Date: Sun, 8 Sep 2002 15:27:21 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Keith F. Lynch" <kfl at KeithLynch.net>
To: WSFAList at KeithLynch.net
Subject: [WSFA] Fwd: Invitation to Attend Regional Meeting - Reminder....
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>

Date: Mon, 26 Aug 2002 23:22:54 -0400
From: "Mark A. Santillo" <santillo at mac.com>
Subject: [WSFA] Invitation to Attend Regional Meeting - Reminder....
To: capclave at keithlynch.net

Dear Keith:

    I am writing to remind you that we have not  yet received a reply to our
invitation to attend a Conclave of Regional Hobby Clubs and Convention
Organizers, taking place on Sunday October 13th at ShoreCon in Cherry Hill,
NJ.

    The purpose of this meeting is to bring together the  movers and shakers
of the related hobby communities [gaming, sf/f, anime, LARP, comics, etc] of
the Mid-Atlantic region to discuss ways in which we can cooperate on issues
of event scheduling, cross-promotion, reciprocal attendance and joint
efforts.  The meeting is being sponsored by three such organizations in
Pennsylvania and New Jersey:  Active Imagineering, Wild Gazebo Productions
and Complete Strategy Gaming.

    As of this writing, 15 hobby clubs or convention organizations have
indicated their attendance.  We feel this is a good start.  In order for
this meeting to reach its potential, however, we need to hear from more of
you.  Please take a moment to review the original invitation, copied below,
and respond.  I would be happy to answer any questions you might have prior
to making a commitment to attend.

___________________________________________________________________________

    I am writing to you on behalf of several peer organizations in
Pennsylvania and New Jersey who have some concerns about the number of new
fan-oriented events [sci-fi/fantasy, gaming, anime, comics, LARP, etc.]
being scheduled in the region.  To address these concerns, we invite you to
send representation to a meeting being planned for October 13th in the
Philadelphia area.

    We are sending this invitation to convention organizers and club
officers from New York to Washington DC in the hope of developing greater
cooperation and mutual support among our groups, particularly in the areas
of event scheduling and coalition-building.

    While we recognize the interest each group has in developing its own
initiatives, we understand that, fundamentally, our community is a small one
which would benefit from greater cooperation.  By coordinating our efforts,
we can develop a system whereby one event feeds another, helping all to
succeed.  We envision a regional coalition which fosters cross-promotion and
encourages group attendance at member events.

    Several early respondents suggested that we schedule the meeting to
coincide with an actual convention, which might serve as a convenient
rallying point. Although some folks offered PhilCon as a possibility, this
year's PhilCon falls a little late in the season [Dec 13 -15] to be
practical.  ShoreCon, however, takes place on the Columbus Day weekend
[October 10 -13] in Cherry Hill, NJ, which is just over the bridge from
Philadelphia.  And for many, Columbus Day is a work holiday, making it less
of a hardship to travel on Sunday.

    We now propose the following:

_________________________________________________________________________

A Meeting of Mid-Atlantic Regional Hobby Clubs And Convention Organizers

Date:  Sunday, October 13th, 2002
Time:  2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Place:  Cherry Hill Hilton, Cherry Hill NJ - ShoreCon Weekend
Purpose:  To discuss ways in which our clubs and organizations can cooperate
on issues of mutual concern, such as event scheduling, sharing expertise and
staff, cross-promotion, reciprocal attendance, and combining forces to
greater effect.

R.S.V.P Deadline:  Monday, September 9th
Why So Early? - To give us one month to refine the agenda, establish a
mailing list and start a dialog in advance, so that we may make our actual
time together as productive as possible.
___________________________________________________________________________

    As one of the concerned parties, Complete Strategy Gaming, the owners of
ShoreCon, are already on the invite list.  I have asked Rob Placer, one of
the partners at CGS, to allow ShoreCon to act as our host and to allocate a
meeting room for the purpose, to which he has graciously agreed.
Fortunately, Sunday afternoons are historically less hectic at most weekend
conventions.

    Once again, thank you for your serious consideration of this matter.  We
look forward to meeting you all.

Best regards,

Mark A. Santillo
President, Active Imagineering Inc.