Where should ArkGeo meet in June of 2016

[KSDS97]

My rankings are as follows 1 Bull Shoals White River State Park, 2 Petit Jean State park or Rockefeller Institue, 3 Jonesboro Area, 4 Degray State Park, 5 Carter of Diamonds State Park or somewhere around lake Greeson.

[perm74]

1.Spending "some" money needs to be considered
2. A pavilion is needed. This can typically be granted with a CITO performed.
3. Camping for both tent and RV.
4. 10 mile radius of lodging. Lodging being that of a spot someone is given a few choices of the clean chains and possible B&B's.

I feel it's pretty simple if we meet those goals it would please the majority of the organization. As a board member of a few other volunteer basis organization, you need to fulfill the meat. There will ALWAYS be. A few complainers.

i strongly suggest at this annual meeting you handout in the "packet" an anonymous paper that asks questions like:
What do you like that we are doing.
What would you like to see in the future
What could we have done better

you will really get a feel from anonymous sheets where people can tell you what is really up. I used it in an organization that I am the president in and I had some eye openers. Also found new volunteers, ideas, things that I was wasting my time on. It can be done...

[likestocanoe]

I suggest Daisy State Park or Crater of Diamonds State Park. There were complaints when we met at Daisy State Park before about lodging, but there is actually quite a few motels and lake cottages in the immediate area. They have a GREAT pavilion that is screened in. There are plenty of camping spots for those wanting hook ups. The park is VERY geocaching friendly - having a geocacher (Down In The Woods) and park employee currently hiding new caches in the park. They welcomed us and allowed tent camping at the pavilion at no charge. The Crater has a large number of camping spots that provide whatever level of hook ups you are looking for. The Crater is, also, geocacher friendly and is near two motels in Murfreesboro.

[KSDS97]

I Love the idea of one of our parks, several people have said that daisy was the biggest turn out

[arkfiremedic]

Either of those is fine by me. Tons of caches around too.

[jclaudii]

KSDS97 & and anyone else, would you mind contacting these parks and locations and seek information about them and present that back to us? Info that you provided plus cost of pavilion, like daisy was 1 day free pavilion with 1 day paid, free tent camping around pavilion, ample camp sites at the park with hookups, and very geocaching friendly. I just made brief notes in years past like you did above and put it in one post and word doc and started a pole for the events committee. We usually picked the one everyone liked best or that was most friendly towards us. I love the idea of chicot and other areas, but I think keeping central area is key to not make some folks drive across the state. I usually mention that you will present your findings to our board and they will vote on the next location and you will be in contact. Please write down and call back if they "pencil" you in as a reservation and we don't pick them so they take it off.

The park interpreter at Crater I went to HS with and his family is into geocaching. I can get in touch with him and see what they could do as far as accommodations.

I love the lake greeson area and around Murfreesboro as that is my home town area. But I like Petit jean as well!

[OldRiverRunner]

1) Petit Jean SP
2) Mt. Nebo SP
3) Lake Dardanelle SP

PJSP is a little far from lodging, if one doesn't stay in one of the park's facilities. But the ArkGeo event held there a few years ago had the largest attendance of any ArkGeo event, ever. Not Daisy.

The other 2 are relatively close to good lodging. All 3 have good camping and good facilities we could use. And all three are relatively easy to get to because of their proximity to a major interstate. They are also closer to the geographic center of our Association's base membership.

[likestocanoe]

Love the idea of the Crater. Hope they will work with you.

[likestocanoe]

I am contacting Corp of Engineers and Crater of Diamonds State Park tomorrow. I have left a call for Pt. Jean this afternoon and should hear from them tomorrow. More to follow............ I hope. LOL

[KSDS97]

Ask Petit Jean if the group site includes use of the pavilion. Also how many do you need to reserve the group site.