BUFFALO/NIAGARA 2009
American Dairy Goat Association
105th Annual Meeting and Convention
Adam’s Mark Hotel
Buffalo, New York
October 10-17, 2009
Well, the long anticipated convention is now history. All of the many
months and years of planning paid off in a very pleasant, educational and
entertaining week. The facilities were great, the hotel staff wonderful and the
attendees appreciative. I have received so many wonderful emails and phone
calls afterwards from people all over the country telling of how much they
enjoyed the conference, the area and the pleasant feeling and hospitality they
experienced while here in Buffalo and western New York. First of all I would
like to thank my three side-kicks..........Roslin Newton, Terri-Lee Coleman and
Cindi Shelley were were wonderful to work with as co-chairs. They did and
outstanding job with all the different aspects they each offered to take charge
of as well as all of the extra responsibilities that continually arise. It
definitely would not have been as successful a week without their guidance and
participation.
Conventions don't just happen by themselves. It takes many, many
volunteers, each doing their part to make it a success. First of all, it takes
several core people willing to make the long-term committment of their time
(ALOT of it), energy, resources and $$ to get the ball rolling. Then it takes
more dedicated volunteers willing to organize and plan for such events as youth
weekend, hospitality, the judges training conference and locating enough animals
for the TC and other workshops, website, spotlight sale, decorations, vendor
planning, sponsorships, registration, programming, cheese and products events,
tours, entertainment, meal planning, finances, raffles, T Shirt sales, etc,
etc. Then there are those that volunteer to speak at seminars, make donations
of equipment, semen, etc for raffle fundraising, those that help with general
fundraising (like so many of you that helped clean the state fair goat barn
every year!), those that have donated items for the registration bags, the many
"go-fers" and runners, meal planners for off site events, etc, etc. I could go
on and on but the bottom line is that it takes ALOT of volunteers to make a
conference of this magnitude not only successful and educational, but also
enjoyable. My sincere thanks to all of you who played any part in it.
Any regrets?? Yes.............one! That MORE locals and ADGA
members weren't able to attend and take advantage of the educational
programming, the entertainment, and just the general comraderie that ADGA
conventions are so well known for. You really missed out!
Again, thank you to everyone for their help in making this a successful and
pleasant convention. I, personally, thoroughly enjoyed every minute of
it!
Pete Snyder
2009 Convention Local Co-Chair