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National Symposium

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Anyone know a ballpark percentage of AAW members that attend the national symposium? Having a local discussion about the expense of that event and the question has come up if it still serves a purpose to the majority of the AAW membership? I don't think it's a money maker is it?
 

hockenbery

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I was in the board for 4 years, was symposium chair one year and on the symposium committee for 12 years.

The National Symposium is pretty much budget neutral.
The fees for attendees and vendors are set to cover the costs.
Some years there is a shortfall other years a surplus on average the costs are covered.

In additions two important AAW program recieve all of their funding from auctions held at the Symposium.
The EOG auction support the education grants given out.
The professional outreach auction supports the POP Programs

Attendance averages about 10% of membership. But it is a different 10% each year.
1300-1600 attend. About 200 of those attend every year. The rest attend based on that year’s location and other criteria. Over a 5 year period I estimate that 30-40 % of the membership has attended a simposium. I have done some studies on these particulars.
I will look to see if I can give a more accurate answer.

I would suggest the greatest value to members is the intangible contributions AAW symposium attendees make to AAW local chapters, journal articles, and AAW regional symposiums.

At a gross level the AAW budget is
Revenue 1/3 Symposium
2/3 member dues

Expenses 1/3 Symposium
1/3 publications ( mostly the journal)
1/3 headquarters management ( building rent, staff salaries, utilities etc)
 
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Yah guys go to the national when it is near them, that's why it moves all over the country, but only a hard core goes every year.

The regional symposiums have become very important, they are mini-nationals, there is no data but reading the Journal calendar and keeping tabs on the ones I've attended, on the back of my envelope, several thousand turners get to one or more regionals every year, many more than go to the national. Some, like Saratoga Springs in March, have become rather big deals themselves. Our own Mid_atlantic weekend here in Lancaster PA in in the fall, third year coming up, has been a great success.
 
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I went to the one in Dalton, GA, last September and plan on attending again. It is only about 30 miles from home.
 

john lucas

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The National symposium is simply too expensive for me. Actually most of the regional are also when you add in hotel, travel and food. Fairly easy for me to go to the TAW in Nashville, 2 hours away and low cost. Same with the Georgia symposium. Wish it was in my budget to go to the AAW symposium because I see so many friends but just can't swing that unless it's really close. Was able to go to Atlanta because my Parents live there and I could stay for free.
 

hockenbery

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One thing to keep in mind is that most cities have less expensive hotel options.
Many folks stay few miles out some in campgrounds others in the chain motels.

The motor home owners really make out except the motor home is sort of like free
Wood after you buy the truck, chainsaw etc.

However, I know several folks who carpool and share rooms whenever it is on the east coast.
They all spend less than $500 each. If the sell a piece or two in the instant gallery they pay for the trip.

The Florida Symposium is the best value I know of.
For a little over $300 you get the symposium, lodging and food.
 

john lucas

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Yea I stay in cheap hotels most of the time but not always. I went to Louisville and stayed across the river in Indiana. That place was a dive but it was cheap and I was only there to sleep. John K Jordan and I share a room for the TAW symposium which does cut the cost a lot.
 
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We are coming over from the UK as part of our summer vacation and have rented an apartment for a week in the Pearl District of Portland. We will either walk or use the transit system to the symposium. A lot cheaper than using Hotels, especially as the rent includes parking for our hire car, most of the hotels seem to want close to 30 bucks to park, almost cheaper to book the car a room.
We did the same for our trip to Atlanta and it worked out really well, especially as there was a good micro brew grill bar next to the apartment building. Some of the apartments I saw when looking for the one we are renting would sleep 4-6 people, or in some cases more, so if a group were to rent one it would be a viable proposition.
 
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Question Al......can you get diabetic meals at Fl symposium.?????...ie no fried foods....no white bread....no red meat....Turkey, chicken, fish . Baked......green veggies.....
No potatoes.....
I attended several years ago.....food was good but seems there was meals done for the all.....there was no running around.....just park your car in front of your door and go to rotations and meals.....it was nice......dry campus
 

hockenbery

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Question Al......can you get diabetic meals at Fl symposium.?????...ie no fried foods....no white bread....no red meat....Turkey, chicken, fish . Baked......green veggies.....
No potatoes.....

I think you can get some special meals like vegetarian.
I sent your question to one of the FWS board members.

There is a salad bar at lunch and dinner.
The dining hall is cafeteria style and there are choices of entree and sides so it easy to avoid anything that doesn’t work. Don’t know if every meal would have a suitable entree. One entree is usually fish or poultry but it might be fried.

Al
 

Bill Boehme

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The caterer at SWAT will provide meals for special dietary restrictions provided that you email them sufficiently ahead of time to discuss your dietary needs although I suspect that they might say no to something exotic like yak buttered toast.
 

Emiliano Achaval

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Question Al......can you get diabetic meals at Fl symposium.?????...ie no fried foods....no white bread....no red meat....Turkey, chicken, fish . Baked......green veggies.....
No potatoes.....
I attended several years ago.....food was good but seems there was meals done for the all.....there was no running around.....just park your car in front of your door and go to rotations and meals.....it was nice......dry campus
Charlie, I have to really watch my diet too, super high cholesterol and almost no good cholesterol... After about 10 years dieting, I seem to be doing good. I find it easier to just go to a good supermarket and buy what I want. Mainly fruits when I'm traveling... I do cheat once in a while, you cant let go all that bacon on the free breakfasts buffet go to waste, lol
 
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sorry no bacon...........................can eat Turkey sausage...Florida symposium is in the boonies.....a retreat area.....a campus...breakfast no problem....cearal plus easily brought with me..crispy oats from aldi ...lunch manageable because small dorm refrigerator in room for Turkey/black Forrest ham with whole wheat bread.....dinner is the main question.....like a baked meat with veggies....planning a van trip early summer with the same eating problems but more options because constant movement instead of stationery
 
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Good food at Symposiums usually involves a hike... I was at the Portland site last summer for the World Footbag (Hacky Sack to most) Championships last summer. Convention center food was okay for a convention center. A local NW business Cafe Yumm has restaurant about 2 blocks away which features vegetarian and vegan options. There is a sports bar across the street, and a Denny's close by. Not really great stuff easily available. I do like to get out and walk after a day in the vendor area. Found some neat places in Atlanta and KC.

Oh yea, you can tell the people in the vendor area who frequent the show. They come in with a suitcase on wheels so they don't have to carry all their toys around...

robo hippy
 

Bill Boehme

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I was at the Portland site last summer for the World Footbag (Hacky Sack to most) Championships last summer.

Did you tell them that there are people who spin wood around and actually gather in national and regional symposiums to talk about various ways to spin wood? :D
 
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I have two large extended families, woodturners and footbaggers. I think maybe more of my kicking friends know about my wood than the other way around.... Two good ways to have fun though I don't kick any more other than on Labor Day weekend when we have a camp out, 38th annual coming up, about 200 of us. We have a golf game, and I do play that. Same basic idea as disc golf. I only took 5th at the championships this year.... At the Labor Day event, don't care.....

robo hippy
 

john lucas

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Working at a University you learn Hackysac but I have bad knees and that craze didn't last long for me. Saved a lot of dropped photo lenses over the years by catching or at least deflecting the blow to the ground with my feet.
 
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Does one just naturely be a Hackyskewer or does one have a Little League and grow into it????
 

Emiliano Achaval

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I have two large extended families, woodturners and footbaggers. I think maybe more of my kicking friends know about my wood than the other way around.... Two good ways to have fun though I don't kick any more other than on Labor Day weekend when we have a camp out, 38th annual coming up, about 200 of us. We have a golf game, and I do play that. Same basic idea as disc golf. I only took 5th at the championships this year.... At the Labor Day event, don't care.....

robo hippy
Robo, I think this year I finally going to purchase one of your tool rests. Make sure one has my name. I will pick it up in Portland. Maybe you can give us a Hacky Sack demo too...
 

john lucas

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Emiliano. For the first year I had my Robo rest I didn't use it that much. Not sure why now. At the present time it stays on my grinder and I use it for about half my tools. I changed my grinds very slightly so that I could use the same settings a lot. changing between them is so fast. I think the reason I didn't use it as much at first was I had lots of jigs set up for my Oneway table and didn't want to stop using them. I have found after using the Robo rest for a while that I don't need most of those. I still have to take it off to use wheel truing jig but sooner or later I will change that wheel to a CBN also and then will never need that jig.
 
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