Re: AGA CONTEST - Digest V1 #186

["Jim Capelle" <JCapelle@email.msn.com>]

Here's a few thoughts from me;
->From: "David VanderWall" <dvanderwall@uswest.net>
>Subject: Prizes, Ribbons, Categorization, Notification and Enumerification

>
>Just to get you started, though, in Jim's list we have 243 different
>companies, all with snail mail addresses.  At $0.33 for each letter that's
>$80.19 in postage alone.  Alternately we could send postcards at $0.20 or
>$48.60.  Granted, I don't know that we want to send to all of the companies
>on Jim's list, but it gives us a rough idea anyway.  I also don't know that
>sending postcards would be very professional.

You are very correct about not using post cards to companies, that would
only be used as a flip card aimed at the round file, you are right, not very
professional


>Or we could rely on email contact.  There are 60 companies on Jim's list
>that have email addresses.

Again not very good idea, letters that they can file and justify sending
something at the end of the year.

Someone will have to distill
>the list a little more.  Any volunteers?  Actually, James, it seems like
>something you might want to do since you have mentioned a few before.  See
>if they are on there and let's start with them.

I should give you a warning.  I work full time in the Army National Guard
(on duty 7 am until 4:30 pm five days a week and one weekend a month, with
45 min drive each way).  I go to school nights (3) for an A.S. in
Aquaculture.  I was just asked this weekend to be on the board to reveiw and
rewrite the by-laws for the Tampa Bay Aquarium Soc., and the TBAS elections
are coming up next week and I ve been asked by a few people to run for the
board on that too.  I also have an internship on a local fish farm that gets
some of my free time (this should have ended in Aug. but due to all my other
stuff I am doing or did this summer I owe a few more hours (really days or
weeks)).  I let my tanks go a little wild due to lack of real time for them,
over 500 gals in the house alone.  Did I mention that my wife likes to see
me now and then too.  That is why I got up set earlyer this week end about
my time and how I use it.  (Boy was that a mouth full!)

As to this list just pick the ones that you know and want to deal with, tell
them what kinda contest you are running and types of prizes your looking
for.  I could go through the list but it would take two weeks as I am on
duty this up coming weekend.
>
>But first we need to submit the proposal.  Right?  I agree with Erik that
we
>can request smaller, lighter items (gift certificates would be perfect as
>the shipping arrangements for the actual product would be taken care of by
>the winner).  And we will need a person to collect and redistribute the
>prizes, but I don't think we absolutely _need_ to identify that person
right
>now.  Maybe I can have these things shipped to my place of work where I
>could collect them, maybe someone else will step forward.  Let's just
assume
>for right now that it will be done.  Read on.

(This is something I sent Dave V. last week)
On this note I think one person should be the person who puts out a form
letter with that person as a point of contact.  If you have more then
one(ed.person sending letters) and a company has a branch office in Mass.
and forwards it the the main office in Cal. or FL the two different names
would put someone off and shut us down for getting any support from them or
anyone they mention it to about it.  Be safe and play like a professional
org.

>Here are some category suggestions:
>(please, please note that these are suggestions, I don't have any contest
>experience  :-)
>
>Planted aquascape
>Rocky aquascape
>Artificial aquascape
>Paludarium aquascape
>Brackish aquascape
>
>Okay, there's five general ones.  Give some input on any that I missed or
>any of these that need to be sub-divided.

Good start, Bio-type systems could be a sub of all but Artificial.

>Ribbons!  I searched the web and the first thing I came across was
>http://www.hodgesbadge.com, which is Hodges Badge Company, Inc.  The
>following is a description of one of their equestrian ribbons.  I'm
assuming
>we could get them without the picture of the horse. :-)  I'll contact them
>and find out for sure -- that doesn't cost anything.
>
>The "Ideal"
>'4" across rosette; 12" top to bottom; 2"x9" streamers.
>Our most popular rosette. Classic simplicity and an enduring design
executed
>in high quality satin.'
>
>These are $1.40 a piece plus a $10 typesetting charge.  You can order them
>online and it doesn't appear that the typesetting fee increases per design
>(i.e. the online price calculator just tacked on $10 even though my
shopping
>cart had 15 blue ribbons that said one thing, 15 red that said another,
>etc., so we may be able to get the actual category name printed on each set
>of three at no additional cost).  There is a three-week turnaround time on
>non-rush orders.

I really like this one.


>I think prizes and ribbons should be handled by two different people.

wrong, double the postage to the winners,  Yes one could order and get it
together on the ribbons and another on prizes, but the ribbon person should
mail all the stuff to the prize holder and mail them out together at the
end.

>
>If we needed to send around photos for scanning (I don't think anyone else
>here besides Karen can do slides)

Not so fast here!  If I have the capability to scan slides, negs, and prints
I am sure there areothers in this group that can help in this too.


>Probably too much in one email. :-)  Sorry 'bout the long post.
>
Same here on mine too.


JiM C.



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