FVRC website

RCS

In Memoriam
Okay, I've begun a little work on the FVRC homepage: http://home.new.rr.com/fvrc

I know it's not much (hey, whatta ya want for 5 minutes of work?) but it's a beginning. I'd like some input on what everyone would like to see on the site.

Here's some of the things I've come up with and/or heard:

1. member profiles
2. member photos/pictures
3. meeting information
4. club information
5. frag-trading/selling section
6. general selling/trading section (aquarium-related merchandise)

I think we're all in agreement that the forum should remain here on RC.

I've also debated on the cost factor. While it can be one for free like the website above, we may also want to consider having it set up and hosted on its own site (www.fvrc.com or similar). There would be some cost incurred doing that. These guys looks good for $3.95 a month: http://www.ixwebhosting.com/index.php/v2/pages.planBusinessPlus

Free registration as well, so a total cost of under $50 per year. WE could make the site free access to everyone and perhaps charge a small use fee for profile and selling/trading services. I'm thinking that $1.00 per service would make the cost no more than $2 per person per year to use the site for other than information purposes. The alternative would be to have an optional donation for people to use the site. Again, $1-2 (or more if you're willing/able to) would go a long way for something like this. Or we can simply keep it free and on something like it is now.

Your input is welcomed!

Also looking for anyone who's got the time and ability to help out with site design, coding, graphics, etc...
 
How about we start by clearly defining what main purpose we are trying to accomplish with a group website.
*Are we looking to gain new members (implying a formal group structure)?
*Provide general education to the Fox Valley/Green Bay area?
*Point to the RC forum?
*Central data bucket for get togethers, member info, LFS review (any legal issues here?), ...
*Sell products/services?

Why don't we scratch out a mission statement and follow a natural progression from there?

Finally, www.fvrc.com has already been claimed.
 
Sounds like a plan, I will just go with the flow. I think I could scrounge up a couple bucks. :rolleye1:
 
This may also be a good time to better define our club boundaries/name as East Central Wisconsin. Fox Valley has traditionally implied Appleton, Neenah, Menasha, with Kaukauna, with Oshkosh on the upper and lower boundaries. With important members in areas such as Green Bay and Algoma and given the past three meeting locations, maybe a larger vision is needed.
 
I would think these would be the main things for the site (for now):

*Are we looking to gain new members (implying a formal group structure)?

Yes, but I don't expect it to be an active "tool" in getting new members to come. We're not so much recruiting as saying "here we are, join us if you like!"

*Provide general education to the Fox Valley/Green Bay area?

This would be nice to have, but I think at the bottom on the priorities list. There are plenty of good sites out there, so there's no need to rehash any information. In the future, if we wanted to add things like articles and whatnot, it could always be an option. For now, I think this is likely best left to simple links to other sites.

*Point to the RC forum?

Since this is our main discussion forum, definitely.

*Central data bucket for get togethers, member info, LFS review (any legal issues here?), ...

I'll have to look into this one. On the forum I moderate, we have a LFS review area. We definitely don't want to get into any trouble, but we're also free to discuss our opinions and thoughts on anything as long as we have some sort of information or experience to back it up. "LFS X I've heard stinks...I wouldn't go there" is not a good example of a review (and something that would get cut from the site). "I found the staff at LFS Y to be less than helpful" would be better. I'll let everyone else decide this one. I think it's fine, but it has to be done with the proper approach.

*Sell products/services?

Aside from frags or products owned by members, I would say no. We could actively seek out sponsors if we like, in which case links would be permitted. Or if the day ever comes when we decide to go official, we could have products with club logos and whatnot, but a lot of that is down the road I think.

Does anyone have any thoughts on a club logo? The one I put together is just a placeholder, and I'd like everyone's input.
 
Ok, less is less complicated to begin with... I say we dial it back to the CORE items needed.

I see the core purpose as:
*Are we looking to gain new members (no formal structure implied at this time)
*Point to the RC forum?
*Loosely define our area, everyone is welcome.(perhaps a loosely shadded map, yet enviting all, offering to help them find a club in WI if one exists in their area. (I am actually a member on the Boston Reef Club Site and the Atlanta Area Site - Will probable never visit again.
*define our moral pledge to help foster and convey the information responsible practices in reef/marine fish to promote SUCCESS to anyone who reaches out for the help. Or to help find help, or offer suggestions... I'll let you hammer that one out.

How's that... I don't see any legal trouble there. After that we can look at point per point.

Jason
 
I don't see why reviewing a product or place where you buy stuff anything but freedom of speech. Look at epinions.com, thats all they do there is say what they think about a product, and the vendor experience thread, well thats the same just saying your experiences with them, no lies or bashing, just keep it to your opinion on how your experiences with the place (LFS) was. I see nothing wrong with that.
 
Looks cool Fred, but you gota get away from the formal structure idea :lol: :lol:. I could see changing the name if that's what the masses wanted, there are just as many of us if not more from outside the fox valley in the club. New members are always cool it is nice to find new traders, new ideas, and to help out new people starting out but I don't really see that as a project. If we build it they will come or not. I like the idea of it pointing to reef central there are just so many different opinions here that you can pick through and decried what's best for you. I don't think it needs to be to complicated the things you guys mentioned in you posts would be plenty. Whatever happens I would be up for chipping in 10 bucks a year.
 
I just plugged in FVRS so there would be the potential of www.fvrs.com, since fvrc.com is already taken.

This is all just placeholders for right now. I want to make sure everyone has their say and we're at least mostly in agreement before doing anything permanent.

foxvalleyreefers.com is also available...if you guys want to discuss a name change to be more geographically accurate...I'll leave that up to you. I know there are certain people who founded the FVRC, and I'd like their input before doing anything of the sort. In my estimation, since we're doing this for the good of the people involved and the hobby as a whole, the name isn't important, and we can keep or change it as we see fit, to more accurately reflect the area we "represent", so to speak.

East-Central WI Reef Club? NE WI Reefers? etc etc?
 
Logo is looking nice, much better than the ver. 1.0.

Nothing wrong with personal opinion (epinions as they may be) just when it crosses into the realm of defamatory internet posts in specific, libel. Just something that I don't feel we as a club or reef society need to get involved in posting.
 
I think it's time for Jason to post another poll and see if we should change our name to FVRS (Fox Valley Reefkeeping Society).

I dont care about being geographically perfect. The Fox Valley sounds a lot better than Northeast Wisconsin or East Central Wisconsin.


But, then again, since my last name IS Fox, I am a *bit* biased.
 
I know that have just become a member of the group and I don't hold much sway, I think that Northeast Wisconsin Reef Club sounds more accurate for the group than Fox Valley Reefkeeping Society which IMO sound like a formal group with dues and such
 
Oh I forgot to mention I would appreciate a seperate club page so people like me who work at a LFS may inform other members of sales and such which are not allowed to be posted by employes like me
 
I think we should keep Fox Valley in it. I know the members extend farther than just the fox valley but the majority of the members come from this area (and I consider green bay part of the fox valley area). There's never been a problem with people form other areas thinking they couldn't join because they weren't from the Fox Valley. I personally have not joined WRS because they have a lot of their meeting in the Milwaukee area and I don't want to have to drive far for meetings. I like that most of the people are from the fox valley area so I don't have to drive 2 hours for meetings! :)

I agree that "Society" does sound more formal than club. That doesn't really matter to me either way though. I'm definitely not opposed to changing "reefers," I get a lot of funny looks from people when I mention the club name. :D
 
www.foxvalleyreefclub.com
is that taken ?
I dont like the words society, at meets we will have to wear black capes and trade frags around a fire

I think Fox Valley should also be kept in the name, and pick a new logo (ugly), but I do like the state of WI with the heat index for location
 
Back
Top