I will put my 2 cents in......
All the work for the PA Jeeps show is STRICTLY VOLUNTEER.....we have taken the time out of our busy schedules to try to put on the BEST Jeep show on the East Coast....if not the US!!!! Rick works on this show YEAR round.....he will "disappear" for about a week, and then diligently start planning next year's show. (In fact he already has had questions about next year before this year's was over)
I agree with Charlie's second post, WE SHOULD PRAY that people are overseas fighting for our freedoms....speech being one of them, but BEFORE you start bashing a club that is promoting our sport like no other, maybe you should think of your tone. Constructive criticism is good, but don't air your DISHENCHANTMENT with our club because you were hot, or were mad because not all the vendors showed up!!!! We had a suggestion box up on the club "stage"--this would have been a perfect opportunity to make suggestions, comments. In the state of the economy, we were thankful that more vendors didn't "drop out"
Most of the club memebers had been at the fairgrounds from Friday at 8am to Sunday at 7pm....a select few lived, ate, breathed, and bathed the show for the weekend. And as Bille Jean stated...some are still there today holding up our values of "Treading Lightly" and returning the Fairgrounds to it's pre-show condition. We are "family" at PA Jeeps and pride ourselves in being courteous, helpful, and down right accomodating.
As for the raffle....why are you complaining about a raffle that gives away THOUSANDS of dollars of merchandise.....you choose to buy the tickets, we tell you that you must be present to win, I guess we need a disclaimer as to how long it will take.....the raffle and the obsticle course are just 2 of the reasons people show up for the weekend. Wayne is not a radio personality......but I don't think he did a bad job....he repeats the numbers various times, and in fact puts unclaimed items aside so that he can "re-call" them....I feel this is fair, and probably would not happen at most raffles.
I realize this is a public forum with freedom of speech, but we as a club spent alot of planning, hard work, and dedication that has kept this as a long running STELLAR event. We apologize if you did not think it was what you expected, I guess we will not see some of you next year, but we will still have hundreds of people coming back every year to join in the family atmosphere that is associated with our event.
My husband and I will be there next year as our 3rd year of PA Jeep members to help once again. We joined the club after attending the event 4 years ago, and have made friendships that will last a lifetime.....if you're not getting our "family" atmosphere on the forum, I apologize, but anyone is giving advice on here....not just club members....but being new to Jeeping in general, we have never been mislead or sent astray with the years of wheeling experience found in this club.
I'm off my soapbox now....thanks to all the club members for a wonderful show again this year, we did our best and should be proud of ourselves!
Erica Graziosi -- PA Jeeps Newsletter Editor