The Official Comic Cookout Six: Nashvegas! (2009) Thread

[Rkolter]

I regret to inform that I had to take the steps to change my attendance from the 75 % so far, to fully 100 % !

Yes, the tickets has been bought, and I will at the cookout once again!

Most Excellent!

[Ekolter]

With all I packed just for the tyke for a long weekend at grandparents - we're probably gonna need two cars.

[Laemkral]

I really want to go to this, but alas, I can't. 17 + no cash + no chance in hell my parents will pay or provide transportation =
Well, next year, maybe.
...
Man, I haven't been on the forums here for awhile.

It's attitudes like this that are the reason the CG Trip Fund has no one on the list, which is probably the biggest reason there's no DONATIONS.

[Fading Aura]

Quick reminder: the donation fund will close in one week. If you need some help getting to the cookout, by all means, e-mail me at stlcookout@gmail.com or send a PM my way. The donation fund is currently empty, but that's probably because no one has asked to be on the list.

[Ekolter]

How many people have signed up?

[Tim]

Not enough.

Though I'll likely be adding my name fairly soon. (To register, I don't think it's very kosher of me to sign up for a donation.)

[Aeridus]

Why is the donation fund closing? I'll be glad to donate once people apply to be on the list.

[Laemkral]

I would have happily donated seeing as I can't make it this year, but quite frankly I'm disappointed that no one has even put their name into the donation fund. It's a shame since I've been occasionally harassing people in chat to put their name in, but at this point I really no longer feel compelled to help due to the lack of interest.

An extra shame since I was going to pretty much straight up cover the flight expenses for someone to make it to the cookout. Snooze, you lose.

[Fading Aura]

Why is the donation fund closing?

According to the cookout website, "We will stop taking submissions on March 28, 2009. This gives us time to purchase travel tickets before the prices exceed the limitations of the fund." This is actually two weeks longer than last year because it took a little extra time to get things set up with the change in hands.

There's still time if someone wants their name on the list; according to this thread, there are people willing to donate. You just have to let me know either through e-mail ( stlcookout@gmail.com ) or a private message here.

And hey, don't let the lack of names on the donation list keep you from donating. According to the website, there are only 10 people (including Tristan Kolter) going to the cookout this year. That means we won't be breaking even on this one unless a bunch of people sign up before May 1st.

[Hogan]

Not enough.

Though I'll likely be adding my name fairly soon. (To register, I don't think it's very kosher of me to sign up for a donation.)

Yesss... do sign up! And everybody else who want to participate but hasn't signed up yet... get to it!

Some potential cookoutgoers might be put of by seeing how few people are on the list, but if they see the list swell, they might think it over and decide to go!

It's not a secret that the large number of people present at the cookout two years ago was what persuaded me to invest in expensive tickets and join up from afar. To get to meet so many peopl you've so only know from afar was something I HAD to try.
... the year after and this year I join and joined because of the friendships I made the first time

[Aeridus]

Well, I went ahead and donated then. Hopefully it'll help.

[Nanda]

I feel like a total dick, but Sketchy and I are going to have to take our names off the list, we're not going to be able to make it this year afterall. It's not a money issue, it's a scheduling issue. Sorry guys.

[Aeridus]

Aw. *sends Nanda a time traveling machine*

[Hogan]

Sorry to hear that Nanda, I missed you last year

... and now I feel I have jinxed the proces by posting and encouraging people to get the sign up done...

[Aeridus]

Just sign people up without their permission, I'm sure they won't mind. ;P

[Dragonkingdoms]

11 (well, 9 actually), if you count the fact that I signed up and wasn't added. Maybe April will turn out better?

[Americangothic]

Dragon Kingdoms--
I'm sorry about not getting you posted on the list! I found your registration form and I did get it. I use gmail, and it got stacked into the mail that all arrived on a single day. There are certain things I really dont like about gmail. I'll repair the cookout attendance list ASAP.

[Americangothic]

Thanks to a fantastic donor, we now have 1,000.00 in the trip fund! So please, if you would like to be considered-- drop Aura or I an email. You can reach me at nashvillecookout@yahoo.com

Yes, this year is kinda slow. We kinda expected that with the economy and the fact that the cookout has moved. We probably won't break even this year, which means that many of the expenses for the cookout will come out of my personal pocket, or out of what ever is left of the donation fund.

I'd like to explain some stuff and give some transparency to the cookout mechanics. What happened this year is that Beth and Ryan asked me to do it. As soon as I found out, I went to Nashville for a day and priced hotels and conference centers, looking for one that would be within a certain budget.

I guessed at 20 people X 35.00 per person = 700.00 Almost all conference centers that were nice were a minimum of 400.00 per day. I was able to get a better deal with the Quinta because we would be able to get a 10 block of rooms. They gave me the meeting room for 200.00 per day and that would give us 300.00 for catering the lunch itself. That would not include any transportation costs or extras. That would be meeting room and catering only.

We looked into Neely's BBQ, which is one of the best companies in Nashville and is very well known. They would be able to do a luncheon for 20 under our budget. With the left overs from the budget, I planned on renting a 12 person large transport van because the last two years that I've attended, we have packed my minivan and people have been very dependent me providing transportation. The van would be about 75.00 per day. If I drive the rented van, and someone else drives my mini-van, we would have enough transport for everyone to get around Nashville and see the sights no problem.

In the past Beth and Ryan over the years have taken on a substantial personal financial burden in hosting the cookout and should really be thanked for it. In these economic times, it's just not possible to do such a large shebang again... and there is a good chance that next year it will not happen at all unless someone wishes to come forward and donate 40+ hours of their personal time and about 1,000.00 of their own personal funds to make it happen.

We have been very blessed to have Aura work on the website, and I want to thank everyone who has volunteered their time and effort into this. Should we not fill the block of hotel rooms, the budget for the cookout will go up because of the contract to the hotel but hopefully canceling the rental van will make up for it. They want a minimum amount of profit, regardless of how many of us show up.

*hugs*
Aggie

[Hogan]

People... sign up, get to the cookout, we will like to see you there, both people of old and new!

Aggie... By no means shall the host be personally responsible for any econmical shortcomings of the cookout! If we don't at lest break even, I'll make sure of that, even if I have to get medieval with the donation drive!

'nuff said, see you at the cookout!

[Ekolter]

Hell, I even pimped it out on Cornstalker. Need to pinch Cortland and his lovely wife.They say they're coming...

Perhaps someone needs to pimp out a thread in OT. Yeah there is a sticky but most read OT over stickies.