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folklaur
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| Posted: March 27 2006 at 10:39am | IP Logged
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Hi!
Is anyone here involved in any way with organizing/running a Catholic Homeschool Convention/Conference in their area? If so, can I pick your brain? 
We had a Catholic Homeschool fair in the Phx area last year, but it doesn't seem that those who ran it are planning to do so again. I would love to give it a shot, as I think it is so important. There is already a HUGE homeschool convention in Phx, and it is good, but none of the Catholic providers are there or have been invited (I spoke to the organizers, and they told me they didn't know of any Catholic Curriculums. SO I sent them a bunch of contact information, and it didn't go anywhere. *sigh*  And the talks can be decided UN-Catholic friendly.) I have no idea how to go about this, so if any of you have done this -- I would love some advice, info, etc.
Thanks in advance,
~Laura in AZ
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mrsgranola
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| Posted: March 27 2006 at 12:39pm | IP Logged
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I'd given this some thought for NC, also. I would love to hear what others have to share on this...
JoAnna
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MEBarrett
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| Posted: March 27 2006 at 2:07pm | IP Logged
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I have considered this, recently, for NY as well. I used to be an event planner for a living and often planned two and three day events for upwards of 1000 people. How different could this be - right??
Probably lots. I had budgets then in the millions. I'm thinking that would be different. 
I would love to hear from someone who has done all the dirty work.
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Mary Ellen
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MicheleQ
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| Posted: March 27 2006 at 3:37pm | IP Logged
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Well, I'm in the middle of planning the The 2006 Catholic Family-Centered Home and Education Conference right now. It's our first year so I'm just learning all the ropes. So far things are going well. I'd be happy to share what I have learned but like I said it's my first year. Talk to me after May 20th and I may have a different tone. 
There IS a yahoo group for Catholic homeschool conference planners but I think I should ask the moderators there before I post the address here.
God bless!
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Michele Quigley
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MaryM
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| Posted: March 27 2006 at 11:04pm | IP Logged
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MicheleQ wrote:
There IS a yahoo group for Catholic homeschool conference planners but I think I should ask the moderators there before I post the address here.
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I'm one of the moderators for this Yahoo Group. You are welcome to join us. Instead of posting the address (since it isn't a publicly listed group) let me know you would like to join and I'll send you an invitation. The list has been a really quiet for awhile. Last spring there was a lot more activity, but some new people would probably get the conversaiton going again. There is good information in the archives as well. I was the coordinator of our homeschool confernece here in 2004 and 2005. I'm helping this year but other committee members have stepped up to coordinate. I had previously done a couple other conferences for another non-profit. I really enjoy conference planning. It is very rewarding though it can be time consuming for a few months. It really can start out small though so doesn't have to be overwhelming - then change or grow each year if desired. I would love to see Catholic homeschool conferences in all the states. There are some areas that really have gaps - for instance in the west there are two in California, one in Washington/Oregon, and ours in Colorado - that's it.
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Mary M. in Denver
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almamater
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| Posted: March 27 2006 at 11:26pm | IP Logged
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I am the director for the Austin Catholic Home Educators' Conference (www.achec.org); we just had our second conference last month. I highly recommend you join Mary's yahoo group and I would be happy to chat with you about this.
On a side note, my parents live in Surprise.
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~jennifer in tx
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Chari
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| Posted: March 27 2006 at 11:30pm | IP Logged
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MaryM wrote:
| There are some areas that really have gaps - for instance in the west there are two in California, one in Washington/Oregon, and ours in Colorado - that's it. |
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Yes......there ARE gaps...........and California is a big state...............and I have been unable to go to any of the conferences  I live near the OR border....nothing near here.
This is why Willa and I started our westcoastfun camping trip for our CCM friends........because we always wanted to go to a conference, but could not........and did not want to put on a conference, just yet. 
Someday, Willa and I will do it...........we will just probably be grandparents by then
 oh, Shhhhhh.........she does not know about it yet
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Erin
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| Posted: March 28 2006 at 12:58am | IP Logged
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Laura,
All the best with your convention. What an undertaking. We don't have conventions here like you do But a friend and I have been running a Catholic homeschooling camp for the last 4yrs 
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folklaur
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| Posted: March 28 2006 at 9:29am | IP Logged
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MaryM wrote:
You are welcome to join us. Instead of posting the address (since it isn't a publicly listed group) let me know you would like to join and I'll send you an invitation. |
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Oh, yes, I would like that. Should I IM you?
Chari wrote:
This is why Willa and I started our westcoastfun camping trip for our CCM friends
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OOhhhh -- what's this? It sounds a little easier to co-ordinate than a conference
I haven't done something like this before. I have planned events for the medieval re-enactment group I belong to, which is also a non-profit, and had fun doing it - and the events have had attendance in the hundreds. I feel I could do this -- I just need to know where to start.
Thanks for all the advice -- it is appreciated!
~Laura in AZ
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almamater
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| Posted: March 28 2006 at 10:23am | IP Logged
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Laura, It is very do-able. I pulled together a small committee and we just did it. I had never even been to a home schooling conference before and had never coordinated a large scale event (other than piano recitals) before. You just have to think thru the whole day make a list, by category, of everything that you need, i.e., advertising, vendors, venue, speakers, etc.
Oops, gotta run...
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~jennifer in tx
mommy of ds(11),dd(8),dd(6), dd(3),& ds (6/08)
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Running Homeschool Conventions?
