• 2 - $50 gift certificates to a hobby related online retailer of your choice.
• 4 - $25 gift certificates to a hobby related online retailer of your choice.
• 2 - embroidered GIRS t-shirts (one gray, one black)
• 2 - embroidered GIRS sweatshirts (one gray, one black)
• 2 - embroidered GIRS hoodies (one gray, one black)

• The Lowe Park Arts & Environment Center is in the middle of a bunch of corn fields.  If you think you're driving out of town into a place where you wouldn't expect a show like this to be, you're probably driving in the right direction.  :-)  Check out the http://fallfest.iowareefs.com website for more information on how to get there.
• Bring a small cooler to put your corals in, especially if you're coming in from out of town.
• If you participated in the group buy and need to pick your stuff up, see AJ or ask at the GIRS information booth near the front check in table.
• Club members get a $5 discount on admission.  If you plan on becoming a member, please do so online ASAP.  You can also do so at the show, but it will delay your admission onto the show floor and hold up the admission line.
• Bring as much cash to the event as you think you may need.  The nearest ATM is a couple of miles away.
• Name tags will be available at the check in desk.  While not mandatory, they are encouraged.  I know many of us don't live in the same area, but chat frequently on the site.  Wearing a name tag is a great way of putting a face to the name of those people that you chat with on the site all the time.
• If you're planning to stay for the whole show, post show clean-up assistance is always appreciated.

Hello everyone!  We have been approached by the Iowa Aquaria club to join them at their upcoming swap meet on the 30th.  Click this link for a full flyer on the event.  They have graciously extended IAA member pricing to all GIRS members.  This includes everything; entrance fee, table fee and raffle.  Now to be clear, this is a freshwater aquaria club event, but most/many of us have our roots in freshwater stuff and some still have freshwater tanks.  Also, a couple of the GIRS Board members will be there handing out info on our club and answering questions about saltwater fish and corals.  Please contact me with any questions about this event.  Also, if you're interested in selling or would like to help out, contact me for that too.  We will be creating a photo book for the GIRS table that will include pictures of some of the incredible tanks owned by our members.  If you would like to have your tank or corals featured in that photo book, let me know.  Here's the details for the event:

EVENT:
Iowa Aquatics Swap Meet

DATE:
Sunday, August 30th, 2009

LOCATION:
Country Inn and Suites
2571 Heartland Place
Coralville, Iowa

TIME:
11:00 AM to 4:00 PM

A big thank you to the Iowa Aquaria club for inviting us to participate in this event!

Things seem a bit slow around the club post-Fall Fest, but the planning wheels are still turning.

Joel and Austin, our 2009 Des Moines area trustees, are currently laying the ground work for a spring frag swap event for the Des Moines area.  The initial plan is to have a guest speaker at this event as well.

We'll post more information as soon as the date and location are set it stone.  Stay Tuned!

It's friday night and several vendors & sellers are already setting up for Fall Fest tomorrow.

More Photos Here

The 2008 Reef Conference is less then 3 months away and we need you!

We are looking for some volunteers to help with the conference with marketing & planning.  If you would like to help sign up in the thread in the GIRS members forum.

As time draws closer we will also need people to help set up & clean up.

This is going to be an event you do not want to miss so why not be a part of making it happen!