Event Coordinator Believes in the Competition

December 16, 2014

Featured

Laurie Perkins volunteered as the event coordinator for the Operations Challenge 2014 Collection Systems Event. Photo courtesy of Perkins.

Laurie Perkins volunteered as the event coordinator for the Operations Challenge 2014 Collection Systems Event. Photo courtesy of Perkins.

Laurie Perkins, coordinator for the Collection Systems Event at WEFTEC® 2014, is one of many volunteers working hard behind-the-scenes to make sure the competition runs smoothly.

Perkins said she works throughout the year to obtain volunteer judges, train judges on their responsibilities, make sure all the equipment is in adequate condition before the competition, and attend other Member Association (MA) Operations Challenge competitions as practice. In addition, she helps prepare and review related tests for both MA and national events, answers questions from teams on rules or event changes, and assigns responsibilities to other volunteers.

“I volunteer because I believe the foundation of our industry is our operators,” Perkins said. “They are our eyes and ears in the field and help us better understand what technologies work or would be helpful.”

Perkins (front row, second from right) stands with all of the Collections Event judges who volunteered for Operations Challenge held at WEFTEC 2014. Photo courtesy of Perkins.

Perkins (front row, second from right) stands with all of the Collections Event judges who volunteered for Operations Challenge held at WEFTEC 2014. Photo courtesy of Perkins.

Perkins, senior project manager for Wright-Pierce (Manchester, N.H.), has focused her entire career as an engineer on everything related to collection systems. She first began volunteering for Operations Challenge in 1997. She also has helped bring the Operations Challenge back to the Chesapeake Water Environment Association. It’s now the location of a successful regional event. For the national competition, Perkins gets an early start on Saturday, setting up the events with the other event coordinators. Once the Collection Systems Event starts, Perkins talks to team captains about their penalties. “[I] use each opportunity as a teaching moment, specifically when it comes to incorrect answers on the test portion [where teams are shown pictures and asked to identify pipe defects],” Perkins said.

— Jennifer Fulcher, WEF Highlights

Operations Challenge 2014 Featured in WEF Highlights and WE&T

During Operations Challenge 2014, Terminal Velocity made history by placing first in Division 1 for the fifth consecutive year. Team HRSD joined Terminal Velocity at the top by securing first in Division 2. Both are Virginia Water Environment Association teams.

While teams and competitors often receive coverage in the Water Environment Federation’s (WEF’s; Alexandria, Va) publications, many volunteers help host the annual competition that takes place during WEFTEC. During the month, WEF Highlights will feature the following series of articles offering unique perspectives of Operations Challenge:

And read Operations Challenge 2014 coverage in WEF’s magazine, WE&T, which includes articles on the Division 1 and 2 winners, perspectives from a Laboratory Event judge and a training event held for the team from Argentina, as well as steps and results of all the events.

Operations Challenge 2014 Division 1 Results

Place Team Member Association Final Score
1 Terminal Velocity Virginia WEA 459.16
2 TRA CReWSers WEA of Texas 444.54
3 Commode Commandos Rocky Mountain WEA 377.33

Operations Challenge 2014 Division 2 Results

Place Team Member Association Final Score
1 Team HRSD Virginia WEA 455.36
2 Dumplings Nevada WEA 449.21
3 River Rangers Pacific Northwest CWA 444.09

 

 

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