Since Community Day in Pokémon Go began to get more organized, one of its draws had been the distribution of goodies for those who attended the meetups for the event as they're organized by communities (through Club Campfire where applicable). However, in February of this year, said goodies were not present, and this was also the case for successive editions of the event and its community meetups. The situation more or less confirms that the goodies have essentially been "deprecated", which becomes a bit of a regretful state that also demands to be discussed with regard to the factors related to the situation.
It can be argued that the deprecation is a part of "cost-cutting measures" at Niantic, who had always claimed many times that profits from the game had (recently) been declining - to what extent, players may not know. Eerily, the deprecation also came shortly before it was reported that Niantic would sell off the game and others related to it to Scopely, which was followed through one month later. As such, the sale also becomes a possibly related factor to the deprecation. Regardless, the action is done and gone - no more goodies to be had.
Personally, I consider the goodies as the most novel aspect of the recently established norm of meetups hosted by communities, even if it was the initiative of Niantic and not really one of the communities. If anything, they did encourage members of the community to come and be present for the event, even if it was somewhat of a "bribe" and not everyone took the "bribe". They then might see that Community Day is more than the "bribe" or just the in-game tasks, and then be able to frequent their communities more, as I and others had done.
On the other hand, the deprecation may be a subtle hint that communities can and do need to conceive ways to bring together their members for this event and other Pokémon Go events, as through giveaways, contests, and even other side agendas - all of which incidentally have been done by my local community, despite the ever-greater distance between me and other members. Other communities would need to be able to do the same, and that's something to be observed by me along with the game's representatives, if they're still around now.
Now that the goodies for Community Day are essentially a memory, there is a sense that focus is shifted back to the in-game tasks, as well as (and more importantly) the local communities themselves, the ones for whom the event is named. In that sense, there may no longer be a need to feel regret over the disappearance of the goodies, and the important feeling would be happiness (mostly) for the power of communities in Pokémon Go.
One year ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 5/19/2024
Two years ago: Need Some Help, Niantic?
Three years ago: Bits and Pieces of Pokémon Merchandise
Four years ago: The Hum of (Pokémon) Life
Five years ago: Better for the World
Six years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 5/19/2019
Seven years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 5/19/2018
Eight years ago: On the Mystery of Dungeons