Announcement Regarding 2021 Events

COVID-19 has created an environment that we haven’t seen before in our lifetimes, and it’s caused world-wide disruption. Borders have been closed, economies have been devastated, and lives have been lost. In looking forward to 2021, there are milestones that the Events team, the Executive team and the Board of Directors would like to see reached before we plan a huge in-person social event:

1. A vaccine is available and accessible
2. Public schools and universities have returned to normal attendance procedures
3. Live performances are happening with reasonable safety precautions
4. Testing is widely available and affordable
5. International travel is largely open again

At this time, these milestones have not been attained, and don’t look to be attainable for some time yet. We’ve then made the difficult decision that we will be postponing any events until further notice. We will revisit this decision each quarter, to measure the progress of the above-mentioned milestones. If we see measurable progress of some or all of these milestones, we will seriously consider planning a large-scale event for all to enjoy.

A large-scale event such as our 20th Anniversary Party requires a minimum of 12 months to put together - setting up contracts with the hotel, booking special guests, planning menus - all of this takes time, and we hope you will be as excited as we are when we’re finally able to meet up again and celebrate 20 years (or more!) of TarValon.Net. However, the possibility of sponsoring smaller local events cannot be discounted. We will watch, and see if this possibility can be made reality.

This decision was not reached lightly, and we’re just as upset and disappointed as you are that we will not get to see each other again for some time. However, it’s much more important that we protect each other from this deadly virus. So we will wait, and we will do Zoom chats and play games on Discord until the day we’re able to safely gather again.

If you decided to hold over your deposit/ticket fee from this year to next year, and wish a refund, please email Cassie (shatayan@tarvalon.net), Viv (naevents@tarvalon.net), and myself (events@tarvalon.net).

I would like to thank the Events team, the Executive team and the Board of Directors for their input into this decision.

it's a hard choice and though it's sad, it's the right one. Can't wait until the day we can again!

Thank you for all that you do! Definitely a hard decision, but I feel the right one. <3

I rather 20th be when everyone has the opportunity to attend safely. I sure do miss you guys a hell of a lot! but I'll take all the Zooms, chats, games I can while we are being safe.

:grouphug

As sad as it is, the safety of all our members is the top priority. I'm glad that the Exec team came to the right decision. We will be back soon, and until then, we'll tide ourselves over with Zoom calls, games and silliness to remind us that we are all together even if we're apart.

A difficult decision, but a necessary and right one.

I wish these precautions weren't necessary, but I understand and I hope we can meet in person sooner than we think.

A couple of questions:

Melisande Arneil said:

Public schools and universities have returned to normal attendance procedures

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In the US, at least, not all states/locales have the same rules at any given time about public school and university attendance. Will we be measuring this milestone by the procedures that are currently in place at the specific location we'll have the event?

Melisande Arneil said:

If you decided to hold over your deposit/ticket fee from this year to next year, and wish a refund, please email Cassie (shatayan@tarvalon.net), Viv (naevents@tarvalon.net), and myself (events@tarvalon.net).

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If we don't ask for a refund for our already paid refund/ticket, will the site hold onto it for the next event we hold?

Yes, any ticket payment that is not requested for a refund will remain held aside as a payment toward the next event we do hold.

I am so sad, but grateful to everyone for taking the risk seriously and putting wellbeing first.
Thanks for all you do!

If we aren’t able to have any live events in 2021, does the Anni 2021 site automatically become the site for Anni 2022?

Disappointing and frustrating, but the right decision. Thank you all for making it.

I had assumed as much, and ALSO these are my own personal safety precautions regarding travel

Thank you all.

@Kitan Tataru Good question! I would check both the state/city in which we'd be having any event, and compare it to the overall state of the country. If we're seeing significant movement towards regular attendance, then I'd be encouraged that an event can be held safely in that state/country. However, we do recognize that how we go to school may have been changed permanently...that's why we have other guidelines to help guide us to a decision.

Thank you. This is the right decision.

Nymala Ingasy said:

We will be back soon, and until then, we'll tide ourselves over with Zoom calls, games and silliness to remind us that we are all together even if we're apart.

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So true!

This is for the best. thanks for keeping our best interests at heart!