I was just asked, tongue-in-cheek, on another thread, if there was going to be a wacko reunion in 2000 to present the wacko pins. Unfortunately that couldn't happen, due to distances, unless HL decides to have their next big reunion in 2000, which sure wouldn't give us much advance notice for vacation planning.

But --- I think it would be a great idea at the next HL reunion, which I think will be in 2001, to really have a wacko get-together. It would be fun to attach faces to names and have a chance to socialize at maybe a special dinner or event right before the official reunion starts--- like what happens at the annual Dept. 56 convention in Minneapolis for all their collector clubs.

So, my question here is: how many of you wackos will be on that phone line trying to get registered for the next big HL reunion? And how many of you would like to have something special in the way of an event or dinner ---pre-convention; or if time allowed, within the convention time block, to enable us to meet and socialize?

Here is another question. Would you like the convention to be a few days longer? --- so that there could be a greater variety of activities, like a few lectures and slide lectures on lighthouses, their histories; lighthouse preservation efforts going on around the U.S.; a fun clinic on how to create a diorama setting for some of your lighthouses; a talk by some well-known authors of lighthouse books and so on. There are HL members themselves who are qualified to put on some of these programs, plus bringing in pros and authoritative sources from outside.

This set-up of repeated programs and events is what makes such a success for the 1200 attendee photo conference we attend in MA each July; and the huge 3000 attendee Nat. Model Railroad convention each year. Each of these groups repeat their programs and events three times; so everyone can see and do all.

A longer convention would also allow for trips and these programs to be put on more than one time, allowing for more leisurely enjoyment of the convention and not squeezing in so much within one day, which left many people exhausted last time. But also such a repeated event rotation would make space for many more HL members to attend and avoid those deep disappointments I heard over those who couldn't get registered for RI.

What do you think on these three questions?