next conference

[Linda Condon]

Having the conference in late Spring (i.e., end of May, early June) would work for a university site.  I still think Dale's idea of looking back and charting out the cost of the conference, the number in attendance, the cost of the hotel room, and the number of workshops offered is a very valid and important idea.  We have latched on to the idea that the reason people aren't coming is cost (and I agree it is one of the variables) but there might be others that are equally important.  The other thought I had was isn't one reason to do a conference in a place we don't usually do them (i.e., San Francisco) to spread the magic around.  I'd like to see a conference in the midwest (maybe someplace like Chicago or St. Louis).  
   
  Another thought:  a couple of years ago I went to the NADT Conference at Reed College.  The location was beautiful but the workshops were spread all over the campus so it involved lots of walking (and I was just recovering from a broken foot).   It was a definite challenge to put in so much physical effort to get to a workshop.  As some of our members also experience the struggles of physical issues I think that must be a consideration (and I'm not saying we shouldn't reach out to the younger generations, that's an absolute must).  I also signed on to stay in a dorm room and when I got there the room was so dirty, no screen on the window, no air conditioning, very thin mattress, shared bathroom, I couldn't stay there.  I left and drove around Portland until I found a reasonable hotel.  Fortunately they gave me a refund on the dorm.  (I guess I've become a 'lodging snob' without realizing it)...  Just a few ideas on this sunny morning from Florida...Linda  
   
  PATRICIA DESERT <honeybwomn at msn.com> wrote:
            And Baltimore, MD has many colleges/universities as well including John Hopkins, Goucher, Loyola, Notre Dame, Towson U., and Morgan.  Towson University is a state school and could be even more affordable than the private colleges.  
   
  Another affordable option to expensive hotels--a list of folks who would have rooms in their homes to let for the weekend.  For example, I have two bedrooms available and if the conference were in Baltimore I could create such a list.  What a nice experience for folks from other countries to experience a welcoming American family and home life as well as the conference.     
   
  Patti
   
   
   
   ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Edward Schreiber 
  To: list at grouptalkweb.org 
  Sent: Saturday, May 05, 2007 7:07 AM
  Subject: Re: next conference
  

Northampton, Mass has 5 colleges, including Smith College, University  
of Massachusetts, Amherst, Hampshire College and Mt. Holyoke  
College.   We could find one college, I am sure, to house a  
conference in 2009.  Colleges end mid-May, so we would have to have  
an early June conference.  The conference could include, for those  
who wanted, rental of a dorm room.  There are hotels here as well.

The criteria I hear from many is simply cost.  Miami was great but  
the cost was high.   If we want to attract many we have to make it  
affordable.


Ed

Grouptalk mailing list
List at grouptalkweb.org
http://grouptalkweb.org/mailman/listinfo/list_grouptalkweb.org

Grouptalk mailing list
List at grouptalkweb.org
http://grouptalkweb.org/mailman/listinfo/list_grouptalkweb.org


       
---------------------------------
Ahhh...imagining that irresistible "new car" smell?
 Check outnew cars at Yahoo! Autos.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: /pipermail/list_grouptalkweb.org/attachments/20070505/b4dbfd50/attachment.html