Anyone thought about Mobile Bay Reef Club T-Shirts

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AgeDynasty
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Anyone thought about Mobile Bay Reef Club T-Shirts

Post by AgeDynasty »

Just an idea i had trying to spread the word about the club
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jt3069
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Re: Anyone thought about Mobile Bay Reef Club T-Shirts

Post by jt3069 »

that is kinda interesting
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Fishfood
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Re: Anyone thought about Mobile Bay Reef Club T-Shirts

Post by Fishfood »

I think this was done way back when they started MBRK and had meetings. My question is is this really a club or just a message board? MBRK is not like LARC or Panhandle Reefkeepers. While they also have websites/message boards they also have meetings, and dues paying member. I don't want to open that can of worms here again.
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Re: Anyone thought about Mobile Bay Reef Club T-Shirts

Post by AgeDynasty »

I understand what your saying. I was just thinking after seeing the group in LA, it might get the word out about us. I was just trying to think of some ways to get more people noticed in the club.
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Re: Anyone thought about Mobile Bay Reef Club T-Shirts

Post by jt3069 »

i don't mean to open anything up here but what happened to the "old" club as you say
i honestly wouldn't mind having dues and the meetings
in a local area!!!
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Re: Anyone thought about Mobile Bay Reef Club T-Shirts

Post by pheonixsoul25 »

jt3069 wrote:i don't mean to open anything up here but what happened to the "old" club as you say
i honestly wouldn't mind having dues and the meetings
in a local area!!!
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Re: Anyone thought about Mobile Bay Reef Club T-Shirts

Post by Fishfood »

Andrew would be the best to answer that question. I've been around since this forum started. Back then they had frag swaps/meetings at peoples homes. There were never any dues and they didn't want to be associated with one particular lfs. I never made it to any of those meetings. I was in Pensacola at the time and driving to work in daphne ever day for work I just didn't want to drive back over for a saturday meeting. From what I understand some people became disrespectful at other peoples homes and the original group of folks started getting out of the hobby or moved on. They never wanted to have any type of dues to pay for things as they wanted it to all be free to everyone. People would bring food and drinks to the swaps.

Now I think what panhandle reefkeepers has done is successful. Quarterly meeting/frag swaps at different stores/locations. I wasn't a fan of the dues part but they have it and have a private part of their forums for those who pay dues. Members with cards can also get some discounts at certain lfs. LFS can also pay to be a sponsor which helps pay for the web site. The dues pay for things at quarterly meetings, food, renting a location for the meeting if it isnt' at a lfs or park.
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Re: Anyone thought about Mobile Bay Reef Club T-Shirts

Post by andy4499 »

I was around when they did the sales for the t-shirts and I think I may still have the one that I bought. It was sometimes fun to go to the meetings that we had at other hobbyist homes and see everyone’s tanks. Drew is correct the meetings started becoming a drinking fest and some things got out of hand at peoples homes. I hosted a couple of the meetings and personally never had any problems and at the last one that I held at my place not one person had anything to drink and it was pretty organized. I was going to host one a year or so ago before I moved my tank, but with the way work has done me in the past couple of years it has been for me to be in town long enough to organize anything. May be one day someone will try and have another meeting or something locally.
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Re: Anyone thought about Mobile Bay Reef Club T-Shirts

Post by Amphiprion »

Disrespect certainly precipitated it, along with a lot of initial founding members dropping out of the hobby. Meetings declined after that and eventually stopped altogether. Even then, it wasn't a club like most of the ones you see and hear about. The group was much more laid back and social, which may have, in part at least, led to the eventual demise of the "club." One issue we have compared to the panhandle reefers is a comparative paucity of stores and locations to meet, even if those locations in particular agreed to a meeting. Dues and vendors are another thing altogether. I'm not opposed to dues, but a vendor system would be a pain to keep up with and would only really earn retailers their own personal forums--probably not enough incentive for most. That's not my call, however, and is entirely up to the admin, since it would involve site changes, etc. I know he's busy enough as it is, so that may be asking too much. As far as dues go, we'd actually have to agree on meeting times/dates AND attend one before that should ever even be considered. Every meeting we've attempted has fallen through, either through personal circumstances or lack of interest/enthusiasm, though several folks tried hard to make it happen. It wouldn't be ethical to collect dues when there's nothing to appropriately use them on, complicating things even further. I'm not sure how many people would have the time and willingness to go through the trouble and whether it would be worthwhile for a more passive "group" as ourselves.
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Re: Anyone thought about Mobile Bay Reef Club T-Shirts

Post by Fishfood »

Andrew - I'm not so sure it would be hard to keep up with vendor sponsors and keeping them in their own vendor forum say like the sponsor forum on RC, panhandle reefkeepers or that San Diego club site that I was visiting all the time while Zack was working out there. If they keep to their forum is isn't much of a problem. If there is an official club the treasurer takes care of collecting any sponsor monies. The problem that you pointed out is we aren't busting at the seams with lfs.

Locations aren't really that much of a problem either. There are numerous parks in both mobile and baldwin county that a club could use if you wanted to keep it out of peoples homes. Panhandle Reefkeepers started in homes but grew to large to accommodate everyone, however I've been to Andys new place and I think he could fit everyone.

I think the easiest thing to do would be to do something similar to what this group originally did, even if its not at someones house. The problem is if it isn't at someones home then what all do you do outside of trading some frags.
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Re: Anyone thought about Mobile Bay Reef Club T-Shirts

Post by Amphiprion »

I'd actually like to meet for the intellectual merits. Lots of folks I'd enjoy speaking to in person. Presentations would also be great, though I fear that'd be seen as work by most. Guest speakers would occasionally be nice. As far as frags go, I would only be able to give away seagrass. I'd be less interested in frags and trading than most, I think.

As far as vendors go, I'm not sure how much of a benefit each would get from a personal forum...at least enough to pay for what they already can do for free now.
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Re: Anyone thought about Mobile Bay Reef Club T-Shirts

Post by jt3069 »

i like both of ya'lls ideas as far as having a place the dues could go toward renting out say a community center most are around parks as well
to accomidate frag swaps and guest speakers
im with Amphiprion id much rather see presentations and guest speaker
to draw attention most clubs have raffles and that alone causes good turnouts,
another thing dues go for !!!

and a no drinking policy would have to be a must,
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Re: Anyone thought about Mobile Bay Reef Club T-Shirts

Post by Fishfood »

I think people might just be standing by waiting to see someone step up. I think if someone were to do that they should do what Andrew suggested and just make it an informal swap/meeting to start and see what kind of response they get. If it continues with more people showing up then they can decided if any club fee is needed to help bring in guest speakers/refreshments/location fees.

As for sponsors for the club I'd have to disagree about your last comment Andrew. I agree they may seen no need to pay particularly if the club isn't big, but if it gains ground and the club should decide they want sponsors the mods of the site would be in charge of policing the web site if a vendors section was set up and thats where they were allowed to post. While they would no doubt be able to post in all forums, they would only be allowed to post stock, sales or things like that in their own forum.

And yes Andrew I agree just sitting around talking shop is what would happen but doing it without the backdrop of an aquarium just might seem dull. I imagine DIY demonstrations could be a hit also.
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Re: Anyone thought about Mobile Bay Reef Club T-Shirts

Post by jt3069 »

i was reading another site that set-up diy work shops
ex.. thay had a acrylic work shop were they worked with acrylic building sumps ect..........
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Re: Anyone thought about Mobile Bay Reef Club T-Shirts

Post by Kresnahw22 »

I would like to see this old site come back alive and the clubs come back. I do know I am fairly new to the site but back when I bought some frags from Andy he explained what the old days here were and I was interested. It would really be nice on the shirts, frags swaps, as for the sponsors the vendors section on here could be used to keep there posts on sales in. Its Like the site needs a good update and some of us reefers to spread the word and get new members to join and contribute and bring life back into it like the old days. One other thing we all need to contribute to see it happen.
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