[JediSkipdogg]

Using the following map which area of the country which you like have to the 2nd Annual DiabetesForums.com Meet & Greet?



After this list the area will then be broke down to a state by state level possibly. This is to get a general idea of what part of the country people are willing to fly or drive to. I have also thrown on the idea of a cruise which would most likely be a Caribbean cruise although that is not set in stone. Select all of the areas you are willing to travel to so that we can find the best area for the highest attendance.

West - Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, Utah, Colorado
Southwest - Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma
Midwest - North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Monanta, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio
Southeast - Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida
Northeast - Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine
Cruise - This would most likely be a Caribbean cruise taken off of Florida, although at this time it's just to see the interest in a cruise

[Dewey]

Thanks for posting the map, Jedi. It's good to give folks a visual to help in their deciding factor. I'm pretty easy to please & could go almost anywhere, provided the finances (personal) are in order, etc.

I must say that I dig the idea of camping or a cruise, so I'll add the cruise to my vote.

[Keezheekoni]

I'll go anywhere in the US. I can't do a cruise because I promised my family that next year they could go and we can't afford passports for 7 people!

Other than that, I'm good at making my vacations thrifty, so anywhere in the US is good.

[Dewey]

You're right Rikki! Passports are outrageously priced nowadays! I think they're at least $80 here. That would mean at least $240+ for passports alone!

I too, am pretty good at making vacations thrifty, hehe. The camping idea is definitely awesome & can be done almost anywhere throughout the US.

The areas I chose (out of ease & preference) were the southeast (i.e. NC, FL, etc.) or the west (WA, CO, NV, UT, WY - preferably).

[JediSkipdogg]

Originally Posted by Dewey

You're right Rikki! Passports are outrageously priced nowadays! I think they're at least $80 here. That would mean at least $240+ for passports alone!

That is also why I don't want people to be thinking something that we could get Canadians too. Yes, I'd love to have them as well...but you need (or will by this event) a passport to get across that border as well. I think the idea is ridiculous, but it's a fact that we now have to live with.

[Dewey]

The saddest part is that it used to not be so outrageous to get a passport. Heck, I used to have one, as I traveled with family by RV to Canada & then on to Alaska.

I think the choices available are decent. It will provide enough for everyone in the US at least, to choose from. Can you create a new thread on the time frames? Please note that I am Not for August, because if one thinks the heat & humidity is bad in FL during June/July, they're in for a real treat in August! They don't call them the "dog days" for nothing.

[princesslinda]

I love the ease of a cruise, though I certainly understand that it would be cost prohibitive to larger families. Anywhere in the southeast is convenient to me location wise, but I would LOVE to see places i've never been, so whatever works for the most folks i'll try to do as long as I have ample time to budget for it.

[jeggeman31]

If we do a family thing, then I am game for anything other than a cruise. Cruising with 5 people may get a little high in price.

[jjames]

Oooh oooh - is this the thread where I get to post "where" the M&G should be?! :p
*Cough*Cough*Branson, MO *Cough*Cough* Nice and close to home.

But I'd love to do a cruise too!

[JediSkipdogg]

Originally Posted by jjames

Oooh oooh - is this the thread where I get to post "where" the M&G should be?! :p
*Cough*Cough*Branson, MO *Cough*Cough* Nice and close to home.

But I'd love to do a cruise too!

And ummm...what the heaven is in Branson? Oh, besides you?

I'm actually partially amazed at how well a cruise is doing. So far I know of two families that would be totally out though if a cruise were the only option. I think in when this post is closer to the end I'll have to make a "If a cruise were the only option" type interest post.

[jjames]

Well . . . umm . . . Branson certainly is a tourist resort / vacation place. Though, I've never been there. But it supposedly is a vacation place.

And for the record, I'm about 2.5 hours from Branson. And come on, aren't I enough to want to come see?!?

Probably a stupid idea, but what about several regional meet & greets, and one big national meet & greet? Where the regionals could be just a weekend bash or whatnot, and of course the national one could be a week-long shin-dig.

[princesslinda]

Originally Posted by jjames

Probably a stupid idea, but what about several regional meet & greets, and one big national meet & greet? Where the regionals could be just a weekend bash or whatnot, and of course the national one could be a week-long shin-dig.

This is a great idea...esp. for those with either limited vacation time or limited budget. Those who could travel easily could go to all of them, those who need to stick closer to home could do so also.

[JediSkipdogg]

Originally Posted by jjames

Probably a stupid idea, but what about several regional meet & greets, and one big national meet & greet? Where the regionals could be just a weekend bash or whatnot, and of course the national one could be a week-long shin-dig.

Well....nobody else has shown interest in leading to plan one and make it happen therefore there's only one. I am all for that idea. Having numerous small ones and then one major large one that brings corporations out.

The huge thing is then someone needs to step forward and say this is what's going to happen from now on. Nationwide one is planned in City X from this point forward and smaller ones are planned in these areas of the country from this point forward.

The one problem I have with doing the above (and this is my experience in being on other assorted websites) is that you have ot get enough interest from people to attend both. If you only get say 30 people to attend a nationwide one how many of those 30 will also attend their "local" one? At the same time, if say 10 people attend each local one, how many are then going to make the efford to attend the nationwide one? Some might say they attended one in Tampa and don't want to do two, so not nationwide one.

The reason I bring up the above, and sorry to keep going back to the car one (it's the closest one to something like this that I've had hands on doing), is that they did numerous regional ones, about three that I can think of, and then decided to make one of the regional ones a nationwide one, and at that point, they basically put the regional ones out of business because people didn't want to attend two and the other regionals lost interest/attendance. They then attempted to revive the regionals but had no success in doing so because they knew they would then pull people away from the nationwide one which was also low in attendance to begin with (about 30).

They then attempted mini-rallies (rallies as they called them) however those were randomly planned and generally just consisted of a weekend dinner and that's it. I guess those are alright, however, I see lack of interest in planners on here from those. If I saw more gogetters then I'd be happier and alright with that. But there is a lack in those willing to go forward and continue planning till the project is complete and others meet. It disheartens me to say that, but check out the Meet and Greet subforum, how much interest there is in planning or others meeting, and then how many have actually happened. So far, I only recall one with more than just two or three (if you count carwy seperate from dew ) people meeting and actually happening.

[Keezheekoni]

I was thinking that a regional thing would be good too, but it would have to be a weekend thing so as not to overshadow the national one. Looking at it though, I wonder if the regionals would be more attended since people are more willing to stay close to home...?

I'd love to plan a Seattle M&G, but if that's not in line with what we want to do, then I'll just wait until Seattle is picked in the next 5 years or so...! LOL

[mortis505]

I'm actually partially amazed at how well a cruise is doing. So far I know of two families that would be totally out though if a cruise were the only option. I think in when this post is closer to the end I'll have to make a "If a cruise were the only option" type interest post.

You can make that 3 families now. Believe me, I'd love to go on a cruise, but the costs are too prohibitive.

Probably a stupid idea, but what about several regional meet & greets, and one big national meet & greet? Where the regionals could be just a weekend bash or whatnot, and of course the national one could be a week-long shin-dig.

I was thinking that a regional thing would be good too, but it would have to be a weekend thing so as not to overshadow the national one. Looking at it though, I wonder if the regionals would be more attended since people are more willing to stay close to home...?

I'd love to plan a Seattle M&G, but if that's not in line with what we want to do, then I'll just wait until Seattle is picked in the next 5 years or so...! LOL

Regional things sound good, and more within budget for most families. And if you want to change that to a Kent or Federal way event, all the better.