Re: [SPAM]Re: Google Docs and Spreadsheets

**"* D* I* <g*@enter.net>**

As a board member, I can answer the last question.  We are not all on the
list.  Although I think a majority may be present.

I would like to comment on Penny's and Sheri's response to Kathy's original
note.  GWA meetings whether national or regional are an integral part of
this organization.  Countless times and through many surveys, we hear that
networking face to face is one of the most important member benefits.  

As a regional and now national director, I've organized 10 regional meetings
over the last several years and also served on the local arrangements
committee for the Brandywine Symposium.  It's by no means the easy slam-dunk
that many attendees seem to think it is.  The opening agenda is to develop a
budget that is reasonable for the costs that will be incurred.
Planning/Finding a venue, hiring a hall, booking tours and speakers to say
nothing of connecting with a caterer/s all takes time and money.  I always
have a raffle which also involves pan handling for donations from our
gracious suppliers (thank you one and all for your many years of faithful
contributions!--you know who you are)  You'll need to keep track of all of
the reservation and related booking information (I've developed several
spread sheets for this aspect of planning)  When the day of the meeting
arrives, you will invariably be dealing with the last minute reservations
from people who "forgot" or hearing from people who "need to cancel."  Then
you will still need to print out the name badges, organize the attendance
list of people and addresses/phone numbers for future follow-up, and print
out all of the hand outs that the speakers have sent you.  Finally, if it's
scheduled to be a long meeting, you need to plan for hotel and restaurant
suggestions for the members that want to stay over and/or eat afterwards.
It can be a daunting task.  

Do not read this letter as any form of gripe.  I love this job!  I love to
do meeting planning and getting to talk to all of my friends from this
organization.  I think we should have more regional meetings!  I'm 100% in
favor of them.  But the organization needs to realize that the
regional/national directors are only volunteers.  I would love for someone
to come to me in Region II and volunteer to plan and host a meeting.  I'd
attend in a heart beat.  I'm sure Sheri's regional/national director would
love to have her volunteer to put one together.

And Kathy has done a wonderful job on presenting her thoughts on the web
site.  The board meeting occurs in January.  I'm certain it will be an item
on the agenda.  Thanks for all your hard work!

Sincerely

Kirk R. Brown
Joanne Kostecky Garden Design, Inc

-----Original Message-----
From: gardenwriters-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
[g*@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Renee Beaulieu
Sent: Friday, December 01, 2006 12:28 PM
To: gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [SPAM]Re: [GWL] Google Docs and Spreadsheets

Hi Kathy,

Thanks so much for info on Google docs. I'd seen the link but hadn't gotten
around to checking it out (partly because I couldn't imagine switching from
Word, but now I understand that it's a tool for a different use.) The new
Google toolbar also allows you to save your bookmarks to the web, so you can
access them from any computer -- pretty useful if you're traveling or
working from both home and office.

Also great ideas for the GWA web site -- having links available online, and
a combined feed resource makes a lot of sense. One of the great benefits of
an online database of members/resources is that it's updated instantly --
you don't have to clip address changes out of Q&T and tape them into the
directory for a year. And the directory could be in pdf format, as well, for
anyone who prefers having a printout in a binder. There would also be
significant savings of $$ and trees -- if the board feels most of the
membership is ready to make the switch. They probably need to know how many
folks are still stuck with dial-up connections -- assuming everyone has made
the switch to computers for writing and research by now. ... out of
curiosity, do you know if all the board members are on this listserv?

Cheers,

Renée

-- 
Renée Beaulieu
2882 Erie Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45208
renee.beaulieu@gmail.com

V 513-322-0384
F 866-218-1294
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For GWL website and Wiki, go to
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