Good to Know KNOW by Laura Bickle COMPETITIVE SPIRIT Now You The event industry will soon be getting some bold new voices if the recent fi rst-annual Inter-College Event Planning Competition is any indication. Over the weekend of February 4, fi ve teams from Seneca College, Durham College and Humber College were tasked with creating an event proposal for the annual fundraiser and awards gala for The Association for Sustainable Canada. The teams were given the event brief on Friday, and had until Sunday morning to prepare a presentation that included the venue, decor, entertainment, swag bags, fundraising, food and beverage, AV and the run sheet. The event was a collaboration between the colleges and MPI, and the entries were judged by industry pros. The fi rst-place winning team, students of Humber’s post-graduate Event Management program, included Katia Sist, Jenna Zimmer, Aguiton Rodriguez, Maria Veronika Del Pilar, Anya Johnson and Jinwen Cong. Their proposed event venue was Hotel X Toronto and featured locally sourced food, gifts and decor as well as creative entertainment and fundraising activations. The team will receive recognition at the MPI Toronto Chapter Awards 2022, a student membership and an Amazon gift certifi cate. Thrilled with the success of the event, the organizers are inviting all Ontario post-secondary institutions with an event planning credential to participate in next year’s competition. For more information, contact [email protected]. While masks are likely to play a major role in keeping people safe and comfortable as we return to face-to-face, there’s no denying the waste they produce. It’s an issue the Quebec City Convention Centre has set out to address, says Marc Poirier, director, building management and event support. “The COVID-19 pandemic presented some challenges to waste management not only for individuals but also for events. Québec City is such a clean city, that the waste generated by disposable masks strewn around the streets was quite shocking. We approached a number of businesses that pivoted during the pandemic and started recycling masks.” The Centre has partnered with Go Zero Recycle to handle discarded disposable masks. Guests simply toss their used masks in the labelled boxes and Go Zero Recycle picks them up when they are full. The masks are then transformed into recycled material which is then used to create new products. As part of its 50th anniversary celebrations, Meeting Professionals International (MPI) has launched a site where members are encouraged to post short videos about how MPI has benefi tted their professional and personal lives. There are several inspirational videos already up and they can be viewed by members and non-members alike. Keep an eye on the website for other activations, as well as details about the MPI World Education Congress in San Francisco, June 21-23, where there’s sure to be lots of birthday celebrations. mpi.org/MPI50 See how masks are recycled by scanning the QR code or visit ignitemag.ca HAPPY BIRTHDAY MPI KEEPING PPE OUT OF LANDFILLS Marc Poirier Spring 2022 | Ignitemag.ca | 21
