GABIT attendees thread

[Chelle DB]

Spoiler:

Hi guys, can I just point out here that all of us Including the G4 have other "jobs" and sometimes replying takes some time. Also sometimes we get the mail and don't have an answer and have to consult to get one. If you don’t get a reply in a couple of days e-mail us again. We might have (shock horror) got caught up in our real life and forgotten we hadn’t replied. Or assumed someone else had.
With regards to donations and stuff for the event. We are grateful for all donations, but we have been at this lark for some time we have 8 successful events under our belts so we know several things about raising money for charity at events. Let me enlighten you to a few:
-Producing a list of items or a catalogue for the voice auction increases the interest in items and results in higher bids overall. People can plan what they might want to bid for so all items get good bids rather than the last few not doing well because people have run out of money.
-People are generous and therefore we can never put every donated item in the voice auction.
-Some types of Items do better in silent auctions.
-Some types of items do better in voice Auction where the guests can work the item.
-Not all donations and offers are suitable for raising money in the way the donator originally intends. (you would laugh at some of the suggested items we have had over the years and had to politely decline- and those would be the ones I could mention in a family environment!)
- If you have too many things alike, they all generate less revenue than they would have if auctioned at separate events. This is why we limit the number of certain items per event... like quilts.
-Some people donate items for the notoriety and not the altruistic value of making the donation. If their item doesn't generate the interest or notoriety from certain quarters they get upset. We have had several occasions where people have actually withdrawn donations when they were told their item might not go into the voice auction for instance.
-The voice auction has to be time limited and we will never get through all the items we have.
-You can't please everybody all the time and you clearly can't please some people any of the time, so when you offer a donation we specify that it is for us to use for fundraising as we see fit and not guaranteed for the voice, silent or any other specific activity. This also gives us the freedom to change things on the hoof if necessary.
So given the above, you have to be organised. This is not something you can throw together at the last minute. The Auction catalogue has been in progress for months, it has to go for printing very soon so if anything goes wrong, we have time to fix it.
On occasions where things have been taken out of our control and been left to the last minute and gone wrong, we have had to settle for second best solutions. We don't like it when that happens and do not work like that.
I want to specifically address the Quilts donations question. We had several offers or various blankets and quilts for the event and chose to turn most of them down on the grounds that if we have more than one main quilt in the auction they will not raise as much as if there is only one. I know from experience that a quilt is a huge investment in time as well as money for anyone making one and so to have it sell for less than the cost of the materials would be heartbreaking for me or any other maker. At the time that people would have asked I was personally planning on making a quilt for AT6. It was to be quite a big project and so other quilts offers for sale at the event were refused. We also refused other offers of quilts being made independently and suggested that those groups organise their own fundraising around those quilts if they still wished to make them. I have no idea how those projects have progressed, if at all.
I am going to be honest with you all here. AT5 happened in a bad place for me. I only really realised that several months later when I left my well paid job in the pharma industry and stuck to teaching. The pay is not great, and I only get paid when I teach. no holiday pay and no paid vacations. Such is the life of a self employed crafts teacher. But I think I am a nicer person with a better grip on reality and what is important in life. I have managed to stay married to my wonderful and tolerant hubby and most of my friends are still speaking to me. During my dark times I did some things I am not proud of. I hurt some really good friends and I am very fortunate that I have been able to make a mends with them. I was trying to be super woman and I ended up being superbi***.
Where's this going you might ask...
Well here it is folks, I spent this summer volunteering at the Olympics and the Paralympics. I did a selfish thing and spent my summer at Excel in an unpaid job. I have therefore not had time to make the quilt I was going to. I also frankly could not have afforded to buy the materials. But I am sure I could have got help with that. The bottom line is I have not had time. At the point I made the decision not to make the quilt another opportunity presented itself which filled the gap. On discussion we thought that was not needed either and that the replacement item should be carried over to the next event. So in the end the item I was making was also cut from the auction.
Over the last year I have also cut out some other things I had been doing, paring back my commitments to a more manageable level so I can do things properly and not rushed or bodged. Of all the things I cut I kept GABIT. It was a given that that would stay.
For the most part it is the one of the most rewarding and important thing I do in my life. It is also the most time consuming and frustrating thing. EVER.
Just this week I have wrestled with incomprehensible tax forms for the company. Spent hours making special lanyards for our stewarding teams, planning charms, organising table seating plans, sorting out hall seating plans. But I am not the only one who is a hive of activity. Every one of the staff and G4 have been planning and scheming and manufacturing things for the event for months. We are in high gear right now. We have two staff sick and one with a busted flipper, and those are just the ailments we know about. Because they are getting on with it and doing what needs to be done. We do all this stuff early, not a week before the event because we have too much to do to not have things set up. We have plan A and Plan B and a schedule for both. We’ve even discussed Plan C and even have a plan called “OMG!”
This event organising stuff is hard folks. I know we make it look easy but it isn’t. It’s draining and frustrating and when it all comes off the most amazingly uplifting.
But I have to tell you that today has not been a good day for the team. Part of all our efforts come from including people in the event. That takes up even more co-ordination, patience and diplomacy. However I find myself running rather short of the last two today.
I’m sorry people didn’t get instant replies to their mails and I am sorry if they felt slighted because we told them up front their items wouldn’t fit with the plan. But please stop the whingeing and complaining. It is the most de motivating thing we have to deal with. It also wastes time. Time I should have used doing something more important like my job list ( above) or preparing for classes tomorrow or even -shock horror - spending some quality time with that wonderful husband I mentioned. Yet here I am at the end of a three page epic....
I therefore will waste no more time and return you to your normal programming of expectant Bounciness.

Best Becks
BTW I actually met Prince Charles last week. I’ll show you all the piccies at AT6.

I LOVE YOU BECKY!!!
In fact I LOVE ALL THE G4!

All your friends who truly love & care about you will alwasy stick by you thru thick & thin, good & bad...and even those snitchy times...tho I can't imagine you ever being anything else but SuperBecks!
Keep shining G4!!

Oh and Becky, WTG on meeting Prince Charles - you lucky duck!! xo

<snipped>
I'm only going to speak for me here. Never think you are bothering me when you speak to me at Events. As long as I'm not racing alongside Amanda going from A to B I love meeting everyone. Of all the G4 I have the least contact with attendees personally until the autograph session where I have the joy of meeting you all, so shouting "hi Julia" or just having a word when you do see me is fine. Seriously. I am a people person. You all should know that by now. And EH-T we have an unfinished coffee plan from AT5 so we need to accomplish that somehow before, during or after AT6 - probably the latter! Email me! LOL!
Oh and trust me I have a whole load of fun - never worry about that (as does everyone on staff and G4).......
I'm going to head back to the vagaries of preparing a schedule for staff and a special one for Jenn and ensuring your finalised one is completely accurate. Having just spent a fair long time on the phone to John re photo timings and must head down to Nick who is downstairs working on rendering all the videos and get offs! Yep, bit of a mad house right now but lovely lovely.
Take care all and see you VERY soon!
Julia
x

Aww man...you just made me cry...I cannot wait to track you down just to say hi...I promise I will not stalk you!!

Oh my goodness. Hugs all round.
Just popping in to sayI'm getting on a plane. See you all next month!

Happy & safe travels Neep!!! xo

I wasn't sure if anything was aimed at me or not, but I just wanted to set things straight in case something like that was read into my post.
But seriously. Everyone at GABIT is awesome for all the work that they do (in their day jobs and for the events!)

Amen to that!!
Antoa - I don't think anyone saw your post as whiney...not in the slightest...you just got the ball rolling on the email issues coz believe me you were not the only one to wonder what happened with the emails. Luckily I got my problem sorted out earlier.
*hugs*

[Chelle DB]

It's authenticity - do you have a COA for example?x

Yeah - I googled it. And yes, it's real - I'll let Julia know...though I thought I had mentioned it in one of the emails I sent - tho given the hullabaloo I had with sending emails I may have sent a very brief message & left the good points out...whoops. I shall rectify this asap.

[Chelle DB]

It's not that I'm illiterate, there are just some words that have never been used in my presence...however it now added to my vocabulary...another word to stump my brothers with...makes for some cool entertainment when I use "big" words in my brothers' presence.

[MidwifeOnBoard]

I didn't think you were whining!

It's hard because there's so much work that goes on, and has been going on for months that nobody sees or knows about, and sometimes people maybe get a bit overprotective.

Julia's been flat out since since AT5 Lol, Rebecca too - and being Robocop... and almost everyone else too - I mostly do sarcasm, so my workload's fairly light

But don't feel bad, there are people who complain a lot, but I'm pretty sure that wasn't anything personally aimed at you.

I don't envy you guys at all. While I am ever grateful that the work y'all do gives me a fun event to come to and hang with my friends, having organized a few *small* events, I can't even begin to imagine the stress of organizing this one.

[SamJackShipLover]

Becky, tx for the interesting insight in how auctions work.

Having organised a big music festival last year, I kinda know what you guys are going through. It just ain't normal how much detailed work goes into an event, let alone so many events in a row! I was nearly burned-out afterwards and immediately quit the committee.

You guys are doing great, cause at the evens, it all seems like it wasn't so much work at all

Also, I can vouch for Amandas fleece blanket (Amanda ... if it's the same?). Most awesome baby item ever!

[antoa]

Also, I can vouch for Amandas fleece blanket (Amanda ... if it's the same?). Most awesome baby item ever!

Yep, it's the same. Well, not identical, but close. I didn't write down the whole pattern so I am making a few things up as I go again I figure it's better this way so both will be completely unique.

I think I might have to make a 3rd one for me.

[EH-T]

EH-T, first off thanks for confirming that Becka is getting emails! LOL! She and I have had a long conversation today trying to unravel the vagaries of the email system which she inherited and it seems that the missing emails are few and far between so that's good. I know, from having sat with her in her new house last week along with the head of the Hearing dogs fundraising for the South East, that she has an enormous list of fund raising items ready, listed and catalogued. It seems that there are but a few last minute things to sort out only. So that is good. I've also had humungous contact with Jill at S4K. The auction is going to be AWESOME people! AWESOME! Oh, and no apologies but having just reviewed the final cut of Jenn and mine charity video - bring tissues! Lot's!!!

Let me answer the question of whether we originally considered our events to be one off. Yes. In 2005 AT1 was a one off. We had no intention of doing more. We wanted to do one. Then Amanda wanted to do a second one, and that went to a third and the rest is history. So we have learned across ten years since we formed the company (it's Gabit's tenth anniversary at AT6) how these things work and we hope each event gets better than the last.

I'm only going to speak for me here. Never think you are bothering me when you speak to me at Events. As long as I'm not racing alongside Amanda going from A to B I love meeting everyone. Of all the G4 I have the least contact with attendees personally until the autograph session where I have the joy of meeting you all, so shouting "hi Julia" or just having a word when you do see me is fine. Seriously. I am a people person. You all should know that by now. And EH-T we have an unfinished coffee plan from AT5 so we need to accomplish that somehow before, during or after AT6 - probably the latter! Email me! LOL!

Oh and trust me I have a whole load of fun - never worry about that (as does everyone on staff and G4).......

I'm going to head back to the vagaries of preparing a schedule for staff and a special one for Jenn and ensuring your finalised one is completely accurate. Having just spent a fair long time on the phone to John re photo timings and must head down to Nick who is downstairs working on rendering all the videos and get offs! Yep, bit of a mad house right now but lovely lovely.

Take care all and see you VERY soon!

Julia
x

Glad to hear the auction will be awesome (as they always are).

So Amanda is to "blame".

Contact with you does get limited to the auto line because you are usually with Amanda. She is messing up your scoial life. Of course, we are reluctant to approach you at those times. We do usually chat in the autograph line but, by necessity, that must be brief. I would love to make our coffee date and will e-mail you about that.

Very glad to hear everyone has fun despite the stress of the event.

Looking forward to seeing everyone.

Sitting in the sun outside Sydney airport. Next stop Mumbai.

[ames]

I seem to recall at AT4 (I think?) I spent more time chatting with Julia than I did with Amanda at the autograph line ... whoops? AT3 I kept them from their lunch ... but the last few times, I've been *very* good at both behaving and following instructions - just ask the stewards!

Hey Mayo - what happened to sleep being for the weak? (Or was that for the week *after* AT6? Hmmmm....)

The GABIT team at large does amazing work - the fact that we don't see more OMG plans is evidence of that IMO! I really wish I could help out more ... although some might argue that a well-behaved ames is an excellent start.

I was describing the auction to my coworker Sat night - the crazy fun of the event ... you should've seen her face when I described the auctioning off of the invisible nubbin! As she put it: Y'all really are serious about your fundraising, aren't you??? (Although the fact that anything would surprise her after I explained why I was the bluejelloqueen amused me LOL)

I can't wait until we're all taking over the Ren lobby once again! *bounces*

[lame moose (mocha)]

[QUOTE=MayoGate;

Mocha?

I love you too ahahahaha
x[/QUOTE]
now were you being sarcastic there or sincere?

[mthet]

Bit wary of giving away ALL my secrets... Lol

Ames, I've been promised lots of coffee. And in the same breath been told to 'suck it up' hahahaha

I think Jennkins is bringing extra red bull and a cattle prod. I can't believe it's nearly time, kinda feels like AT5 was this year, but think that's just my brain remembering chevron instead. Looking forward to the internet reunion

[lame moose (mocha)]

wow, great news for those who live anywhere near chicago or would like to, travel to chicago. amanda signed up to do the creationent.com chicago con next august. that's a 20minute drive for me. no airfare, no hotel bills. i think i can afford to go. that means i won't have to wait till AT7 to see her again.
STARSONG-i guess we will be meeting there? these cons don't hold a candle to the gabit ones but will go just to see amanda again. good, now i won't feel all depressed when i get back from across the puddle in november. i'll have something to look forward to and i won't even have to hire someone to care for mom or Bubba. yeah!

[Chelle DB]

I seem to recall at AT4 (I think?) I spent more time chatting with Julia than I did with Amanda at the autograph line

Me too!! That was awesome though - for me it was just too special...then of course there was Amanda who was lovely too...I eventually remembered to take a breath and ask her to sign my bears butt!!

I can't wait until we're all taking over the Ren lobby once again! *bounces*

Me too!!!

[Celandine]

wow, great news for those who live anywhere near chicago or would like to, travel to chicago. amanda signed up to do the creationent.com chicago con next august. that's a 20minute drive for me. no airfare, no hotel bills. i think i can afford to go. that means i won't have to wait till AT7 to see her again.
STARSONG-i guess we will be meeting there? these cons don't hold a candle to the gabit ones but will go just to see amanda again. good, now i won't feel all depressed when i get back from across the puddle in november. i'll have something to look forward to and i won't even have to hire someone to care for mom or Bubba. yeah!

Not fond of Creation events but the lure is definitely there. Only a 45 min drive in for me. Besides, I've roommates already lined up who've booked their tickets so it's too good to pass up for me as well!

[EH-T]

wow, great news for those who live anywhere near chicago or would like to, travel to chicago. amanda signed up to do the creationent.com chicago con next august. that's a 20minute drive for me. no airfare, no hotel bills. i think i can afford to go. that means i won't have to wait till AT7 to see her again.
STARSONG-i guess we will be meeting there? these cons don't hold a candle to the gabit ones but will go just to see amanda again. good, now i won't feel all depressed when i get back from across the puddle in november. i'll have something to look forward to and i won't even have to hire someone to care for mom or Bubba. yeah!

I'm also not a big fan of Creation events but am on a bit of a quest to see CJ one day. I've also always wanted to see Chicago. This is one more bit of incentive.

[Celandine]

I'm also not a big fan of Creation events but am on a bit of a quest to see CJ one day. I've also always wanted to see Chicago. This is one more bit of incentive.

That's my incentive as well. Just booked my ticket for the weekend and will be picking up a photo op for CJ later.