First want to thank everyone that came. Posting in this thread will not be ignored. Dont know if peiple know but SirPatrick started this 3 years ago and I was a guy that read about a swap being help within 10 miles of me. I thought this was interesting and thought that I would go check it out. Was kinda cool b/c I was just some dude checking out a swap being held by another hobbiest at his place of employment. Chris and I talked some but I never knew what a freind he would be. Later a month or so later he posted hammers on a site and went and got them from him and started talkng to him. Thats when we became the freinds we are. From then on we have a drive to keep a swap in this ann arbor area. We knew that it would become a big swap in michgan. Last years swap proved the importance of a swap in this area. As the years are progressing, the popularity of the swap here is snowballing. Right now we are in a growing phase. it does inpersonalize the swap a little but that is part of the the sucess of the swap. Lots of reason we have vendors is that they want tables. They pay the same amount as anyone else does. They want the tables and lots of hobbiest do not. We have to sale tables to hold this swap. The eagles do not give us the hall for free(nor last venue). We actually allow people to presale thier stuff and bring it (others dont or have limits). I did not do as much as some did this year. But there are many hours that go into these events. We do not make much from the swap but it allows us to put money in bank to make sure we have it next year. This year we not have to take from our personal fund to hold it!!!! That is progress. I think you you calculated the amount an hour we generated from work involved to hold this swap we would have made around 10 cents per hour lol. Nice thing about having swap was it assure that one will be held next year. All of vendors were excellent. Also, Some people there were hobbiest(manoj and ect) selling their stuff to other hobbiest and giving them a pretty good deal. In all, I think we did a nice job. There always is some area for improvement. But remember, these vendors are the same people that keep this and other sites operating. We have brought an unheard of swap to one of the better around here. I love these swaps b/c it allows me to meet people that havethe same love of the hobby as me. I look forward to beng next years raffle MC if you all will alow me again.
Paulo