+Hula Bum Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 That's a good point. How much money was donated by the sponsors for this event and how much money did the event itself end up making? This would definitely have a factor on annual vs. semi-annual. These are certainly things that need to be considered. Also, what happens to the money that was made from the previous event? Is it left to that area or does it go into a "pot" for the next geocoin event? Ahhh, and so begins the complications! Quote Link to comment
+AtlantaGal Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 Also, what happens to the money that was made from the previous event? Is it left to that area or does it go into a "pot" for the next geocoin event? Ahhh, and so begins the complications! Originally, any leftover funds would have been donated to various geocharities so that the event would generate $0 income. At the time, we didn't know if there would ever be another one. However, seeing that the event was such a success and will more than likely happen again, the leftover money is rolling over to the next event. Avroair will oversee this process. Quote Link to comment
+Anthus Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 I didn't get to go to the event due to other commitments, but were there fund raising prior or during the event? Raffles, auctions, Poker entry fees, contest entry fees, goodie bag profits, event coin profits, etc? I know the event is to be free to attend, but there are avenues to raise funds. Maybe we need to have more fundraising to eliviate the majority of the burden off the vendors -- like 50% fundraising; 50% vendors. Just a thought. How does GW manage costs? ...Anthus Quote Link to comment
+AtlantaGal Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 I didn't get to go to the event due to other commitments, but were there fund raising prior or during the event? Goodie bags were the only source of funding other than sponsorships. That was largely due in part to selling off the merchandising "items" as actual sponsorships and not wanting to staff a "store." There are already ideas in place that will alleviate some of the sponsor burden for 2008. Quote Link to comment
avroair Posted February 26, 2007 Share Posted February 26, 2007 There are already ideas in place that will alleviate some of the sponsor burden for 2008. The sponsorships were very generous for this year, and we would like to continue a relationship with all the vendors. We encountered some last minute unforeseen expenses, alleviating some of the sponsor burden will be good. The Temecula Geocoinfest was free, provided food and people got a free button out of it. Quote Link to comment
CinemaBoxers Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 (edited) Hi folks! This is going to be a bit of a lengthy post ~ At the urging of some, I am going to pitch the Chicago area for Geocoinfest '08. Please read through it, and be honest with yourselves about the pros and cons. What works best for some may not be the best for others - but overall, I believe the location would suit the majority. Chicago is a fantastic place to visit if you have never been here. There are so many activities for adults as well as kids. Chicago is served by 2 major airports for easy access into the city. Milwaukee, WI has another Int'l airport, and it's only an hour fifteen north of the city of Chicago by car. There is a major amusement park 45 minutes north of the city (Six Flags Great America). Multiple museums within the downtown area, some of the best restaurants in the country are in the city, yet the same downhome type places exist (as far as food type places are concerned). There are several casinos within striking distance of Chicago - notably, the city of Elgin, IL has the Grand Victoria; the city of Joliet has Harrah's and the city of Hammond, IN has Binion's Horseshoe casino. All of these are within a 2 hour drive of the city. Hotels/Motels are abundant throughout the Chicagoland area - some are even 'pet friendly'. There are some drawbacks and one being that the summer months are at times brutally hot & humid. Traffic congestion is horrid at peak times of the day within the city all the way up to the suburbs in all directions (6:30am-10:00am & 3:45pm-6:30pm in particular). Gurnee, IL (which is a northern suburb) is 40 minutes north of the city - but would be the ideal spot for the event. It's far enough out of the city that visitors can easily hop on the Metra train and ride into the city to avoid all the traffic and enjoy the city the way it was meant to be enjoyed - by foot. Gurnee is the perfect hub between Milwaukee, WI and Chicago. Home to Six Flags Great America, Gurnee Mills Mall (a mega mall), several good restaurants, public transportation is abundant (because the Navy Training Center is nearby) and often there are lines of cabs at Gurnee Mills mall. There is a Holiday Inn and a Comfort Inn within a mile of Six Flags for those who would like to stay close to the event site. While I realize the event would be hosting 500-600 people, I believe this to be a do-able location. As a bonus to all things Geocaching, there is a Bass Pro Shops in Gurnee; there is a Gander Mountain in Kenosha, WI (20 minutes north of Gurnee); and the ever popular Garmin Store in the city of Chicago. There are good camping sites for those who drive RV's or pull trailers - one of which is located on the shores of Lake Michigan. The area is VERY Family Friendly with lots to do with your time away from the event site. For those who may consider caching during Geocoinfest <gasp!>, there are many, many great caches available throughout the entire region. I believe the ideal date for Geocoinfest '08 would be August 30th - September 1th, 2008. This would be Labor Day Weekend and the hot season would be past us and the weather is beautiful in the fall. I hope you all can take a serious and objective look at the Chicago area. If selected, I would be more than happy to coordinate the logistics for the event from a local standpoint. Thanks for reading, and please do offer opinions. Respectfully submitted, ~Jim CinemaBoxers EDIT: Changed date to reflect Labor Day Weekend 8/30/08-9/1/08. Edited February 27, 2007 by CinemaBoxers Quote Link to comment
+AtlantaGal Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 Nice job, CB! Quote Link to comment
The Justice League of NM Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 (edited) Boy, that would be two in a row for me to miss cause of kids in school. Chicago would be good for this newbie since I have relatives in the area. But like this year, I have kids in middle school and elementary so the date is a NO go. Good luck with your pitch! Hope it works out for all Chicago area cachers. Edited February 27, 2007 by The Justice League of NM Quote Link to comment
+~tasia~ Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 (edited) Hi folks! This is going to be a bit of a lengthy post ~ At the urging of some, I am going to pitch the Chicago area for Geocoinfest '08. Please read through it, and be honest with yourselves about the pros and cons. What works best for some may not be the best for others - but overall, I believe the location would suit the majority. Chicago is a fantastic place to visit if you have never been here. There are so many activities for adults as well as kids. Chicago is served by 2 major airports for easy access into the city. Milwaukee, WI has another Int'l airport, and it's only an hour fifteen north of the city of Chicago by car. There is a major amusement park 45 minutes north of the city (Six Flags Great America). Multiple museums within the downtown area, some of the best restaurants in the country are in the city, yet the same downhome type places exist (as far as food type places are concerned). There are several casinos within striking distance of Chicago - notably, the city of Elgin, IL has the Grand Victoria; the city of Joliet has Harrah's and the city of Hammond, IN has Binion's Horseshoe casino. All of these are within a 2 hour drive of the city. Hotels/Motels are abundant throughout the Chicagoland area - some are even 'pet friendly'. There are some drawbacks and one being that the summer months are at times brutally hot & humid. Traffic congestion is horrid at peak times of the day within the city all the way up to the suburbs in all directions (6:30am-10:00am & 3:45pm-6:30pm in particular). Gurnee, IL (which is a northern suburb) is 40 minutes north of the city - but would be the ideal spot for the event. It's far enough out of the city that visitors can easily hop on the Metra train and ride into the city to avoid all the traffic and enjoy the city the way it was meant to be enjoyed - by foot. Gurnee is the perfect hub between Milwaukee, WI and Chicago. Home to Six Flags Great America, Gurnee Mills Mall (a mega mall), several good restaurants, public transportation is abundant (because the Navy Training Center is nearby) and often there are lines of cabs at Gurnee Mills mall. There is a Holiday Inn and a Comfort Inn within a mile of Six Flags for those who would like to stay close to the event site. While I realize the event would be hosting 500-600 people, I believe this to be a do-able location. As a bonus to all things Geocaching, there is a Bass Pro Shops in Gurnee; there is a Gander Mountain in Kenosha, WI (20 minutes north of Gurnee); and the ever popular Garmin Store in the city of Chicago. There are good camping sites for those who drive RV's or pull trailers - one of which is located on the shores of Lake Michigan. The area is VERY Family Friendly with lots to do with your time away from the event site. For those who may consider caching during Geocoinfest <gasp!>, there are many, many great caches available throughout the entire region. I believe the ideal date for Geocoinfest '08 would be September 6th, 2008. This is the first Saturday in September, the hot season would be past us and the weather is beautiful in the fall. I hope you all can take a serious and objective look at the Chicago area. If selected, I would be more than happy to coordinate the logistics for the event from a local standpoint. Thanks for reading, and please do offer opinions. Respectfully submitted, ~Jim CinemaBoxers Shoot! I was really hoping for Labor Day weekend, because that wouldn't be a kid weekend (surprisingly) because Labor Day 2008 is on Sept. 1st. I would really love to be able to attend this and I was going to submit a bid for it, but I went to an event last night, and didn't get home until 3am. So now is the first time I'm checking the boards. edit : Okay, I'm sleep deprived. I guess that was just their bid for the CoinFest and not definite set in stone? Edited February 27, 2007 by ~tasia~ Quote Link to comment
ParentsofSAM Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 Nice pitch CB! I to wish it was Labor Day since we would have day off school/work. I have never been to Chicago but my hubby was stationed there and he is excited that we may go back and he can then go eat at Gino's East....he says they have the BEST food. ~tasia~ you can still submit a bid for the event. This is only the first bid and I am sure the committee would like to have choices for the next Fest. DO IT GIRL! Quote Link to comment
+DresselDragons Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 I have to admit that I'm hoping for Labor Day, too...since it is a 3 day weekend. I think we (meaning the geocoin community) need some guidance in regards to how the location, date, etc. will be determined for the next GCF. I've not been very diligent following this thread, so maybe this was posted somewhere, and I missed it. Will there be a formal request for location "bids", like Geowoodstock? I know it is a lot to ask of those of you that put so much work into the first event...you are all probably still recovering! But if you could just give everyone a rough idea as to what to expect, that would be cool. Quote Link to comment
CinemaBoxers Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 This is Paula - Jims other half - and I personally cannot see why Labor Day weekend would not work. I think this is the kind of input needed - would many of you be happy with the Chicagoland area on Labor Day Weekend?? (I agree... 3 days - more time!) Quote Link to comment
ParentsofSAM Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 So if it was Labor Day weekend...that would make the event on August 30? What is the weather typically like in late Aug/early Sept in Chicagoland? Quote Link to comment
+AtlantaGal Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 (edited) This is just an informal bid/proposal process. Any 2-3 person group from an area with nearby points of attraction, major airports and other amenities as outlined earlier in this thread can pitch the committee (avroair) on the location for 2008. Only things to note are to stay away from times of year of established mega events like GW and MWGB, inclimate weather months, make sure you have a moderately priced event location in mind that can accomidate 500-600 people and can be rented for an entire day/evening, and that you have a maximum of 2 other non-vendor cachers committed to help you with all the location aspects of event hosting (what C4 did this year). Following CB's outline is pretty much what is being asked for. This is not as formalized as the GW proposal process and since 2008 is far enough away, the decision probably won't be made immediately. Edited February 27, 2007 by AtlantaGal Quote Link to comment
The Justice League of NM Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 Hi folks! This is going to be a bit of a lengthy post ~ At the urging of some, I am going to pitch the Chicago area for Geocoinfest '08. Please read through it, and be honest with yourselves about the pros and cons. What works best for some may not be the best for others - but overall, I believe the location would suit the majority. Chicago is a fantastic place to visit if you have never been here. There are so many activities for adults as well as kids. Chicago is served by 2 major airports for easy access into the city. Milwaukee, WI has another Int'l airport, and it's only an hour fifteen north of the city of Chicago by car. There is a major amusement park 45 minutes north of the city (Six Flags Great America). Multiple museums within the downtown area, some of the best restaurants in the country are in the city, yet the same downhome type places exist (as far as food type places are concerned). There are several casinos within striking distance of Chicago - notably, the city of Elgin, IL has the Grand Victoria; the city of Joliet has Harrah's and the city of Hammond, IN has Binion's Horseshoe casino. All of these are within a 2 hour drive of the city. Hotels/Motels are abundant throughout the Chicagoland area - some are even 'pet friendly'. There are some drawbacks and one being that the summer months are at times brutally hot & humid. Traffic congestion is horrid at peak times of the day within the city all the way up to the suburbs in all directions (6:30am-10:00am & 3:45pm-6:30pm in particular). Gurnee, IL (which is a northern suburb) is 40 minutes north of the city - but would be the ideal spot for the event. It's far enough out of the city that visitors can easily hop on the Metra train and ride into the city to avoid all the traffic and enjoy the city the way it was meant to be enjoyed - by foot. Gurnee is the perfect hub between Milwaukee, WI and Chicago. Home to Six Flags Great America, Gurnee Mills Mall (a mega mall), several good restaurants, public transportation is abundant (because the Navy Training Center is nearby) and often there are lines of cabs at Gurnee Mills mall. There is a Holiday Inn and a Comfort Inn within a mile of Six Flags for those who would like to stay close to the event site. While I realize the event would be hosting 500-600 people, I believe this to be a do-able location. As a bonus to all things Geocaching, there is a Bass Pro Shops in Gurnee; there is a Gander Mountain in Kenosha, WI (20 minutes north of Gurnee); and the ever popular Garmin Store in the city of Chicago. There are good camping sites for those who drive RV's or pull trailers - one of which is located on the shores of Lake Michigan. The area is VERY Family Friendly with lots to do with your time away from the event site. For those who may consider caching during Geocoinfest <gasp!>, there are many, many great caches available throughout the entire region. I believe the ideal date for Geocoinfest '08 would be September 6th, 2008. This is the first Saturday in September, the hot season would be past us and the weather is beautiful in the fall. I hope you all can take a serious and objective look at the Chicago area. If selected, I would be more than happy to coordinate the logistics for the event from a local standpoint. Thanks for reading, and please do offer opinions. Respectfully submitted, ~Jim CinemaBoxers Shoot! I was really hoping for Labor Day weekend, because that wouldn't be a kid weekend (surprisingly) because Labor Day 2008 is on Sept. 1st. I would really love to be able to attend this and I was going to submit a bid for it, but I went to an event last night, and didn't get home until 3am. So now is the first time I'm checking the boards. edit : Okay, I'm sleep deprived. I guess that was just their bid for the CoinFest and not definite set in stone? Consider a time when the kids are OUT of school. 3 day weekends won't work for people with kids who have to travel some distances. Just my two cents here. Nearly all times that are being bantered around are during the school year. I know not everyone in this community has kids, but maybe more will be able to come if it is in the summer months. Quote Link to comment
+LadyBee4T Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 I LOVE the idea of Chicago. That means I could actually attend!!! Quote Link to comment
CinemaBoxers Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 Hi guys - I edited my original post to change the dates - just wanted to let you all know. ~Jim CinemaBoxers Quote Link to comment
+DresselDragons Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 Consider a time when the kids are OUT of school. 3 day weekends won't work for people with kids who have to travel some distances. Just my two cents here. Nearly all times that are being bantered around are during the school year. I know not everyone in this community has kids, but maybe more will be able to come if it is in the summer months. Well, that is why we did not make it to CA (it was a 3 day weekend for my daughter). It was just too far for us to travel during a time of year when the weather can be tricky...and since it was so far away, the only way we could've gone was to fly (which was too expensive for a family of 4). By having it in the fall, it eliminates the winter weather issue that occurred this year. As far as the summer months...early summer is Geowoodstock and the end of July is the MWGB. As far as I know, there are no major events in the fall. Thanks, AG, for the quick response to my question I thought that the vendors were going to be approached to see if they would be conducive to another event this year. If, and it is a big IF, the next GCF were to be held in the fall of 2008, that is at least 18 months between the events. That is a long time to wait for the next event to occur. It is understandable if this is the way that it will have to be, but frustrating for those of us that were unable to attend the first GCF. Quote Link to comment
+Anthus Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 I thought that the vendors were going to be approached to see if they would be conducive to another event this year. If, and it is a big IF, the next GCF were to be held in the fall of 2008, that is at least 18 months between the events. That is a long time to wait for the next event to occur. It is understandable if this is the way that it will have to be, but frustrating for those of us that were unable to attend the first GCF. I'm in agreeent with DresselDragons here. "Feels" like almost 2 years between events for those of us that couldn't attend the first one. Is there anyway we can poll both the geocoin collection community and the vendors to see what the majority would like to have happen -- i.e. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter as well as 2007 or 2008? I know that many other forums have the ability to do question polling. Does this forum have that ability or it is something that Groudspeak would be willing to turn on for us for a limited time? Quote Link to comment
avroair Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 If, and it is a big IF, the next GCF were to be held in the fall of 2008, that is at least 18 months between the events. That is a long time to wait for the next event to occur. Online time verses real life time can be very different. The world seems so slow when people log in to these forums multiple times a day. And the events take time to coordinate. Local support: The dubed 'bid process' is informal and is a good opportunity to look at options. It's crucial to have a local point person who is willing and able to take up the ball and roll with it. Calendar: One thing we learnt from having the event is February is that it collides with Chinese New Year when the Chinese coin mints are closed. We also don't want to interfere with MWGB and GW so a fall event seems appropriate. The school year varies so much --- New York and New Jersey start 8-9th September after Labor Day. Quote Link to comment
+Hula Bum Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 It seems to me that if this is a forum based fest, that the forum people should be the ones to decide by poll or something of the sort where it's going to be held, not one or two people of a self appointed committee. I can see needing a "committee" to just smooth things along, but ultimately isn't it going to be the hosting city in charge of everything? Maybe it's just the way it reads on here, but it's all a little confusing to me. Quote Link to comment
CinemaBoxers Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 As I understand it, the Geocoinfest is the brainchild of Avroair ~ and the 07 committee consisted of Avroair, AtlantaGal & Cornerstone4. I by no means 'appointed' myself as a committee member, rather, simply offered up my services IF the pitch for Chicago was selected. Nothing more, nothing less. ~J Quote Link to comment
+Hula Bum Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 Oh, no, don't misread anything. I think that your proposal is great, and I think that everyone should have a chance to vote on it. Quote Link to comment
+fox-and-the-hound Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 I've seen a few suggestions for and I like the poll idea, but to narrow down the focus would it be beneficial to choose a region of the states and then a city? ie: Pacific Northwest, Midwest, Central, New England, Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Southeast. Distance isn't really the modifier of concern for me as much as timing, but I'm curious as to what people think after traveling all the way to the southern west coast for the first event. Quote Link to comment
+Cornerstone4 Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 (edited) It seems to me that if this is a forum based fest, that the forum people should be the ones to decide by poll or something of the sort where it's going to be held, not one or two people of a self appointed committee. I can see needing a "committee" to just smooth things along, but ultimately isn't it going to be the hosting city in charge of everything? Maybe it's just the way it reads on here, but it's all a little confusing to me. In the end, I think the vendors should have the most say on locations. They funded the majority of the first one. (Although pre-registrations did cover a good sized portion.) We raised roughly $5K in vendor sponsorships, and had aroiund $2700 in pre-reg money. There was a LOT of donated swag in the bags as well. After all was said and done, we had around $1100 left in the account. That is rolling over to the next event. (Originally, we were going to close the account, and give the excess to charity, but now that Avroair wants to stay with the next event, he will retain the funds.) Anyway, there were very few "excesses" that we spent money on. (I did splurge $130 on the banner that went missing, and kept whining until they finally bought buttons for us to give out!) (I would have spent more than we had if the other two hadn't kept me on a tight leash!) As you can see, the event requires extensive vendor participation, and we haven't had time to gather feedback from all of the vendors yet on the first event. Edited since my typing is going way faster than my screen is today...I didn't see my mistakes until I read my post! Edited February 27, 2007 by Cornerstone4 Quote Link to comment
+Hula Bum Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 That's great that you have so much money for the next event to start with, that will def. be a big help and take a lot of pressure off! Quote Link to comment
+AtlantaGal Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 Who is to say that future or past attendees wouldn't vote on the place they would most like to see this? Of course you can't really do that until you have several locations to choose from where there are volunteers like CB who step up and make an informal proposal first. I mean it's all fine and dandy to say you want an event in Bermuda. But if there are not on-site committee volunteers in Bermuda who have already expressed interest in hosting the event, then I don't see how you could have the event there Quote Link to comment
+Cornerstone4 Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 Who is to say that future or past attendees wouldn't vote on the place they would most like to see this? Of course you can't really do that until you have several locations to choose from where there are volunteers like CB who step up and make an informal proposal first. I mean it's all fine and dandy to say you want an event in Bermuda. But if there are not on-site committee volunteers in Bermuda who have already expressed interest in hosting the event, then I don't see how you could have the event there Don't get me wrong...I wasn't discounting the proposal process. Finding folks willing to host is the first step to be sure! Quote Link to comment
ParentsofSAM Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 Ohhh...we are going to Bermuda.....nice!! AG you paying the airfare? :D lol!! Quote Link to comment
+DresselDragons Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 Ohhh...we are going to Bermuda.....nice!! AG you paying the airfare? :D lol!! I've always wanted to go to Bermuda , esp. if AG is paying the airfare. Quote Link to comment
+AtlantaGal Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 Ohhh...we are going to Bermuda.....nice!! AG you paying the airfare? :D lol!! I've always wanted to go to Bermuda , esp. if AG is paying the airfare. Quote Link to comment
+MustangJoni Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 Ohhh...we are going to Bermuda.....nice!! AG you paying the airfare? :D lol!! I've always wanted to go to Bermuda , esp. if AG is paying the airfare. You could probably get a better deal if you just charter the plane! Quote Link to comment
ParentsofSAM Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 Ohhh...we are going to Bermuda.....nice!! AG you paying the airfare? :D lol!! I've always wanted to go to Bermuda , esp. if AG is paying the airfare. You could probably get a better deal if you just charter the plane! Wow a chartered plane too....thanks AG! You're my hero. Quote Link to comment
+RebelJedi Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 Ohhh...we are going to Bermuda.....nice!! AG you paying the airfare? :D lol!! I've always wanted to go to Bermuda , esp. if AG is paying the airfare. You could probably get a better deal if you just charter the plane! I want a window seat. Quote Link to comment
avroair Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 I think the reason for this thread is to discuss options about where and when to host the next coinfest, Cinemaboxes got the ball rolling by pitching Chicago. The hosting city has alot of responsibilities (ask C4!) and a continuing committee can help answer questions, give useful insight and smooth the transition. Quote Link to comment
avroair Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 Ohhh...we are going to Bermuda.....nice!! AG you paying the airfare? :D lol!! I've always wanted to go to Bermuda , esp. if AG is paying the airfare. You could probably get a better deal if you just charter the plane! I want a window seat. Wanna know who's flying it! Quote Link to comment
+RebelJedi Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 Ohhh...we are going to Bermuda.....nice!! AG you paying the airfare? :D lol!! I've always wanted to go to Bermuda , esp. if AG is paying the airfare. You could probably get a better deal if you just charter the plane! I want a window seat. Wanna know who's flying it! John Denver? Quote Link to comment
+LadeBear68 Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 Ohhh...we are going to Bermuda.....nice!! AG you paying the airfare? :D lol!! I've always wanted to go to Bermuda , esp. if AG is paying the airfare. You could probably get a better deal if you just charter the plane! I want a window seat. Wanna know who's flying it! Try not to miss the flight this time. Quote Link to comment
+tsunrisebey Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 If it's held in Chicago, maybe Oprah can host the event. We could get her to do a whole show on geocaching, geocoins, etc. Maybe we could even get her to do it to coincide with her, "my favorite things" show. But instead, she gives away new state-of-the-art GPSr's, 24k gold geocoins, brand new ammo cans, PDA's, etc. Chicago seems pretty central (hope I can find my way around). Depending on the dates, I'd like to attend. I think the Hawaii folks should start planning a 2009/2010 event Gives the rest of us an opportunity to save up for that trip. Quote Link to comment
+MustangJoni Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 I like the Chicago proposal, but it is the only one we've seen. I'm not going to back anything until I see what else is offered up. I'd like to see some folks local to me put up a Fort Worth proposal. I'd love to see a Vegas proposal. I also think Arizona could give us a taste of the old west. So many possibilities! Quote Link to comment
+chief20r2 Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 Since it was on the west coast maybe it should be moved to somewhere on the east coast. Maybe Avroair could think about hosting it and you have New York City close by ? Quote Link to comment
+MustangJoni Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 Since it was on the west coast maybe it should be moved to somewhere on the east coast. Maybe Avroair could think about hosting it and you have New York City close by ? Or the center of the country. The possibilities are really endless. Quote Link to comment
+Kealia Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 Wow, I'm surprised this discussion is still this active. Clearly, the only fair place to have this is The Center of the World. Quote Link to comment
avroair Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 Ohhh...we are going to Bermuda.....nice!! AG you paying the airfare? lol!! I've always wanted to go to Bermuda , esp. if AG is paying the airfare. You could probably get a better deal if you just charter the plane! I want a window seat. Wanna know who's flying it! Try not to miss the flight this time. (for once, I am speechless) Quote Link to comment
+Mama Cache Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 I am a stay at home mom to 2 teens and a tween. I don't care if they can't go! I had a fantastic time and I only opened southbaydays napkin once. I didn't have to tell anyone to take a shower (though perhaps I should have ) no one asked me for 20 bucks, I only had to brush my own hair, people I talked to actually listened to me,no one said "mother please" and I didn't have to go looking for retainers in service trays......WAIT! I did do that... My kids got to eat lots of terrible food that only dad knows how to make and watch all the planet of the apes movies! (I can't tell you how happy I was to be at coinfest!) I think the fall is a great idea. The summer already seems packed with major events and many people will be forced to choose if they are too close together. Mama Cache Terrible mother Quote Link to comment
+0R0B0RUS Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 To get some idea of interest in keeping the coinfest on the West Coast, I started a thread in the GBA forum. Some interesting questions came up. Issues regarding insurance and finances. Questions for the committee: How was insurance for the event handled? Has the GeoCoinFest registered as a non-profit organization? I'm not trying to cause trouble here! I just thought that the San Francisco Bay Area would be an ideal location for coinfest 2008 and that it logically should involve the local organization. Sure, anybody can submit a proposal, but frankly, I'm a nobody and hoped to find support from some of the heavyweights haunting this forum. Quote Link to comment
+wavector Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 We just returned home from GeocoinFest 2007 and I want to offer my thanks to all the organizers, it was a great event. Here is my nickle; Where isn't nearly as critical as when because we are going to be travelling no matter what. I like the idea of seeing new locations and meeting new groups of geocachers. The time of year is a key factor for us, we would not be able to attend an event anywhere in the fall. We were very lucky to have the event coincide with a local teacher development conference which gave our kids a week off school. The week off made the trip really convenient but we still took our kids out of school for 5 days (3 before the week off and 2 after). Local attractions played a big part as well, we visited Disneyland, Sea World, the Wild Animal Park, Universal Studios, Hollywood's Walk of Fame and the Le Brea Tar Pits. We would consider taking time off anywhere during the spring as the school year is winding down but we would not take our kids out of school near the beginning of a school year, the start of the year is just too critical. Our school year begins the Wednesday before Labour Day and I see many school years start in August or near Labour Day. In the fall our family is winding down from the summer and wrapping our heads around the approaching winter and the new school year. The early spring is when things begin to naturally loosen up, tax returns are coming back so we have a little extra money, we have a fresh slate of vacation days to work with and the idea of a break is really starting to appeal. An early spring event doesn't eliminate the weather considerations, I think everyone was really bummed that avroair didn't make it to the event, the weather in February is very unpredictable but really good weather is a distinct possibility later in the spring. Many schools will have a spring break so many families might be able to attend an early spring event but there is no fall break. The first GeocoinFest was a late winter/early spring event, the flowers in California were great and I want to add my vote to the spring side of things. Keeping the GeocoinFest in the late winter/early spring is my vote, Las Vegas would be great! (My kids saw the Excalibur at night during the trip home and now they really want to go there) California traffic and California crowds were simply mind blowing for my family, my kids had no idea of what was coming. That said, it is exactly that type of eye-opening experience that I felt was a benefit, it gave my children a new perspective on the world. We loved every minute of our trip and right now we wouldn't do it again if you paid us, we are very happy to be home even if it is back to -10C and snow! It was great meeting so many cachers from everywhere. I want to add an extra thank you to Dave (Cornerstone4), you really made us feel welcome and we really appreciated that special effort, it made a difference. Quote Link to comment
+AtlantaGal Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 How was insurance for the event handled? Has the GeoCoinFest registered as a non-profit organization? We paid insurance at the rec center portion of the event. No, it's not a registered non-profit in that there is no profit/to be no profit. I'm not trying to cause trouble here! I just thought that the San Francisco Bay Area would be an ideal location for coinfest 2008 and that it logically should involve the local organization. The idea is NOT to have an entire organization behind it. Then the event goes nowhere fast. We've been that route initially and it was entirely too top heavy and obviously unworkable. 2-3 individuals locally is all that's needed and requested. Quote Link to comment
+Go JayBee Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 Vegas sounds very cool! Emeril & Wolfgang, here we come! Quote Link to comment
+DresselDragons Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 I am a stay at home mom to 2 teens and a tween. I don't care if they can't go! I had a fantastic time and I only opened southbaydays napkin once. I didn't have to tell anyone to take a shower (though perhaps I should have ) no one asked me for 20 bucks, I only had to brush my own hair, people I talked to actually listened to me,no one said "mother please" and I didn't have to go looking for retainers in service trays......WAIT! I did do that... My kids got to eat lots of terrible food that only dad knows how to make and watch all the planet of the apes movies! (I can't tell you how happy I was to be at coinfest!) I tried to convince those people that I live with (you know...husband and kids), that it would be a good idea to send me solo to GCF (even tried to play the "it would make a great early b-day present" card), but they did not like that idea. We cache together as a family (most of the time)...so, if they could not go, I could not go. Had schedules and expenses worked out, we would've been there in a heartbeat. Visiting other parts of the country is a wonderful opportunity for the kids. Although, I do like to sound of attending an event with no one hanging on my leg, begging for cash, etc. Quote Link to comment
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