ARTICLE
Joe Champa, along with former RSA President, Jeff Couey, awarded RSA Executive Director, Jim McMahon, with the Vernon Fowlkes Memorial Award - one that has only been given out a handful of times in the history of the Association's existence. Throughout this Covid-19 pandemic, Jim has been working tirelessly with members on phone calls 24/7, attends and hosts zoom meetings, meets with legislators, directs staff to develop materials for rinks to utilize and has shown his unwavering ability to pivot during an event that none of us have ever expected to live through. His efforts have helped numerous states to get re-opened, helped rink owners who have never needed funding obtain the financial help they need to pay the bills through the PPP and EIDL program. The award is only conferred when, in the opinion of the Board of Directors of the RSA, someone within the roller skating industry has distinguished themselves as an outstanding contributor to the advancement of roller skating as a sport, a business or as an industry, through their work, involving personal sacrifice without intention of reward during a lifetime of service and the honors committee and board of directors agreed that Jim was wholeheartedly deserving of this award.
Joe Champa, along with former RSA President, Jeff Couey, awarded RSA Executive Director, Jim McMahon, with the Vernon Fowlkes Memorial Award - one that has only been given out a handful of times in the history of the Association's existence. Throughout this Covid-19 pandemic, Jim has been working tirelessly with members on phone calls 24/7, attends and hosts zoom meetings, meets with legislators, directs staff to develop materials for rinks to utilize and has shown his unwavering ability to pivot during an event that none of us have ever expected to live through.
His efforts have helped numerous states to get re-opened, helped rink owners who have never needed funding obtain the financial help they need to pay the bills through the PPP and EIDL program. The award is only conferred when, in the opinion of the Board of Directors of the RSA, someone within the roller skating industry has distinguished themselves as an outstanding contributor to the advancement of roller skating as a sport, a business or as an industry, through their work, involving personal sacrifice without intention of reward during a lifetime of service and the honors committee and board of directors agreed that Jim was wholeheartedly deserving of this award.