[TheForge] Re:liability

[Mark and Sylvia Mondloch]

If ABANA can not get over it's liability fears it will never be able to move 
on.
mondloch at silvercreekpottery.com
www.silvercreekpottery.com
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dave Mudge" <dave at magichammer.net>
To: "Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Monday, February 19, 2007 11:47 PM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] ABANA conference details: tents, organization mode


> Suggesting those tiny little tents comes from a good place in your
> heart and I thank you for your creative thinking. There are several
> other aspects to the tenting (and tenting is a small issue). ABANA
> does not and can not afford to inventory (own) lots of 'stuff'. We
> already have two containers jam-packed full of conference stuff like
> forges, wires, display cases.etc. We have no place to store things
> like tents for two years between conferences.
> The tents that we use are more like 40' x 100'. We rent them because
> the rental company will 'professionally' set them up, take them down,
> repair the stake holes in the asphalt, and absorb the cost of any
> damage or repair and releases ABANA from one more liability. I don't
> think that the insurance company would let us set up our own even if
> we had enough volunteer crew to do it.
>
> On 2/19/07, Bruce Freeman <freemab222 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>> And THAT tent/tarp is expensive in my book!  NJBA has
>> one maybe a quarter that size that cost maybe a few
>> hundred dollars, rather than thousands.  Takes a few
>> men to set it up...
>>
>> Maybe the whole approach to giving large conferences
>> is at fault.  Imagine a system in which the several
>> affiliates each sponsored a demonstrator at some
>> central regional conference.  Each affiliate would be
>> responsible for tools, tent, bleachers, etc.  ABANA,
>> or someone respresenting ABANA, could coordinate to
>> provide resources common to all.
>
> .......This idea has merit, keep working on it.
>>
>> Creative solutions to problems could be found because
>> there'd be more brains working on the problem
>> ("distributed control" rather than "centralized
>> control").
>>
>> For example, why a single, centralized food service?
>> Because we're running these on campuses, that's why.
>> Get them off campus.  Allow local food businesses,
>> caterers, hot dog trucks, lunch wagons, etc., to come
>> in and set up, and take their lumps if their food is
>> mediocre and nobody buys it.
>
> ..........There are several reasons for the centralized services in
> the big conference.
> People enjoy the camaraderie of eating together in a nice air conditioned 
> cafe.
>>From the producer's point of view, you want to keep your people
> together and on-site. ABANA makes a little money on the food and rooms
> as well.
>>
>> The major fault of ABANA and most other volunteer
>> organizations is that they are run like businesses.
>> Who the hell wants a second - unpaid! - job?  People
>> want to be "paid" for their work, but the pay doesn't
>> have to be money.  I like getting paid by having an
>> opportunity to contribute, having my contributions
>> appreciated by others, participatiing in camaraderie,
>> etc.  But if the organization is such that volunteers
>> don't get to do what they want to do, then they burn
>> out  quickly.
>
> ..........I am glad that you recognise that we are a VOLUNTEER run
> organization and that the board does not receive any monitory
> compensation for their work. As far as running the organization like a
> business, we have a $150k trust that pays for affiliate grants and the
> conferences are running over $350k....... publications are around
> $150k , and a $50k executive secretary, we had better try to run it
> like a business and not waste the member's money.
> dave m
>>
>> Bruce
>> NJ
>> --- Saint Phlip <phlip at 99main.com> wrote:
>>
>> > On 2/19/07, Dave Mudge <dave at magichammer.net> wrote:
>> > > ......Just the tents at Richmond cost us $30k.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.farmtek.com/farm/supplies/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10052&catalogId2=10001&ftCatalogId=10001&storeId=10001&langId=-1&division=FarmTek&searchMethod=wcSearch&searchType=ANY&searchBeginIndex=0&searchDefaultPerPage=10&ftSearchBeginIndex=0&ftSearchDefaultPerPage=10&mfPartNumber=104513
>> >
>> > Or goto www.farmtek.com
>> >
>> > Item number 104513
>> >
>> > --
>> > Saint Phlip
>> >
>> > Heat it up
>> > Hit it hard
>> > Repent as necessary.
>> >
>> > Priorities:
>> >
>> > It's the smith who makes the tools, not the tools
>> > which make the smith.
>> > _______________________________________________
>>
> _______________________________________________
> Manage membership or unsubscribe at:
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/theforge
> theforge mail list group photo site is
> http://www.photoaccess.com
> Login:  blacksmithblacksmith at hotmail.com
> password:  anvil
> ___________
>
>
>