RE: [Killietalk] Re: What do I get for my quarter?

["Al Anderson" <killiman at iquest_net>]

I am still trying to find a Red roof next to a big unoccupied barn with a
fish pond for Indy. Are ya gonna work on it Tom?


For somebody to touch my life is a privelege,
To touch somebodys life is an honor
but to help others to touch their own life
it is an unspeakable pleasure!

-----Original Message-----
From: killietalk-bounces at aka_org [mailto:killietalk-bounces at aka_org]On
Behalf Of k8cz at att_net
Sent: Monday, May 02, 2005 1:15 PM
To: killietalk at aka_org
Subject: [Killietalk] Re: What do I get for my quarter?

I've been lurking and watching this thread for some time.  Believe me this
is nothing new, we had the same discussion back in the 70's when I first
became an AKA member.  The bottom line here is that the AKA provides a
tremendous value for its members, most of which would be unavailable without
the proceeds from the annual convention.

When I started, and Al can back me up here, the Journal consisted of 30 or
40 pages all B&W.  There was no color, it came later after several good
years at the convention.  The Wildekamp project is the same.  And dues very
nearly covered printing and mailing costs for the BNL and Journal.  Believe
me, I was deeply involved in this aspect of the AKA as Membership Chair in
the 80's.

Further, the AKA Convention fees are not that high when compared to other
organizations to which I belong.

American Radio Relay League  Hamvention 2005  $20  but the fees are greatly
subsized be various manufacturers (several $M) renting space to sell their
wares. No auction. Dues: $40 annually. Membership 190,000 and publication
costs are offset nearly 100% by massive advertising in the monthly Journal

American Hemerocallis Society  $200  yeh, that's right two hundred and
that's $400 for the wife and I.  100% donations to the auction, and if you
think rare killies are expensive, try bidding on the latest and greatest
Daylily.  Dues: $15 annually about 4000 members.

As for the hotel cost, this is a function of the going rates in the area.
Twenty years ago I paid $100/night in D.C. that was with the AAA discount.

Going rate in Cincinnati now is about $90.

Can we have a convention in a less expensive locale?  Sure, we just need a
local club to host it--somewhere cheap. Any volunteers?

Tom Isgro  #1317
Hamilton, OH

-------------- Original message from
killietalk-request at aka_org: --------------


> Date: Mon, 2 May 2005 10:48:33 -0400
> From: "Koran, David HQ02"
> Subject: [Killietalk] RE: What do I get for my quarter?
> To:
>
> Since I don't have a computer at home (lots more time to clean fish tanks
and
> maintain food for killies!) I only saw the gripes about membership costs
and
> Convention proceeds today. I feel a need to respond based on my
perspective
> as Chairman in 1981 and again in 2002. Membership dues usually just cover
> the cost of printing JAKA and the BNL and mailing them out to the members.
> Please don't start talking about how we can save money by going to
everything
> on-line because that is not what I am intending. In 1981 dues did not
cover
> the cost of these basic services and we had to use some of the revenue we
> generated from the Convention to cover those costs. For the next ten years
> we were able to grow the treasury of AKA slightly always mindful that one
> year we might have a miserable Convention and take a pretty good hit
> financially. We did get lucky about 1990 when the Wildekamp project was
> proposed to the BOT for the 5 volume set "A World of Killies" which is
> approaching completion. When one looks at our balance sheet today you
might
> be tempted to think we are floating in money, however, a major chunk of
our
> treasury today is due to the success of the "Wildekamp Project" and
> especially to the people who have worked to make it a reality, Ruud
Wildekamp
> and Brian Watters. One aspect of the agreement is that the money from the
> project is held until the project is completed (and basically a decision
is
> made on a 2nd edition). But basically it is separate money.
>
> We have established a George Maier Fund for conservation and research. It
is
> a trust fund and money awarded is from interest generated by the Fund.
> Again, this is separate and intended to be self-sustaining.
>
> A long time ago we established Life Memberships in the AKA, again a type
of
> trust fund where the interest on the accounts pays membership costs. Maybe
a
> bit risky today in light of low interest rates.
>
> We also have publication sales but this is a balancing act of acquiring
> publications for sale based on the sales of what we have in inventory and
> other than the Wildekamp books and excess JAKA's there are few original
AKA
> publications. Outside of the KMI (a 2-3 year payback on investment) don't
> look at huge profits in this area. It is mainly a service to AKA members.
>
> So maybe the real input from the Conventions over the years might be an
> average of $2-3000 per Convention (maybe too high an estimate) but even
this
> needs an explanation. The majority of this income is generated by the
"N&RS"
> fish in the auctions also from the foreign entries. For the most part
> (except for some Diapterons, Elegans or Elbertis) the cost of the trophy
> greatly exceeds what the fish goes for in the auction. Is it a fair trade,
> your "show fish" for a trophy (if worthy). Many more entries that members
> submit are basically good quality fish from their tanks that they know
they
> can spare and are willing to submit them for a chance to get an award but
> basically the fish are entered as donations for the good of the AKA. If
one
> truly is looking for cash, then they place their fish in the "fish sale".
> Even then some grouse about having to split their profit with the
sponsoring
> club.
>
> So if you think the AKA is getting rich on the backs of it's members
giving
> up their fish at the AKA Convention, you are dreaming... Al, if you wnt
> money for your fish, have someone bring them on Friday and enter them in
the
> fish sale.
>
> Dave Koran

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To join the AKA see http://www.aka.org/pages/join.html
Archives are at http://fins.actwin.com/killietalk/