PPB August 2021

by Katrina Derksen PPPC COMMUNIQUÉ WEE Connects, Inspires, Empowers And Entertains N ot even COVID-19 can hold back the incredible women of the promotional products industry. The Promotional Product Professionals of Canada’s (PPPC) Women’s Empowerment Event (WEE) was held virtually in May 2021, and it was a huge success. PPPC welcomed more than 150 leading ladies representing 78 companies to our event, and 29 of those companies were brand new to WEE. Our statistics also showed that 65 percent of attendees were new to the WEE community; this speaks to the universality of virtual events and our ability to reach women who may not have been able to attend an in-person WEE event in the past. Committee member Kate Plummer, MAS, says, “It was really heartening to see so many new faces as part of the WEE event. Holding it virtually allowed a new audience to join in. Our goals for WEE have always been to build a connected and supportive community, and it was wonderful to see it grow.” We were excited to welcome such a large number of newbies; they all now have a place in the WEE family for life. The WEE community has always been a tight-knit group of women and this year was no different. We could not keep up with how quickly the Zoom chat was moving at times. From the expected “hello” and “I miss you” to the heart-warming, “Thank you for sharing that personal story,” and “We’re always here for you,” our attendees were thrilled to connect with each other again. The WEE ladies are always there to support and lean on each other, and we are so proud of the community they’ve created. 78 | AUGUST 2021 | CONNECT