This year, MARCA will have a hamfest booth & table at Springfest 2010. Springfest is Saturday, 13 March 2010 at the Fort McDowell Casino. (see calendar on our website) The casino has already started announcements of this event on TV. This should attract lots of hams and inquisitive people to see some type of ham activity.

The plan is to make this a social event (like always) with a few objectives. We're going to sell some treasured hamfest items. We'll have a table, setup a canopy, hang the banner, setup some chairs, put out some wares and have fun. Stuff will sell. The canopy will provide shade. The Chairs will attract some interesting people as well as provide comfort to some tired feet. The banner may provoke questions from hams and the general public. So be prepared to talk about MARCA and what we do. Those manning the site will of course collect money, give stuff away, drink coffee, eat donuts, and we’ll all have fun "hamming it up".

Having our own table this year should make this a little more fun. You can stay longer, rest between shopping, and have a place to store your finds and treasures. It's everyone's responsibility to buy interesting and thought provoking item for discussion.

If you have some personal hamfest items you would like to sell, you are welcome to do so. Please clearly mark what you are selling with your name, call, contact info, and a price. If you wish the item to be bartered, then you need to be available immediately by phone to return to the table and do your thing. It would be expected that you will have placed your name on the table schedule (see below).

Sounds like fun. The whole thing should be simple if everyone lends a hand, as discussed at our last meeting.

1. We need to find the canopy, get one to the hamfest and set it up. Who has the canopy’s? Email Norm This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
2. Setup the MARCA banner. Who has the MARCA banner? Email Norm This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
3. Work party of 2 to retrieve hamfest boxes and items from storage. Paul and Bill have volunteered to to this (Thank You). They will also bring 1 or 2 tables.
4. Chairs, the club doesn't seem to own any chairs. So we need a few someone’s to bring (volunteer) a few chairs. It would be nice to have 6 or 8 chairs. Email Norm This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
5. Donuts, rolls, n coffee ?
6. Of course there is going to be the usual "after the party cleanup". Volunteers please.
7. And remaining hamfest items, canopy, and banner need to be returned to the Storage Shed. Whoever volunteers, these items don't have to be delivered to storage immediately, but within the next week. We shouldn't have too much stuff remaining, maybe only some donuts.
8. The hardest part is manning the table during the entire event; or at least until everything is sold, the moneys in the Treasurer's hands, and everyone’s talked out and ready for lunch. If it’s busy, it’s a two (2) man job. The event starts at 7pm and goes until 12AM.  However as with all hamfests, it seems many of the seller tables are going between 6-6:30 AM. So if we start the manning schedule at 6:30AM and change out every 30 minutes, it should leave plenty of time for everyone to shop. Please send norm, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , an email on which time slot and priority you will man the booth. Get your name in quick for a preferred time slot.

Table Schedule

06:00am (pri)                                                 09:00am (pri)     Bill Hoskings, w7jsw
(2nd)                                                              (2nd)
06:30am (pri)    Tom Morrisey, kd7dca          09:30am (pri)    Paul Boyce, kj7ky
(2nd)                 Norm Johnson, aa7oo         (2nd)
07:00am (pri)                                                 10:00am (pri)     Norm Johnson, aa7oo
(2nd)                                                              (2nd)                 Tom Morrisey, kd7dca
07:30am (pri)                                                 10:30am (pri)
(2nd)                                                              (2nd)                 Bill Hoskings, w7jsw
08:00am (pri)    Norm Johnson, aa7oo           11:00am (pri)
(2nd)                                                               (2nd)
08:30am (pri)    Jim Gerwitz, ac7fn               11:30am (pri)
(2nd)                 Dave Hall, n7zpy                   (2nd)

We'll try something different to help everyone know what's going on and when. As I get emails and phone calls, I will reformat this message with status and place it on the www.w7mot.org website.

Norm Johnson, aa7oo