President's Message | November 2020
As I sit here writing this, I know that Thanksgiving is going to be very different for most of us. Given the spike in COVID cases here in Ohio, we have been asked to stay home, refrain from travel and not expand our gatherings to include loved ones outside of our immediate family. Our family has been left unaffected so far by COVID and spending the holiday with only my husband and two kids is the least I can do to keep the rest of my family safe. Thanksgiving is one of America’s beloved holidays and it’s a time to express gratitude toward family and friends.
I feel like I have written about gratitude and being thankful a lot this year, but genuinely this has been my dominant emotion. As this crisis started, I was thankful to have gotten home safely from the West Coast to be with my family as we locked down. I have been blessed with a career and work that is so very rewarding and is connected to a member community of individuals and companies that is so resilient, innovative and responsive. I have been grateful to have had the opportunity to take a much-needed break from travel and to be home when my daughter started high school and my son entered 8th grade.
I have been overwhelmed with appreciation this year by the generosity of our members in helping us make our 10th annual SUMMIT our largest yet. I have been blessed with the most talented, creative and passionate staff and board who have been unwavering in their support to make this year a success despite the challenges.
This year has been such a challenging one, and I am hoping that the families and individuals affected by this pandemic have the strength to overcome adversity and are hopeful as we begin 2021. Our organization aims to continue to provide support and resources and is here to help as you move forward.
Wishing you a safe and healthy holiday week!
Best,
Allison Grealis
Founder and President
Women in Manufacturing (WiM)