Club Car

Next year, our Rocky Mountain Region convention will be in Utah. This will be the first time since 1998 that our convention has been west of the Continental Divide. The one exception to this may be the year 2000. I have no record of that convention. Maybe that is because I was having heart surgery instead.

The next year (2015), we will be back on the Front Range with the South Suburban Division as hosts.

Of the 38 conventions prior to 2000 that I have record of, seven were west of the Continental Divide. These were in Salt Lake, Grand Junction and Durango.

Of the last eight conventions, two each were done by the Rio Grande and Northern Colorado divisions. Sunrise did three, one of these with the help of the South Suburban Division. Two of these were out of town. The eighth was done by myself, in Chama.

I am often asked “Why are all the conventions on the east side of the region?” Or, “Why don’t we have a convention near my home?” The answer is simple. It takes people who are willing to put out the effort to put together a convention.

The Region web site has documents that would help plan a convention. These are the Convention Guidelines. In addition, I have several computer tools that can make it easier. These include registration and accounting programs that run in MS Access, sample budgets, letters, etc., plus, an Access program for requesting door prizes and advertising.

In addition, there are experienced members around the region that would provide advice and assistance in getting a convention going.

So, if you want a convention near home, get a couple fellow modelers together and go for it.

Dick Hunter

Vice President

Rocky Mountain Region, NMRA