TAA held their 1st Holiday Event December 11 in Central Texas at the beautiful Summers Mill Conference & Retreat Center in Belton, TX.
Thank you to the Holiday Committee , Angie Meier, Heather Kaspar, Jarod Hamm, Troy Robinett and Doug Bradford for their support, time and decorations. The event featured family events including gingerbread house making, ornament making, corn hole tournament and Santa!
At the Saturday lunch, TAA lobbyist Todd Kercheval and TAA PAC Chairman Jim Swigert gave an update on licensing revisions. TAA presented Todd a gift of appreciation in lieu of his waiving his fees during these recent challenging years. Todd thanked every one and encouraged to focus on raising $25,000 in funds to support and impact legislative races for Fall 2022, which will impact support in the 2023 Texas Session.
The feedback from attendees was very positive and everyone enjoyed the family atmosphere and fun auction with family getting up to auction also. Here are a few quotes from event attendees:
“Just awesome!!! The boys had so much fun making ginger bread houses, meeting Santa, meeting and playing with new life long friends, and getting to sell items at auction. This was a weekend they will not soon forget and will be talking about for a while. They can't wait until June to see their friends again at the conference! Iam so blessed to have been able to attend this event, it was heart warming to witness the new friendships the kids have made. Good job to everyone involved that made this happen.” - Erica Black
"It was a great opportunity to be in a relaxed, non-working environment and get to know each other better. It was heartfelt to see the next generation of auctioneers bond together and have the excitement of getting on stage to auction in front of their soon to be peers." Their children said enjoyed being able to try auctioneering! - Natalie & Tim Dietz
“The Holiday Gathering is proof that the Auction industry is built on family, both blood and chosen. I am grateful to be able to represent this industry in the halls of the Capitol, but more important, I am grateful for the relationships I have built over the years with TAA members. Thanks for the amazing gift and have a Merry Christmas!” - Todd Kercheval
"It was such a great weekend to spend time with other auction families! The kids had so much fun with the activities and getting to know each other while also getting to experience an auction and even participate. I think there are future Auctioneers that will develop from this excitement!" - Amelia Robinett. Trey Gallaway, added “We absolutely enjoyed watching the kids of our auction industry’s future, have a great time together in fun, food, fellowship, and most of all the children’s auction. We will be well represented and our future looks bright.” - Trey Gallaway
“This was a beautiful “networking” environment for our future leaders! I could not be more proud of our association! “ - Angie Meier
“As I walked into the room filled with Auctioneers and children of auctioneers, Santa sitting by the tree, ginger bread houses built by kids and parents alike. Handshakes, hugs and people getting to know each other better. I would say that any auctioneer that works yearly teaching their children to be auctioneers, there is no better way to end the year than a family gathering. Hope to see everyone next year.” - Myers Jackson
“Of my six years of serving on the board, this event has brought me the most joy! We have done a lot of good, but none of it beats: young people feeling comfortable enough to take the mic and sell items and get on the floor and ring or to have everyone walk/run a 2 mile course - gathering gifts representing items to be sent to Texas Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital for kids that can’t all run and walk, or to get a positive PAC update about our livelihood & then turning around to build gingerbread houses with our littles; to also physically see the desire of success in their eyes whether playing beanbags, basketball, selling items, racing or just being kind humans. We all work so hard & being able to show up with our families & just have fun with other people that get our hustle was a gift on SO many levels!” - Heather Kaspar
