Volunteers for Conference committee #2

I agree with Gwen in that I would be extremely hesitant to have any kind of limit to registration. Unless I'm mis-remembering things, this isn't necessarily something that will happen in 2008 right?

As I understand it from earlier posts, this will need to be announced far enough in advance not only for there to be time to get everything coordinated but also to give people time to make their plans. If a 2009 get-together is announced in late winter of 2008, I think you could get a good-enough headcount within 6 months of the announcement to be able to start discussions on a contract with a hotel and other non-DG participants (if we have vendors, etc.). Plus that time frame would encompass some of the RU's, and that could be a topic for each to discuss and upon return from these we may have even more interest (hope that made sense.)

Once the first one is "under our belt" the subsequent ones will be much easier to publicize and coordinate. This is the kind of thing that you want as many people at as you can handle for the first one to ensure it has the DG culture and feel, but since it's the first one there's no need to rush to do it wrong.

Lou, Something to make note of for closer to the event is that you might want to appoint a person who lives in the general area the job of coming up with a list of outside attractions and things to do. One, for guests who don't want to attend all the DG events (usually guests like to come to social events but not so much lectures and seminars) and also as a way to attract DGers to want to come to the area you choose.

Sometimes the best tourist attractions are things only locals know about and aren't things widely published. Or if they are, it's hard for outsiders to tell which are the really good attractions and which are basically a waste of money.

And there can be things like add-ons that people sign up for separately. Like maybe a wine tasting at a local winery that is set up just for DGers but that we pay extra to attend. Those kinds of things can make a conference a lot more fun, but it's hard for the main organizer to handle that extra load.

And, I vote for at least one local garden tour! Wouldn't it be fun to kick off with a garden tour/reception???

Gwen

Both of you are writing the lines to my chorus. In order to keep cost down, 2 days is what we are looking at. Friday and Saturday, check out Sunday at 11:00.
Really, really, cuts down on outside tours. If we add Thursday it may cost a little more...well, of course, it would be that is another whole day. We are going to use
Grapevine Texas as an EXAMPLE. It is halfway between Dallas/Ft.Worth. The hotels have free airport shuttles from DFW. The hotels have trolleys to Grapevine Outlet Mall and downtown Grapevine which is an old town with lots of unique shops. One hotel, Embassy Suites is adjoining Bass World. They furnish a hot breakfast with the room rate (again that would be determined by how many). There is Dallas Arboretum and Ft. Worth Botanical Gardens for organized tours by bus...extra cost for bus. There are wineries in the area and always ready for something extra. Within 20 miles of Six Flags over Texas if someone wanted to extend the vacation. Now I am NOT SUGGESTING THAT GRAPEVINE IS THE PLACE. It is close to me and I can check costs fairly easily. Other places are not out of the running. Actually, there is no running yet.
Certainly do not expect the small committee to do it all. Our job is to get a count.
After that you had better be ready because many will be needed to pull this off.
Get out there and help us hype this all over DG. Today's newsletter posted 341,000 members. My goodness. What a fantastic group to tap. What if we had to have two or three complete hotels? Hello? Great!!!!!

wow, all the stuff you say about Grapevine is exactly what I think an ideal place would be. The fact that there are free airport/hotel shuttles plus the trolley to a unique downtown area sounds perfect.

One thing I would add is that having it close to the organizer is a good thing. When I did the PNW Eggfest, one of the key players on our committee had all kinds of contacts in the town we decided on. He was able to get great discounts the rest of us got turned down on because he had personal contacts. For instance, I called the hotel we wanted to use and got like $4 off the room rate. He called and talked to his contact and got $30 off. It does make a big difference if someone has 'connections.'

Gwen

Can you just picture 500 of us trooping through a local botanical garden? They'd have to have at least two "escorts" to make sure we didn't strip the place of seeds - LOL!

Or they could just tie our hands as we entered. Maybe we'd all be tied to the person in front of us, like you see little pre-schoolers. LOL

Gwen

Oh Gwen, I could spend a solid ten minutes laughing at all the images that conjures up - DGers on little bungie leashes...a separate group all holding onto a length of cable to make sure they don't stray... sock and cuff checks at the end...

Lol - there are several great gardens in the area near Dallas to visit, and many stunning DGers here that can really help put on a show of places just sooo perfect you have to go see them.

Gettttttiiiinnngggg reaaallllly eeeexxxxxcccciiiittteeed... Can you tell?

So, the location is not going to be Grapevine? But it sounds so perfect.

Grapevine is in the Dallas metroplex... and we are looking into other places too.

You could also check the Arlington Convention Center, lots of things to do in Arlington for families, close to DFW, lots of hotels and very central to everything.
Josephine.

We are putting our feelers out everywhere we can. Nothing, absolutely nothing has been decided. Without a significant number of attendees it will not be anyway. However, we are believing the time has come and the instruments are in place. yay!

I heard someone say " I wouldn't pay a lot of money to just meet a few folks". And I absolutely have to respond to that. This whole thing, from the germination of an idea to where it stands now has taken place while I was on vacation and away from my computer. On that vacation I had the unmatchable opportunity of meeting/hugging in person face to face LouC, RJuddHarrison, Texasgal77 and later AlohaHoya. I will never forget that great day in Houston, nor the hospitality and friendship I have received from all the DGers mentioned. I will probably have to pay the most (aside from any non-US residents) to attend this "Dave'sGardenParty Gala", and just based on what I have already experienced, it will be more than worth every penny.

If there is anything that I can do from long distance, you guys be sure to let me know. And when we know what hotel we will be in I will make the (how many on the committee, 5?) sixth reservation.

Wooohoooo "Goin to a Garden Party...all my olds friends will be there"...woo hoo

Thats what we need to hear!!! Our committee is right now 4 - it will grow and dont worry we will use you!

Whatever I can do, in the planning or the days of...(I can ever work "trash detail")...whatever you need. You guys ROCK!

Nope - no trash details for you - there is a lot of stuff to get ready, you just might get a call from our fearless committe leader to do something even more!

Ready and willing!

Now we're talkin'! The anticipation I had before going to Houston was out of my ears. For some 2-3 months I knew I was going to meet IslandShari there. The inclusion of Randy and Jeanne came later and absolutely made a wonderful day. Far too short but enough to know we were passionate about the same things (gardening of all matter) and would be friends forever. Having just been to the Arlington RU and met 30 or so other DGer's and Dave himself...well, you can see what has made me so excited. Hasn't taken long to see that I am legion in the department of wanting to meet everyone. We did not have a lecture, we did not have a seminar or a tour. Just each other. That is my personal desire. All of the other things that go with a party are just icing on the cake. Shari, been searching for an appropriate name...Dave's Garden Party really warms my heart. Still no decision. That will be someone else's committee.
How many others of you have met DGers that are now your own personal friend? People that you would have never known had it not been for Dave? Let's hear it.

LouC

Forgot to mention, Grapevine has 3 very modern rv parks. I believe someone was interested in using their own rv. The room rate for 2 people, including the hot breakfast at a full service hotel is in the range of $100-$120 a night if there is a big enough party. Also if we have enough rooms blocked, the hotel furnishes the meeting rooms free. AGAIN. I'm not saying Grapevine is the place. It is closest to me so I have been investigating there.

LouC

I can't remember everything all at once, even when I make notes. heheheh

Love Dave's Garden Party!

Gwen

Does have just the right ring doesn't it? Convention is not what we are after at all.

Ok I lost this thread somehow and am glad I found it again. I need to go back and read the rest of the first part of this thread.

I loved the idea when Louc posted about it intially. I personally would be coming to meet other DGers I think a lot of us would be coming for just that reason. Maybe a picnic type activity would be fun. Something like the round ups I read about. I think keeping it to 2 days is good or maybe even one for the first time around but make sure there are plenty of attractions near by for those who want to make it a long weekend or extended vacation.

Trying to plan so everyone will have lots of choices and not cost too much for anyone. Very aware of that.

Keep those cards and letters coming. Merry, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

LouC

Louc you are doing a great job!!! Merry Christmas and Blessing to you and your family!!

Thanks, Marie.

I love the name "Dave's Garden Party"....it's a play on words, plus it spoofs a fancy garden party and references our intent to get together and visit on some social level in addition to gaining knowledge about plants...makes me think of Queen Elizabeth goin' to a "gah-den pah-ty " --but with her Wellies on!

Whenever, and wherever, I intend to attend!!! I am known as Lurker Lou , because of being cybershy. I'm not at all shy in person and have attended 4 or 5 round ups and had a ball at each of them. I can't wait! It's a long time in the future, but time flies when your having fun and I'm sure the planners are having fun at it. I hope someone will d-mail me when all the details are ironed out. Lou

You will most certainly know!! There will be so much information all over the place you can't miss it. Pretty soon there will be an opportunity for you to make your wishes known for sure. Thank you for your *want to*. That is all the commitment we need in order to know whether to go forward.

I am LouC because of my simialar (spell check, pls Dave) personality traits of another better known Lucy. And my real name is Lou C.

Sounds like you have something in the works on this thread!! LOL!! Count me interested LouC!

Thanks, Sheila. The RU was a part of the reason we have gone forward with this.

I was going to look at a different thread and just happened to se e th enew Daves Garden Party thread on the Dave s forum and got to reading it.

It made me think of this idea. What about once a month, maybe at the begining so if the majority of folks get opaid then they wil remember to set of f a few bucks each month into a seperate account for the trip to save, but how about for maybe that first week every month on the main Dg page have a real nice writ e up and ad d about it once ya got the main details done, instea d of having the garden atricles or include it too as the second arrticle.

I think you may reach alot of folsk that way from all the different forums as folks sign in.

Star, I have just copied your suggestion to the rest of the committee so they don't miss it. Thank you, thank you.

Christi

OMG Woodstock! Do I remember Woodstock! No grazing in the grass, you hear! LOL

Happy New Year, Y'all!

I have been reading the threads and would like to make a couple (or more) comments/suggestions...

Dave's Garden Party sounds great... it sounds like "us" ...

It seems that you need to know how many will want to come before you can do much planning or quote costs... and folks need to know what the costs are and what they are coming to before they will commit to come. Sooo, perhaps to overcome that problem, you need to do a poll/survey and come up with a general idea of what folks want.

Create a multiple choice survey, copy the link to it... then publish that link all over the Garden so that folks will see it, go to it and vote for what interests them... the number of responses you get will be fairly indicative of the interest generated... the survey should include questions about the following comments...

The diversity of our large family will mean that folks will come as they are comfortable to travel and as they can afford to travel... there will be all methods of arrival from plane to bus, to camper.... so there needs to be diversity in arrangements for places to stay... (One big place to meet and get together, but some may want to stay in different ways)...

You will want to plan for different expectations in your agenda.... some folks may want to just congregate and hang out, trade plants, visit local gardens together, go to work shops, lectures, etc... include these and other choices in your survey and see what is selected ... Your turn out for the Garden Party may be higher if you can accomadate more preferences...

This is such a large undertaking that you may want to have a committee to oversee the many committees that you will need to check on and make arrangements for each area of the planning....

If you need any help, let me know....

Starr

ps - someone suggested a Dave Stock in a huge field? ... Well I have 400 acres here.... I think the back hayfield would probably work... it is about 20 acres with a 160 acre wood adjoining it... LOL....

That sounds like fun. Kick of f the shoes. bring out the coolers. Turn the kids and dogs loose and open up the coolers and fire up the grills and let the party begin.

Maybe if they hold these in differnt areas, they might consider your fiel. Plenty of room to play football and swap and chat plants and whatevr at the same time. : )