TDN Intern Katie Ritz polled a series of industry members to see if they had found anything good that has come out of the current crisis. Their responses will appear every day in the TDN. To submit your own, email suefinley@thetdn.com
TONY LACY
I have found that over the last couple of weeks, there has been a refreshing and genuine solidarity between people in our industry, with emails, texts, and calls flowing freely as people are checking on each other. Sometimes we all need a mental reset to illustrate what exactly is important in life. We are all concerned and stressed over the unknown, not only for our businesses, but also for our family, friends and neighbors. This outreach has not just been local, but from friends and colleagues globally. Everyone is affected by this, and in equal measure. We are all having to figure out how to adjust in real-time.
Most of us that have weathered the 2008 financial crisis have seen what a similar event can do to our industry. Twelve years ago, we lost some very good people from the industry due to no fault of their own. Most of us learned a lot from the rough waters we all traveled during those times. There is a strong need to keep everyone afloat. I believe we are sensitive to that fact now more than ever.
This all has come when our sport has been under severe scrutiny, both externally and internally. Tensions have been high. But this pause also gives us time and a real opportunity to adjust and fix some of the issues that can be best enacted in a time like this.
On a personal note, I have found that I have communicated with my siblings more over the last couple of weeks, on a WhatsApp group-text, than I could have ever imagined. Real-time quizzes can pop up at anytime of the day or night. Everyone is extremely competitive with it. It keeps everything light and free of the stresses each of us has. My sister is in the healthcare system back home in Ireland and working with Covid-19 patients, and it keeps her spirits up as well. We are very proud of what she is doing.
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