fantastic and disappointing swap today

[daisy]

Manhattan Reefs, you've done it again! Tons of wonderful people came together for about 26 hours of camaraderie, teaching and learning, shopping and selling.

I personally met some really cool people, hung out with great friends, bought and even won some beautiful animals.

Sadly, what was seriously lacking was volunteerism from our membership. Within about half an hour from the end of the swap, the only folks left to clean up were the vendors, a few of the moderators, our host, one of the speakers, and me.

Clean up from swap is not that complicated. we fold up chairs, help the vendors load their stuff up, sweep and mop the floor and make sure the room looks good so that we'll be welcome to host another frag swap in this space next year. The work does not take too long and the people are cool. It's a great opportunity to get to know other MR members better.

There were so many folks at the end of the fall frag swap to help clean up - it was so disappointing that by the end today, there were only four of us sweeping, mopping and throwing away garbage.

I am certain that I am speaking for many when I encourage you to step forward and take an active role as a volunteer at the next swap.

Happy reefing and a very late good night

-Tahl

 

[Pinkheine]

T-- it was nice meeting you yesterday first and foremost.

Clean up wouldn't have been that bad if the garbage cans and it's function was utilized throughout the day by others. It was very surprising to me to see the very few left after the main crowds had gone to help in cleaning up. There was more sweat in the last portion of the day in clean up than that room saw all day long. lol

Don't be disappointed, just blame it on the sunshine as years past can't blame it on the rain.


All in all it was a good day and event. Long, tiring, (my body says painful), but interesting and fun. Thanks to all the vendors for coming and bringing most beautiful eye candy pieces. Hope it was more than worth the trip for all of you. The few pieces we picked up from some of you are happily acclimated and loving life, though I think I love them more. :tongue1:

--Sybil (the pink) and Craig (the heine aka the a$$) :lol:

 

[Dace]

Really sorry to hear, I usually do cleanup after the swap but i could not attend this time.

Manhattan Reefs, you've done it again! Tons of wonderful people came together for about 26 hours of camaraderie, teaching and learning, shopping and selling.

I personally met some really cool people, hung out with great friends, bought and even won some beautiful animals.

Sadly, what was seriously lacking was volunteerism from our membership. Within about half an hour from the end of the swap, the only folks left to clean up were the vendors, a few of the moderators, our host, one of the speakers, and me.

Clean up from swap is not that complicated. we fold up chairs, help the vendors load their stuff up, sweep and mop the floor and make sure the room looks good so that we'll be welcome to host another frag swap in this space next year. The work does not take too long and the people are cool. It's a great opportunity to get to know other MR members better.

There were so many folks at the end of the fall frag swap to help clean up - it was so disappointing that by the end today, there were only four of us sweeping, mopping and throwing away garbage.

I am certain that I am speaking for many when I encourage you to step forward and take an active role as a volunteer at the next swap.

Happy reefing and a very late good night

-Tahl

 

[nanoreefer22]

Really sorry to hear that happened and even more sorry that I couldn't stick around

 

[daaznmofo]

wat happened to the people that signed up for it?
not enough people?

 

[aznt1217]

Sounds like it was an awesome swap. I would have loved to go, but had to work :irked:. If I had gone I would've definitely helped clean up. :splitspin

 

[mckostya]

next time simply offer free admission for those who will volunteer and i guarantee you wont have problems with help before nor after.

 

[tosiek]

Was really nice to see everyones faces again and drool over alot of nice coral. Great swap and the heat didn't seem to affect the mood of people.

There was always a shortage on cleanup crew compared to what we should have after the swap. Usually 3-4 people stay aside from the mods and vendors. Sorry i couldn't stay this time, i had to do cleanup and moving when i got back for a family member. There wasn't many people sat night also this year. Last year there was a good 5+.

 

[Pinkheine]

next time simply offer free admission for those who will volunteer and i guarantee you wont have problems with help before nor after.

That is totally unneccessary. I really kept it curbed the level of my frustration in my first response. Last year we were unable to stick around and help as we have a young child and we travel from Eastern Long Island to get to the swap. By the time we get home it is well after 9pm with a school aged child that has to be on the bus at 6:50a. (Though that is besides the point, we stayed and helped as much as we could regardless.) If others could have given an extra five minutes of time.. it would have been less. Even something as simple as people using the garbage cans instead of the floor. WTF is that exactly? Leaving trash on chairs and floors? Disgusting.

This site, all of us, are lucky that we have a place like Pratt Student Union that will allow this to take place there. Many places knowing how much water was flowing, and spilling :tongue1:, not to mention the electricity used at such an event would say a solid no to a request to hold such an event there.

Out of respect for those other members, mods and vendors, above all Pratt for allowing us to hold our event there... should be enough.

Folding chairs and tables, not hard work. But playing maid to a bunch of slobs is pushing it. What ever happened to leaving someplace the same as it was when you walked in. There were more garbage cans this year than last year and still there was trash all over the place. Those that left it lying behind on the floor, chairs and tables at random should be ashamed of yourselves.

It isn't so much to ask for a few people to take a few minutes of time to help clean up at the end of such an event (or even while you are there--at least throw out your own waste) without them expecting something in return. The day alone being there, sharing time with fellow reefers, eye candy corals should be enough of a reward whether you paid for admission or not.

 

[KathyC]

Bravo Sybil - well said!

 

[inkblue]

i agRee... we should've heLpd.

my excuse... i was hungry and hot :happysad: kinda lame but truE

next time i heLp

but you gotta admit, a LOT of you guys made a MESS... peeps just leave shT on the floor.

PICK UP AFTER YOURSELF... sheesh!

no wonder some peepS tankS look like crap

 

[SUBSHOP]

TAHL, It was nice meeting you yesterday.

I hope you got to enjoy that slice i grabbed for you. The tour upstairs was nice. I left right after the tour so sorry I wasn't there to help. Letting that gentleman buy the coral you were getting from Todd at Cherry Corals was a nice gesture... even though I wanted it too LOL. Hope to see you next time and thank everyone at MR for a great swap, Neil (Subshop).

 

[Slamajamajama]

That is totally unneccessary. I really kept it curbed the level of my frustration in my first response. Last year we were unable to stick around and help as we have a young child and we travel from Eastern Long Island to get to the swap. By the time we get home it is well after 9pm with a school aged child that has to be on the bus at 6:50a. (Though that is besides the point, we stayed and helped as much as we could regardless.) If others could have given an extra five minutes of time.. it would have been less. Even something as simple as people using the garbage cans instead of the floor. WTF is that exactly? Leaving trash on chairs and floors? Disgusting.

This site, all of us, are lucky that we have a place like Pratt Student Union that will allow this to take place there. Many places knowing how much water was flowing, and spilling :tongue1:, not to mention the electricity used at such an event would say a solid no to a request to hold such an event there.

Out of respect for those other members, mods and vendors, above all Pratt for allowing us to hold our event there... should be enough.

Folding chairs and tables, not hard work. But playing maid to a bunch of slobs is pushing it. What ever happened to leaving someplace the same as it was when you walked in. There were more garbage cans this year than last year and still there was trash all over the place. Those that left it lying behind on the floor, chairs and tables at random should be ashamed of yourselves.

It isn't so much to ask for a few people to take a few minutes of time to help clean up at the end of such an event (or even while you are there--at least throw out your own waste) without them expecting something in return. The day alone being there, sharing time with fellow reefers, eye candy corals should be enough of a reward whether you paid for admission or not.

i agree emphatically...

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

There are at least two groups of thinkings working here:
1)the event is made for fun, benefit of others(never to the organisers) and even to the extreme, a charity event.
2)the event is made for money (everything for the orgranisers) and since I paid the admission, I should be serviced from head to toe.

My take: For a public event like this, we cannot expect no one thinks like the 2nd school of people. Therefore, as organiser I would pay workers to do that. Of course, that would involve cost and thus admission may be higher but at least there will no finger pointing at the end of the event because everyone will understand where they stand.

Anyway, clean up behind yourself is a proper manner whichever school of thinkings you belong.

Oh, almost forgot, even charity events I worked for, or orgranised, most if not all, have paid cleaning crew(some are provided by the premise for a charge.) Please, don't get me wrong as a complaint of the organisation of the event-I am just talking about industry standard.

I whole heartedly feel the passion and warmth of Daisy's kind heart when she come to my assistance when I was setting up.

 

[emmanuel]

I agree with you 100% Wingo
It was nice to meet you Tahl
As far as picking up garbage , I found there were plenty of garbage cans around and there is no excuse for garbage to be left around , my only complain was the heat otherwise the swap was great .

 

[ellebelle]

Wingo, that idea is definitely under discussion for the next swap.