<VV> Convention Banquet Tickets

[shortle]

Bob, I like your idea of having folks sit with people they may not have met. That is one way we make new friends. We did attend Denver (only 325 miles away) but DID NOT go to any "banquet table assignments" with the hopes of sitting near people we had not met. But as a member of Rocky Mountain Corsa our tables were already assigned so oh well.
And my opinion of Carl's bad experience: He should be given the RED CARPET TREATMENT for any future convention he is willing to attend. This includes a complimentary registration packet including banquet. As a club we should offer this to him due to this experience as well as the distance he is willing to travel to be with us. If he does not attend, well ok. But if he does attend, could we not afford this?
Timothy Shortle in Durango Colorado 81301
Looking forward and making plans for Sturbridge next summer


-----Original Message-----
>From: Vairtec Corporation <Vairtec at optonline.net>
>Sent: Aug 10, 2011 10:40 AM
>To: virtualvairs at corvair.org
>Subject: <VV> Convention Banquet Tickets
>
>Carl wrote:
>
> > I had paid for the Awards Banquet at the time of registering and was 
>looking forward to 'planting' my small Australian flag on the dinner 
>table. On approaching the entry door I was asked very firmly for a 
>banquet ticket that I was never provided. My appeals that I had paid for 
>the Banquet where responded to with the comment "not my problem, no 
>ticket no entry". <
>
>
>I now respond:
>
>It is of course unfortunate that this happened.  Having not attended the 
>Denver event I cannot say with any certainty why this occurred, whether 
>Carl was inadvertently not given a physical ticket or whether Carl 
>missed the "banquet table assignments" listed on the schedule.  But it 
>does appear to have been handled in a less-than diplomatic manner.
>
>Before I go further, a little background:
>
>Over 30 years ago, you bought your banquet ticket and went to the 
>banquet.  Trouble was, with several hundred people attending the banquet 
>and wishing to sit with their friends, when the doors opened to the 
>banquet room there was an "Oklahoma land rush" to grab tables and save 
>seats.  It was bordering on becoming an ugly mess.
>
>So Hal Marcus, at the time CORSA's hired executive, came up with the 
>idea of the "banquet ticket exchange," whereby once at the convention 
>you traded the ticket you received at registration for a new one, with 
>an assigned seat.  This has evolved into today's "banquet table 
>assignments," which is essentially the same thing although in a slightly 
>streamlined fashion.
>
>Generally, it has worked well which is why it is still used.
>
>But I want to ask the group's opinion of something:
>
>For 2012, in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, a trial balloon has been floated 
>about a different way of handling banquet seating.  The idea is to 
>further simplify the process and to encourage members to meet and mingle 
>with new people.  The proposal is, assign the banquet seats as the 
>tickets are ordered, period.  You will be seated at a table with other 
>members based solely on the randomness of when you and those other 
>members' registrations were processed.
>
>Of course, spouses will remain together as will families registering as 
>one.  But that's all.  The expectation is that this will be easier for 
>the organizers and a great way for attendees to sit not with their 
>friends from home but with potential new friends from all around the 
>country if not the world.
>
>In your opinion, is this idea inspired or insipid?
>
>--Bob Marlow
>
>
>
>
>
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