Wow... very impressive dialogue happening in this neck of the woods...
It sure sounds like there are some folks here with some very passionate views regarding Orlando and surrounding area LFS's. Sorry your thread spun out of control Christie but sometimes threads do become thought provoking and you can see the reaction. Clearly this is a sensitive topic to many.
When I began my 2007 term as ORCA President I knew I had some challenges in front of me. One of the challenges we have is the ORCA Web Site. Its design and concept are good but the utilization is very weak. Everyone congregates here at RC. Not sure if it’s the convenience or the ambiance. With poor utilization comes laziness and lack of attention to detail. At the next board meeting I will bring this to the attention of the Board and the site administrator. Let’s see if we can get our sponsor list accurately displayed.
To those who bubbled up the names of LFS’s both old and new in the earlier section of this forum topic, thank you. In early 2007 I began traveling around the Orlando area trying to canvass for ORCA sponsorships. In between working 70+ hours at work, honey-doo list assignments at home, planning a massive SRC Event and trying my very best to find ways to spur excitement with this club… I am also functioning as the public relations representative, trying to solicit sponsorship from LFS’s that walk a very fine line with this club.
Some of you have been around long enough to know some of the history that plagues this club and it’s relationships with our area LFS’s. Others may be to new in this hobby to know. First off, know that some if not all of the LFS’s have access to and do read threads like this. They become angry and bitter when they read threads condemning them for what one or two hobbyists feel in their judgment is inappropriate. Right or wrong it really doesn’t matter. Once a store becomes alienated it is really hard to bring them back. I keep trying, but threads like this can really undo everything I’m working so hard to change. I really need all your help to represent our club and work with LFS’s to improve our relationships with them. Try as I may, I can’t do it by myself.
Here’s a reality check:
Not all stores run exactly the way we (the reef professionals) think they should…
Some stores have parasites like red bug or planaria in their tanks…
Some stores charge more than others…
Some stores hire young people with minimal or limited experience…
Let’s face it, some stores are better than others and to each his own. Does it mean that a store with flatworms might not have the cheapest IO salt in town..? In other words, find the value each store brings to the table. If you find little or no value don’t shop there, but understand they might actually have value to another hobbyist. They may be bringing value to ORCA in other ways you might not be aware of. With time comes change. Offer assistance if the opportunity presents itself. Some LFS’s are more open to suggestion than others. Be patient and try hard to improve our relationships with area LFS’s. I have been meeting with many of the LFS’s in our area and I see excellent relationships forming with most. We must be careful not to undermine or discourage their support.
I apologize for this long winded reply. I saw this thread and felt I needed to let you all know that your ORCA Board is paying attention. I am paying attention. Please help me out. At our next ORCA meeting, I will open up a section of time during the meeting so that we can spend a little time covering this topic. Maybe through open discussion we can clear the way and move through this awkward topic.
Thanks to everyone for your passion and commitment to this hobby,
My best,
Matt
ORCA Pres. 2007
