CMAS Frag swap? Meetings?

canar

canar

Addicted to bright lights
Don't get me wrong I am not complaining about the price of the membership.

I am just kind of dissapointed. When I joined CMAS I was excited. Meetings with cool topics, frag swaps, all kinds of fun stuff.

To be honest I have not seen nearly as much as I had expectecd going on. When is the next frag swap? When will there be meetings down south? Whats planned for the future?

I look at the web site and do not see much on that either.

Summer Break?
 
I've always wondered why the club takes a break in summer. When I was in WRS we acutally took breaks in winter due to weather not summer.
 
most spend their summers outdoors and with their families . no cookouts or yardwork to do in the winter .
 
QUOTE:"most spend their summers outdoors and with their families"


All of us do that. I still bet if they did 6 frag swaps a year (every other month) people would be there and it would be packed as usual.

Maybe have two groups running it? One for the summer and one for the winter?
 
The frag swaps are not always packed. That is why we only do them a couple of times per year. Also, we are pushing the library - many people are not well behaved - loud, messy. We will most likely use other facilities for the next one.

The frag swaps require setting up, clean up etc. Right now we have the same group of 5 or 6 of us that do all the work. We always have people say how they want to volunteer â€"œ but it is still the same group of us doing all the work.

Don’t take this as criticism just the facts. We would love to do more. If you would like to sponsor a meeting and arrange a facility and organize things we would welcome the help.
 
OK well that may be true. I have only been to one frag swap and it was packed. The one I was at was the last one you had back when it was cold out still.


The frag swaps require setting up, clean up etc. Right now we have the same group of 5 or 6 of us that do all the work. We always have people say how they want to volunteer â€"œ but it is still the same group of us doing all the work.
Click to expand...

Is that the problem then? Is the core group of people just burnt out on this? If that is the case maybe it is time for some new blood?

From here it sounds like your volunteering. Where always looking for some help!
Click to expand...

The way I see it is whoever is running CMAS should at least organize what is planned. Put a schedule together. Pick the meetings/outings and the swaps. Then if you do not have the resourses within the club, post on RC and ask for volunteers. That all should happen from the top.

If I saw that kind of organization and planning and there were a couple swaps or meetings that required help I would be happy to jump in. Honestly right now I don't see much of anything going on.

Also so I am clear. This is not meant as a slam on anyone that is running CMAS right now. This is just frustrated dissapointment at the lack of events and planning from the club.

Ted
 
Hello
Our club is only as strong/interesting as our members chose to make it. Remember all BOD positions will be available when we vote (?) this fall, now is everybodies chance to pitch in.
 
Ted/Canar, despite your disclaimer I, for one, take issue with your implication that the Board does not do what it is supposed to do, and I am not a Board member. Your post can be read no other way than as a slam against volunteers of the best reef club you will find anywhere.

The Board does do what it promises, and more. We have a strong club: witness the energy with which the CMAS membership jumps to the support of those in need, suffering emergencies, etc. This club is strong and is strong thanks to the efforts of the Board members, old and new. There are new Board members, but may I ask where were you when the urgent appeals to join were issued over and over in this very forum??? Will you be there when they are issued again in the fall?

Every fall/winter/spring features a full schedule. There are regular requests for meeting ideas, as there was recently in this forum. Did you share ideas for meetings in those threads?

The Board every year organizes meetings on a variety of topics and will do so this fall. There will be monthly meetings with interesting topics, and a swap or two mixed in and maybe an outing. I know this because these are organized each and every year.

I have no doubts on one other thing: the Board will issue its regular requests for assistance, volunteers, and new members to fill positions and to help at meetings, and the silence of the response will be deafening.

These are volunteers. Be grateful for all that they do ... they do a lot.

The summer is down time. If you want to organize something have at it. If you want another club in the south, have at it.

But as one who can't begin to express how much I have benefitted from this club and how much I treasure it, I have to say this really was not called for.

Joel
 
Defend all you want Ostrow. That's your right. Maybe this is all me and I just expect too much. Remember I am not slamming the people on this message board. I agree they have been very helpful to everyone.

All I know about is 2006. I joined in December 05. Does the below schedule look like the makings of a full schedule? I see nothing for future meetings or swaps. We are in AUGUST 06 and not only has one not been scheduled yet but there is none on the calendar.

Here is the 2006 schedule right off the CMAS website.

Future CMAS Meetings

Summer, 2006 -- break, no plans.


Other Future Events

2007 -- IMAC, Chicago. details


Past CMAS Meetings and Select International Meetings

May, 2006 -- meeting is canceled.
April 28-30, 2006 -- IMAC, Chicago. details
April, 2006 -- meeting is canceled.
Mar. 18, 2006 -- Virtual Tank Tour and discussion. details
Feb. 18, 2006 -- Christine Huffard, Cephalopods. details
Jan.21, 2006 -- Future of CMAS (request for volunteers). details


Douglas I will be at that because I do want to help. Do you know when that will be? I do not see that on the calendar either.

Maybe it is just the calendar that needs to be updated?

Ted
 
Does CMAS have any plans on getting out of the library for meetings and start meeting at peoples homes?
 
I see meetings Jan, Feb, March, April was IMAC, May cancelled, if I recall correctly because of the failure in January to resolve the issues on that agenda at that meeting, and by the time they were resolved, it was too late to do something for May. Summer, break, no plans. Looks pretty full, yeah, except for May.

Be disappointed if you want. Or contact the Board more constructively and help to organize if they confirm no planning is being done.

I highly doubt they would confirm that. There will be meetings come September/October. It's only August 6. If Sept 6 comes along and there is no schedule then there's a problem.

Only disappointment is apparently no picnic this year, but I think we can all forgive Doug if that ain't happening this year.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7891822#post7891822 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by canar
2 frag swaps in the 4+ months we have left too?
Click to expand...

:confused:

Usually one frag swap in fall and one in spring. There was one last fall, I was there. IMAC's weird scheduling messed that up in spring, but the loss was compensated for by a factor of ten with the many, many frag swaps members hosted in various locations South, West and North. I know of 3 for sure in 2006 alone.

I think Paul gave you some answer on the swap issue going forward.

Anyway, hey, this board is like one continuous, running frag swap! :lol:
 
Is a schedule really that much to expect?

It really does not seem like what I am asking for is so terrible.

Post a yearly schedule with the meetings and the swaps. Do it every Jan. Maybe even try and alternate meeting spots some.

If you do not have a schedule the year gets away from us. The next thing you know we are in August and have not has a frag swap in 06 yet.
 
Ted:

Just where in the heck do you think this mystical schedule comes from? Does it grow on a tree? Crawl out of the ground? Where do speakers and topics come from?

Did you ever stop to think that perhaps there are people trying to put together topics and speakers? Who do this as volunteers and have to do this while working jobs, raising kids, caring for family, house, and oh yeah, their tanks?

Perhaps, just perhaps, they use the summer to try to plan some topics and speakers people will go to, arrange dates with the library and dates with speakers or to seek other venues. What you are asking is terrible because you make it sound so easy, and aren't giving the people responsible for organizing time to do the organizing. Schedules never appear until mid-August or later. The CMAS meeting season is Sept to May.

Frag swaps. There have been 3 frag swaps in 06 sponsored by CMAS members, posted and advertised in this CMAS forum. Hasn't yet been a CMAS meeting that has been a frag swap, may well be in the fall, but if I were on the Board I'd not have the meetings for that anymore. It happens enough spontaneously. I'd focus on talks, workshops, outings, etc. Seems to me, Ted, all you want is a swap. Why not organize one at your house whenever you like? Peeps will come.

If it is more than frag swap that is getting your goat, well then I have to agree with Doug: I am seeing here a volunteer for, or to co-direct, meetings planning and organization. Man, you gonna have fun with that!

'Nuf from me. Email the Board members and volunteer to help out. OH, but read the past threads first about meeting ideas. There were two IIRC.
 
Hello from the Presidents desk.
Here is what we (BOD) have been trying to finalize for the fall schedule.
Our Shedds own Alan Lapoint, All you ever needed to know about NaCl chemistry Sept. at the Shedd ?
Randy Reed All you ever need to know about plankton/copepod culture Oct. First Sat (Backer show)
Swap meet in West Chicago. Oct. third Sat
November is open, lets here some ideas!
December nominations and elections.
I'm with canar, the present BOD should be sacked and elections held immediately!!!

Yours Truly
Prez for now ?
 
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