This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Carol R. Beigel=20 To: michaelmccoy@ptgmarc.org=20 Sent: Monday, February 25, 2002 10:38 PM Subject: family registration for MARC =20 I would like to bring my young adult daugher to the convention, and she would like to attend some classes. She is thinking about becoming a = piano technician and join me in the family business. I am an RPT. We would = both like to attend the Disklavier seminar. Can she register as a family = member? Or do I have to pay a non-guild member technician rate for her? Carol Beigel =20 =20 I thought it would be appropriate to begin this with the actual e-mail = sent to us with the request for Carol's "young adult daughter" to attend = the Mid-Atlantic Regional Convention, presented by the Pennsylvania = State Conference, in addition to the special all day Thursday seminar.=20 =20 When I saw the first post in the Pianotech group, my initial reaction = was to simply let it go. Many posts later and appearing to continue, a = reply must be made. I have seen the Mid-Atlantic referred to by Carol = as "unfair", "appalling" and "outrageous". I am not concerned about the = perception of the conference since we are heading towards another sold = out convention with the anticipated walk-in registration and an outside = opportunity of reaching over 400 registrations. What disturbs me the = most is the work of many volunteers spending literally thousands of = hours to put on a first class event, some actually taking time off from = their business to make this happen, be associated in the same sentence = with words like "unfair" and "appalling". Carol, you may have found some = of those who responded to your rantings as "crude" but I personally find = your misrepresentations made on this public forum, compared to the = original e-mail sent to us, as obnoxious and rude.=20 =20 It is with great surprise that I have to find out on this public = discussion forum that we did not read the original e-mail closely = enough. Based on your posts on these forums; our registration has = increased to $1,100 for 2 people ... or was that 3 ... maybe even 4 = (actual basic member registration is $215 and guest registration is = $315) and your daughter was only going to attend a couple of business = classes, to name just two of the numerous inconsistencies. It is most = irritating to watch the story change to fit whatever argument or agenda = you are trying to communicate. I apologize that we did not explain the = all day classes clearly enough because you and your daughter obviously = mistook the all day Disklavier class as a business class. I must admit = to being relieved by this error because I could not figure out why = anyone would want to introduce someone for the first time to piano = technology by making them sit through an 8 hour class on the inner = workings of an electronic device that makes a piano play. In addition, = there are comments that it would cost a family $800 to just visit the = Exhibit Hall, I am at a loss to even understand why it seems necessary = to repeat these fabrications. We have an extensive Family program from = complete guided tours to ala-carte menus so that everyone can be = involved as their schedule will allow. There is a small fee of $20 a day = for the Exhibit Hall due to providing a Continental Breakfast, 2 breaks = with Beverage/Snacks and Lunch each day. These fees were clearly = published in the mailed brochure and online at www.ptgmarc.org = registration pages. =20 What I find immensely unfair is how anyone that has any sense of = financial aptitude could not see the extremely reasonable value in an = organization that is providing a venue for 45 top instructors, national = and international, with 120 Classes in comparison to the registration = fees. If anything the fees are embarrassingly low in relation to what = any other "professional" organization would charge for a similar event. = I digress, because this is another topic in great need of discussion and = will have to wait for another time, other than to say that in June a = major topic of discussion is going to be how much to increase the annual = dues for all members to keep the PTG solvent. =20 We do not have a policy of reduced admissions for anyone outside of PTG = members. I am more convinced today it is the correct action than when I = became involved with the PA State Conference now going on the 4th year. = I know that being tagged as a non-member is perceived by many as a = negative, especially sensitive if it is a family member. We choose to = go a different path and treat guest technicians with respect and = dignity, not confusing how one is treated with maintaining high = standards. We do not charge a non-member more because it is = "punishment"; the member fees are simply "value" and "reward" of = membership. It has proven very successful; most of the chapters in our = area have increased their membership and have a great mixture of young = and older members. =20 I do not have the recent Journal available to me at the moment but the = latest one had an announcement of all the chapters that increased their = membership this past year, most increasing more than 10%, that will = receive an award. Out of a total of 161 chapters in the PTG, only a = small number of chapters were listed in this announcement, yet another = topic of discussion for another time, other than to note that out of all = the chapters listed, almost 20% of the ones increasing membership came = from our area. Especially gratifying because none of those chapters put = out a "Members Wanted" sign and, in addition, have firm entrance = requirements and guidelines. Every year we receive numerous requests = similar to the one from Carol and with each one we have replied with = thanks for the request, inviting them to join us and the fee is as = published. Just last month we received a similar request from a = potential piano tech/member with a PTG member connection with the common = promise "I might consider joining if" statement and usual request for a = member rate, discount or free. In response to our follow up to the = request, we received the following reply which is typical of at least = several new members each year; ".... if I have to pay that much more = than I might as well join, already sponsored, besides I'll get my own = copy of the Journal . Thanks for inviting me . ". Unlike the suggestion = Carol made that it would be different if it were a Father and Son, this = is simply not true. My family is paying full fare, and if my father = would want to attend the convention and institute, even though not a = piano tech, he would be most welcome and would pay the guest technician = rate.=20 =20 Forgive my long post, but I have a passion for the issues that affect = this Conference and the PTG. It has been my goal since associating with = this Conference to work towards adding "Value" to the PTG and = "Awareness" of the RPT. These are the most important issues that face = the national organizations future and stability. Value and Awareness = must be accomplished in a measurable manner, which in turn will = translate into a strong, financially sound and formidable organization. = It is time for a new vision to be put in place and set into action; no = longer can we afford complacency and bureaucracy to be the rule of the = day. ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment An HTML attachment was scrubbed... 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