June 2023 - Jeremy Cramer

Making Memories

Our membership is made up of individuals that tend to make memories!

Make sure you have your rooms reserved for the annual conference at the Kalahari in Wisconsin Dells this October.  The annual conference is one of those times and places to make some memories.  There are great activities planned, including the golf outing, the sporting clay event, and the plant tour.  There are great speakers lined up and technical secessions planned for you.  Online registration is open.

This is a good time to get your nominations in for Regional Operator of the Year and all the other annual awards.  Please start thinking about who you would like to nominate and submit using the nomination form on our website: www.wwoa.org under “Organization” – “Annual Awards” or this quick link:  https://www.wwoa.org/events-awards/annual-awards. All the conference information can be found on our website.

Spring is one of my favorite times of the year.  There are several reasons, but this year, I have two children graduating which makes it special.  One graduated from UW Madison with a degree in Landscape Architecture and has accepted a position working with MSA and my son is graduating from high school.  What does this have to do with WWOA?  My daughter was a recipient of the Crane Engineering Scholarship which is one of the many very generous WWOA scholarships that are offered annually.  These scholarships are offered to help students who are pursuing degrees in our field or in a field that serves our purpose and goals.  These scholarships are an important piece of helping students reach their goals and dreams and for us to continue to grow our profession.  This is an impactful piece of our organization, and we need to work to keep promoting what we do for these young people.  Check out the WWOA website for full details on the incredible scholarship opportunities https://www.wwoa.org/education/scholarship-tuition-aid.  Now onto the other piece, my son.  He will be attending UW Stevens Point in the fall and is leaning toward wastewater as his field of choice.  Of course, there is some influence behind that, but that leads me to another important factor.  We are ambassadors for our profession.  We need to work to recruit young people, who have and share the same passions that we do.  To many our field is not glamorous or attractive, but once they have experienced all that we do, their outlook changes.  We need to promote our profession and show all that we do to protect our environment and preserve our resources.  

Spring is that time for renewal and beginnings.  I have been in the tractor for the past several weeks prepping and planting fields.  Watching the first corn and soybeans emerge from the ground and seeing our wheat green up and grow is one of life’s simple pleasures.  This is a busy time of the year for many but is invigorating watching nature unfold its beauty before us.  As we move into summer, the Board of Directors will continue to make final preparations for the annual conference.  I hope that you all find time to rejuvenate and enjoy time with your family and friends.  Take time to relax, enjoy the small moments in life, and keep making memories!

Sincerely, Jeremy Cramer

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