(Pictured above is the 2021 group photo of the Chicago Randy)
by Jeanne Brei
Well, it’s August and it’s tee off time for the tradeshow industry’s charity golf season. Ancillary events may include bowling or trivia nights to help those in need but on August 1, EDPA Midwest members hit the links in Chicago for the 19th annual Chicago Randy at Seven Bridges Golf Course in Woodbridge.
Rick Pierson, director of client experience at Brumark, posted on Linkedin, “Such a great day!! Brumark was very proud to sponsor and participate in the Chicago Randy. Oh and this foursome won the day for the first time. Great industry friends.” The winning foursome, pictured above, L-R, includes Classic Exhibit’s Tom Beard, Pierson, Exploring Inc.’s James Zacharias and Exhibits 2.0 Inc.’s Lou Crescenti.
Taylor Freckleton, a sales executive at at Fusion Imaging, also shared that it was an “amazing day at the Chicago Randy. Love the cause; love this industry.” Freckleton is pictured (left) on the links with Melisa Burrell, Emma Christen, Deb Rodriguez and Courtney Cantor.
Burrell posted, “Such a fun day and for a great cause, Aluvision USA was happy to support the Chicago Randy!” Her fellow golfers from Hamilton, also shared, “We had an amazing time yesterday at the EDPA Midwest Chapter’s Chicago Randy Outing supporting a great cause with our industry colleagues!”
Speaking of the cause, the objective of the Randy Smith Memorial Golf Classic, a/k/a “The Randy,” is to help families in the exhibition industry who have suffered severe tragedies or face insurmountable medical expenses. The commitment of the Randy is to provide financial and emotional support to all past and present recipients and their families. The RSMGC Board of Directors review and decide on who will become the beneficiaries of the events funds and have granted more than 95 percent of officially received assistance requests, providing more than $1 million in assistance to more than 150 trade show families. The RSMGC blankets all segments of the exhibition industry from exhibitors to show managers to general contractors all the way down the trade show supply chain. One of the many things the founders and the governing board are most proud of is how they’ve been able to bring everyone together for this day of fellowship and good will. Many competing companies in their respective fields have known the Randy as the day they “lay down their swords” for the good of the overall cause.
The Randy is open to receiving additional applications for any and all trade show colleagues in need. Download RSMGC Assistance Application to get the process started. One of this year’s recipients will be the family of Jon Abbott, a senior account executive for Tradeshow Multimedia Inc., who passed away unexpectedly on December 17, 2021. Based in the Chicago area, he left behind his loving wife Georgina, nine-year-old son Henry and six-year-old daughter Lula (pictured right).
The feeling of camaraderie and the desire to help those less fortunate is nationwide as EDPA chapters from around the country are holding events for charity. Coming up next is EDPA SouthEast chapter’s 15th annual Get Out of the Gutter for a Good Cause Team Bowling Event on August 18 at Bowlmor Atlanta. Their 2022 sponsors include BannerBug USA, beMatrix, Brumark, Exhibitus, Momentum, nth degree, Octanorm North America, Team Worldwide and the Inside Track. To register, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/get-out-of-the-gutterfor-a-good-cause-tickets-368396994327
But if it’s fresh air and golf you prefer, the EDPA Great Lakes chapter is holding their 2nd annual EDPA Great Lakes Chapter Golf Outing at Mystic Creek Golf Course in Milford, Michigan, on August 29. For more info, email their chapter president, Kevin Sacharski, at kevin@vizcommedia.com
And if you prefer to be indoors with air-conditioning, the EDPA Texas chapter has you covered. They will be offering individual and team competitions at Top Golf The Colony on August 30. There will also be an educational speaker who will be speaking on the EDPA Future Workforce efforts along with networking, food and drink and fundraising —all while basking in air conditioning.
EDPA’s NorthEast chapter will be hosting their annual charity golf tournament to raise money for the EDPA Scholarship Fund (just as the EDPA Las Vegas chapter did in June). To register to join them on Monday, Sept. 12, for the day of FUNdraising at the Shaker Hills Country Club, visit http://edpanortheast.com/events/classic2022
And the grand-daddy of them all, is the 28th annual Randy coming this fall on October 7 at Stone Moutain Golf Club in Stone Mountain, Georgia. Registration is now open. Currently, Randy sponsors include Coastal International, CSI Worldwide, Midwest EDPA Chapter and SE EDPA Chapter. Be sure to go to the RSMGC site to add your company name to the list of sponsors.
