EVENTS AND EXHIBITIONS
29
A packed Plumblink VIP day
scores a hit
This year’s annual Plumblink VIP Family Fun Day on 28 February
was a packed-out success, with families from across the spectrum
of plumbing jostling alongside scholars from the venue school,
Midrand High, taking time out to enjoy the stands and the
entertainment.
By Eamonn Ryan
Miss Plumblink
Now in its eighth year, the Plumblink VIP family fun
day saw a steady stream of visitors throughout the
day. Trade stalls were set up, braai fires were roaring
and popcorn popping from almost every one of the
35 stalls, while the craft beer tent started attracting
queues from an early hour. The concentrated looks of
the barmen and cooks alike told a story of hard graft
to come from the more than 2 700 attendees.
Weather played an important role in the event, which had
to be postponed from last November due to torrential rain
at that time. The weekend of the fund day was similarly
forecast for heavy rain, but the day proved a beautiful one.
The inaugural family fun day eight years ago attracted fewer
than 100 people – and its growth to the present level of
approximately 5 000 points to considerable momentum as
word spreads each year among the community, says Maritza
Maritz, Plumblink’s event organiser. Apart from fun for the
kids, the primary purpose of the day is networking – and
judging by how busy some of the stands were throughout
the day, in this respect it was a tremendous success. The
people who attend are extremely important to Plumblink; and
being busy plumbers are not always easy to get to see face-
to-face. This day has consequently become an important one
for Plumblink.
The primary reason for having the VIP family fun day is to thank
the VIP Plumbers for their support over the year, says Maritz.
“All food, drinks and activities are funded through sponsorship
of generous suppliers. Plumblink customers tend to be the
smaller operations – usually a one-man, two-man, maybe
ten-man-and-a-few-bakkies kind of operation – focused
on maintenance plumbing, with their trucks as their offices.
They work all over and, because of the highly competitive
environment they operate in, they don’t want to talk about their
customers, or who they are working with, so if you want to
actually sit down and have a meeting, it’s almost impossible.
“Plumbers also have a keen interest in their industry, and
so the idea of the VIP family fun day was borne, enabling
plumbers to talk shop, relax and spend quality time with
their families. It’s a brilliant opportunity to get all these guys
April 2020 Volume 26 I Number 02
A packed Wirquin stand was
giving out free samples.
A sample of stalls exhibiting their products and services.
together; it’s a great atmosphere to really connect and bond by
meeting not just the plumber but his/her family,” says Maritz.
“Plumbers also get the chance to explain what makes things
easier for the smaller plumbing business and how to shape
their business to better aid everyone involved.”
The older kids also had a lot
of fun.
The day also has a few community benefits as an added
bonus. Plumblink is currently involved in an upgrading project
at Midrand High School, which is a spin-off for them allowing
Plumblink to use their facilities. The day makes no profit
whatsoever for Plumblink, and the bulk of money made comes
from the sale of raffle tickets, the proceeds of which are
donated to charity. Everywhere you look there are people selling
things, from food to raffle tickets, and at the end of the day, all
the money goes into a pot. Plumblink matches whatever is in
the pot and donates it to the Jakaranda Kinderhuis.
There is little doubt that the Plumblink VIP day has become
a staple of the events calendar in plumbing, with children
rushing from pony rides to foam baths and jumping castles,
while parents indulge in boerewors rolls, beer, and the live
performances on stage. PA
There was plenty of
entertainment for the kids.
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