President’s Message

December 2024

I am sure I am not alone in my thinking “how is it December, already”! December is the holiday season where we traditionally think of Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day. However, other holidays occur during December which include Bodhi Day, a Buddhist holiday taking place on December 8th, Hanukkah, a Jewish holiday that starts on December 25th and continues through to January 2nd, and Kwanzaa that takes place from December 26th and goes through to January 1st.

I looked up holidays in December and I was surprised how many observances take place in December. I will only highlight a few as there far too many to list. For all the Santa fans, December 6th is St. Nicholas Day or also known as the Feast of St. Nicholas. On this day, Christians honour the birthday of Saint Nicholas, who was a 4th Century Bishop known for his generosity and proclivity for gift-giving.

As a Fur Mom, I was surprised and elated to discover that December 15th is Cat Herder Day. I have three cats (or rather three cats own me) and I feel like this is me every day!!! In all seriousness, this is a holiday created in 1985 to honour the hardworking individuals who help cats stay safe and healthy. If you are planning on building a gingerbread with the kids or as a work activity, December 14th is Gingerbread Decorating Day.

At my previous employer, a gift exchange with a twist was introduced (shout out to Randi Nixon at AIG) to the Claims Team called Krappy Kringle. In this gift exchange, you bring a new item from your home that you do not want and wrap it up for a gift steal with your team. You cannot purchase an item for this gift exchange; it must be something new and already in your home. December 18th is National Re-gifting Day so this would be the perfect day to host this event in your teams.

I am looking forward to the 2024 OIAA Holiday Party and Past President’s Night taking place on Wednesday, December 4th at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto. The theme is “Black & Gold Speakeasy”. Guests are encouraged to wear something that fits the theme! I would like to thank all that purchased tickets. $5 of each ticket will be donated to the OIAA’s charity for the 2024-2025 year, Holland Bloorview. Please check out the article in this month’s issue for more information regarding the incredible work done by this charity. I am also very happy to announce that Holland Bloorview is sending their client, Alex Winter and his family to speak about his experience at Holland Bloorview at the Holiday Party. There will also be an opportunity to donate to Holland Bloorview at the party if you are interested in supporting them.

In addition, I would like to thank our sponsors as without their kind support, we would not be able to host events such as the Holiday Party. I would first like to thank Sinistar for being The Charles “Lucky” Luciano (Photo Booth) sponsor. Secondly, I would like to thank ARS Global Emergency Management for being The Duke Ellington (Music) sponsor. In addition, I would like to thank all of our Old Fashioned sponsors; Accomsure ALE Management Solutions, DocuSketch, Hudson Restoration, Larrek Investigations, Newtron Group and Winmar. Finally, I would like to thank all of our Side Car sponsors; Aberdeen Investigations, DKI Burlington, Greystone Investigations, MyKey Global Accommodations, Relectronic-Remech Inc., and Rebuild Response.

The 2025 Claims Conference will take place on Wednesday, April 2, 2025 at the Metro Convention Centre. Booth and sponsorships sales are now available at www.oiaa.com. General registration will open in January 2025.

No matter what you are celebrating this December, it is a good time to get together with friends and family and spend quality time to reconnect and appreciate one another. Whether you are hoping for a white Christmas or escaping the cold for a green Christmas in the sun and sand, December is the time that we get some much-needed time off from work and recharge our batteries! I wish everyone a season filled with love, laughter, and unforgettable memories. Happy holidays!

I welcome your comments and feedback. Please feel free to reach out to me at sgillen@facilityassociation.com.

Yours truly,
SHAWNA GILLEN, CIP
President
Facility Association
(437) 962-5820