Dear friends, colleagues & industry partners,
first and foremost I truly hope you are all healthy, safe & doing well amidst these difficult times. We are all facing an unprecedented level of uncertainty, concern, financial hardship and personal struggle as we face the dire consequences of the biggest pandemic of our age. Family & friends are of the utmost importance today. Take care of them, but most of all, take care of yourselves.
Like so many of you, the hospitality and beverage industries have been hit incredibly hard. I myself have been furloughed from my primary occupation as of last week and pushing through on unemployment. I apologize for the delay in getting this communication out to everyone, as we struggled to figure out ways that the North American Sommelier Association could pivot and re-invent itself amidst an extremely challenging and changing landscape. The work is far from over.
NASA survives on membership and courses. Memberships are nourished by educational events, networking opportunities and classroom time. The lockdown and closure of all establishments have forced us to interrupt our life-support. We can no longer be conducting classes, courses, events, tastings and all the wonderful engagements that brought all of us together and kept the North American Sommelier Association alive. We now find ourselves in extreme hardship.
I am however confident that we will manage to pivot and balance successfully and will get through this together, with the entire industry. What we will find on the other side is an unknown for all. For the moment, like everyone else is doing, we will take advantage of ZOOM and online platforms to create webinars, meetings, tutoring sessions and we have embarked in a huge mission to convert our courses (with the exception of the Silver-Pin Certified Sommelier course...) to an online version of themselves. This is for us a true shift. We have always stood proud as the only beverage education organization in the United States that conducts complete classroom time and our "hands-on approach" was at the core of our success nationwide through over a decade of operations. We are now forced to change that, at least for the time being.
To face the huge costs of such a transition, I have created a GOFUNDME campaign to allow those who care about our survival, to donate and assist us in pivoting successfully through these dire times. The funds will all go towards teacher dues, e-platform costs, website maintenance and renewal, book printing and shipping as well as promotional efforts to expand our pool of members and attendees. Any amount, no matter how small, helps.
I have compiled on the most recent newsletter going out, a series of initiatives, engagements and courses that we are now offering online. I am also listing some sources and links to organizations providing aid and support to our industry and to those who have lost their jobs due to COVID-19. Please keep checking our website for any updates or opportunities. I truly feel that amidst the cabin-fever of an extended lockdown and "stay at home" orders, being able to continue nourishing our passion for wine and for our beloved industry, is the absolute way to go in order to maintain sanity.
I send you all the most sincere hugs & the best wishes for you and your families. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your patronage and your fidelity.
Once all this is over; a handshake, a hug, a bottle with friends and colleagues...will mean so much more.
Sincerely,
Diego Meraviglia
President & Director Of Education