SIDEBAR Summer 2021 - 20

MONTGOMERY B AR .O R G
By Jack Costello, Director of Operations and Communications
I
t has been one year and
four months since our
last official in-person
gathering at the Montgomery
Bar Association. For a
social organization such as
ours, that is a lifetime. The
COVID-19 pandemic caused
us to close our doors for an
extended period for perhaps
the first time ever. Even a
major fire that devastated much of the building did not keep
MBA staff away for more than a few days.
A lot has changed since the MBA last held in-person
gatherings. We had a different president (both here at the
Bar Association and the United States), a different Executive
Director, a different restaurant/caterer, even different décor
adorned the walls of the building.
To " zoom " meant to move quickly.
Masks were worn by surgeons,
superheroes, and children on
Halloween. Social distance sounded
like the title of a bad yacht-rock song.
Ah, the " beforetimes! " How young
and naïve we were!
We've all been through a lot these
past 16 months. In these waning
20 SIDEBAR
days of the pandemic, perhaps it is time for us to focus on the
" aftertimes. "
Plans are already well underway to relaunch major social
events, such as the Bench Bar Conference, the Annual
Membership Dinner, and the Legal Aid Golf Classic. The
decision to move forward with these major events was not
one made lightly. Executive Director Denise S. Vicario, Esq.:
" Because of the magnitude of these events and the sheer amount
of planning that goes into them, we needed to make a decision
earlier this year to move forward. When the vaccinations were
initially released, we surmised that COVID rates would drop
and in-person gatherings would not only be possible, but people
would jump at the chance to socialize again after a year and
a half of quarantine. " We have already sold out of our room
allotment for Bench Bar, which proves our inclination that
people are ready to get back to normal.
We have also fully reopened the
MBA Building in Norristown after
much preparation. Denise and Team
MBA have been working hard to ensure
that the MBA building reflects our
efforts to become a more inclusive and
welcoming organization. Our lobby
now features a bright MBA mural
and photos of our current members.
Members and guests will appreciate
our brand-new, easy-to-use wifi service.
Even the furniture has been rearranged
http://montgomerybar.org
SIDEBAR Summer 2021

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