interesting to speak with people who work in other industries, but what I realized when speaking with the Farm Bureau board members was how closely the outdoor amusement business and agricultural industry, as well as the issues they face resem- ble one another. So much of how we operate and the battles we fight are shared with farmers around the country. There were some great questions from many of the direc- tors in attendance. One of the first questions I was asked was “If technology was able to help with any of the current issues we are facing today?” I realized in later conversations how important this topic is to farmers. I explained that there are many things we have done to curb the impact of our current issues utilizing new technologies, such as LED lighting, auto- mated ticketing kiosks, fuel saving systems on our trucks and generators, as well as new software applications to manage things like employee work hours and ride inspection collec- tion. New technology has also been applied by our suppliers and equipment manufacturers in similar ways, such as ef- ficiency in their design and engineering.
I was also asked about the effect COVID lockdowns had on our industry and the resulting surge of people wanting to get
out of the house after the lockdowns were lifted. As well as if I believed any increase by fairgoers was temporary or would continue as part of a “new normal”. I have considered this question for a time now, and my response was that I believe that we did see many record-breaking crowds following covid lockdowns, but at the same time covid has fundamentally al- tered what many people valued in terms of what they consid- ered worthwhile entertainment. I believe that mainly consisted of anytime that got their families outdoors. So yes, the end of covid lockdowns spurred a surge of business for our industry, but at the same time created an increased sense of value for the kind of entertainment we provide at least for the foresee- able future.
It is a great feeling when people outside our industry take a genuine interest in the work we do. I truly enjoyed speaking to the members of the Farm Bureau Board and answering the questions they had for me. It was interesting hearing about the problems we shared and reminded me to always keep an eye out for those who may be willing to work together to ac- complish our goals. Safe Travels and God Bless, Andy Deggeller
217-245-7145 fax 217-479-0103
info@elibridge.com
elibridge.com
JULY 2022 | OABA ShowTime Magazine 5
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