2011 Holiday Shindig?

Event planning for the 2011 Holiday Shindig

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GrizzFlyer
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2011 Holiday Shindig?

Post by GrizzFlyer »

There was some discussion at the last monthly meeting reference the upcoming Shindig this December. There was some concern over a venue, as none has been able to have been secured at that time.

Has there been any movement on this? Any locations locked in, type of event (pot luck at $5 per person, or catered at $15 per person as mentioned at the meeting), etc.

Are we the only geocaching club in the Great Lakes area that has 22 monthly meetings a year and 2 larger events? Maybe we should have one yearly event (in the Spring?) and say "it's been swell, but..." to the December event?

The Golden Ammo Box awards are great, but now that 1000 caches are getting to be more commonplace, should we continue this past the next large event?

Just throwing stuff out there, nothing written in stone here.

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Re: 2011 Christmas Holiday Shindig?

Post by Handyman-N-Fam »

As a family of 4, we would have to think long and hard about dropping 60 bucks to attend if the cost was $15 per person.
I don't really have an argument either way on any of the other decisions that need to be made.
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Re: 2011 Christmas Holiday Shindig?

Post by allenite »

GrizzFlyer wrote:There was some discussion at the last monthly meeting reference the upcoming Shindig this December. There was some concern over a venue, as none has been able to have been secured at that time.

Has there been any movement on this? Any locations locked in, type of event (pot luck at $5 per person, or catered at $15 per person as mentioned at the meeting), etc.

Are we the only geocaching club in the Great Lakes area that has 22 monthly meetings a year and 2 larger events? Maybe we should have one yearly event (in the Spring?) and say "it's been swell, but..." to the December event?
In Michigan, the main organization, MiGO, hosts two large events each year. The Fall Fun Day, which is a free event at a park with a potluck and more caching oriented, which rotates among the chapters (SW, SE, Northern LP, UP). In early February, they host the Winter Social at a more central location to the caching population, usually at a church of one of the members (cheap rate and gyms/fellowship halls provide large spaces). This event is catered and last year the cost was $15.00 per adult, Kids 6-11 years old are $5.00 and all kids under 6 are free. This one is less focused on caching though more so all the time.

I personally don't mind paying for catering, but I am a solo entity. I don't mind making something up to take, whatever the consensus of the group decides.
GrizzFlyer wrote: The Golden Ammo Box awards are great, but now that 1000 caches are getting to be more commonplace, should we continue this past the next large event?
Although 1000 is getting more and more common, I would hate to see this tradition discontinued. I know personally it was something that I really looked forward to as I approached that number and am grateful to have been included. I have mine with me at a lot of the events I host and a lot of cachers up here in Michigan comment that they wish they had that program up here.
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Re: 2011 Christmas Holiday Shindig?

Post by jslagle »

allenite wrote:
In Michigan, the main organization, MiGO, hosts two large events each year. The Fall Fun Day, which is a free event at a park with a potluck and more caching oriented, which rotates among the chapters (SW, SE, Northern LP, UP). In early February, they host the Winter Social at a more central location to the caching population, usually at a church of one of the members (cheap rate and gyms/fellowship halls provide large spaces). This event is catered and last year the cost was $15.00 per adult, Kids 6-11 years old are $5.00 and all kids under 6 are free. This one is less focused on caching though more so all the time.

I personally don't mind paying for catering, but I am a solo entity. I don't mind making something up to take, whatever the consensus of the group decides.
One of the reasons they do it this way is their winter meeting is their business meeting, as required by their bylaws. They have to set time aside for that.

We have no such requirement.

As I enjoy the socializing more than I enjoy finding magnetic hid-a-keys and small containers under lamp poles <zing!> these days, I'd be sad to see the winter event go. It was much more social focused.

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Re: 2011 Christmas Holiday Shindig?

Post by cheechgang »

I would also be sad to see it go. I hope there is some way to resurrect it as a pot-luck, which seemed to work just great in the past.
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Re: 2011 Christmas Holiday Shindig?

Post by jslagle »

One of the problems has been hall rental. Not availability or cost, but insurance and long term implications since the group doesn't exist in any real official capacity.

Hall rental normally requires insurance.

People (Well good dog mostly) have added it as an add-on to their homeowners in the past, but shouldn't have to do that. People end up personally liable for the events of the group.
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Re: 2011 Christmas Holiday Shindig?

Post by Handyman-N-Fam »

Has anyone thought about a pot luck at a church? Would insurance be required?
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Re: 2011 Christmas Holiday Shindig?

Post by cachergirl27 »

I have been looking into a hall in Oregon that wouldn't require us to have insurance, and we can do the potluck thing. Trying to get more details & costs, etc...give me a little more time on this. I would hate to kill the winter event, and I certainly don't think we should do away with the golden ammo cans. Something to think about AFTER this year's event, however, is maybe we should go the way of NCOG and present the ammo cans from the month before at the next meet & eat. They do that & have everyone in attendance sign them. Just a thought.
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Re: 2011 Christmas Holiday Shindig?

Post by GoodDog »

Simpson meeting room at the Simpson Garden Park in Bowling Green.

$150 for a four hr. block or $125 if a BG citizen rents it. (I get no discount, which sucks). We could stretch this a little if I volunteer at work to open the building. I can check on the 8 hr. rental but I think its $250
seats 130, small kitchen, parks sets up and tears down, but we take out trash etc. One big room but we could use the hallway also. Plenty big for us. Indoor toilets :clap:
no insurance needed since we don't do alcohol.
Available Dec. 4 and Dec 11

I also like the idea of a church. That's new and good thinking.

I think no matter what you rent, anywhere, whoever signs for it would be liable for damages. No one is going to let you off free for inappropriate behavior. That's where the home owner insurance comes in. We have a great group, and never have any trouble. I do miss Grandma's Green Punch though (and the BBD's :lol: ) but that was a potential problem.
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Re: 2011 Christmas Holiday Shindig?

Post by SuchaNana »

church idea good idea... i'll make a few calls too..

on other note - ammo cans idea for next year - check out NEOGEO - GC31QQ6 - sounds like a good idea too...
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Re: 2011 Christmas Holiday Shindig?

Post by yogi57 »

One drawback on the church idea is most churches have services on Sundays. So we would have to change the starting times or/and day of the week we have the event.
I think potluck works the best for our group. BG sounds good also we still waiting on the Oregon option.
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GrizzFlyer
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Re: 2011 Christmas Holiday Shindig?

Post by GrizzFlyer »

I like the BG option, real good idea Good Dog.

Close to the new (by then) Wintergarden Park caches. :D

If you need help setting up, I volunteer.

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Re: 2011 Christmas Holiday Shindig?

Post by TheBearclaws »

The Bowling Green place looks nice and I agree, a potluck works great. Someone still has to take responsibility with the rental agreement though.
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Re: 2011 Christmas Holiday Shindig?

Post by cachergirl27 »

I vote the BG option, the Oregon option isn't going to work out this year. Go for it! :)
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Re: 2011 Christmas Holiday Shindig?

Post by GoodDog »

TheBearclaws wrote:The Bowling Green place looks nice and I agree, a potluck works great. Someone still has to take responsibility with the rental agreement though.
I would make the reservation unless someone in our group lives in BG? That would save us some bucks. Could we do it in 4hrs (plus a little, like maybe 5 )? That would save $100. If that time is too short, we can get it all day for $250

Cime in by Sunday night if you like this idea. We do need to make a decision soon as other groups are now looking at Christmas event options at various places also. We would need to pick the date also.
Dec 4 or 11. I would vote for the 4th to lesson the chance of snow problems.

One potential problem would be if the other room (the banquet room) was also rented. That would make that hallway area more crowded. Another reason to rent it on the 4th before someone else decides to have a party.
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