Poll: Next Ncpars Event Venue?

[rickyfins]

Please fill out the poll and give any information or advice you think would be good for the new BOD to consider when making a decision about the next event, please and thank you very much in advance. Please give us a reason why you have chosen this venue.

Rick Pucciarella

 

[poconofishy]

Here's my thoughts:
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***PAST LOCATIONS:***

PSU, STATE COLLEGE, PA
+central location
+THE TANK :love2:
- I prefer the open room at Hegins better than the lab set up. I found it difficult to move around the labs and being spread over three rooms made it difficult to know what was going on.
-parking was not the most convenient.
- no LFS
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Hegins, PA
+central location
+open, well lit room, large enough to have tables for frags and tables to eat at and not be the same tables for those who practice GLP (good laboratory procedures). Added bonus of Rahn manning the microphone.
+convenient parking
-been there, done that. Lots of planning falls on the same people.
-no LFS
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Allentown, PA area
+Something Fishy and Shear Heaven :dance:
-not so central location ...but good for me
+/- Brad's had one heck of a party. :celeb3: Nice big back yard. Kids could play. But if it rains, It's all bad. :eek2:

Certainly, there are other locations in the Lehigh Valley. Although we live an hour away. We may be able to help assist in aquiring other facilities. Kent works in Real Estate in Allentown. So he is familiar with many places which could theoretically accomodate NCPARs. We also have connections to Muhlenberg College. Muhlenberg is an option we could explore, but may be limited to when school is out.
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Williamsport, PA
+central location
+convenient parking
-should take up collection to buy Benjis 150 watt light bulbs or BYOF bring you own flashlight Again, other facilities possible.
-no LFS
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***NEW LOCATIONS***

Reading/Leesport area, PA
+ central location
+ may draw new traders out, new traders = new frags
+/- new location/facility
? LFS
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Harrisburg, PA area
+ central location
+ may draw new traders out, possibly from out of state ie Maryland New traders = new frags
+/- new location/facility
? LFS
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Wilkesbarre/Scranton area, PA
+/- not so central location ...but good for me
+ may draw new traders out, possibly from out of state ie New Jersey, New York. New traders = new frags
+/- new location/facility
As this is where we live, we may be able to suggest/aquire possible facilities.
We have a PSU Worthington connection. I don't think it would matter if meeting was during the school year.
Let me first say, we live in the middle of nowhere. So it may not be the easiest places to find. One of the churches in our town is similar to Hegins. Our towns firehall is huge.
+/-LFS some in area, may or may not be close to meeting location.
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Philadelphia, PA
-/+ not so central location ...but good for me
+ may draw new traders out, possibly from out of state ie New Jersey, Delaware. New traders = new frags
+/- new location/facility
We used to live here too. We may be able to suggest/aquire possible facilities.
We have an Arcadia University connection.
+/-LFS some in area, may or may not be close to meeting location.

 

[rickyfins]

OMG, you have really taken a lot of your time, thought, and effort in your post. THANKS A BUNCH. We need members just like you helping out in any way that they can. Also having connections is a plus. Your opinion counts, and we will keep that in mind when discussing the next event.

Thank you SO much,

Rick
Secretary Elect!

 

[Sanjay]

Thanks michelle for your input. You made good points about each locations and thier shortcommings.

sanjay.

 

[cinnamongirl]

Altoona

I think we can arrange something with my school so that the club doesn't have to pay for any rental fees. I have a few large classrooms that might work well for a swap.

Vickie

 

[sadielynn]

would have been nice to have seen more advertising of it ...I know that williampsort has some poor choices to choose from for LPS it becomes the lesser of two evils

 

[Barney121]

I think we should plan to rotate through more places. The past couple of years, Hegins has always been the fall swap, it wouldn't have to be, it could be either every other or every third swap. So while we pick the next one, lets also think about a "loop" around our areas, someone will always have a long drive, but it won't always be the same folks.

 

[rickyfins]

Good point Scott, I think a rotating schedule would work out best for most of us that travel, I mean we all travel, it is just some of us travel more than others and looping the swap locations is a good way to keep it fair for everyone. I know that the closest swap we have had to me was still a 45min drive(PSU). Now I am not complaining about that drive because I am willing like most others to come. The PSU drive wasnt much of a drive for you as you live there, but for those over in Allentown it was quite the hike. I think maybe giving those guys eastward a chance to host a swap might be fair, don't you? But then again, I just like everyone else would like the swap to be in my home town. LOL It is a double edged sword. I do know that we will make the best decision for all and most of us wont mind too awful much.

thanks,

Rick

P.S. I am always up for a drive, it has never been a problem for me, the drive is always a part of the fun day for me. I am used to it now and wouldnt have it any other way. LOL

 

[bmkindig]

hey
yes rotating spot has been something we have tried doing and it basicly comes down to who lives near a place we can hold an event.i know it's been 3 years now since we have had a swap in the lehigh valley other then that the closest swap to me has been hegins at 1.5 hours away. so i think we are past due to go east and i know that there are many reefers near here.
but like ricky said part of the fun is the drive.

 

[ctsieber]

for the next one why not pick a netrual spot like in the harrisburg area so you have the same distance to drive.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7366051#post7366051 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rickyfins
Good point Scott, I think a rotating schedule would work out best for most of us that travel, I mean we all travel, it is just some of us travel more than others and looping the swap locations is a good way to keep it fair for everyone. I know that the closest swap we have had to me was still a 45min drive(PSU). Now I am not complaining about that drive because I am willing like most others to come. The PSU drive wasnt much of a drive for you as you live there, but for those over in Allentown it was quite the hike. I think maybe giving those guys eastward a chance to host a swap might be fair, don't you? But then again, I just like everyone else would like the swap to be in my home town. LOL It is a double edged sword. I do know that we will make the best decision for all and most of us wont mind too awful much.

thanks,

Rick

P.S. I am always up for a drive, it has never been a problem for me, the drive is always a part of the fun day for me. I am used to it now and wouldnt have it any other way. LOL

 

[bmkindig]

hey
i think part of thething we have as being a traveling club is that we aren't always in the same area and that we can get people from other areas to attend. like the when we did the penn state swap we had alot of people from further west come in like pittsburg.when we did the swap in the lehigh valley we pulled people from new jersey and philly that way we get to see other reefers frags.and then it's not always the same stuff.

 

[Murph72]

I t hink it would be neat to see one in the WB/Scranton area if there's someone local there that would be willing to organize it. I think you'd pull NY, NJ and Pocono area reefers we may have not reached with any of our previous swaps.

 

[Mishap]

I'd love to come to a swap, but the closest one was Williamsport I believe and I couldn't make it. One closer would be great I could definately bring a few more friends with me.

 

[ReefNuggets]

I have only been in this hobby for a year or so and have recently begun to get my feet wet with some new corals and such. I try to learn what I can from this and other websites and whatever books I can get my hands on, but it would be great to meet some local like minded people in the hobby. If you guys would meet on the eastern part of the state it would probably draw more new hobbyists who might not want to make the 5 or 6 hour round trip. There are also some great stores in the Lehigh Valley/Berks County area. I am currently not a member of any club but would gladly join one if I knew events/meetings/swaps would be happening at my end of Pa! just thought you guys and gals might like to hear some thoughts from a newbie...who is now officially sick of the rain. haha

 

[rickyfins]

Did anyone ever tell ya that this is the new Seattle WA? LOL I think this part of the world ranks up there with WA, not sure but this year it would be close for sure.

Thanks,

Rick

P.S. We will keep your input in mind when making a decision on future events and thank you kindly for your time and effort in your post!

 

[lawmary]

I vote for rotating the swap(s) around the area. Let different people living near there take turns hosting them. That way one person doesn't get burned out running all of them. The club can assist with publicity, professional contacts and funding. the local person can set up the event site, date and time and food.