BAC Fest 2008

Clinderman

Clinderman

Around The Moon
Dan Jonas and I have made a lot of progress getting BAC Fest '08 organized. It is shaping up to be the best yet, we think. As you know the big show is October 8-12th at Santa Maria, CA (KSMX). We'll be staying at the Radisson Hotel which is located right at the airport, in fact you will be able to taxi up to the hotel, unload the plane and walk right into the lobby to register!

One thing we'd like to hear from you about is the spouse luncheon. Last year, at the request of some spouses who attend BAC Fest in Wichita, we set up a separate luncheon for spouses and one for members. The reason given was that the spouses weren't interested in the club business portion of the event. The separate luncheon in Myrtle Beach seemed to go well for the ladies.

Since Myrtle Beach, however, we have heard that some spouses would have preferred to lunch with the members and just excuse themselves if they weren't interested in the club business portion of the lunch.

So, Dan and I want to know, should we set up separate luncheons for spouses? Please provide your input through the poll.

Thanks and see ya in California!
Chris L.
 
Chris,

What about a lunch all together then before the business starts we send the ladies to a lounge area for tasting of wines from the region? I am sure they will not turn down some drinks. :)
 
Wine Tasting

Nothing wrong with the wine tasting idea, but the group is not large enough to have any wineries show up to do such a thing. We would have to provide the wine and someone to pour. That would be something we might have to set up with the hotel to see how it would be handled. Probably not inexpensive either.

At Myrtle Beach, the wives were on their own between lunch and dinner as I recall. I think the question is....do they join us for lunch or not.

Dan Jonas
 
I think it would be a HUGE MISTAKE TO ELIMINATE THE SPOUSES' LUNCHEON. This was suggested by Dusty Buttram after our first BAC Fest in Wichita as one of the things BAC could do to make the wives feel more welcome and I think it was one of the best additions to the agenda for BAC Fest 2007.

Cloyd
 
Spouse Lunch

Cloyd,

I am sure that there are spouses who are interested in the luncheon. However, you have made the assumption that this is a wives group and at BAC 2007 it was. We do have female members and one of them (from the west coast) would likely be there for the event. I know that if I were the only male attending the spouse's luncheon, I would feel a little uncomfortable. A room full of eligible women, that might be fun.

I am not argueing for it or against. I cast my vote based on what my wife said. I know and respect that Dave B's wife felt the need for it after BACFest 2006. However, the issue came up again and there are wive's (apparently 7 to 1) right now, who do not feel the same. I am not sure that this issue has anything to do with what a "member" thinks or feels. The vote cast should be the spouse's vote.

Dan Jonas
 
Dan,

If some of the spouses want to attend the Members' luncheon and listen to all the boring stuff we talk about (financial report, STCs, drawing of plane parts, etc.) they're welcome to come. But don't eliminate the Spouses' Luncheon for those that want it.

Cloyd

PS where is the polling place?
 
Though the poll will remain open and it is leaning towards one happy group lunch, our speaker has volunteered to do a luncheon talk for the spouses. I hesitate to say "ladies' luncheon" because we have some female members and their spouses are males. I'm not sure where those guys will eat! :lol:

Anyway, most likely we'll offer two venues for lunch. The spouses can make their choice when they register.

Dan and I just wanted to try to do what the membership prefers. Keep the input coming, it sure helps!!!!

Chris
 
I can say for my better half that although she enjoyed her lunch she was seriously disasppointed to miss out on the awards and as the effective CFO who approves our ongoing investment into the fastest money pit on the block she feels involved and likes to hear what is going on and being done by the club.

I don't think either one of us oppose the spouses opportunity to not be bored by all the minutae but in 2007 if they want to see the awards and business meeting they should have the option, and the vibe was the split wasn't really optional in Myrtle Beach.

We're perfectly in line with the consensus of folks like Doug, Cloyd and Chris that if that's what people want, two luncheons is okay but it should be a matter of choice as to which one the spouses attend.
-=-
Mark
 
If BAC makes separate luncheons available for 2008, folks will vote with their fingers and feet; and we'll have better input for 2009.
 
Why not try to have two luncheons, and do the awards and club business at the dinner. That way, you have two seperate events...the Hangar flying (for the men...not sure what the women talk about) at lunch. And then at Dinner, do the awards, club business and so forth at the dinner. As it was, I missed the awards at the luncheon due to my weather related late arrival, so I missed out. However, Jeanne said she liked the presentation on the Beech wing at Tulahoma and began to understand more of what I'm doing as a mechanic, pilot and club member. Said that it put things in perspective a bit better. She also said she liked meeting the wives, and the seperate pictures of the wives from the pilots, and the combined pictures a nice touch.

With that in mind, why could we not try this format.....Seperate luncheons, and then a combined evening meal with Club business and awards to go. But, we should also figure out how to give the Wives / girlfriends (in case of wives / girlfriends who are pilots and husbands are not, same consideration)who flew most miles in a year to BAC events....I believe that we need to start working our significant others into the equation, as they are the CFO's most of the time, and would also make them feel a part of our Flying world in more ways than not...

Just my two cents worth...

Monty Spencer..
 
If we have two separate luncehons, which I think we should, we can do the club business at the members' luncheon and the awards at the evening dinner.

What I heard after Wichita, when we didn't have a separate luncheon for the ladies, was that many were bored by the "airplane stuff" at the dinner meeting.
 
Actually, the reason we had two luncheons in Myrtle Beach is because we had the awards and club stuff at the banquet in 2006...the ladies were bored to tears!!

I think we'll go with two luncheons, spouses can decide when they register. The member luncheon will consist of awards, announcements, and club business.

Spouses will be allowed to choose but there is a speaker planned for the (mostly) ladies luncheon. It is not absolutely, 100% firmed up yet but it is very likely the ladies will get a special treat at their luncheon!

So, BAC members, there will be two luncheons!

More news as things unfold but your BAC Fest planning committee is working hard to make this the best ever!

Chris L.
 
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