Settle Down Now Chaps

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

Having just returned from a well organized and splendid NWHS 2005 convention in Williamson,  I find it alarming to now read the constant 'bickering' regarding the next convention in 2006, come on chaps, we have only just put this years convention to bed, give the committee a break.  We have a saying in the UK that:-
You cannot please all of the people all of the time, but perhaps you can please some of the people some of the time!!!.  So, there is almost a year of planning ahead, and with all this back-biting, I feel some of the comments posted a little unfair.  

What percentage of NWHS Convention attendees/members have young children and if grandchildren also, would they actually bring them, most convention attendees I have observed, apart from a small minority, seem to be of a 'certain age', but we are all young kids at heart eh and surely don't mind seeing Thomas either way!!!! after all, they take the face off Thomas and it's still a live steamer at the end of the day underneath!!!.  What is the convention run for? I understood it was for the folk interested in the history of N&W, not a family outing or general jamboree, apologies if I offend.

We have many preserved steam railways in the UK with regular 'Thomas days' at each, it brings in the cash. Most of the Mum's and Dad's probably would not attend these preserved railways, if it was not for bringing junior to see Thomas, but they then see the other engines in steam that day and MAYBE get interested in trains.  Strasburg is only in PA, perhaps only so many states away from where you live, take the kids and have a family day there, it is not that far away, we personally have been there independently twice over the past few years, and that is all the way from the UK, on years we have not attended the NWHS convention.  Why wait to only do the trip to co-incide with the N&W Historical Society Annual Convention???? 

I do understand the possible congestion concerns posted regarding Strasburg, it's a tourist area and folk are there for the Amish and crafts most of the time, possibly not the trains as well!!.  As for 'dates clashing' it's a fact of life these days in many instances, we all have the benefit of informed choice, there were things I missed in the UK, while choosing Williamson this year, it's tough sometimes.  If I had one thought, it would be that the Convention did not fall when your weather is SO very HOT, but then hot weather perhaps suits others, as I said, you cannot please all of the people all of the time, but perhaps you can please some of the people some of the time!!!! 
I have now got it off my chest, so give the hard working committee a break for a while, they do a good job and try of put on a convention that suits the majority of NWHS members.
Ann Hood
England

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