<font color='black' size='2' face='Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif'> <div>This idea has been proposed before. On the surface it sounds like a great idea. Free registration to the convention. If that was the only expense of attending the convention, it would solve the problem of low attendance.</div> <div> </div> <div>But convention registration is only a fraction of the total cost of attending a convention. The convention is five days. For starters is the hotel room, now in range of $100 - $125 per night plus taxes. For 5 nights, that's at least $600. Then there is food. Even if you brown bag it and take a cooler to the convention, you're still talking $150 - $250. But if you eat out, that figure can be closer to $500. The next expense is transportation. Unless you live in the same town, travel can be as much as $750 round trip. And last, of course, is taking a week off from work, or about $1000 - $1500, or more. Add it all together, and going to convention will cost about $3000 -$4000.</div> <div> </div> <div>Wim</div> <div> </div> <div> </div> <div> </div> <div> </div> <div> </div> <div> </div> <div>---Original Message-----<br> From: Dale Erwin <erwinspiano@aol.com><br> To: pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org><br> Sent: Wed, Mar 14, 2012 7:18 pm<br> Subject: [pianotech] National convention as a member benifit<br> <br> </div> <div style="FONT-FAMILY: arial,helvetica; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> <div id=AOLMsgPart_1_dbc60c5f-0500-42ef-806e-ef4625758fce><FONT color=navy size=2 face="Comic Sans MS, sans-serif"><FONT color=navy size=2 face="Comic Sans MS, sans-serif"> <div style="FONT-FAMILY: arial,helvetica; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> <div id=AOLMsgPart_1_238e87a8-bda4-4ead-b2cc-ddc6e636227a><FONT color=navy size=2 face="Comic Sans MS, sans-serif"><FONT color=navy size=2 face="Comic Sans MS, sans-serif"><FONT color=navy size=2 face="Comic Sans MS, sans-serif"><FONT color=navy size=2 face="Comic Sans MS, sans-serif"><FONT color=navy size=2 face="Comic Sans MS, sans-serif"><FONT size=2><FONT face="Comic Sans MS, sans-serif"><FONT color=mediumblue>Make the National convention a member benefit.<br>  <FONT color=black> While brain storming with some fellow techs this idea came up.</FONT><br> <FONT color=black>This is Carl Meyers idea and its brilliant!!! The Guild can put on one spectacular event. Here is how. Raise the dues $40 a year per member. Use that fund as the convention trust fund and only that. It can not be spent elsewhere via making a bylaw to protect the funds.<br>  The cost to come to a convention is now free. There is funding for instructors and cost of all kinds. Yes, some marginal members will drop out but this is an easy sell to existing members and one the biggest incentives I can think of for new folks to join the organization in the first place. <br>  Now go ahead. Pour cold water on it. But really, lets discuss it seriously.  Its time for some outside of the box ideas<br>   Sincerely Dale Erwin<br> <br> </FONT></FONT> <br> </FONT></FONT><FONT color=navy size=2 face="Comic Sans MS, sans-serif"></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT><br> <FONT color=navy size=2 face="Comic Sans MS, sans-serif"><FONT color=navy size=2 face="Comic Sans MS, sans-serif"><br> <div style="CLEAR: both"><FONT color=royalblue size=1><B><FONT face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, Serif"><FONT color=black><FONT color=mediumblue face="Comic Sans MS, sans-serif">Dale Erwin RPT-</FONT><br> </FONT></FONT></B></FONT><FONT color=royalblue size=1><FONT color=blueviolet><B><FONT color=black size=2><FONT size=1></FONT></FONT></B></FONT></FONT><FONT color=darkgreen><SPAN style="FONT-STYLE: italic"><B><FONT size=1><FONT color=black><FONT color=blueviolet><FONT color=black><FONT color=black>Mason & Hamlin</FONT>/Steinway/<FONT color=black>U.S pianos</FONT><br> </FONT><FONT color=mediumblue>Pre-hung Ronsen hammer sets/Abel parts</FONT></FONT><br> </FONT>Sitka Soundboards & Supplies<br> <FONT color=black><A href="http://www.erwinspiano.com/" target=_blank>WWW.Erwinspiano.com</A></FONT><br> <FONT color=crimson>209-577-8397</FONT><br> <FONT color=darkgreen></FONT></FONT></B></SPAN></FONT><TT><TT><FONT color=darkgreen><br>  </FONT><br>   <FONT size=2></FONT></TT></TT><br> <br> </div> </FONT></FONT></div> </div> </FONT></FONT></div> </div> </font>