***W3YXE*** No Breezeshooters Hamfest this year

[jjlis165 at gmail.com]

>From The Breezeshooters Facebook Page: 

It is official -- No Breezeshooter Hamfest 2021 this year. 

The Breezeshooters Board of Directors held the regular monthly meeting on
Thursday January 21, 2021 via Zoom. Normally the January meeting revolves on
final preparations for the Annual Breezeshooters Hamfest held every year on
the first full weekend in June at the Big Butler Fair Grounds in Butler
County. We had great excitement for this year's event with new attractions
especially since the 2020 hamfest was cancelled due to the Covid-19
outbreak.

The Board exercising an abundance of caution reviewed and considered all of
the aspects of the event. Specifically..

1. Under current Pennsylvania Health Department directives the event could
not be held today. We do not have any information or expectation that those
restrictions will be modified or lifted by June of this year.

2. While we could provide wide spacing for the outside activities, doing so
within the buildings would be difficult. The additional volunteer staffing
needed to provide for capacity monitoring inside the buildings would be
difficult for Breezeshooters to muster.

3. The Fairgrounds have not made decisions on the operation of the
facilities as of this date.

4. Many attendees at hamfests are within groups of persons who are
endangered with severe outcomes if contracting Covid-19.

5. There will NOT be a large enough population vaccinated by the beginning
of June 2021.

6. With the knowledge that the Covid-19 pandemic will continue through 2021,
the impact upon attendance cannot be estimated but would certainly be
reduced.

7. The financial impact to Breezeshooters, participating vendors, and
attendees to proceeding with planning then cancelling at a later date.

8. Many other Amateur Radio events have thus far been cancelled. Hamcation
in Florida and Dayton Hamvention which is held only two weeks prior to
Breezeshooters 2021.

After considering all possibilities and caring for all of our brothers and
sisters in our hobby, the Board of Directors has cancelled the 2021
Breezeshooters Hamfest. We hope that conditions will improve that we may see
all at the 2022 Breezeshooters Hamfest.

Anyone who has sent in deposits or purchases for the 2020 or 2021 hamfest
will be carried over to the 2022 event. Should you wish a refund, email us.

Thank you looking forward to seeing everyone in 2022.

Remember..Get your vaccine.wash your hands, wear a mask and practice social
distancing.

"Ham Radio is the ultimate social distancing activity"...