Mary Perhaps I'm Being Unfair, But...

I realize that I am 'new' to the whole Maryland fanforce thing, but I feel like this really is much more geared towards people downstate. I can't make meetings, etc...I was invited to post here and would like to be involved in the 'Maryland Fanforce,' but maybe this is the "Baltimore" Fanforce.

Where I live is an entirely different region, and is three hours away. I located another who lives in my 'region,' and I know there have to be more. [i.e. West Virginia, NW Virginia, SW Pennsyvlania, etc.]

 

I wanted it to be the Maryland fanforce and not just Baltimore because I wanted to unify the group. I for one am not from Baltimore. I understand that you're far away and that makes going to meetings very difficult, if not impossible. I apologize for this. To me, the greatest part of being a member, is regularly posting here.

But, yes, our last few meetings has catered to a certain region. The main reason for this was that it was easier for the majority of people. Now, as our group expands and we get more membership, the majority may be located in another area. I think in the future, and hopefully as soon as our next meeting, we can arrange locations that our best for everyone. You're right, it isn't fair that you have to travel 3 hours while I travel 15-30 minutes.

With your input, and everyone else's, we should think of more centralized locations. I don't think anyone wants to lose you as a member. We don't want to lose anyone. You're a part of this group and you have a right to put in your say for the next meeting.

At the meeting this Saturday, this is something we have to discuss.

Thanks for posting your concerns, and I hope I've provided some answer for you.

 

Well saerah, we have been trying to find a more centralized location for our meetings and since we have them but once a month, it shouldn't be hard for anyone to make plans for them. Our last meeting was supposed to be the one where we discussed this very issue, but only a handful of people showed up and we weren't able to discuss it.

That's was why I would like to find someone who had a laptop and a internet connection and a place where we could "plug-in" so that members who couldn?t be at the meeting would have some type of input into what was going on.

At our next meeting, we will be discussing another meeting place and I hope that you can make it. If not, then take a look at the areas around you that you think would be a good place to have the meeting and submit them here so that we can all consider them. I know I wouldn't want to go to meetings if they were three or four hours away every time, but I know it's hard to find a place where everyone would be happy. We will just have to either vote for a centralized location or move the meetings around so that the meetings aren't always out of reach for the other members.

I know some of the other Fanforces are having the same problems of finding meeting places.

 

I'm definitely not driving three hours for a fanforce meeting, which had me considering joining the Pittsburgh fanforce because it is a little closer, but still too far away.

[image=http://www.lin-design.net/images/mapimage.gif]

This is a crappy map, and pardon me for the quick fix to show where Hagerstown + Cumberland are, but sometimes people don't realize how far Garrett & Allegany Counties are from 'civilization.' They think we're located right past Hagerstown, and from there you still have two hours to go.

 

Here's a better map, hopefully.

[image=http://www.lin-design.net/images/overviewmap.gif]

 

Saerah,

Are you Western Maryland? Anybody know how many would like to participate on that side of the state? If we go "west" - do we lose eastern shore or southern MD? Do you have any ideas for locations? Mt. Airy? Columbia? Does anybody have a clue if the 270 corrider fans would associate with "Maryland Fan Force" or DC FanForce? Any reason we couldn't rotate among, say three, locations? I don't think it should be random each month or it's hard to get new members, but a set schedule might work. For example, I'd be willing to drive to Frederick occasionally, but I wouldn't make that every month.

Maybe it would be useful to get input BEFORE the meeting on the 11th.

 

Hi, all!
Hope I'm not butting in here, but, here I guess I am anyway.

I am also a [very] new 'member', so pardon me ahead of time, if I am speaking out-of-turn.

While I'm very close to Baltimore, I was also concerned about meeting attendance/participation.

I'm married and a father of 2 (13 & 10). We're a 1 car family and have a fairly busy schedule. Sometimes I feel lucky to have some time to check these boards!

I, for one, am glad to hear that "in-person" attendance is/will not be a requirement. I also like the idea of the chat-enabled meetings. Sounds to me like these guys are on the right track, saerah.

 

Are you Western Maryland? Anybody know how many would like to participate on that side of the state? If we go "west" - do we lose eastern shore or southern MD? Do you have any ideas for locations? Mt. Airy? Columbia? Does anybody have a clue if the 270 corrider fans would associate with "Maryland Fan Force" or DC FanForce? Any reason we couldn't rotate among, say three, locations? I don't think it should be random each month or it's hard to get new members, but a set schedule might work. For example, I'd be willing to drive to Frederick occasionally, but I wouldn't make that every month.

Some marylanders think of Western Maryland as Frederick or Hagerstown, but as i mentioned, I'm two hours beyond that. Columbia isn't even anywhere near me, and Mt. Airy is still far. I think I would be more willing to say drive to Hagerstown than to Frederick, although that is just an extra 1/2 hour. It's still a lot of mileage. I see 'Maryland FanForce' but this is the "Baltimore, MD Forum."

I'm not sure what the solution is as Maryland is a large state. Perhaps regional 'representatives' are needed with subgroups that can meet...

I consider my neck of the woods to be Oakland, Deep Creek Lake, Frostburg, Cumberland, Morgantown, WV, Keyser, WV...ending at Hagerstown, MD. [Around here, we tend to think of ourselves as a "Tri-State" region as I live minutes from West Virginia and Pennsylvania. The Virginia state line isn't that far either. Winchester, VA is about the same distance for me as driving to Hagerstown.

 

kasjedi, I think it's great idea to have about 3 locations set and we rotate among them.

The chat thing is also a great idea.

 

I'm not trying to be a "separatist" here, my idea of having regional representatives does not mean there would be separate parts to the Maryland Fanforce. What it means, is that the regional representative would try to be at as many Maryland Fanforce meetings as possible, at the designated locations, as everyone cannot make it. The responsbility of the regional representative would be, I suppose, to report back to their region and have the option of having regional meetings for feedback, or just to have fun, etc.

I speak for my region when I say that transportation downstate is not always the easiest. I do live in one of the poorest, rural areas of Maryland, unfortunately. We can't hop into a cab or a bus.

 

saerah, I think that's a good idea. This is another topic that needs to be discussed at the meeting.

 

Wish I could be there
Hopefully you can get the chat set up.

 

Hey, I have asked people to set up the planetarium in Hedgesville, WV as a satellite meeting place. Great place for movies on the dome, playing x-wing on the dome, getting a high school group started. Just ask Motterman as he was here for my birthday. He lives in Frederick, MD and Eva lives in Emmitsburg, MD.

 

Being in Maryland, we should meet in Maryland, I would think.

 

Well isn't that snippy......

 

It wasn't supposed to be snippy.

 

Now..now ladies. Play nice!!



:::runs away:::

 

Everything's fine

 

saerah first off let me say hello and second I'm the Administrator for this region. If you can make a thread in FanFOrce commications about starting a fanForce chapter in your area I'd more than willing to give your area a forum of it's own. I only ask that you can show me atleast two other people besides yourself that want to participate. If you have any questionsdon't hestitate to PM me.

 

I think what needs to be done, and feel free to disagree with me, is that this forum's name needs to be changed to the "Maryland FanForce" forum and not the "Baltimore, MD" forum, since this fanforce chapter is state-wide and not just for one city...or at least that is what I think is trying to be done.

And what is CCFF?

Edit: I will change the forum name. I thought I already did that.

 

Well, with some states, like California, they have many chapters of their Fanforce. If you would like to start a regional Fanforce, then like Rox said, if you have more than a couple of people interested, then you can charter a Fanforce in that area. I think it would be great to have regional Fanforce chapters. That way everyone in MD can attend a meeting and we can just all collaborate with the each chapter either on this board or have one big Fanforce meeting for all the chapters to attend maybe once every three months or whenever needed.

 

Saerah (and others "out west"),

Do you have any interest in starting a chapter in your area at all? Do you think there would be enough demand that a chapter could really be functional? Or would you prefer to stick with "Maryland FanForce" if the chapter did some of our meetings in Frederick? I know that is still a bit of a drive for you, but it sounds like there are a couple of people in the Frederick area and having a meeting there might draw some people from the 270 corridor also. It doesn't sound like anybody comes from the Eastern Shore or southern MD, so maybe we could rotate between a Baltimore and Frederick meeting place.

Depending on where you live - Frederick could be between a 45 minute to 2 hour drive from the Baltimore metro area. I think if we go all the way to Hagerstown, it would be tough to get people to go that far from the central part of the state - now - if it was for a special event we did, it might be okay to go to Hagerstown, from my perspective.

I guess my real question is this. There is a meeting on Saturday. If we are to discuss meeting location - it would be best if we knew before that meeting what seems like the best idea to YOU, and others, since the meeting won't have that many people - and primarily people willing to drive to the current location. It would be pointless to try to accomodate those in Frederick or farther west if you just prefer to start a chapter of your own. Now, you can ALWAYS do that later - but, FOR NOW, do you want "Maryland FanForce" to consider your driving distance when thinking of future meetings and locations?

kasjedi

 

Karth,

I assumed I could just start attending meetings! :\

kasjedi

 

Okay - I posted tat last message to the wrong thread, and I don't know how to delete it!

 

Saerah and Kasjedi,

I live in Southern Maryland (Hollywood) and we have one member, Sithspawn who lives in Salisbury-Ocean City region. We aso have a member from Martinsburg, WV, (Isbeth) who has been faithfully making the trek for just about every meeting. You aren't the only person here that has more then an hour's drive to Baltimore for a meeting.

I do like the idea of holding meetings in varying locations, but I am in a suburban region and would still have to drive at least one hour or more to anywhere the group decides to meet.

Just my two cents!