Re: Subject: Re: [Harp-L] SPAH convention locations.

[Bob Harty <bharty@xxxxxx>]

I think that Vancouver is a reasonable option. I think alternating east and west coasts would be a good idea.

Sent from my iPad

On Aug 30, 2013, at 7:06 PM, EGS1217@xxxxxxx wrote:

> Arthur: I don't believe Americans having passports or not would be the real 
> issue in going to Vancouver for a SPAH.
> 
> SPAH is an American organization and most of us simply wouldn't be willing  
> to travel THAT far away or out of the Country since there still are several 
> Stateside clubs willing and able to help put on a SPAH (the very 
> willingness of  St. Louis' Gateway Club to take on the task 2 years in a row due to 
> SPAH  getting a great deal on the Hotel, speaks to this issue).
> 
> I completely disagree though with the idea of having SPAH 'in one place'  
> every year as has been suggested and know for a fact that very many SPAH 
> members  feel as I do because I've asked. The chance to travel to other parts of 
> the  Country (if we aren't able to ever have it in our own specific areas), 
> is a  plus. You're not the only one out of the loop--it'll never be held in 
> the New  York area either for various reasons including the considerable  
> expense which means I'LL have to almost always fly to 'wherever' despite my  
> extreme distaste for and discomfort with flying. I make the sacrifice  
> because SPAH's worth it. The single time I might have been able to get  there via 
> a road trip--Virginia Beach, illness prevented my attendance.  Rats! Mais, 
> c'est la vie.
> 
> 
> Like Emile said: it'd be lovely to have it held there again purely for my  
> own selfish wish to experience a SPAH reasonably close to where I could get 
> to  without flying....but is the Virginia Club willing or able to do it 
> again so  soon? Big question. Does New Orleans have people willing to put in the 
> work  necessary? I don't believe so, but am curious since I've never had a 
> chance to  visit New Orleans. My personal thoughts are that Florida might 
> certainly have a  big enough club (or a couple of clubs which could join 
> together) to host a  SPAH--but would those clubs have an accessible airport? 
> These are all  valid questions the BOD has to consider.
> 
> We DO know that Texas is always willing to host (I missed Dallas too) and  
> there are a couple of clubs there as are the people in California:  
> SPAH,Sacramento and Denver were two really great SPAH's to my mind.
> 
> 
> Kickstarter sounds intriguing, but how would one go about that? How to  
> educate the people involved about all that they'd need to know TO put on a SPAH 
> --when the various harmonica clubs which have already done so have it down 
> to a  science? As well, as far as I know all kickstarter campaigns require  
> funding by a cut-off-date. Why would there be a requirement for funds and 
> what  happens if/when SPAH turns the City running that campaign down? Usually 
> there  are a few submissions and no guarantees.
> 
> 
> The idea that clubs are not recruiting newer and younger members is  
> actually not true. I know of two clubs in particular where younger members have  
> joined up in serious numbers over the past 2 - 3 years. People in their 30's 
> and  40's. They're the right age to be around for a while and able to 
> volunteer. It  took serious work on the part of a couple of good people to get out 
> and recruit--many clubs don't seem to feel they should. I believe that's 
> where a  lot of the problems of 'defunct' clubs stem from. Anything can be 
> accomplished  with some effort and using one's smarts with today's technology.
> 
> 
> This SPAH had more even younger people in attendance than I've ever seen  
> before. Encouraging their participation with the realization that SPAH will  
> eventually be in their hands is already having its effect from the 
> conversations  I enjoyed with some of these interesting young people. They were eager 
> to learn  more.
> 
> 
> The groundwork is done and I think a lot of the 'worry' is pretty much a  
> tempest in a teapot stirred up by folks who don't seem content unless  
> they're complaining about something; creating concern where there shouldn't be.  I 
> think you shouldn't worry unnecessarily about the future of SPAH since I  
> honestly feel it'll be in good hands.
> 
> Elizabeth
> 
> PS: your comment about the average age-range of the St. Louis Club being in 
> their 'mid-70's' is a bit unfair, though. Those who are considerably 
> younger  might feel a bit put out by being described as older, and those I  saw 
> certainly ran circles around me, for one. And IF you saw him in action,  Stan 
> Harper at 92 played and joked as sharply as he did when years younger.  I 
> noticed only that he felt the cold a bit (as usual, some Hotel rooms were  
> freezing, but that's typical of Hotels)...he's as brilliant a wit and  player 
> as he always was. So 'tis true: harmonica playing seems to keep one a lot  
> healthier and younger than the rest of the population so 'mid-70's' is 
> nothing  to be overly concerned about today. :)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Date: Fri, 30 Aug 2013 12:10:27 -0700
> From: Arthur Jennings  <timeistight@xxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] SPAH convention  locations.
> To: Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>
> Cc:  "harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
> 
> "I'd love to be involved,  but I live in Vancouver, which I don't think 
> would
> be a good choice; the  hotels here are expensive, we're too far from major
> population centres and,  besides, many Americans don't have passports.
> 
> I think New Orleans would be a great location, if there's a local  group
> willing to step up."
>