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Tent manufacturers and rental businesses around the U.S. celebrated the frontline workers of the COVID-19 pandemic on Aug. 29 with barbeques, food truck fare and lots of sweet treats.
Independent Tent CARES Day events were hosted by members of the IFAI’s Tent Rental Division (TRD) and other industry organizations. In addition to honoring health care and emergency services workers, the event was designed to showcase the use of tents as a safe space to gather outdoors while maintaining social distance.
TLC Rents of Atlanta, Ga., partnered with four barbeque restaurants and the Atlanta chapter of the International Live Events Association (ILEA) to provide lunch for emergency medical technicians and paramedics from Metro Atlanta Ambulance Service, COVID-19 health care workers from Wellstar Kennestone Hospital and firefighters from the Marietta Fire Department. Reuben Ayoub, TLC Rents president, describes the event as a huge success.
“We served around 150 meals to a variety of Atlanta’s frontline workers,” Ayoub says. “Having closed for four months due to the pandemic and only partially reopened since Aug. 1, my entire team was thrilled to be able to do this and show our support for frontline workers. It was a wonderful experience for everyone involved and it was so rewarding so see how much they appreciated our effort.”
Fred’s Tents & Canopies Inc. of Waterford, N.Y., teamed up with King Brothers Dairy to honor first responders and medical workers at a local hospital. “On Aug. 28 and 29 we set a tent up outside of Ellis Hospital to hand out ice cream,” says Heather Frank, sales representative for Fred’s Tents & Canopies. “We handed out three different flavors of ice cream in prepackaged bowls, and the response from medical workers was great.”
In Norcross, Ga., staff members of Classic
Tents & Events provided popsicle treats to frontline workers at Northside Hospital. According to Steven Eisenstein, Classic Tents & Events president, the turnout was great, and the health care professionals were very appreciative. “It was a humbling experience and made you realize how lucky we are to have so many brave people going to work every day,” says Eisenstein.