Is It That Time Of Year Again?

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Scott

Scott

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Blackfoot Idaho
Some will wonder what I'm talking about, but others who have been here on IAP for a while are already anticipating what I'm going to say next! Yes, it's time to get ready for the next Birthday Bash!!!

Ahhhh, Birthday Bash! Just saying it gives me a chill that is one part dread, and about three parts excited anticipation! And because we're one big happy family here at the IAP, it's time to ask for advice and help.

We need to decide on a number of events that will be fun, entertaining and challenging! I'm sure many members have been working all year on their entries for the Ugly Pen Contest! I know I've had some ugly ones myself! Last year we had a bang-up daily trivia contest that not only generated a lot of participation, but also disseminated a lot of prizes! Then there was the Pen and Penturner contest, matching pictures of pens with those who made them. Somewhere in there was the Dear Santa Contest as well. The question we need to ask is: Are these events the best we can do?

I would like to hear from you all what you think about events for the Birthday Bash! Are there new events you would like to have included? Old events you would rather not see again? Come on - I can take it! :D

Then there are the prizes! We need to figure out who would donate lots of stuff to us so we can give it away. Who do you think we should contact for donation of prizes? Since the IAP doesn't do advertising (or hadn't you noticed?), about all we can offer sponsors of prizes is the opportunity to have their company logo and a link to their website posted on our main page for the duration of the Bash. Actually, that's not bad considering we now have over 4400 members! If you have a particularly good relationship with any vendors, please urge them to consider a prize donation. If you are a vendor, and you want to support the IAP with a donation, please contact me! How would you feel about a contest where all the prizes are donated by other IAP members? I know the Daily Trivia contest last year required some prizes from members to have a prize every day, and I enjoyed sending some of my favorite blanks to winners!

OK, then there's the tough part. I need some volunteers to help me run some of these events. I'm sure that Bill, Gerry and Mark will tell you that this can be challenging! But you will become famous, and will be cherished and loved by your fellow penturners, who will affectionately make up little pet names for you to show they care! [:eek:)] But this is supposed to be fun! So please, if you think you can invest a little time and effort to help this be a great celebration, please contact me.

So, what do you think?

Scott.
 
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Hey Everybody!

I have already heard from three of our favorite vendors, donating prizes for our events! Here is a big THANK YOU to Nolan, Anthony and Mannie!!!

I could use some volunteers at this point. One to help me keep track of all the prize donations. Also somebody to help me contact vendors about possible donations for prizes. And then this is the big commitment - about three people to run the Daily Trivia contest! Think about it, and drop me a note!

Also, I have been talking to Jeff, and we would like to consider doing some kind of charity thing in connection with the Bash! I have been around the IAP since there were - oh - TWO of us, and I have never met a bunch of people who are more giving and kind as all of you. And that means it is time for us to do something for somebody else. Now, I could ask for suggestions for which charity could use our help, and we might be able to decide on one in a few years. But what I could really use is an idea for a charity project that would also be fun and challenging for us at the same time! So put your thinking hats on and lets design the project, and then maybe the charity will make itself apparent to us from there.

Becca - What do you think of the contests we had last year? Did they work, or not? How could they be better? You have been running the Trivia for a year, and you have had many lessons in the dynamics of how this group works - what advice could you give me?

Speak up folks!

Scott.
 
Originally posted by Scott
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Also, I have been talking to Jeff, and we would like to consider doing some kind of charity thing in connection with the Bash!
Click to expand...

The first thing that comes to mind is the Freedom Pen Project. Pens, Penturners, woodworkers... sounds like both groups could possibably benefit. Maybe a couple of auctions here with the proceeds going to the Project as well as an organized pen donation. A side benfit may be increased membership for this group.

Just thinking out loud.
Chuckie
 
Scott, I think the ugliest and best pen contests are staples and need to remain.

You can also count on me for a box of Desert ironwood and a box of pine cones for donations.

I can also help with Trivia but we'll be out of town part of Jan.
 
Scott ......

Just a couple of suggestions for additional BB events:

"Best Tip (or Jig) of the Year" or .....

"Most Humorous Post of the Year" or .....

"Best Tag Line"

We could nominate posts that have been made for each of the categories .... then, IAP members could vote.

I'll be glad to help in whatever way that I can.
 
Thank you, everybody, for donating prizes! You all are great!

So far I think we're good for the Ugly Pen Contest, the Pen and Penturner Contest, and hopefully the Daily Trivia Contest. Becca, if you could help by thinking up some good trivia questions, that would help! We're going to need 31 of them. [:p] A "Best Pen" contest might be a little too serious, but what does everybody think?

Good suggestions Al! I like the "Most Humorous Post" and the "Best Tag Line" ideas best. To be considered they would have to be nominated by somebody other than who they belong to. Then we would vote, and the winner would get a prize for both the person who the post or tag line belonged to, but also for the person who nominated it!

I now have a volunteer (Maxwell_Smart) who will help me contact suppliers for prize donations. We are starting to get quite a few promises of donations, and I could use someone to keep track of the prizes. Who they're from, what they are, how to get in touch with them, and what links to use for the main page. Pretty much just bookkeeping stuff. Anybody?

And don't forget that we will be holding a Donation Raffle to help support this great site of ours. This place runs on a combination of Jeff's kindness and and whatever money you all donate. We don't do advertising here. So be prepared to make a few donations in January to support the site, and qualify to win one of the fabulous prizes! Dang, I wish I was eligible to win! [8D]

Keep it coming!

Scott.
 
Hello, Scott I would like to donate some of my wood, maybe a flat rate box of cool stuff? Not sure if its wood you want for door prizes, but this is all I sell at the moment. Always looking to give back to all you great guys and gals on the site. Let me know what you think and further instructions for this. Thanks, I hope I can help, Victor
 
I don't have a clue what you are talking about but it sounds like fun. Can you provide some info for the newbies on what this actually is? By volunteering, do you mean on-line or?
 
Hugo and Ruth,

Welcome to the IAP! This is an online community started by Jeff Brown and myself almost four years ago. January first will be our fourth birthday! Every year we celebrate the entire month of January by holding all kinds of crazy contests here at the site, and giving away lots of prizes! Yes, it is an online thing, not that many of us haven't met each other, but our primary presence here is on the Internet. And this is where we do our Birthday Bash! I hope you feel good about jumping in and celebrating like the rest of us!

Scott.
 
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