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The Gift of Giving

Caroline Kennedy, Editor-in-Chief -- Gifts and Dec, 12/1/2009 12:00:00 AM

On the weekend before Thanksgiving, I had the pleasure of attending the Gift & Home Trade Association (GHTA) annual conference in Phoenix, AZ. The conference was held at a stunning resort on the Gila River Indian Community. It was nice to get away for a few days from the hustle and bustle of New York to the serenity and sunshine of the desert. But more than that it was a wonderful opportunity to get to know many industry colleagues better in a more relaxed, non-tradeshow atmosphere.

The conference drew together individuals from across all facets of the industry: trade show and mart managers, manufacturers and distributors, showroom managers and sales reps, technology and other service providers, retailers and editors. We came to learn with each other and from each other; for one thing that the economic difficulties of the past year has shown us is that we are a community, a community of the gift industry. We are all dependent on each other for our success and growth, and we need to work together to help each other achieve a common goal — the prosperity of all.

One particular exercise put it all into focus ... and then some. Toward the end of the second day, after sitting through several inspirational speakers and breakout workshops, all in attendance were divided into random groups of 20 teams. Each team was given the task of putting together and decorating a bicycle in a given period of time. This was not a competition but an exercise in cooperation, with not only all team members working together to get the job done, but teams helping other teams.

In the end though, the real lesson of the exercise was not just about cooperation; it was about giving — the concept on which this industry thrives. Once the bicycles were assembled, the doors of the room were opened and the bicycles were presented to a very surprised group of boys and girls from the local Maricopa Indian community.

While team-building exercises are common at conferences such as this, they often do not result in such a generous and wonderful outcome. The community of the gift industry became a community of giving. The idea was spearheaded by outgoing GHTA Chairman and current board member ex-officio George Kacic and sponsored by Ganz. Thank you George, Ganz and GHTA for a wonderful lesson in teamwork and the true meaning of "gift." The joy on those kids' faces said it all as they claimed their bikes.

In this season of joy and giving, all of us at Gifts & Decorative Accessories wish your and yours

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

May you be safe, healthy and prosperous. See you in the New Year!

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