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Thread: Where should ArkGeo meet in June of 2016

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Van Buren
    Posts
    165
    Buffalo River area would be neat! I like that idea too and several campground areas available.

    Also, the event doesn't need to be inside where you dig for diamonds. That would just be a side thing that people could do while they are down there. I like the idea of a tube/kayak/canoe adventure as well. These can always be optional fun things for people to do while in the area, or a side event that someone hosts.
    Mother to 2 dogs - Foxer, the chicken herder and Bo, the pug, 1 kitty chupacabra princess Daksi and Married to a wonderful man, Pizzaboy2600.

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Van Buren
    Posts
    165
    Oh, I just saw on their site where Organized Groups get in half off. "Organized groups of 15 or more may receive half price admission if the park is notified in advance of visit. From Memorial Day through Labor Day tickets purchased after 6 p.m. are also good for the following day. NOTE: Organized groups do not include large family groups." So if we did have something here, it would be super cheap.

    Currently the fee schedule is
    Fees to search for Diamonds
    Adults: $8
    Children (ages 6-12): $5
    Children under 6 years old: FREE
    Mother to 2 dogs - Foxer, the chicken herder and Bo, the pug, 1 kitty chupacabra princess Daksi and Married to a wonderful man, Pizzaboy2600.

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Lower Arkansas
    Posts
    828
    I've camped at the Crater of Diamonds and the facilities are top notch. 2ter and I dug for diamonds several times and brought home lots of... dirt... and rocks. She did find a large crystal at the clean out early one morning when the park opened and they were cleaning the sluice boxes out. The park interpreters were impressed they said as they apparently are pretty rare as large as she found. Really don't know how someone missed it in the sluice boxes, but hey she was happy so dad was happy! We stayed there during the middle of summer and hunted early when they opened and a couple hours before closing. In the middle of the day we utilized the water park. Lots of nice power trails near by from the great likestocanoe gang and others that could be hit relatively easily from the area. Again doesn't really matter to me the where part as long as maybe we can get back to that part of ArkGeo we really like where you can bring a lawn chair, some marshmallows, hot dogs, and chips and kick it around a great big fire and tell geocaching stories. Wherever you guys decide we will support the organization and those who work so tirelessly on the events committee. I just don't want you to take my comments wrong. I know how much work David has put into events in Paris and am grateful for that. I'm also grateful for those who have planned the past events in Little Rock and Fort Smith. I have nothing negative to say about those events and hope nobody was offended as that wasn't my intention. You just asked what we would like to do so we just mentioned the times at Lake Ouachita, Petit Jean, and Daisy where we were able to have the event, camp and socialize in one place. Thank you all again on the events committee for all you have done. I haven't been to a 'bad' event yet

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Crystal Springs, Arkansas
    Posts
    730
    We, personally, loved Daisy and their facilities. There were a number of complaints about lodging, but there is actually a number of small motels very close. They are not "fancy", but they are clean and well kept. We enjoyed the camping, camp fire, and enclosed meeting spot. The camping at Crater of Diamonds does have top notch camping and facilities. The price for digging for diamonds is more than reasonable, also. There are two motels in Murfreesboro for lodging if an event is held there. Again, not "fancy", but clean and that is what ranks highest for us. {) Just some added thoughts.
    “There aren’t enough days in the weekend.”
    Rod Schmidt

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Russellville
    Posts
    1,117
    I think most are focused on good camping nearby and missing the point about having good lodging nearby. There are many members who can neither camp nor or want to camp out. That being said, ArkGeo needs to determine what is a reasonable driving distance from lodging to be considered "nearby." Case in point, Lake Ouachita SP was considered a good site because lodging in Hot Springs was close by. It seemed a little far to me, but I didn't question it. Then, Lake Ft. Smith SP was rejected because of the lack of lodging nearby. I didn't understand that at all, because Alma is not that far away and offers several lodging options. And I believe one can drive from Lake Ft. Smith SP to Alma in less time than it would take to get from Lake Ouachita SP to reasonable lodging in Hot Springs, primarily due to the differences in traffic and rural vs. urban driving. However, that decision was made and I only ask now that the Events Committee establish a criterion for distance from good hotel/motel lodging, make it public to the membership, and then use it in deciding where to hold an event.

    Another point that has been made is that we are going to Paris because it's free to the association. While something that is nice about one location versus another, I don't think the cost of a location should be the primary or even a major factor in deciding where to hold an event. ArkGeo has money in the bank and yet I don't see how it is being used for the benefit of the membership, except for maybe supplying the lunch at the annual event. From what I have seen of the financial statements provided at each quarterly meeting, the association HAS the money. So use it for the benefit of the membership. Loosen up a little and spend some money on a good venue for the annual meeting. I am not advocating going crazy with the money. But I am advocating USING IT, reasonably, for the membership. I would not want ArkGeo to spend $1000 for the use of a venue for the day. But I can't see how budgeting AND using a few hundred dollars each year to rent a space for the event is going to harm the financial health of the association.

    Regarding where to hold the event, I will think it over and come up with a few specific recommendations. But since ArkGeo is supposed to be a state-wide association, I believe that the annual meeting event should be moved around the state each year, to widely different locations across the state, to promote the association to cachers local to that area. Right now, the focus has been on holding events in Central or Western Arkansas, with maybe Daisy State Park being the only exception. Consequently, the active membership is made up of mostly geocachers from Central Arkansas, and a few from Western Arkansas. NW Arkansas has a large number of active geocachers. Yet the association has not really done much in that area to attract membership (the only thing I recall is one eat & greet hosted by paris1time a few years back). NE Arkansas, specifically the Jonesboro area, is another potential source of new membership. So maybe the Events Committee should look at locations in those regions. And not just "free" ones.
    "Wildness is a necessity." -- John Muir

    "I would rather wake up in the middle of nowhere than in any city on earth." -- Steve McQueen


  6. #16
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Russellville
    Posts
    896
    ORR, You do bring up some valid points on establishing some type of criteria for lodging/driving/movement around the state/and then balance that with how many cachers are in the area and making it where we do not isolate a quarter or more of our members/guests by having it in a place that is in a corner of the state (like Crowley's Ridge). The events committee members and I have struggled with the "moving the event around the state" part. We would love to do that but we don't want to kill our attendance. I think we roughly established the central area and or the high cacher crowds to be the best fit for a "membership" meeting and hold ArkGeo side events like meet n greets, cito's, etc at the other locations. A central location is "more fair" to the far away cachers that may reside in NWA or SWA.



    To add to guwisti's plug for the Crater of Diamonds, I have camped there and it is nice, but could fill up almost anytime. They do have a climate controlled room, but i don't remember if it would hold all of us or not. The two motels in Murfreesboro are alright and usually always available, also there are a few bed and breakfasts rentals in the area(two with a private lake ) and cabins for rental about 10 miles from the park at the lake.

    I think I'll create a separate thread and ask for input on lodging and driving so it will help us make up this vital decision making criteria.

    Again, no one can predict the future, but if gas prices would stay like this or go down more by the time the event comes around, what would have cost a SWA cacher 400 in fuel would now only be 200 or less to go to the opposite end of the state!

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Clarksville Arkansas
    Posts
    517
    The Corps of Engineers has many facilities in the State of Arkansas. Our experience has been different sized pavilions, clean restrooms, some playground equipment, reasonable cost, electric outlets, et al. Granted, the pavilions we've seen are not air conditioned, but couldn't we break tradition once in awhile and change dates so it's more comfortable for attendees? Two sites that come to mind are: Toad Suck Ferry and Old Post Park. Both places would have lodging close by...Conway and Russellville. Look at www.reserveamerica.com for Arkansas' Corps facilities. It's no secret that the heavy traffic usage would be heavier during the warmer months, so the events committee would need to take some prompt action to secure a facility. We have used Lake Nimrod for several years and have been satistifed and attendees seemed satisfied, so we've had experience with the Corps taking care of its facilities. Of course, that's isolated for lodging...just using it as an example of Corps facilities and experiences we have had with Corps staff. Just an idea....

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Crystal Springs, Arkansas
    Posts
    730
    First, as a member of the Events Committee, I need to say that the choice of Paris for the 2015 Annual Event was not only because it was "free"... If that is your thought pattern you are way off in left field and need to return to the dugout and check in with the coach. The city of Paris has offered us hospitality that no other city in Arkansas has offered. Through their appreciation of geocachers and David's hard work they have given us a place to hold the annual event ,a venue for the evening get together with swimming for the entire crew (something never offered before), dry camping for those who wish to either tent camp or bring their RVs, as well as providing the funds for Pathtags for the event. Yes, these were provided at no cost to the general membership or ArkGeo, but at an extensive expense in time and labor from David. This is, also, not the first time that the City of Paris has provided materials and venue to Arkansas geocachers. Paris is a central location to the largest populations of geocachers in Arkansas. Your Board of Directors have determined that the largest pockets of cachers in Arkansas are in the Central and in Northwest areas. Map Paris from both those locations and see how far out it is. Yes, if I lived in Southeast Arkansas or in the far Northeast I would probably prefer an event be held in my ballpark, but would hope that I would realize it was a long trip for the majority. Your Board of Directors have discussed moving the location of the Annual Event from corner to corner of the state, but the majority felt and, I believe, still feel that the action would be overall detrimental to the organization as a whole. I have heard it put as, "Sacrifice of the few for the good of the many", but then this is a game not a war.

    I have to agree that the Corps of Engineers offer many wonderful places around Arkansas that would provide a perfect location for our Annual Event and Meeting. I have never visited Toad Suck, but Old Post is a wonderful spot. We camped there last year for a week and enjoyed the camping and the area geocaching. There are some choices of lodging and many wonderful spots to eat, also.

    As for all the suggestions of venue... Please feel free to contact a location of your choice and do what David has done in Paris. Stir up some local support, talk to some folks and check on camping and optional lodging. You are welcome on the events committee but if you don't want to do that you don't even have to be on the committee to do some footwork if you would like the annual event in your neck of the woods or any specific location. Jason is going to start a special link for this subject. Please contribute to the success of the 2016 Annual Event and Meeting. Be positive. Be helpful. Contribute to your ArkGeo.
    “There aren’t enough days in the weekend.”
    Rod Schmidt

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Russellville
    Posts
    1,117
    L2C, you have misconstrued my comments, and perhaps those of others, as being critical of the selection of Paris as the location for the 2015 event. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Having been to Paris for many events over the years, I think it is a good location and I am impressed by what the community is offering to the association for that special meeting this year. I am also thankful for, and impressed by, David Spicer’s efforts to secure such benefits for the association’s meeting.

    My statement, “Another point that has been made is that we are going to Paris because it's free to the association,” was based upon comments I heard from or attributed to some Board members. Perhaps I misunderstood the statements. But there is also this statement from the Board’s July Meeting Minutes,
    A local geocacher in Paris has done quite a bit of footwork toward that goal and has obtained some sponsorship toward the cost of the event. The committee believes that the best place to hold next year's meeting would be Paris.
    Maybe I am guilty of misconstruing that statement, but the way I read it, the cost of the event was a major consideration in changing the location for the event from the Nature Center at Little Rock to Paris. Regardless, I understand the reasons behind the Board’s decision to change the event’s location, and I have no problem with that decision. With the effort that David has already put into it, and the accommodations that are being made for ArkGeo by the community, it was a good call.

    But this thread is supposed to be about the location of the 2016 event. My point continues to be that the cost of renting a venue, as long as it reasonable, should not be a deterrent to holding an event at a certain location, if it is otherwise a good one. But it seems to me that to the Events Committee and the Board, cost is a major deterrent. Case in point: I have seen in these Forums that the annual event held at Petit Jean State Park had the highest attendance of any annual event before or since. Yet immediately after that successful event, I heard complaints from several Board members that we were charged for the use of the pavilion and therefore we would not be holding future events there. This position was based upon the experience of the Lake Ouachita State Park events where ArkGeo had not been charged for use of the facilities because of the CITO the day after the event. And that position continues, apparently, to this day.

    I can understand the desire to spend as little as possible on events. However, I think it might be time to consider other alternatives. The success of the Petit Jean event cost the association a little money. So what? It had a large attendance and got a lot of people there who were not familiar with ArkGeo or had never attended an ArkGeo event before. Shouldn’t the events be about growing the organization, by getting new people in attendance, in addition to socializing with current members?

    Looking at the Board’s minutes from the July and October meetings, I see that ArkGeo has a reasonably steady balance of funds exceeding $2000. Yet the cost of the last event was only about $300. So why not consider using some of this $2000 in 2016 to secure a place to hold the annual meeting? At least, consider it. It just might open up some other possibilities of locations that have not been thought about. And if we can get a place for free, GREAT!

    With that said, I recommend to the Events Committee and the Board that the 2016 annual membership meeting be held at Petit Jean State Park.
    "Wildness is a necessity." -- John Muir

    "I would rather wake up in the middle of nowhere than in any city on earth." -- Steve McQueen


  10. #20
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Russellville
    Posts
    896
    Everyone, I have to say this is great to see great dialog being exchanged and not just bottled up and talked about at events Amongst friends. ORR, I love Petit Jean and Ouachita...The only reason we have not had it back there yet is mainly to try some of the ideas those on the events committee have came up with. Some ideas were successful and some were not. But we wanted to try something new for the last few years and the numbers may have been down but fun was still had and all of us on the Events Committee and future ArkGeo leaders learned from those trials. This thread is doing exactly what I want, getting people talking and discussing the pro's and con's so when it comes time to pick a spot next year, we can take in as much as possible and feel even more connected to the organization. In return, we hope the members of ArkGeo will respond by coming to an event that they had input too or possibly even helped plan parts of it.

    I will see what it will take to change the annual event month, Just thinking out loud, if we did this in May, the elections would need to be one month earlier. Also, some schools may not be out and that could affect families. For all I know, this could be worth a "trail for one year) just to see what happens? Finally it would need to be adjusted in the by-laws I believe to make it permanent, but for a temporary trail for one year only it may be possible.

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