Re: Prizes

["James Purchase" <jpurch@interlog.com>]

Ken wrote:
"We need to ask ourselves whether we are really convinced that
donations/prizes from sponsoring companies will be worth the trouble and
will it enhance the overall quality of the event?"

James replies:
You make some very valid points, and made some very nice "prize suggestion"
(I hadn't thought of AGA memberships as prizes). However, your basic
question can be extended much further than just finding someone willing to
take on the task of co-ordinating the collection and storage of prizes.

Something which we have not really dealt with yet is our ability to actually
carry this event off. I know that we have had wrangles and arguments during
the planning stages of this - I was expecting things like that to happen.
What I found kind of disappointing were the number of people who turned tail
and ran when they found out that this wasn't going to be either a piece of
cake or they couldn't have things entirely their way (or, found me a royal
pain in the butt). We have all compromized to some extent to arrive at where
we are right now (very close to the finish line, at least as far as the
initial planning goes).

But I wonder and worry about what happens AFTER (if....) the AGA MC approves
this and we set to work trying to actually "do it". I have asked, time and
time again, for the lurkers to come out of the woodwork and "say" something.
Usually, to absolutely no avail. I find it a bit of a stretch to think that
they are going to have a change of heart and actually DO anything once this
gets underway. The list has a lot more tourists who are just along for the
ride than folks actually willing to put themselves out even minimally for
this effort.

Over the past month and a half, I have spent a considerable amount of my
time and energy on this process, at times upwards of 8-10 hours per day. I
expect that this will continue should I proceed to write a formal proposal
and we move to running the event. Erik will be taking on the monumental task
of designing, programming, implementing and maintaining a web-site, scanning
and adjusting images, preparing and mailing CD-ROM's, etc. But it takes more
than two people to run something of this magnitude.

Even without "merchandise prizes". The issue of not feeling up to contacting
manufacturers is moot - I or Karen can easily write letters. What is needed
is someone in the group to actually receive the stuff, hold onto it for a
few months, send it out to the appropriate people at the end. It's like a
combination stock clerk/shipping & receiving clerk, nothing too demanding.
We shall also need people to perhaps go visit their local stores and hand
the manager/owner an information sheet and/or go to their local fish club's
fall meeting and talk about the showcase and encourage people to enter.

Is there interest in the group for anyone to actually get their hands dirty
and DO something, should this proceed? There are approximately six or seven
people here who regularly provide input and feedback. Another one or two
have made infrequent forays into the limelight with occassional comments. I
appreciate each and every one of you - but is that ALL of us who are
interested in this??????

What about the rest of the people on the list? You all know who you are -
you signed up for the list over a month ago and you haven't said diddly
since. Are you willing to DO anything other than read what drops into your
in-basket once a day? Am I and the other handful of people posting things
here putting this effort into this event for YOUR benefit? Perhaps Olga was
right, maybe I _am_ nuts ;-).

I'm not really interested in "I'd love to but..." remarks - at this point
_the group_ needs to decide if there is going to be an event. Either you are
willing to publicly state that you either WILL do some work once this
process gets underway or you won't. If not enough people are willing to do
at least _some_ of the work, then there just won't be an event, it will be
impossible. We have developed a very viable and practical framework for this
event - it CAN be done - if enough people are willing to help. I just need
some assurance right now that that help will be forthcoming on the other
side of the approval process.

This isn't throwing anything out with the bath water..... this is a serious
question and the as the poem goes "the time has come, the walrus said, to
speak of many things...".

Writing the proposal is going to be a big task - before I block out my
schedule for the next few weeks to do it I have to know that Erik and I are
not going to be alone on the other side.

James Purchase
Toronto

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