Re: [Harp-L] SPAH

[Bob Cohen <bob@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Aug 30, 2013, at 9:58 AM, Michael Rubin <michaelrubinharmonica@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Create a harmonica club in your city and do the work to sponsor SPAH.

More harmonica clubs would be a wonderful thing Michael but I fear creating and sustaining new clubs with sufficient resources to "host" a convention is a losing battle. To be sure, local clubs have been the foundation of the last 50 conventions, but given the current trend, I wonder if it makes sense to revisit the process of choosing sites and consider other criteria? 

>From what I know about putting on conventions a great many organizations rely on centralized resources to plan and the membership diaspora to execute. E.g., one traditional function of the local club is shuttle talent between the airport and the hotel. The could certainly be accomplished by renting a car and tapping member-volunteers from anywhere. One has to consider the the cost of renting the car but if the site is well chosen, the cost can most certainly be off-set with increased attendance. Likewise, the local club sponsors a hospitality suite. We could still tap active local clubs to stock the suite or perhaps one or more of the vendors?

Perhaps someone can quantify the tasks performed by the local clubs. Then current Staff and the harmonica community can put our collective heads together to see if there are other ways to sustain and grow the great traditions gifted to us by our forebears.

-Bob

Bob Cohen
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