[GVARC] Gilroy Garlic Festival Communications Committee

[Woody Woodruff]

This is my third attempt to get this letter to go through the GVARC reflector so let's see 
if I got it cleaned up enough for them to let it through.

Gilroy Garlic Festival Communications
Woody Woodruff and Bill Childers

Dear Amateur Radio Operator,

           Woody and Bill would like to extend an invitation to join the
Communications Committee during the 26th annual Gilroy Garlic Festival
to be held on July 23rd, 24th, 25th, 2004.  Many of you have volunteered
in the past and we are looking forward to working with you again. If
this is you first time and you want to know more about the Gilroy Garlic
Festival please read on.
           The Annual Gilroy Garlic Festival is known worldwide for more
than just promoting Garlic. This is the "Premiere" Festival that all
festivals want to emulate. Communications plays a vital role in the
success of the Gilroy Garlic Festival. We provide communications
services for over 30 different committees and groups such as Emergency
Services, Utilities, Transportation, Parking and Gourmet Alley.
Communications provides over 300 radios, 6 repeaters and a Network
Operations Center staffed by Amateur Radio Operators, such as you, to
make the Annual Gilroy Garlic Festival the great success it is each year.
           A radio call comes in and from a Committee person on the
Festival grounds to the Main Net requesting Medics for a person passed
out. It is the skills of an Amateur Radio operator such as you which
keeps the person on the radio calm and directs others in the Network
Operations Center to provide Festival Emergency Services with the
information and location of the emergency. The Main Net Operator also
keeps the Net clear of non-essential communications traffic during
emergencies. The Communications Committee is always looking for Amateur
Radios operators who want to hone their skills in emergency
communications. Additionally your technical skills are also needed to
help with setup and take down of the equipment. This could be your
chance to learn about commercial repeaters, EIRP, SWR, FCC licensing
process, programming commercial radios or fixing LMR400 coaxial cables
connectors.
           The Communications Committee considers the Garlic Valley
Amateur Radio Club as its primary source for volunteers.  As a member of
the GVARC, the hours that you volunteer are donated to the Club. GVARC
uses the money to provide services and equipment such as the WGGF
Repeater and equipment used for Field Day. This year the Club brought a
new crank up tower and the members are enjoying free dues thanks to the
effort of volunteers like you who worked during the many other Garlic
Festival and donated their hours to the Club. This is the only fund
raising event that the club is involved in each year, so please take
this into consideration if you decide to support the GVARC and Amateur
Radio.
           If you will be joining us this year please fill out the
attached questionnaire indicating dates and times that you are
available. Please show your preference for work position and we will
endeavor to accommodate all requests. We will give shift/position
preference to members of the GVARC. All Communications Committee
Volunteers will enjoy free admittance to the Festival, great food,
special volunteer parking and a Garlic Festival Communications Tee
Shirt. We look forward to hearing from you.
           Lastly, I would like to thank all of you for your support
during my 2 years as Assistant Chairman of the Communications Committee
and I look forward to two more years as Chairman.  It has been a
pleasure working with everyone. Bill Childers (KE6VVW) will be joining
me and the committee as my assistant for the 2004 - 2005 Festivals. He
will also be looking for continued support from GVARC and will continue
the great success that the Communications Committee has provided to the
Gilroy garlic Festival.

Thank You,
Woody Woodruff and Bill Childers
Chairman and Assistant Chairman
Gilroy Garlic Festival Communications Committee

  NOTE:   I have also just sent a copy of the "2004 Communications
Committee Questionnaire" to a list of GVARC members. If my list is
faulty and you don't receive it shortly, drop me a note and I will get
it out to you.   Send your note directly to woodyrat at garlic.com.  DO NOT
reply to the deflector.

  --
WoodyRat at Garlic.com
     the  "RAT"
   Morgan Hill, CA
American Red Cross
Damage  Assessment
       W6MUG