gustine. Ten college students were recently
awarded by NICA a total of $15,000 in scholarship money. It is an honor to
invest in the future of our young people. June 1st was the deadline for Board of Director nominations and we
are pleased to have six people running for two positions. The Board is also busy activating this year’s Strategic Plans and conducting a search for an Executive Director. Collaborating with other fair organizations strengthens all of us.
NICA has recently sponsored or made donations to IAFE Foundation Jim Tucker fund, OABA H2B fund, and the Florida Federation Foun- dation. We are also the grateful and proud recipients of funds from the Flori-
da Federation Inaugural Fair Partners Shootout and the Pima County Golf Off. The May NICA News is dedicated to
Travel...yes it is the time of
year when our members head North and South and East and West to serve hundreds of thousands of fair guests. Travel Safe and Make Lots of Good Memories…See you at the Fair!
FAIRCRACKER-SUMMER 2016
47
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56