posted 05-10-2002 01:29 AM            

• If you start an exchange, you are responsible for running it. Set the type (in or out of envelope) and the time frame the exchange will run. [I would like to continue to alternate in and out of envelope exchanges.] That also entails collecting snail male addresses, producing and distributing the mailing list.

• Sugested size is 25 participants, plus the Youngers (Harbour Lights) and Connie Small, the Lighthouse Lady. (The Youngers and Connie receive courtesy cards, they are not asked to send them.) So, you will need a total of 27 cards for each exchange: 24 + 2 to send out, 1 to keep for yourself.

• As hard as it is to believe, there can be too much of a good thing. I suggest that exchanges be kept to a total of 4 per year: 2 in envelope, 2 out of envelope.

• To help identify things, exchanges are numbered. Traditionally, even numered exchanges are "in envelope", odd numbered ones are "no envelope". Use previous post titles as a guideline. For example:
Post Card Exchange #9 (no envelope)
PC 8 In Envelope 1/1-4/30/2002

• I would suggest that exchanges be for 4 months, with 2 months off between exchanges. For example, Jan - Apr, off May & June; Jul - Oct, off Nov & Dec.

• If you sign up for an exchange, please follow the guidelines of the exchange. If the originator asks that you email them your address, please do. Please do not send your cards before the official start date (no matter how excited and anxious you are).

• Most of the post card threads reach 50 posts, at which time they are closed and a new one started. To keep from significantly slowing down the loading of the longer threads, please keep the use of animated gifs to a minimum, and only to small ones (as with pictures, animated gifs can slow down the display process).

• When you post in a thread, please keep on topic. Don't discuss PCE 39 in the thread for PCE 40. Things can be confusing enough already!

• If you find yourself unable to send out your cards on schedule, please notify your fellow exchange members. This can be in the form of an email to them to explain the situation, or perhaps a post asking for help. You will be surprised at the offers of help you get if you find yourself unable to obtain cards and up against a deadline. You would also be surprised how creative you can be in making your own post cards or substitutes.

• When you send your cards out, please post a note in the appropriate thread that they have been sent. That way, if one of the cards gets lost in the mail (and it does happen) someone can notify you by email of a missing card.

• You can choose whether to send out the same card to all, or to send a variety (hint: if you participate in many exchanges, the same card to all makes it a lot easier to remember what has already been sent.)

• There are on-line sources where you can purchase post cards if you don't happen to live close to lighthouses. You can also try many of the lighthouse gift shops as they all tend to carry some great cards. One of your connected collector friends may also be able to help.

The post card exchanges have been lots of fun, bringing cards from all over. And, surprisingly few duplicates in all of the exchanges I have been in.

You can save or display your cards in many ways. I keep mine in a binder, using pages purchased at a photo shop. Look for ones that will fit in a standard 3 ring binder. You will mostly need pages to hold 4" X 6" cards (the standard size), but I also keep some that will hold 5 X 7 oversize cards you sometimes receive.

For the "in envelope" exchanges, folks often send something along with the card. Sometimes a history of the light; sometimes a story about their experience at the light, or why it is important to them. We have also received recipies, book marks, photos, a state quarter, brochures from the lighthouse and other neat extras.

Dave

posted 05-10-2002 01:34 AM            

(1) sign up to participate (you have done this)
(2) Buy lighthouse postcards (enough for everyone in the exchange)
(3) Write a note to send with the postcard, but not on the postcard (this exchange is for "clean" cards that have not been written on or postmarked)
(4) Place card and note into an envelope
(5) Create address labels from the list that will be provided to you, or hand address the envelopes
(6) Seal the envelopes, affix postage, place into custody of the USPS
(7) Enjoy the cards you will receive over the course of the exchange, and all the notes that come with them
(8) Sign up for the next exchange, and possibly the "traditional" post card exchange

Same basic thing for the no envelope exchange, except you might include a brief message directly on each card.

Dennis Whelan also gave a nice explaination in this thread.

Dave

posted 05-11-2002 09:47 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Bob M:
That was a lot of typing, Dave! I've turned in term papers (way back when) that were shorter than that (lol!).

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There was a whole lot less to write about way back when you would have been writing term papers (tic). Now, you know that if we see a complete paragraph from you (3 or more sentences) we think that is kind of lengthy on your part. I seem to recall a post from Saint Tim......

quote:

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And Bob, to set a good example, we'll be asking you to delete those 1,097 messages that have fewer than five words.

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I have been working on the guidelines for a while, and when I started typing them out, well I was just "on a roll" as they say. Hopefully they will help everyone to understand not only the fun part of the exchanges, but also the "behind the scenes" stuff that the originators are responsible for.

posted 05-11-2002 11:23 PM            

I thought about this after I posted- that maybe I should have left it for you to do.

I tried to hit the main points without getting too specific.

I'm glad you thought it was OK.

posted 05-12-2002 10:16 AM            

I got the idea when Patricia Palmer-Ball asked people to send her Lighthouse Post Cards. The rest, as they say, is history!

Right now I owe two exchanges cards. I've got the cards, I've got the stamps, I think I've got the lists and I'll get these out this week.