Dave's Garden Party

Shari, you 'are' magnanimous, and are doing a good thing... Keep it up!

FlowrLady..."ahhhhhh, shucks..." I was just kidding!

Okay, I have some perspective on this as I also belong to a sugar glider community which is (believe it or not) as close as the DG community. Every year, there is a big nation-wide get together just like we are discussing here. It's known as the SGGA (Sugar Glider Get Away) and it is held in a different area of the country each year. People travel from all over the US and CANADA *with their gliders* to meet with each other. There are some members who go to every single one, some who only go when it's close to them. There is no way to make it "fair" for everyone when you're talking about such a large area. With the glider community, there is the added wrench thrown in the works that airlines don't allow gliders to ride with their owners in the cabins so if we want to bring our little furry friends with us (and who wants to go to a glider get together without being able to bring our little friends?), we have to drive. Many of us drive 12+ hours, and many caravan or carpool.

So just like with this DG party, the SGGA has a committee to coordinate everything and decide where it will be each year. The way it is determined is that they ask for volunteers to "host" the SGGA each year. Potential hosts submit a proposal for their own city. Although it is a huge community, there are usually just 3 or 4 submissions because it really takes a lot even to make a proposal. A proposal includes local attractions, a hotel (including cost) with a ballroom large enough to hold it, but affordable enough for members to be able to stay in it, how far it is to the nearest Walmart ;o) and which restaurants are near the hotel, as well as how far it is to the airport, etc. The committee reviews all the proposals and at that year's SGGA, make the announcement of the host and host city for the following year's SGGA. It's always an eagerly anticipated announcement and those who can't make it to the event are always watching the board on the edge of their seats for the announcement of where it will be next year.

The funding for the event is mainly covered by raffles held the previous year (the first one was in someone's back yard, so it started out much smaller but has grown to hundreds of attendees over the years) of sugar glider paraphernalia. There is a small fee when you sign up to go, but it's just around $20, and that includes not only your tickets to get in, but also a nice goody bag made from generous donations. Sugar glider paraphernalia means stuff like toys, cages, pouches, food dishes, etc. Many members make such things (pouches are sewn from fleece, toys are made from all kinds of things, much like parrot toys) and donate them to the raffles each year. In a gardening community like DG, it would be easy to find things to raffle off at the get together. The first one would have to be funded a different way, unless someone wanted to hold internet raffles, but I'd hate to have to be the one to make sure all the right prizes got to all the right winners. It can be done though, because the glider community does internet raffles all the time too. You just have to have a lot of trust in the people handling the $$.

Anyway, that's how the glider folks do it. Oh, and one thing about Austin, it doesn't have many affordable hotels with large meeting rooms. I know because I started to submit a proposal to be a host last year, but after talking with people at the Hilton Town Lake, the Crowne Plaza, Embassy Suites, and Hampton Inn I couldn't find any hotels that qualified (

Thank you but the expo for Daves Garden is dead.

Information on abandonment of the Dave's Garden party is here:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/803138/#new

Starlight,
I like a lot of what you have said. It may happen one day, but this planning at this time was stopped by Dave. The tone of the thread was changing and the numbers were not there at this time. I know Lou, Drapelady, Mitch and others would still be shoulders to the grindstone if it was still a viable option. Enough said.

As for the TX RUs, we have always had them open to anyone who wishes to come and join us. I know some of the ones I have attended we have had people from all parts of TX, AK, AZ, & LA at those. So hope we will be seeing you and other at one of the RUs in Tx this year!!
This one has set the Date for March 15th, http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/803532/ Dave usually there in CS. The next one I am sure of will be in the N Central Tx Area date tbd later (Late March or early April maybe?). Dave attended that one last fall.
Come one come all, just jump in on the threads.

had posted this on the other thread and don't know who readign on which one..

Lou.. Mitch.. committee members. I would suggest that you don't give up on this idea. Don't spend every minute of your days on it, but keep working on this goal. Fine tune it. it not an undertaking that can be done set-up and fully orhanized in a afew weeks or month.

You got all those votes, think only 1% said they won't come. You have before you a list of those who will come and an even bigger list of the If's. Now take those if's and put them into a workable design and plan. Then when just the committee has everything set and organized , put up a bigg banner with all the info, time place, where, attractions, events and such and then about 6-8 months before the eventual time start a banner about it.

Looking at what going on, I would plan a small convention for about 50 people. it's a place to start and now folks at least all know about it and can start saving and planning with the idea at least in the back of their heads. hey if more show up, don't worry about it, everybody wil just crowd a little bit closer together. we all gardener's , we all know what dirt and sweat smells like. LOL I raided my son's football piggy bank to start savign for it, cuz I feel this will come to fruitation.

Something, that you may or may not have realized, is that even just the postign of the idea has brought alot of together here at Daves' that hadn't even met. new friendships and conversations are flowing . Wasn't that part of the whole idea? Well ya got a beginning. You have opened a door to communication. The physical part will just take a bit more time is all.

Some said... Texas a friendly state. If somebody here having a RU why not , if ya feel like it and are capable, open your Ru to anybody that wants to come. You might find, ya have a lot of folks from different aras and different parts, ya haven't met that still wouldn't mind traveling and tradding plants, seeds, stories and some friendly hospitality.

This idea has brought forth alot of people from all areas. I myself see folks I didn't know yet that while far from me they not so far, that maybe when things do get organized that a bunch of us couldn't car pool or rent a small van and all pile in. I think others are realizing the same things.

Dave may have put a hold on the idea for the moment. I could be wrong in this , but i think some of it because of all the if's, so I ask that you keep working as your time allows and then when it all finished to be presented , then bring it backup. Once you all have the first format set, and hold it, then that work can be used to one either in the same place and watch it grow, and it will provide the foundation to do ones set up in other areas.
Everythign has to start someplace, you had an idea that now a grain of sand. Work now to take that grain of sand and tun it into a brick an let it be the corner foundation of a Dg national garden party.

Not sure who reading where so gonna put this on both threads.

Still hoping for a steak and listenign to the "compost Carolers". : )

Mitch... I had a proffessor who firmly believed that if you were gonna cut down a tree to make a piece of paper and uyou wrote on that piece of paper, you used what you wrote on it. Same them logs you got, at some point and sometime, you wil need them and be glad the work has been done.

Lou.. (((((((((( hugs))))))))) you keep that energy and those ideas and excitment going. Ya got a little set back. Ya knock the compost of f the shoes, tip back the texan hat and dust off the clothes and regroup, redfine and start again until ya get a workable plan that Dave will approve.

I needed that. Thank you.

Wait. Why does Dave need to approve it? Dave has to approve our social events? Plan something near Dave if his attendance is important to you. I bet he will just show up, like many others.

So much hand wringing about this. Pick a location, pick a date, post it, show up, see who else was able to make it, enjoy whatever happens. Just Do It.

I agree Mary.

I hear ya Mary!

Didn't realize that the Texas R_U was that early. I alreay have pane tickets made to go to CA then. Maybe I can plan ahead for next year.

Oops, my post above was in response to reading your post on the other thread Starlight, sorry.

Mary, with a "Dave's Garden Expo," the corporate name is on the event, being used to attract vendors, speakers, etc., so yes, Dave would have to approve the type of event that was originally being put forth (as I understood it).

Social events like the regional RU's are different, I think. I know how much fun it was when Blooms surprised us at the MidAtlantic RU, and I think I'm going to try to follow her and Roadrunner's example of going to gatherings in regions other than my own!

Just in case anybody's planning to be out this way in February, I'm hosting a midwinter tea party and seed swap on the 23rd (well, it started out as a seed swap, but people are already talking plants!)... I didn't want y'all to find out later that there had been a social event in the works and you'd been in DC that weekend and missed it! LOL

Now I understand better. I was not connecting all the dots. Thanks for the clarification Jill.

Jill...We're having a Southwest Ru in Phonix March 29th....come on out! Right Mary?? Jo

When do the plants in the desert do their spring blooming thing? I've always wanted to see that... not that I wouldn't go without a "flower show" LOL, but it would be a bonus! :-)

That's a good question Jill...About May down where I am...sooner up in Tucson. Something is in bloom for onths. Jo

The College Station RU (to which anyone is invited) is on April 12. There is another one on April 19th. Supposed to be in or near Waxahachie.

Anne



This message was edited Jan 27, 2008 5:37 PM

rdjuddharrison: That kind of reminds me of my days at Spring Vale Academy, out in the country, but part of Owosso. When we went to "Lansing" and the shopping mall, we thought THAT was abig and a big deal, lol!

To the others: I don't think I will be able to make the trip unless it concides with another trip I am planning and have dreamed of for a long time. I plan on visiting Michigan again, where my Aunt and Uncle live, and also where I went to High School. I will be in the Detroit area and be driving to Owosso. I also hope to see the Upper Peninsula of MI. There may be some Daves friends near by my driving plans and if they are, give me a holler!

I am hoping this trip (especially the Spring Vale part) will help renew some of my faith and spirituality that I slowly but surely lost along the way.