CONVENTION ON THE ORDER OF MARY KAY

With RU's going on in various areas all the time, what would you think of an all out Dave's Garden Convention? Probably going to be in trouble because I haven't waited for Dave's response.

On the majority of the threads I am involved in, everyone is anxious to actually meet one another. The experiences I have had are very positive. With sponsors, speakers and all that goes with it we could have a great time.

Any input?

Have to credit DraperyLady with the idea. I have the experience and probably many of you do as well.

Hey guys, LET'S GET TOGETHER!!

Where would you hold this convention?

Dallas is a major convention center. All of the mechanisms are in place. Just have to get them going. All of this is Dave's decision.

What is your input, Jo? I always trust your judgement.

Christi

I think it would be a lot of fun, but I don't know if you can get that many people into it.

If it be His Will, it will be.


"His Will" being our Lord.

This message was edited Nov 15, 2007 8:37 PM

Ok, all you lurkers. It is time you put in your 2 cents. We need to know if you would come or not.

Well, I know Midsouth would be heavily represented and on most of the forums there is someone from Texas. If it is put together well and presented by Dave, I'm sure out of the thousands of members, we would have quite a showing. Alot of the folks are country gardeners and might feel more comfortable going to Bryan and checking out that area. Some may want to go to Dallas. It is something that is very doable, and it would take alot of people participating, but where else can you find this many like minded people. And I noticed that when Dave asked for input on the photo contest, he listened, kindly weeded out the bad ideas, added new ones and roped in the whole thing beautifully.


Debbie

The reason I believe Dallas would be the site is the airport first of all. The number of convention hotels and all of the other infrastructure that it takes to support a convention of thousands of people. Bryan/College Station is a beautiful part of our state but cannot sustain a convention.

Waiting for The Dave to answer as he will have the final answer.

Oh, I love Dallas. Sounds like a plan.

Debbie

I think Dave said on another thread that he's not around much this week, so it may be a day or two before he makes it here to comment. I think it's a good idea (although personally I wouldn't be able to come unless it's within about a 6 hr driving radius of San Francisco) but I wonder about the cost. Roundups are basically free because people volunteer their homes or people do them at a local park, but to have something bigger at a convention center people are going to have to pay to come and I wonder how much that would be on top of plane tickets, hotels, etc.

The prototype is set. The ladies with Mary Kay are not rich. They work very hard for their money. Lots of perks help them afford to come to Dallas. Will wait for Dave's input before investigating the possibilities. This type of thing takes 2-3 years to put together. Wouldn't be for next Spring.

There is no doubt, it will require some cash. Thats why I thought February,March,April. It's far enough away from Christmas and not close enough to Summer Vacation and it gives us time to put a little cash on the side. I'm sure with the right persuasion, some of the vendors could comp some of the cost. If there are enough DGer's from CA that want to come, carpool with them. Great way to meet each other. That's what it's all about.


I guess the question should be asked this way, to see how excited everyone would be.

If cash and travel and lodging where not a problem,

Who would like to attend a National DG Convention (Members Only). It will allow us to get together and meet everyone and enjoy one anothers company. Share our gardening secrets and experiences face to face. There will gardening classes and workshops where we will learn new and old techniques on gardening. Because of the winter season we will not be trading plants, but, we will have Gardening Product Vendors with their booths set up to allow you to get an early look at some of the new plants and garden products coming in 2008. And best of all we will be able to meet the Administrative Staff of Dave's Garden that provides us with this wonderful world of gardening. These are some of the local hotels close to the convention center who are offering DG an excellant lowered price on rooms. For reservations dmail LouC in Desoto Texas. LOL

****************To all who read this is only a sample not an actual invite.

Wonderful prototype, Debbie. I have connections to the travel bureau of the
Dallas Market Center that would be able to put together a travel package. As I said, this is a real doable thing. We have to have the "want to".

We need more input to know if you as a membership are even slightly interested.

Ooopps. Sorry, Dave. I know we are in trouble by usurping your authority.

THIS IS VERY MUCH AT THE QUEST OF DAVE WHITINGER. Seems that mine and Debbie's enthusiasm has over taken our good judgement.
Sorry, Dave.

GREAT IDEA! You can count me in. I would need a lot of notice though so I could start saving up my nickels and dimes in order to afford to go. The trade conventions that I have been to have had extremely modest door fees. The real cost would probably be transportation (to get there and also car rental) and hotel fees. For the people from out of state perhaps you locals could do some checking and see what other garden related attractions are there such as public garden or garden tours. I can see using a true DG convention as my "vacation" for the year.

PS: Dave I am putting my best "poor sad puppy" face on -------- :^)

All of what you ask about is here in Dallas, tuna. Often don't realize just how much is here that I don't take advantage. The travel packages are relatively easy as I say, in that I am a part of the Dallas World Trade Center "associates"...aka. employee. Everything depends on Dave's take. I fear that I will have made him unhappy by jumping ahead without his permission.

Also, as I said, this doesn't happen in a day or two, will take a minimum of 2 years. That should give everyone ample time to get the pennies saved.

I don't think Dave will be upset--you're asking what people think and that's always how new ideas get discussed around here. If you had announced all over the site that this was a done deal, or if you'd gone and reserved the convention center or something then that might be jumping ahead a bit, but as long as you're just collecting ideas and opinions it's really no different than the threads where people are trying to get a new forum started.

ok call me mr. threadkiller!lol! it just so happens i p/u a couple of vendors displays to return to them from the convention center in new orleans. unless you have a very targeted audience forget the vendors.
i would think dallas would be next to impossible to book, anytime, too popular and expensive. why not just book a cruise or something?

but if it has to be on land, why not the garden state? seems appropriate enough.

This message was edited Nov 15, 2007 9:54 PM

I would be very interested in a convention as you describe it. Course my DH will think I have gone off the really "deep end". He has tolerated, and even attended his first RU with me this year. As he said, it is not his "cup of tea", but I was on the horse show circuit with him for many years, surely he will indulge me this.

I visited Texas for the first time this year with my sister on a convention to Austin. Loved the "hill country" and am itching to return again.

Course, you would need many meeters and greeters at the airport to rescue us really country folk. I don't relish the thought of trying to tackle Dallas traffic, without an escort. So give transportation a thought as you mull the possibilities. We "hillbillies" go over the mountain and through the valleys, but have never faced the traffic that I imagine Dallas has.

Make it as traveler friendly as you can, and I imagine that you will be surprised at the response.

Oooh .... I have only been a paid subscriber to DG for a year and have never gone to a Round Up! I don't drive on the Interstate anymore ... would cause an accident for sure as nervous as I get with traffic.

I LOVE the idea of a Dave's Garden Convention! I would DEFINITELY attend!! Any idea of how many days would be allotted for the convention? I hope at least 4 days! That would be so much fun! I will be watching this thread to read all the responses to this great idea!


Oh, I love Len123's suggestion .... A Garden Convention in the Garden State! If my geography is correct that would be N.J.??

Count me in! LOL, what else are DH's frequent flier miles for? I think the big thing in offsetting cost for the space might be whether or not we could get vendors interested. And we probably don't need one of the major convention centers. Lots of hotels now have some pretty large meeting room areas set up that might suit our purposes. Some of them are even in pretty locations... Selfishly, I'd like to go to the convention center on Jekyll Island in GA (it's reasonably close to the Jacksonville airport), because it's one of my favorite places in the world. :-) But I'd settle for any location with a bunch of DGers gathered together!

I am a new gardener and a new member of DG. I attended my first RU in Sept and really enjoyed it. I also took my DH and he enjoyed it as well. Over the past 20 years I have attended many conventions put on by Decorative Painters Society. They are very large conventions and are always held in large cities such as Dallas, San Diego, St. Louis, Nashville etc. Each year the convention was held in a different area thus enabling the different members to attend. LouC you are correct about it taking years to plan in order to get hotel room blocks, convention rooms, vendor participation etc. I think it is a wonderful idea and would certainly attend and so would DH....I am already planning my vacation......Rose

Keep those cards and letters coming. The membership/subscriber list is growing by leaps and bounds. Thinking that by the time this could be organized we would be many more in number. I am not in the wealthy group and reasonably priced would #1 on my personal list. guess I automatically said Dallas because I live here and know the ins and outs. Also because it is where the Mary Kay conventions are held and they did not start out the size they are now. Actually, I had rather go somewhere else. hahaha It is an automatic vacation. You are correct about a lot of hotels having smaller convention centers now. Guess the first thing we need to know is if you are interested at all and the other #1 is if Dave is interested. Not very good math there, two #1's.

I would suggest Florida - maybe Orlando for the convention. Bring the whole family for vacation, hit the theme parks at the same time! LOL. That would be one VERY expensive vacation! Especially the Jan, Feb, March time frame as Nascar stuff goes on the end of Jan and into Feb .... then we have Bike Week with a couple hundred thousand motorcycles on the roadways and that runs into Spring Break with thousands of college kids.
That's the time of year I would like to get out of Florida. hmmmm ..... The Bahamas would be nice that time of year!! I know, I know ..... waaaaaaay too expensive!


If it's early in the year and held someplace where the temp's are below 50 degrees, I would be borrowing a coat from one of you!

ladylin, would you be interested in such a thing if we were able to put it together?
regardless of where it is. remember affordable is a must for all of us. we won't be on our companies expense account.

louC

Oh Yeah, Lou .... I would definitely be interested in a DG Convention!

Morning all,
Now remember like all conventions, the focus will be Dave's Gardeners and those type of activities. If it gets too fancy or too complicated alot of our sweet gardeners will not want to come. Think of it like a Big RU. If you have gone to or seen any of the photos of the RU's, its just good ole folks enjoying each others company. Remember also, the idea is to bring ourselves out of the frostbite of winter and prepare ourselves for our soon coming spring gardens. Vendors such as Miracle Gro, The Local Home Depot, Lowes, Local rose growers(Texas has alot of them), would be interested in touching base with DG's large family of growers. Thanks everybody for so much input. Keep it coming. And if it is done simply it will not take 2 years. Daves Tshirts, our garden gloves, and a place to meet. The first one does not have to be a lot of glitz and glamour. And it would give Dave an input as to how many would show up. I'm not sure how much it cost to rent an RV, but one example could be this. If the people in Mid South could rent some RV's(or those with them use theirs), then the ones that wanted to from Fla, Alabama,Miss,Tenn ETC. could meet in a Central location and ride together and SPLIT the cost. Or perhaps ride the train together and get a group deal, or rent commercial buses. Transportation does not have to be a problem. If Dave could get the Texas Rose Growers to get us into some garden tours for free that would be great. If we all stayed at a Huge RV park, so what. The idea is to get together and enjoy.

Debbie

Here, here! Debbie is the one with the seed for this idea. As always I am just the cheerleader. I have a motorhome and we have traveled a lot. It is not easy to manuveur after you get where you want to go. Unless you are pulling a car, you are pretty much stuck in one place. Not trying to be a wet blanket, just have extensive experience in this dept. The reason I suggested Dallas is because I know the Dallas Market Center has a travel dept. When there are markets going on they arrange the travel at greatly reduced prices. Also, once we determine if there is any interest, I will just pick the brains of some of the people I know that put these things together so we may have a picture of just where to start. Definitely not thinking of something such as The Dallas Convention Center. Hotels are a great place for meetings. Think I will do a little "googling".
Thanks, Debbie. Glad to see you this morning.

Debbie you know I would be there. Cindy

I would be very interested in attending a DG Convention.

Yes Cindy, Me and Sandra and Jeri and Kim will swing by and pick you up. And I shall bring my notebook LOL:)

Thanks so much LouC. Thats a fabulous idea. If you can get something together as a package proposal that would be awesome.

I think this is going to work. Lots of coffee and food and good times.

Gotta go back to work, but I will check in from time to time.

Love all this feedback.

Doesn't that sound good A "DG Convention"


This message was edited Nov 16, 2007 9:06 AM

Well, DUH. How could I forget. The daughter of one of our best friends has worked in hotel convention planning for years. She isn't available today but will try to get in touch with her this weekend. This is all supposition. This is a fact finding mission in order to determine if it would even be feasible. And of course, I'm still way ahead of Dave.

I was just kidding about a DG Convention in Florida! I want to travel to someplace I HAVEN'T been! LOL. Will be watching and waiting to hear what comes of this Great idea! I will fly to wherever it is happening! Won't be able to bring plants to trade if it is a RU type event. I could probably get away with carrying one plant on board the airplane but don't think they would allow a box full!


I've never been to Dallas! Drove across the huge state of texas back in early 1970 when DH had to go to school for the military in California .... made an overnight stop in San Antonio to visit friends who were stationed there. So, Texas sounds good to me. Then again, Jax Fla and Jekyll Island Ga are real close to me and that would be a great place too! And, I really like the idea of New Jersey! I've never been there and hear it's a really pretty Garden State!

Since Dave is in Texas - maybe that should be the location of an Annual DG Convention! Wherever it happens I sure would want to be there!

Lou ....No, I don't think so.(you being ahead of Dave) I think he would enjoy OK'ing something rather than having to plan it all out.

Are there alot of Rose Growers around Dallas? Do they have catalogs. Would they be interested in showing us their products? Do they have any incentive programs that would interest us in mail ordering thru them. Would any of the companies in Garden Watchdog be interested. At least they are familiar with DG. Would the local Home Depot's and or garden centers or local chapters around Dallas be interested in booths or showing of their products or mini teaching presentations. I know the HD in Baton Rouge are not as community minded as the ones in the smaller surrounding towns like Denham Springs and Walker. On the other hand, the larger vendors may be more impressed with a Dallas Convention. Hmmmm Lots of questions.

Got your work cut out for you Lou. :) Thanks so much for finding the answers for us. If I can make any phone calls for you, dmail me.

And yes, this is still in the research phase.

This message was edited Nov 16, 2007 9:25 AM

Tish knows the ins and outs of everywhere. No place settled on. She will probably be able to suggest a lot things that we would need to consider. If anyone on DG wants to get into this, please jump in. This is only an idea that Debbie pitched out just last night. No one is in charge of anything...we just have the "want to" real bad. Please put the link to this thread wherever you go. Lot's of people will not even know this is afoot.

Plant Lady, no don't apologize for the Fla suggestion. I would love to go to Fla. But I'm with you in thinking it should be in Daves State. "Annual DG Convention". I like the sound of that.

And because of the winter right behind us, no one will have plants to bring.
(Lou, I'm still shooting for this Spring 2008), This will be a learning seminar and get together.
The first one does not have to be so big, if it keeps us from doing one in 2008.
March is going to be the best time for everyone.
Jan,Feb (too cold.)
April (planting begins )
May (getting too close to Summer Vacations.)
June July Aug (kids are out of school) .
Sept (school supplies)
Oct (everyone cleaning up beds to put down to winter)
Nov (Thanksgiving )
December (Christmas.)
Yep, March 2008 it is.
See what we can get together for March 2008 Lou in or around Dallas or Bryan. How far is Bryan from Dallas anyway.?

Bryan is about 150 miles from Dallas. Thinking that if we choose a town too far away from any large city it will compromise those that will need to fly. If someone from Florida or California were wanting to come they would need to fly into Dallas, Austin, or Houston. Then it is another 2 hour drive. Just a thought.
Dave flies in an out fairly often. Maybe he can give us more accurate idea. I will say that in order for this to happen in only 5 months, it would be a full time job for someone.

Here's my two cents worth. Maybe it should be only a penny.

What if it were held at a County Fair? I guess I've always wanted to go to a real county fair, not the little rinky dinky fair we have in Tucson. LOL
Kind of seems like a county fair would be a neat place for all the DG people to meet at and you could set up exchange tables, etc...
Plus all the fair food that is already there. Nothing like good greasy fair food.
Sounds like you are looking at seminars instead of exchange booths after reading the thread.
It would also be extremely difficult for most to travel across the country with plants for an exchange. Guess thats better suited for regional exchanges.

Here's another possible site. Las Vegas. What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Like all the money in my wallet.
Just a couple crazy ideas. Have a good one and your idea is really good.
Ray

LouC........ or partime for a lot of people. Remember, the biggest battle in the beginning is the collecting the info : phone calls , possibly letters to Vendors,Growers,etc. Also postings in the Watchdog section to the Vendors local to Dallas that want to participate. True, we need a leader to organize the list of things to do,and be able to delegate the different assignments and follow up. I for one will be glad to help. Or Dave might have enough people to do it for us after we have handed in all of the info we can gather for his review.

Also Master Gardener's , you are familiar with your organizations. What sort of input could they contribute?

The DG Convention would have to be in a solitary location with only DG activities going on, so that we can learn about each other, Dave and Admin, and all the new upcoming things for 2008. Also a chance to cut down on so much web surfing when we want a special plant or product because we will leave the Convention with the Vendor Info Packets. Catalogs,samples,etc.

And again, because of travel, we will have to leave the plant swapping for our local RU's.

I love the idea, and have thought of mentioning it several times just this fall. I'm on the committees of some other organization and have been a part (sometimes major part, sometimes smaller part) of planning this kind of thing for 10 years. I think I've been involved in somewhere between 25-30 events.

You need a search and facility team, which are sometimes separated into two teams, hospitality team, program team, exhibit team, and so forth. The one thing you ABSOLUTELY have to have is an approximate number of attendees. The first time is always the worst because hotels don't take it too seriously when you say X-number of people are coming but you haven't had an event like this before. Know what I mean?

have posted a link on several other sites asking for input. The idea of a hotel blocked off for only Dg is intriguing but I don't think we could afford it. I'm not speaking of a 5 star digs.