Questions for All QC area GIRS members

Andrew lives 20 min for the qc area a lot of pepole in the qc area got out of reef i live 5 min from davenport im still in the qc area its just called bettendof when are you talking on doing the 2009 event? i can have flyers made and hand them out take them to the local fish store and do what i can i hopew you guys do the 2009 event down hear are you going to do it same place as last year?

 

I vote for doing it in the DSM area. Dont know if thats even an option but its not likely id be able to attend if it was that far. Is it set in stone that it will be QC area or is that just the idea since it was a good turn out last year?

 

Andrew and I have talked about this on several occasions. Its just hard to do anything with nothing!! Its like the QC area just fell off the map, (I just don't get it). With the size of the QC area and a store like AE there should be as much activity as the CR or DMS area!! We have tossed around the Idea of doing a DIY day and BBQ at my place for all the surrounding areas in hopes to draw out some of the QC people and get some life back into the area, but if no one is looking or posting then whats the point.

Whats your thoughts on the idea??

 

I would also attend if it was in the DSM area. I could probably swing quad cities if I planned WAY ahead, but for DSM I don;t think I would even have to plan for it. I am new here and don;t really know how I can help but if there is anything I can do I would be more than willing to help with one for the DSM area

 

As I mentioned earlier in the BOD forum, the QC area was hit hard by Kevin going MIA along with a foundation member selling his system and a elder member logging back in to sell his system also.

I've questioned at the BOD meeting in Febuary that why not move around Fall Fest, but that was rejected because of a few major reasons. One is that no one outside of the state will really drive to Des Moines. We recieved a lot of people from the IL side that wouldn't travel much farther to attend our Fall Fest. Another is the Quad City Airport is big enough to have direct flights and easier traveling for speakers and other people who tend to fly in.

Aquatic Environments is a double edged sword to this club. Yes, they do have lots of costumers and people who have reef tanks, but since the store is so good, they don't care to join an online club. I personally think Adam is a little hesitant with working with us fully. For matters I understand and will not discuss in public. He still supports the club with sponsorship and had fall fest flyers up with no problems like some of the other stores and in turn I still buy from his store and recommended it when I can.

I've talked to Bill about his position last year with the area and he ran into the exact same situation we are in now. You can search the past threads and see that Bill had quite events planned and attendence to those plans were really low to none.

I really thought that the reason the QC area was pretty slow last year when I joined the club was because nothing was being planned, I think April of 08 was the last thing on Bill's agenda for GIRS. No meetings, or anything as an area group for over six months. I niavely thought if that if meeting were planned that people would attend and the group would get rolling.

I have choosen to do things a little differently. The reef tank at the Muscatine Library will happen. Besides this club, I have been turned down by everyone I've sent proposals and letters to. Therefore, as I speak, I am working on setting up my new tank, so I can donate my 72 to the library, along with other items. This way, GIRS will have a permanent display one way or another. Now, I am going to see how well the library staff likes their addition and if all goes smooth, I will talk to other libraries about setting up other tanks in the QC area if they get their own supplies and work my way from there.

I have a few other things I might be trying out that's a little unorthodox, but the normal stuff just hasn't been working in this area.

 

maybe its best to have it in dms a lot of pepole are in to fresh water in the qc area i see a new club that opend i would not wast my time in quad city and do it it dms i think you would have alot better turn out even i want to sale my reef tank it cost a lot to take care of it and the economey sucks right now thay might be a big thing why its falling a part in the quad citys hope you guys do ok thanks

 

I think we should have it in Des Moines or Cedar Rapids this year too......DM also has a major airport for speakers to fly into, and there is a lot more activity in that area. It may have been harder for Des Moines people to have to travel to the Quad Cities last Fall, so I think it should be in another region to make it fair/easier for people from other regions of Iowa to attend. So maybe we don't attract as many people from Illinois but do we need to? So we have fewer speakers, is that so bad? I don't think it needs to "out do" itself each year.

Maybe the theme this year (if we chose themes or a goal) should be more local outreach to people right here in Iowa? It seems like we're losing key members in the club and they're not being replaced.......what happens to the club if this keeps happening?

 

i am willing to help out in the quad city just dont know what to do

 

So JB, you havnt chimed in on the idea of having it in the DM area or else where than QC area. I bet for the ppl you lose in the QC area it will be made up by the ppl in DSM and maybe even ppl from omaha council bluffs area. Two of our sponsors including the one that is doing ALOT for the club (Iowa Pet Foods, Seascapes) would support us to the fullest Im sure and would maybe help them out by bringing ppl from QC and surroundings to DM and check out the store.

I just want to know if it is 100% out of the question and its either have it in QC or dont have it at all??? If it was DM are Id do all I can do to help out. I want to get more involved in the club and its funtions but not gonna lie, outside of DM im really not that interested. As Im sure ppl from QC or any area for that matter may say the same thing, since it was there last year, maybe a good idea to switch it up and do it here. Maybe it would blow the last one out of the water... Wont know if we dont try it... My 2cents

 

i think what has happened to this club was the addition of the live chat room, big mistake. as soon as people start having the oportunity to converse on a daily basis problems were bound to arrise, disagreements, arguments and the inevitable hurt feelings.

 

hey all.....   
so i work at AE and have been for the last six years.  reefer was right that AE is a double edged sword to our area.  if aquarists can just go into the store for a problem they're having, and trust the advice they're given, then imo theyd rather do that then post on a forum and hope they hear a reply.  now i can't speak for everyone in our area but i would love to see the membership and participation grow in the QC.  im kinda in a tough position to post, cause if i give someone the wrong advice then it reflects poorly on AE and i could potentially be out of work.  (my wife would kill me if that happened....hehe.)  despite that i think it would be amazing for this area to be as actvice as all the rest.  personally i think the QC has alot of potential for expansion and i think it could bring alot to this club.  andrew im not sure if we met before at the store or not, but i would love to help you out with events and stuff.  im not an actually member yet but plan on becoming one in a few days if the wife permits it.  
im not really in a position to say anything about adam, except that he doesn't like frags.  lol.  i tried bringing him some nuc green paly's frags in and wrote the price on our tanks.  he looked at it, looked closer, and said "$50 for that, no way".  he's getting used to the idea but just doesn't like them.
anyways......honestly i have no idea how to help plan events or who to talk to.  but maybe adam will let us put flyers of girs events in our store to help with participation.
jb, id be willing to try and take leadership.  not sure how much i can do, or if the area is even interested, but i know alot of people in this area who have graduated from the advice we can give them at the shop and now need the advice of a club like this.  like jb said, yes AE is great, but alot of the reefs nowadays are moving into sps, zoa's, chalice's, etc... and most of the information they need comes from a club and not a store (hope i don't get in trouble for that lol).  albeit myself and another guy working there are big into sps and such so we can give them advice, but all said and done a club like this is an indespensible tool. 
well thats all i got for now, hopefully thing will start picking up in our area soon.  and where ever the FF is, ill be there, ill just have to pretend to be sic* (cough cough)
joe

 

Hey Joe that sounds awesome! I agree with your perspective on posting except I think it is much easier to walk over to your computer and ask questions than it is to get in the car and drive to an LFS. Also, GIRS is available 24/7 which is impossible for a store. But working together is where it is at, it works out well for both of us. Our partnership with Seascapes and Petland in Des Moines is working out pretty well. I hope from their perspective as well.

 

lol your right about posting.  im just not sure of adams position on joining a club.  he's willing to help out with flyers and stuff and we even hand out girs cards, i just don't know if hell want to get as actively involved as the other stores

 

I know it sounds absolutely absurd to us, but there still is that stigma of the internet of how you can't believe a word that on it. Therefore, people would rather talk face to face with someone than have the chance of bad info.

My mom will say things about me paying my bills online and using my bank account to do so.....*GASP*

 

Well said JB!

Joe thanks for chiming in, it's good to have some one that is in that area, to help step things up. It's hard for Andrew to do anything when he doesn't live in that area, not that he's done a bad job or anything!!

What we need is for some one from that area to do some foot work, mostly recruiting some new members to try and restart the spark in that area, and you are in the perfect spot to do that. You work with the public every day that is in the hobby so that is an major plus. Just to make people aware that there is a club and that we do things together like JB said not just share info on the net is the big thing.
If you are willing to help out that would be great!!!!

 

i could definitely give it a try. and ill talk to adam about maybe boosting his participation with the club