I was hoping to stay out of the surcharge thing, but our NMRA Region
does a similar thing including the guys giving clinics. I was asked to
give a clinic for the Lone Star Region convention in a neighboring city.
Although, I've enjoyed every convention, one simply can't afford to do
them all. In this case besides having to handle all the travel
expenses, to give my presentation I would have to pay registration to
give it. Most of the convention was clinics, some field trips and
layout tours and a banquet. I certainly can understand not giving
everything away because most of these groups aren't rich enough for
that, but to charge a presenter seemed pretty far out. I declined.
Likewise, the Houston S Gaugers were asked to set up our modules when
that same convention was being held here. We were told our group would
be able to "nose around" and attend the clinics during our operating
times. I accepted the invitation based on that thinking that some of
our guys actually might like the group. After a short time things
changed, I was told that we could be there to operate but we would not
be allowed away from our assigned space. I also declined at that time.
I've always supported all the organizations that supported the hobby but
sometimes the costs are too great and too lopsided for the volunteers.
Bob Werre
PhotoTraxx
--- In [email protected] <mailto:S-Scale%40yahoogroups.com>, Ed
Kozlowsky <soldado7264@...> wrote:
>
> Except the surcharge for the 2012 convention is $25.
>
> Ed Kozlowsky
> Sanford, MaineÂ
I dunno, maybe it's just me, but I think a 25 buck surcharge for
non-members is excessive. Especially if they also have to pay the
regular registration fee to boot. (I don't know, do they?)
Saying you also get NASG membership for that 25 bucks is akin to
forcing someone to volunteer. They might not want to join. It might be
better to reduce the non-member fee and offer membership on the spot
as an option.
I suppose my other question is, does this $25 surcharge allow the
non-member anything else other than access to a small to moderate swap
at show time?
S is a hard sell as it is. Particularly now with the economy AND our 3
major builders temporarily not producing anything through no fault of
their own.
The casual other-scaler might like to see what S is about, but not
ready to jump scales. At $25.00 he might just as likely turn around
and walk. (Maybe, I'm wrong here...)
If I had to pay an extra $25 for an "exclusive S" swap, I would have
probably said "I think I'll stick with HO, thank you."
It took YEARS of me going to S-Fests(no surcharges) at a freinds
encouragement before I switched scales. And I didn't join the NASG
until several years AFTER switching to S.
Now, convention organizers know more that I if the the $25 surcharge
is counter productive or not. I could be all wet. I'm just voicing my
opinion.
Rich G(ajnak)
