[TheForge] "Official" news from ABANA

[Smoky]

I only live about 2 or 3 hours south of LaCrosse, Wi.  I had really planned 
on attending, until the last few weeks when I started seeing the actual gate 
fees advertised.  That was just WAAAAY out of line for most folks to go to. 
Definitely out of my range.  Sorry if you don't like that I am a part time 
smith, but how many of our members are just that?   I can't believe that I 
am the only one who can't make it as a full time smith.  Or who didn't find 
out about smithing before another direction was taken in my life.  Whatever, 
the fact is that I am not going to worry about attending something that 
takes a full weeks (at that time) pay to get in the gate.

Rick Crawford at Smoky Forge
Home of Lem the Wonder Mule and
Mol ASS es the slow Donkey
in the middle of Northern Illinois


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <dann at wctatel.net>
To: "Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Sunday, February 18, 2007 11:14 AM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] "Official" news from ABANA


> Dave,
>
> Thanks for sharing.  That was a well written response.
> I have been a paid ABANA member  just the last 8 years, but am still
> current.  The idea of the conference costing $400 K for less than 500
> attendies is out of the question many times to expensive.  I attended the
> 2002 La Crosse and thought it was wonderful, like a Worlds Fair, but not
> nearly enough people could afford the $250 gate fee plus other costs.
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>