WOW!! What a weekend! We had such a great time. It was great to be able to spend the weekend chatting with and getting to know our fellow club members better. For those of you who were not able to make this one you really missed a great event.
Lunch Saturday we had 18 people at our table, including two gentlemen from overseas and Anthony Calfo and his wife. It was a really good time and the food (Legal Seafood) was excellent!
Dinner Saturday Night at the Gala was fabulous also. We were 12 at our table and enjoyed the company of Joe & John from Northeast Aquatics. At the table next to us were another six of us (the tables only held 12 people, unfortuantely, but at least we got seats close together).
During our stay I met many of our industry's top retailers, introduced myself and told them of all the great things coming for our club in the near future. Many of them spoke with me about visiting us at upcoming meetings, sponsorships and donations. I was able to come home with many things for the club and many many promises of great things to come!
The following vendors would like us to follow up with them
But the Coup of the weekend was the end of the show!
Overall a very successful trip for the club in many many regards. We've gotten a first hand look at what it takes to put on a WORLD CLASS MACNA event. WAMAS did a phenomenal job getting speakers together for us, the gala was wonderful and the event appeared to be a smashing success. Thanks WAMAS. They have set the standard and I hope to be able to follow suit in upcoming years when we try our hand at hosting MACNA.
I have many many pictures as do a number of our other attendees. I can't wait to get them posted! Unfortunately you will all have to wait until tomorrow *yawn*!
Lunch Saturday we had 18 people at our table, including two gentlemen from overseas and Anthony Calfo and his wife. It was a really good time and the food (Legal Seafood) was excellent!
Dinner Saturday Night at the Gala was fabulous also. We were 12 at our table and enjoyed the company of Joe & John from Northeast Aquatics. At the table next to us were another six of us (the tables only held 12 people, unfortuantely, but at least we got seats close together).
During our stay I met many of our industry's top retailers, introduced myself and told them of all the great things coming for our club in the near future. Many of them spoke with me about visiting us at upcoming meetings, sponsorships and donations. I was able to come home with many things for the club and many many promises of great things to come!
- Dr Mac & Crew donated a fabulous selection of acros frags for our raffles
- Champion Lighting donated a PH meter and a book
- Ocean Nutrition donated food samples to us
- EchoTech Marine has an exciting new product on the horizon
- Tropic Marin donated many items including salt samples, test kits and additives
- SeaChem donated a bag of Salt mix and is anxious to speak with us to see what they can do for the club
- Instant Ocean donated several samples of Reef Crystals salt
- NoSickFish.com donated samples of two of their products
- The guys from the Seio booth donated 2 T5 bulbs to us
The following vendors would like us to follow up with them
- Two Little Fishes would like to speak with us about sponsorship
- ThatFishPlace.com would like to speak with us about sponsorship
- Ice Cap would like to speak with us about sponsorship
- Deltec is very interested in making a donation
But the Coup of the weekend was the end of the show!
- Spikey: A Friend of his won a tank (www.oceanimage.net) and since he builds tanks he didn't need it they have passed this 30g tank and stand along as a donation. Thank you both!
- in the process of emptying out that 30g we were given another 30g tank for our raffle by another vendor
- TheTiler: Jason won several things at the Sea Dwelling Creatures Clearance Raffle that he passed along to the club for raffle including a book, additives, and more! Thank you JASON!
- RichT: Won a Whisper filter small in one of the raffles that he donated to the club! Thanks, Rich!
- Phyl: Won several items at the Sea Dwelling Creatures Clearance Raffle including additives, tank cleaner magnet and a CHILLER that have been donated to the club for raffles.
Overall a very successful trip for the club in many many regards. We've gotten a first hand look at what it takes to put on a WORLD CLASS MACNA event. WAMAS did a phenomenal job getting speakers together for us, the gala was wonderful and the event appeared to be a smashing success. Thanks WAMAS. They have set the standard and I hope to be able to follow suit in upcoming years when we try our hand at hosting MACNA.
I have many many pictures as do a number of our other attendees. I can't wait to get them posted! Unfortunately you will all have to wait until tomorrow *yawn*!