Re: [AGA-sc] Contest Awards -- Prizes and costs to contestants

[Kathy Olson <kathy@thekrib.com>]

Hey, if spending money is an issue, I can think of all kinds of good 
things...

...cheryl's proprosal to pay people,
...comped hotel rooms/meals for speakers and the speaker wrangler, and if 
we are really generous the board
...a begninning plant book or booklet
...DVD on how to aquascape with followup footage of the tank done months 
later, erik has talked about this for years

...totally crazy florida collecting trip, ie Klaus, Ole, Kristal all 
collecting in florida with groups of people before the convention, and 
then a big room to discuss it all and auction off.  Done in the summer, 
and get INSURANCE so if a hurricane happens we aren't too screwed.  And 
then have them all talk at the convention.  Hey for kicks we could toss 
amano in there too!

Okay, I digress, but Scott I am sure we can spend money on good things to 
promote the hobby too, ie beginners booklet, etc.

Kathy


On Sat, 25 Nov 2006, S. Hieber wrote:

> Problem is, we can't seem to find better things than the Contest and TAG to 
> spend money on; meanwhile it keeps piling up and someday, it's going to come 
> back and bite big.


sh

----- Original Message ----
From: Erik Olson <erik@thekrib.com>
To: Aquatic Gardeners Association Board <aga-sc@thekrib.com>
Sent: Saturday, November 25, 2006 1:51:49 AM
Subject: Re: [AGA-sc] Contest Awards -- Prizes and costs to contestants


On Fri, 24 Nov 2006, Kathy Olson wrote:

> I was really suprised we were doing 2nd and 3rd place prizes at all.  In
> the past I think it was just a ribbon for 2nd and 3rd....there wasn't even
> a first.

First year, there were prizes for everything, though they never actually 
made it past David Youngker's house, under mysterious circumstances.

Second year (2001) there were a small subset of prizes (cannot remember 
exactly who solicited, but they are on the website -- it might have been 
Charlene who did it, and we "combined" auction/contest, but that seems 
odd).  We either did 1st place only, or no prizes at all that year.

Third year (2002) we definitely implemented the "sponge off the auction 
items" plan, again for 1st place only.

Fourth year (2003), DFWAPC was very pissed about the sponge-off plan, so 
it was replaced with hastily-constructed homegrown AGA substitutes such as 
books.  Again, 1st place only.

In 2004, Scott clearly wrote the sponge-off plan into the convention 
guidelines, but due to the increasing levels of out-of-state winners, I 
think we mostly sent AGA goods again.  This time DVDs were options as 
well.  Still 1st only.

It was LAST year when Phil solicited the donations from Seachem that 
things expanded to 2nd and 3rd place.  But because the chemicals could not 
be easily shipped overseas, we came up with monetary substitutions.  And I 
suppose because 2nd and 3rd would have received Seachem crap, equivalent 
monetary amounts were designated.  In addition, DFWAPC and AHS donated 
straight cash, which partly set the monetary values.

So this year we just went straight to cash.  But I do agree with Kathy, 
I'd rather drop the little 2nd and 3rd place prizes entirely next time, 
and either fold it into 1st ($150 for the category winner) or drop 
entirely.  They are already getting a ribbon and a contest disk.

> I would much rather see us use the money for better things.

It's pretty much set this year.  We've already advertised it.  I will 
e-mail the ones in troubled situation and offer memberships or DVDs, if 
it's OK with others.  I really had completely forgotten the history 
(above) until today.

    - Erik

-- 
Erik Olson
erik at thekrib dot com
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