Proposal/Fest inquiry answers
TDI Fred - Just an FYI, it seems as though your posts are starting to get more crass/defensive sounding in tone with each one you post regarding the decision making process of TDIFest. My advice to you is to take a step back and take a look at what others are posting in response to your posts from another view point, rather than from a defensive possition.
The deal with the fest decision process/propsal submission/liability issue goes like so:
The Proposal: When a group of individuals decides to take on submitting a proposal they do so on a volunteer basis. it is a group of people who get together with the same goal in mind: Organizing/hosting a great Fest where people can come together with a common interest to have a good time, make new friends, and enjoy their time together. If people are serious in wanting to be involved with organizing a fest, than that dedication must be shown in results that takes the form of a proposal. Every proposal is different, there's no current guidlines as to what is included in a proposal (although, i'm sure at this point there will be a review and list of information that may want to be included in said proposal). This is a learning process, each year Fred and club members gain more experience and more knowledge as to what makes a good Fest and good proposal. How much work you put into making the propsal and more importantly, getting the information to support the proposal is the most important part.
The Decision: as Fred has already answered, he bases his decisions as objectively as possible when it comes to looking at the proposal. He's looking for a crew of volunteers that have done the research and taken active steps to solidifying what is being discussed in the proposal. If a proposal is handed in and is nothing more than a 2 paragraph description of what one group would like to do, that's not enough. It takes more than that to organize a Fest. He's looking for a group who has already scoped out locations, costs, thought about weekend activities, has an approporaite number of organizers/volunteers (each year is different! - in other words 1 or 2 people is not enough), and has a solid proposal with more hard evidence of being able to pull off an event like this, than just the "We propose to have the fest here...." with nothing solid to support the claim of we want!
Think of the decision making process as an interview process, with your proposal being your formal resume. You don't just hand an employer a resume with all the information their looking for, if you don't have the actual experience or foundation for being able to perform the job. and when Fred looks as your proposal and asks you questions about it (which he does), if he feels that your group is not up to the task, he will not choose you to organize it. It's that simple. Fred is your potential "employer," you must do what you can to impress him with your hard work and appreciation for the cause.
Again: the reason for it taking place in the East Coast AGAIN this year, is because no other group of volunteers has stepped up to submitt a proposal. If another group of organizers would like the Fest to be in their back yard , in another part of the country, or in their country, then let them show that they can (and re willing to) organize themselves and get a proposal submitted that lives up to Fred's/the Fests' needs and standards!
The liability: This is an event that is organized on a volunteer basis. This is an internet club that you are a member of. the club is not responsible for any wrong doing, accidental or purposeful injruy, damage to yourself or your machine, etc. the fest is an
ATTEND AT YOUR OWN RISK event. If you so choose to go, then it is your responsibility to make sure that you are abiding by the laws, that you work on your car responsibily (as there are plently of qualified people at this event to help you do so), and that you treat yourself, others, and the facility with the proper amount of respect. As we do here on Fred's TDIClub, one would expect that you would treat the Fest with the same amount of respsect and responsibility that you show here on the forum. And if we feel that you are violating this common sensical, unspoken rule, then we as Fest organizers, reserve the right to ask you to leave the Fest - the same way that we would ask you to leave the forum. Liability is your own, not ours. The rest of the Fest is covered by the venue (they have their own liability insurance), your car insurance, and your personal health care insurance (should you get injured doing something at the fest). We are not responsilble for what may or may not happen to you as you have voluntarily attended this event. You are the only one who can be resposible for yourself.
Your concerns are notably valid, i hope that this message serves to answer your questions. We can only take away more experience based on others inquiry, and build from it at later Fests. Your excitment, enthusiasm and inquiry is always welcome.
**Edit** For those of you that are curious to know what goes into creating a fest proposal there's a new
Fest Proposal Submission Info thread. Please submit all questions regarding fest proposal information there. Now back to our regularly scheduled "Yay for Fest in Montreal!"