[TheForge] ABANA is NOT dead

[Mike Linn]

>From: Ozark School of Blacksmithing 
><<mailto:ozarksch at therural.net>ozarksch at therural.net>
>Date: February 23, 2007 6:30:40 PM EST
>Subject: 2008 conference
>
>Clare,
>
>I am sorry to not have addressed this issue earlier but I am just in off
>of the road and my phone has been ringing off the hook.
>
>I was very sorry to read your release about not having a 2008
>conference.  I will be right up front and say, I can only describe that
>as a death wish for ABANA.
>
>Let me bring you up to date with my situation with regard to keeping
>track of the problems in confirming a date for the 2008 conference with
>the New York group.  When I first heard in Seattle that this may not
>happen, by my nature I put some of my energy into an alternative.  My
>affiliate, BAM was already considering offering to host the 2010
>conference and I was pleased with that because we did have a successful
>conference in 1994 at which time I was president of BAM.  It was both
>well organized and a financially rewarding conference for ABANA.  I have
>been personally involved with every conference since except Wisconsin in
>2000 where I also participated as a demonstrating vendor and making
>several power hammers available for ABANA's demo sites.
>
>When I later heard that there was a second refusal of New York's offer I
>approached our president, Kirk Sullens to see if we could possibly offer
>a program if New York was not going to happen.   Kirk called a meeting
>and even though we realized we would be getting a late start, the group
>agreed to do it.  I put Kirk in touch with Dorothy and with that back up
>program available it is inconceivable to me that after you made a final
>refusal with New York you did not even consider BAM as a back up.
>
>As I said earlier my phone has been ringing off the hook and I have had
>conversations with many people including, Bill Callaway, two time
>chairman of past ABANA conferences, Michael Bondi, two time chairman,
>Clay Spencer, past chair of the board's conference committee, Bob
>Bergman and Toby Hickman, who has had more experience with blacksmithing
>organizations than the rest of us put together.  We all agree that it
>could possibly do irreparable damage to ABANA if we skipped a conference.
>
>I hold no claim to it but in fact, all of the above mentioned people
>were active on the ABANA board and conference activities during the
>largest growth of the ABANA membership.  All participated in financially
>rewarding conferences and other activities for ABANA and will lend their
>energies to a 2008 conference.
>
>I have again talked to our president Kirk Sullens, and even at this late
>date Kirk says, BAM will accept the challenge and do a conference in
>Missouri in 2008.
>
>I am leaving Sunday for a quick trip to Turkey and then I will be
>driving out to Reno for a show.  On that trip I am going to stop at the
>state fairground where we are planning our future conferences and am
>going to see what dates would be available in 2008.  That facility
>offers us unlimited camping at very low rates, unlimited RV hookups, and
>every type of hotel and motel for lodging.  Everyone can choose their
>own budget level and type of housing needed for the conference.  The
>site also offers a wide range of vendors that can more than meet our
>needs for food.  People can choose what they want to eat and all we will
>need to do is arrange for one meal at our membership and awards meeting.
>
>Further, I have put together a program that will utilize as few as 12-16
>demonstrators and provide meaningful demonstrations that will all be
>repeated so that more people can see more of the conference.  We can
>promote a financially successful conference with little or no financial
>risk for ABANA.  We need to call on our friends and get ABANA back on track.
>
>Time is short so I must speak frankly, which is my nature anyway.  If
>ABANA is not going to host a conference in 2008 I will spend all of my
>energy supporting an effort to promote an international conference in
>2008 to keep the momentum alive.
>
>Tom Clark