Swu Iii
- Thread starter broreefr
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The conference went well. I was unable to attend on Saturday but I was there today. I had a great time and won a few prizes also. The lectures and workshop were very well put together.
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Sorry Posed this in the other thread:
I just wanted to throw an HUGE thank you out to Kevin for putting on SWU this year. It was a nice event. I REALLY wish I would have seen more ARC member support there but maybe next year, right?
It was a great experience to listen to the different speakers and take away good information from each. I do not care how much you know, it is always good to have a refresher course and to pick the brains of other reefers and writters.
BTW: thanks to all the sponsors who gave some great prizes. There was alot of good things to go home with.
Again, thanks Kevin and everyone else who put on SWU this year...
I just wanted to throw an HUGE thank you out to Kevin for putting on SWU this year. It was a nice event. I REALLY wish I would have seen more ARC member support there but maybe next year, right?
It was a great experience to listen to the different speakers and take away good information from each. I do not care how much you know, it is always good to have a refresher course and to pick the brains of other reefers and writters.
BTW: thanks to all the sponsors who gave some great prizes. There was alot of good things to go home with.
Again, thanks Kevin and everyone else who put on SWU this year...
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I was only able to attend on Saturday, next year I will definitely be there BOTH days. Not only were the speakers great but meeting other people in the group to discuss what was going on was even better.
Also the sponsors were great. Enjoyed talking with them and gaining more insight on some great products.
Also the sponsors were great. Enjoyed talking with them and gaining more insight on some great products.
I hate to post this and I will be as fair as I can.
It was my first SWU. I found it to be OK but not sure I would do it again (although I would be willing to buy tickets for the cause). The planning and such was pretty good, but I didn't see a lot faces (and fewer familiar) so conversation between conferences was minimal (there is only so much you can talk to Stevhan at Fishy about). I think it needed more people for it to be better. I opted to skip most of Sunday after attending all day Saturday.
The kids presentation was probably one of the more interesting and entertaining presentations for me, but I didn't attend all the presentations. It really put a face on a great part of our club and what the organizers do. In the future, I will be very open to helping that aspect of our club out. I already want to donate some fish stuff to the budding tank they setup for the kids.
Clearly a great amount of effort by a handful of devotees working this event out and I don't want this post to reduce the HUGE amount of respect for those who put this event together.
It was my first SWU. I found it to be OK but not sure I would do it again (although I would be willing to buy tickets for the cause). The planning and such was pretty good, but I didn't see a lot faces (and fewer familiar) so conversation between conferences was minimal (there is only so much you can talk to Stevhan at Fishy about). I think it needed more people for it to be better. I opted to skip most of Sunday after attending all day Saturday.
The kids presentation was probably one of the more interesting and entertaining presentations for me, but I didn't attend all the presentations. It really put a face on a great part of our club and what the organizers do. In the future, I will be very open to helping that aspect of our club out. I already want to donate some fish stuff to the budding tank they setup for the kids.
Clearly a great amount of effort by a handful of devotees working this event out and I don't want this post to reduce the HUGE amount of respect for those who put this event together.
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Your mad about the donut comment arent you?:unsure: I see how it is....no frags for you. Ive got over 250 as of today.
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i agree with cameron. i couldnt have worded it better. Very well planned, its a pity there wasnt a larger turn out. I was mad i couldnt go on sunday to see the raffle drawing, so i couldnt claim anything even i won! oh well it did all go to a great cause. the teen program is awesome, i really admire the people who put that together and would love to be a part of it and contribute if possible! The lighting presentation was good, except for the fact that I dont really feel like i learned much more than i what i knew going in there. Btw, anyone know who ended up winning our 72 gallon tank? i hope it went to a good home!
Nishant
Nishant
The big tank was won by someone from Oxford, Miss.
Each SWU is different, and we learn stuff from each one, and in many ways they were all a good preparation for MACNA. We have varied venues, the number of days for the conference, speakers, and prices, but the numbers always hover at about 70-120 people. The speakers always love the conference (and the party for speakers and volunteers the night before).
After talking with alot of people, I am convinced that people will travel a long way for the conference (this year - Idaho, California, NC, Tenn, MS, Illinois, etc.) but local people will be the least likely to come. That is just the nature of the beast. After MACNA, my guess is our numbers will hover at about 150-200 due to increased publicity.
I think that people that are unaware of the enormous effort to put something like this on should come join us for future planning for MACNA and SWU
. It is sad to see such few local faces - it does not reflect well on the club. More attendence means more vendor booths, etc. For example, Walt Smith has promised to donate a raffle prize of a trip to Fiji for two when we iincrease the numbers.
This year - great program, happy people, done within budget with a bit of a profit....all in all a great time despite unforseen events such as hotel construction. Kevin did a wonderful job (as did all the people that helped).
Steve
Each SWU is different, and we learn stuff from each one, and in many ways they were all a good preparation for MACNA. We have varied venues, the number of days for the conference, speakers, and prices, but the numbers always hover at about 70-120 people. The speakers always love the conference (and the party for speakers and volunteers the night before).
After talking with alot of people, I am convinced that people will travel a long way for the conference (this year - Idaho, California, NC, Tenn, MS, Illinois, etc.) but local people will be the least likely to come. That is just the nature of the beast. After MACNA, my guess is our numbers will hover at about 150-200 due to increased publicity.
I think that people that are unaware of the enormous effort to put something like this on should come join us for future planning for MACNA and SWU
. It is sad to see such few local faces - it does not reflect well on the club. More attendence means more vendor booths, etc. For example, Walt Smith has promised to donate a raffle prize of a trip to Fiji for two when we iincrease the numbers.This year - great program, happy people, done within budget with a bit of a profit....all in all a great time despite unforseen events such as hotel construction. Kevin did a wonderful job (as did all the people that helped).
Steve
That's it? After a ARC meeting the threads are 3 pages long by now...
Please give the good and bad..I can offer why I did not attend but most likely will be attacked and flogged, I plan of helping out next year..(I did the first 2 years of SWU as well) so I have done my time...and will continue as well in the future..
Please give the good and bad..I can offer why I did not attend but most likely will be attacked and flogged, I plan of helping out next year..(I did the first 2 years of SWU as well) so I have done my time...and will continue as well in the future..
I took some pics, and I will post them when I have time - Katrina did also.
I was too pooped to go to Titanic, but about 18 people went after numerous margaritas at the local Cinco de Mayo place.
Sorry to disappoint you Broreef, but no real controversy this time. It was pretty awesome. We also got a line on some good speakers and some great deals on hotels for MACNA while were were there....I think MACNA XX will be the largest ever, and maybe my initial numbers for SWU5 will be off - it might be more like 250-300 if IMAC is any indication. SWU4 will just be the teen program.
I was too pooped to go to Titanic, but about 18 people went after numerous margaritas at the local Cinco de Mayo place.
Sorry to disappoint you Broreef, but no real controversy this time. It was pretty awesome. We also got a line on some good speakers and some great deals on hotels for MACNA while were were there....I think MACNA XX will be the largest ever, and maybe my initial numbers for SWU5 will be off - it might be more like 250-300 if IMAC is any indication. SWU4 will just be the teen program.
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It was AWESOME!! As always....awesome. I cannot figure out for the life of me why more ARC members do not go. I can't figure it out. We have 400 members....why not support our club??? There is so much knowledge to be shared at SWU. The speakers were awesome and entertaining. Many thanks to Kevin, Margi and all the others who put in countless hours to get this going.
Again, I just wish more ARC members would support it....you just do not know what you are missing.
Again, I just wish more ARC members would support it....you just do not know what you are missing.
I have a lot of pictures. The speakers were great. Jake Adams interviewed Tullio Dell Aquila for Talking Reef Podcast, watch out for that. The speakers had a wonderful time and were loved that we incorporated new people and topics into the conference.
The teen program presentation was a real highlight for a lot of our speakers. I can say that we had a lot of comments from the speakers about how well we treat them, they loved the intimacy of the conference.
I just wish more people could have attended.
The teen program presentation was a real highlight for a lot of our speakers. I can say that we had a lot of comments from the speakers about how well we treat them, they loved the intimacy of the conference.
I just wish more people could have attended.
Look forward to the pictures...As always, I always support the club when I can. This weekend was just bad with prior commitments to Cinco De Mayo in Adairsville and all. Hope the golf passes and dive certification brought in some good money...
any chance on getting Sylvia back? I liked her. Always has so much to tell and talk about. Also loved Scott Micheal....Hope he could get back again.
Bummed that no dive was included this year, maybe next year
any chance on getting Sylvia back? I liked her. Always has so much to tell and talk about. Also loved Scott Micheal....Hope he could get back again.
Bummed that no dive was included this year, maybe next year
They did - thanks as always Todd (I think Kevin won them).
I don't know if people know how much you have helped with raffle prizes, getting people to come last year to the Friday night event, losing in the raffles so the rest of us can win, etc.
The good news of only having 70 or so people is that with $10K of raffle prizes, it was hard NOT to win!
I don't know if people know how much you have helped with raffle prizes, getting people to come last year to the Friday night event, losing in the raffles so the rest of us can win
, etc.The good news of only having 70 or so people is that with $10K of raffle prizes, it was hard NOT to win!
