[WPAFW Report] It was a weekend of surprises; Good surprises.
Last weekend was the Western Pennsylvania Furry Weekend, now in it's 8th year, and it was full of surprises and success.
The entire staff and I have been working diligently for most of the month of September to put the final touches on the event. As we began to mobilize crates, boxes, food, drink, and miscellaneous items of import over to the hotel and get them set up, it was like being at the top of the first hill on a roller coaster. We'd got it this far, now it was a matter of riding it out and adjusting to the curves in the track.
With the momentum of years of growth and 12 months of planning, the Western PA Furry Weekend began. The revised room layouts and programming changes at the hotel solved last year's "cramped" conditions. I often wondered as I walked around, where everyone was. True, our Friday night attendance wasn't at last year's numbers until after midnight, but even if it had been packed, I think the layout would have prevailed.
So here are the numbers:
Attendance: 108 (2007: 96)
Money Raised for Charity: $1,039 (2007: $657)
Fursuits: 34 (2007: 24)
Acts/Skits in Menagerie: 8 (2007: 8)
No event is without some snags or the need to make adjustments and 2008 offered it's share of challenges that were overcome with little or no impact to the attendees; as it should be. So, over-all this year was another success, entertaining furs from all across Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New York, Eastern Michigan and Indiana, parts of Maryland, Virginia and Kentucky, and Ontario, Canada.
So thank you to everyone who attended and enjoyed the weekend with us; especially our supporters and those who pre-reg'ed. Thank you to everyone who donated something to our Charity Raffle, regardless of the size. Thank you to the event Staff and our Volunteers and thank you to each of my chair people, Xavier, Silaria, Javi, Cadpig, Akira and TOS. This event can not happen without your assistance. Finally thank you to our Featured Artist Mehndi X for your support, generosity and patience throughout the year.
Mark your calendars for next year's Western PA Furry Weekend to be held the weekend of October 2-4, 2009 and congratulations to next year's Featured Artist, StarRazor!
Swift Fox
Director; WPAFW'08
www.wpafw.org
P.S. I can has sleep now?
The entire staff and I have been working diligently for most of the month of September to put the final touches on the event. As we began to mobilize crates, boxes, food, drink, and miscellaneous items of import over to the hotel and get them set up, it was like being at the top of the first hill on a roller coaster. We'd got it this far, now it was a matter of riding it out and adjusting to the curves in the track.
With the momentum of years of growth and 12 months of planning, the Western PA Furry Weekend began. The revised room layouts and programming changes at the hotel solved last year's "cramped" conditions. I often wondered as I walked around, where everyone was. True, our Friday night attendance wasn't at last year's numbers until after midnight, but even if it had been packed, I think the layout would have prevailed.
So here are the numbers:
Attendance: 108 (2007: 96)
Money Raised for Charity: $1,039 (2007: $657)
Fursuits: 34 (2007: 24)
Acts/Skits in Menagerie: 8 (2007: 8)
No event is without some snags or the need to make adjustments and 2008 offered it's share of challenges that were overcome with little or no impact to the attendees; as it should be. So, over-all this year was another success, entertaining furs from all across Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New York, Eastern Michigan and Indiana, parts of Maryland, Virginia and Kentucky, and Ontario, Canada.
So thank you to everyone who attended and enjoyed the weekend with us; especially our supporters and those who pre-reg'ed. Thank you to everyone who donated something to our Charity Raffle, regardless of the size. Thank you to the event Staff and our Volunteers and thank you to each of my chair people, Xavier, Silaria, Javi, Cadpig, Akira and TOS. This event can not happen without your assistance. Finally thank you to our Featured Artist Mehndi X for your support, generosity and patience throughout the year.
Mark your calendars for next year's Western PA Furry Weekend to be held the weekend of October 2-4, 2009 and congratulations to next year's Featured Artist, StarRazor!
Swift Fox
Director; WPAFW'08
www.wpafw.org
P.S. I can has sleep now?