Re: Huh? I don't get it.

[Karen Randall <krandall@world.std.com>]

At 09:13 AM 2/12/2000 -0500, Neil wrote:

>I think I understand where he is coming from. This guy is getting the
>impression that the NEC convention is the same as a national
>(international) AGA convention and would like to see such an event in other
>parts of the world. 

Well, if he thought that, he didn't read very carefully.  I specifically
stated that it was the convention of the North East Council of Aquarium
Societies.  I even specifically spelled out what that was rather than use
the acronym, just to avoid any confusion.

>He (and I guess many other folks) do not understand the
>difference between an "official AGA meeting" and an advertised
>local/regional aquarium club meeting which offers AGA members a chance to
>get together. 

I'm not sure I do either.  As far as I know, we have never had the former.
We have always, to my knowledge, piggy backed any of our gatherings on
another regional group's convention.  AGA simply doesn't have the man-power
in any one location to pull off its own event.

>It is good that Karen clarified the situation. 
>
>To help avoid continued confusion,  I submit that AGA should not advertise
>the NEC thing as an "AGA Special Event" (see TAG V12n6). Perhaps better
>titles would be "An Opportunity for AGAers to Get Together."  Also, future
>AGA advertisements of this type might end with a brief statement like "AGA
>encourages regional gatherings of AGAers and with sufficient lead time, we
>will gladly advertise these events in TAG. Please submit details to TAG
>editor."

I think if people want to be confused, they will find a point of confusion.
 AGA _is_ more than casually involved with the NEC event. But it is because
it already is a top notch, well organized convention that specifically
asked for AGA involvement.  I would love to see this happen with other good
conventions around the country.  Rather than down-playing what NEC has
accomplished, and is offering AGA, I would rather see us do a better job
publicizing the fact that AGA is WILLING to become involved with and help
out with regional activities if that's what our members want, if they
request the help, AND if the LOCAL AGA members are willing to be involved
in a physical sense.

As I've mentioned when this subject has come up before, I have a problem
with down-playing the good stuff that is going on in active areas of the
country just to avoid having other people feel "left out".  Instead, let's
encourage them to get the same interest and enthusiasm going in their
areas.  The main reason that there ARE so many AGA members in the New
England area is that a few of us have done our best to make sure that
people in this area are made aware of the AGA.  We take posters and flyers
to all our local club events, and talk up AGA at every opportunity.  It is
not by accident that there are so many AGA'ers here.  

Even if there was no AGA involvement with NEC, we are an area with enough
interest in aquatic plants that we would _still_  invite Claus to speak.
We have enough local interest that we were having "planted tank workshops"
before most local people knew AGA existed.  We would still probably have
"plant people" getting together at NEC without AGA.  

I can't help but feel that we (NEC) are being asked to down-play what we
have accomplished for fear of some other group, that HASN'T developed that
kind of enthusiasm feeling left out.  I love AGA, and I love having two of
my favorite organizations work together on a project.  But NEC will
continue to put on top notch conventions that attract top people from
around the country with or without AGA.  I guess the big question is
whether or not AGA wants to receive some of the credit, or whether it will
all go to NEC.

I would be happy to vote that support be given to AGA'ers in another region
who want to put on an AGA event in conjunction with a convention.  But I
personally am _not_ willing to go into another region and do the work for
them.  The North East is not the only area that has put together a large,
vital group of "plant people".  Look at the groups in San Francisco,
Seattle, Vancouver, Minnesota and now Wisconsin.  It doesn't take that many
people to get the ball rolling in an area.

Karen
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