learn for the next year, whether it's contractual issues, "load-in" access, internet access, admission fees...next year will hopefully be better for all -- attendees and dealers. The convention chairman and the club's BoD were very attentive towards convention costs this past year as the could not afford to take another financial hit as they did for last year's convention. Everything was looked at to pare costs to the bone...maybe an extra $1,000 doesn't seem like much to you or I, but right now, it means a lot to the club -- as do the dealers, obviously. And the decision to spend that much more in cost is not the responsibility of the convention chairman, rather a decision made in conjunction with the BoD. So instead of paying for an extra day of security / access, maybe next year we include a note in the dealer's packets noting that Thursday morning dealer load-ins will have to utilize the hotel porter system....maybe that's all that it would have taken this time. Or maybe we negotiate with the South Point to get this included or at a lesser fee. Until we know how this convention did for BOTH South Point & the , we really can't say what we can or cannot do. What can be said is that with each new experience, we learn and we (hopefully) improve.

In closing, I wanted to comment on the "pay for it out of their own pocket" comment -- sometimes it's just not that easy. This club has asked EVERYONE -- each & every member -- to dig into their pockets & help. And our membership has responded tremendously -- from Life Member Challenge donations, to raffle donations & ticket purchases, to increased convention admission fees, to paying the pre-registration fees (and I would like to take this time to personally thank you ALL). Each & every volunteer, each & every name on the "ORGANIZATION" page on the club website has given a lot, yet when you are asked to dip into your pocket one more time...sometimes, it's just not that easy.

Thank you for coming over & saying hello at the convention, Jim.

Steve Bedo
Membership Officer