[MsReeReee]

I recieved this email from Fernbank Science center and im really excited..............Tell me what u think.........

Fernbank Museum has recently received a large grant from NOAA to refurbish our 900 gallon Reef Aquarium. This exhibit will attempt to recreate the reef environment of Georgia's Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary as closely as possible in an artificial setting. Presently we are seeking advice and input from experienced hobbyists and professionals in the aquarium industry. Specifically, we are interested in rockwork fabrication, filtration and lighting, and species compatibility. We are also accepting proposals from experienced aquarium caretaking businesses to contract with the Museum and maintain the tank.

We would like to invite Atlanta Reef Club to conduct one of their monthly meetings here this summer. We will provide a meeting space and conduct a tour of our existing systems so your members can tell us what they think. We will also go over our region-specific species list and invite comments on compatibility and sustainability of certain livestock. Basically we would love an opportunity to "pick your brains" for an hour or two and draw from your years of collective experience.

Let me know if this sounds like something in which your group would be interested. If so, please get back to me with possible dates and times so I can check the Museum's event calendar.

I am excited about this potential collaboration and look forward to hearing back from you!

Heather Heimmer

Biologist; Education Department

Fernbank Museum of Natural History

767 Clifton Road NE

Atlanta, GA 30307

p 404.929.6341

f 404.370.8087

[email protected]

 

[MsReeReee]

This is what we have for the rest of the year
June is at Dougs
July is at Eden Garden
Aug Jenns
Sept Aquarium Showcase
Oct Open
Nov Open
Dec Open

 

[ckreef]

If you ask me --- either somebody gets bumped or we setup a second meeting for one of the months.

This sounds like a great oportunity that could also give us a future meeting location hopefully for one meeting per year.

Lets not debate this into the ground everyone. Lets come up w/ some dates for this summer and allow them to pick which date would work best for them. I'm sure we would have a good turnout considering where we would be and getting the behind the scenes tour of their upcomming reef exhibit.

 

[wildemon]

900 gallons

Sounds so good to have them offer to host and hear news of GA aquarium all in the same week. I live very close to Fernbank and am therefore all in favor of a meeting downtown. If we need an alternate meeting time, the fourth Tuesday would be my first choice. Andy has family up next week and Bob is on vacation too, but maybe 22 July. With everyone on-line we do not need a lot of lead time to announce, but it would be considerate if we knew by this June meeting. Would the BOD allow Maria to quickly poll the BOD on dates? While I regret outgrowing the family living room, it is wonderful to accept this meeting facility. Good job Maria!!

 

[Lifestudent]

This is GREAT! Nice job Maria!

Maria! This is exciting!

To the Leadership: Do we want to use one of our general meetings for this or do we want to have a special meeting like we did for the Georgia Aquarium folks?

I agree with Charles that this is "a great opportunity that could also give us a future meeting location hopefully for one meeting per year."

I also agree that "Let's not debate this into the ground everyone. Let's come up w/ some dates for this summer and allow them to pick which date would work best for them."

For what's it's worth, I'm on vacation 6/7-22 and 7/5-7/12. And I have no idea how much travel I will be doing to Charlotte this summer, but I know it will be considerable.

Bob

 

[MyReef]

I concur...a second meeting would be outstanding. I would also like to see it on a night other than Tuesday...to see what "other" potential members we can get. I do think we need to strike quickly and be able to announce it next week at the meeting....**** wish I could be there.

No major debating...let's act quickly and make it happen!

Thanks Maria.... Feel free to give Heather my name and phone number as well as Charles, if she needs any other assistance.

 

[ckreef]

How about the 4th Wednesday or Thursday of the month.

1) It puts it at the most oppisite part of the month as the regular meetings. Good for people who are traveling distances and have a work thing to contend w/. Also keeps it from being two meetings close to each other, that way we get the most attendies at both meetings. If there are two meetings close together people might choose one over the other.

2) It's a different night other than Tuesday so people who can't make Tuesday nights might be able to make a Wednesday or Thursday. Also keeps it durning the week so Fernbank can probably work w/ it better than on a weekend.

I would suggest giveing them:

Wednesday July 23rd at 7:30 PM
Thursday July 24th at 7:30 pm
Wednesday August 27th at 7:30 pm
Thursday August 28th at 7:30 pm.

That would give them 4 different dates to pick from.

 

[MsReeReee]

I can talk to Heather and ask if it would be better for a weekday or a weekend for them.

 

[robsweet]

I agree, this sounds like a really great opportunity. I'd tend towards keeping a second meeting on a Tuesday as the sword cuts both ways - people who come to the meetings (meaning members who are active) are more likely to be available. I'll be able to make it pretty much regardless so it makes little difference to me personally. No matter *when* we do it, some people won't be able to make it. There's no way around that.

Anyway, I'll let you guys decide on dates but I think we should definitely do a second meeting.

Thanks for bringing this to our attention, Maria!

 

[wasabi]

wow i've never been, but i'm looking forward to it already. i have no vote as any one of the dates is fine with me at this point.

 

[MsReeReee]

I talked to Heather and she said that the best time for them is during the week after they close which is at 500.

 

[MsReeReee]

So what is it everyone i need to get back to Heather

 

[ckreef]

Since nobody seems to be responding I would say give her the 4 dates and times I outlined and let them pick.

I'm sure those dates and times will not please everyone but then again it wouldn't matter what we set up somebody is going to be putout.

And I am definatly for a meeting night other than Tuesday. It's time to give some other people a chance to come to a meeting.

 

[MyReef]

I agree with Charles....if non of those nights work for them...ask them to suggest a night.

 

[MsReeReee]

I have wrote to Heather about the 4 days will get back to u when she emails me back

 

[MsReeReee]

Well this is the day and they want us to bump up the time to 700 here is her email......................



Okay - the 24th of July works best for us. Could you bump the meeting time up to 7:00 instead of 7:30? They don't like us to stay in the building too late if we can help it. I imagine our portion will take 45 minutes to an hour, but possibly more depending on how many questions and comments your members have. But that should still give you time to conduct your regular meeting also.



Looking forward to collaborating on this!



So is this ok with u guys,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[robsweet]

Works for me

It also gives members plenty of time to plan to be there.

 

[ckreef]

Sounds like the 24th of July at 07:00PM.

Since this is not really our regular meeting the ARC part shouldn't take long which will give us plenty of time to help w/ their part.

Since this is sort of a special event (not a regular general meeting) I think it should be for members only. We should announce it in the general forum as members only. And state that any non members can become members before hand and can also make arrangements to become members the night of the meeting.

If they want to go to Fernbank they should just pay for their membership. By July we will be at a $10.00 dollar proration amount which I doubt will break anyone's bank and if it does --- they are definatly in the wrong hobby.

Charles

 

[robsweet]

Good idea, Charles. I'm for this being members-only.

 

[wildemon]

Concur

Thanks for all you have done Maria. All decisions meet with my approval as well. Looking forward to the big tank. Everyone should consider the difference between a native GA reef and the typical pretty colours / mixed ocean tanks we typically keep.