Next Swap?

Do we want to do another swap? If so, when is best. I sort of wanted to do one this fall before it gets cold and to get some hobby discussion going again but there's probably not quite enough time to pull that off and have it before TCMAS's on Nov. 13th. The last one was pretty easy to coordinate with pizza brought in and coral donations for raffle prizes! What do you think? Wait till Spring? I'd rather not do the cold winter one again. Too cold for our critters!

If we want one, would anyone want to be on a committee to help plan it? Things to think about aside from date: location, raffle, speaker, food, vendors, demo of some sort?, etc.

Also, if we decide against the swap being in the fall, are there any other ideas of what we could do for a fall event, project, etc?

I'm up for the spring idea myself, no idea what to do this fall but I'd be happy if I can even make it to a meeting at this point.

Hey maybe I could schedule hosting a swap here in fargo and have everyone help me move my tank Just Kidding...

I am mostly out for all of the rest of September and October due to the move and cleanup at the cabin. I could get some frags cut to contribute to the swap but I'd have to let someone else hold them until the swap happened...

Fall is Tributary fishing season here in Duluth...first Pink Salmon, then Cohos, then Steelhead. Only lasts a month or two, and one of the main reasons I move dhere!

Totally game with November or anytime in winter LOL (although I know snow can really screw things up). I'm totally up for a swap and would gladly come give another different talk again to help with the "festivities". I have a new one on Fishrooms I'll be prepapring for October 31st @ Fragfest in Rockford IL...

Matt, thanks a bunch! Our last one was a nice event largely due your participation. I think this makes it even more worth thinking about for fall.

Or winter...after the fishin' is done I'll direct the LSMAC'ers to this thread and maybe they can weigh in on some good dates. Coming west would be a great group activity!

lol my house soon i have lots i need to sale

I think another swap would be great this winter sometime...would the science center be available again...seemed to work out there well...plus Matt said he would be willing to do another talk...that would draw people again also.

Hey all, I mentioned it to the LSMAC'rs this weekend to come and weigh in on what might be a good time for them...don't see anyone yet replying, hopefully some will. It'd be a good excuse for all of us to roadtrip west...

If we are looking at like oct/nov. we should start to get things in order. It will be here fast. So what date would work out??? I know the first 3 weeks in Nov are hunting season so that might not be a good time. So the 27th. In oct it would have to be towards the end so we could it all together.So like the 23rd or the 30th.

Thoughts

The later the better for me personally. The 30th of October I'm in Rockford speaking @ Midwest Fragfest.

For the swap I wonder if Nov and Dec are pretty busy for most people...would Jan or Feb work..plus it would give us more time to plan it...what is everyone's opinion?

Jan would be great personally...nothing ever goes on in January. Just cold. Might be a great excuse to do something fun in the middle of winter!

I'm still voting for spring, too much of a hassle and risk to bring water and corals when it's chilly and Nov/Dec most people are busy and/or broke. It was Jan last time right? Feb/March seems better to me personally. Plus gives me time to grow out some frags. I'm sure we could put together a swap before then but we might not have the turnout for fraggers or buyers. We need to get together with the Duluth folk more, the shops around there and see if we can get some of them involved too.

I would prefer one after Christmas around the Feb/Mar timeframe as well but I haven't been able to make any yet so no big deal... Maybe I can try host something in the spring in Fargo...

wouldn't life be more easier if we had teleports.
Well if you guys deside on a date I'm going to try and be there this time.

So it sounds like spring time would work bets soo maybe that is what we should shoot for??

I am in for this. I very much enjoyed the January meeting last year.

As much as I'd like to have something this fall, I think Feb/March makes the most sense as well. That gives us time to do it right. Maybe there's something we could do on a smaller scale this fall.

ANY TIME AFTER DEC. WORKS FOR ME

Is it too much to have a simple swap and pizza or some easy food this fall and then a larger swap with Matt, other speakers, vendors, etc in the spring? I really think it would be a good jump start to the hobby for the cold months to do something this fall and meetings just don't seem to be attracting many people anymore. We could even start planning the spring swap at the fall one.

Here's my thoughts:
*hobbyists can sell/trade frags or equipment
*group order that arrives just in time for the swap before it gets to cold to get shipments in?
*potluck so there's no concerns about covering costs
*anyone that's selling frags can go in on rent for the space (maybe we can barter with the HSC...our advice and discussion about their tank issues for the use of their space? This is kinda of going out on a limb but.....doesn't hurt to ask.) If not, I can always ask to rent the meeting room at work again. I think it was $20 last time.
*I thought I might work up a small presentation of cost of power to run our tanks since I work at the electric company. Let me know if there's any interest in that topic.

Then, in the spring, we do a larger swap more like the last two:
demo or 2
Matt's presentation
frag & equipment trading and swapping
invite a vendor or two (Cosmic Aquatics)
raffle off donated frags
whatever else we decide!

If someone is going to be through Fargo I can maybe send up a few frags with them to trade out at the swap... I just cannot make it before November for sure but it would be a good thing to get something going...

Bemidji is too far for a day trip for me and since the cabin is closing this weekend I am no longer going to have free lodging there... Maybe if the swap was somewhere like Grand Forks or Detroit Lakes to make it easier for a day trip (at least for me).

I'll need to plan a meeting at my new place when things settle down a bit. Fargo may be too far of a drive for a day trip too though for most of the members...

OK. So this topic keeps dying. Just a note to consider, the Duluth club plans to have a speaker event the first weekend in April and TCMAS usually has a frag swap mid March, I think. I would think we'd want to plan around those somewhat meaning, not have ours at the same time.

Just so you know, our April plans are far from set in stone at this point - just keep me in the loop - you guys have my direct email I think