Probably too late for most of you to find out, but I thought I'd get this board started!

The First Annual Western New York GAthering is Saturday, Nov. 13 at Rotary Park in Middleport, NY from 10am to 5pm. You can check our webpage for clues and details!

http://www.geocities.com/dasprite222/boxhome.htm

Hope to see you all there!

The Sprite & the Highlander

So, how was the gathering? Did it Rain? Did a bunch of people show up? Was there an awesome event stamp and who carved it? What kind of food did ya have?
Tell ALL!
:-)
-Amanda from Seattle

So, how was the gathering? Did it Rain? Did a bunch of people show up? Was there an awesome event stamp and who carved it? What kind of food did ya have?
Tell ALL!
:-)
-Amanda from Seattle


Forgot to reply to this one! :-) Let's see if I covered everything...

It was FANTASTIC! No rain, but VERY cold for at least half the day, then just regular cold for the other half (we upstate New Yorkers scoff at such temperatures...but my toes were NOT pleased!!!) :-) We didn't have the huge numbers (only about 50 folks), but that made it SOOOO much better! We made sure our gathering had very little pavilion activity, just start at 10am, hot dogs at 11, group pic and raffle at 4pm and close up at 5pm. Everything else was boxing and exchanging! I know I met everyone who came and exchanged with nearly everyone (forgot to stamp in a book or two as I greeted guests!). Plus, even with the 3 hours the Highlander and I personally had, we were able to score over 30 boxes in one shot!

We also had some great out of town guests, including the King and Queen of letterboxing, Wanda and Pete (total surprise!). Irene from Hikers and Hounds came up from Philly and drove in with Missmoon from NYC. Clan Jiggs came down from Ontario and Craftymouse and Dandelion came with MTNest Robin and Mtnman from Central NY.

Every group or family won something at the raffle, so that was a nice bonus. We had plenty of chili, coffee and chocolate (GOTTA have chocolate!) on hand, plus we had a nice dinner at the Country Club Kitchen (not EVEN as ritzy as it sounds!). The Highlander and I even went back Sunday and boxed with Jiggs until after 4pm.

Team Dakota, the resident carving wizards, made the stamp, which I REALLY need to post on my site...was an adorable little gang of shadow children marching with Box NY in the corner. And the boxes were just like the first Thanksgiving...a bounty to behold! The Elba Onions and Team Dakota really chipped in, as did quite a very out of town box donators.

All in all, a COLD day, but a GREAT day! Next year, we've all agreed on EARLIER in the fall (September, even August) and farther southeast, so that the Southern Tier and Buffalo folks can enjoy a shorter ride. Hope to see some of you there and REALLY hope to join som CNYers at THEIR next gathering...when's it gonna BE???

The (still washing ink from her fingers) Sprite & The (still smelling of grilled Sahlens) Highlander

50 people! That's HUGE!!! What a crowd. Sounds like a very successful gathering! The Jiggs were there! Wanda and Pete AND Hikers and Hounds! WOW! I wish I could have been there.

Sounds like you guys had a great time.

-Amanda from Seattle

50 people! That's HUGE!!! What a crowd. Sounds like a very successful gathering! The Jiggs were there! Wanda and Pete AND Hikers and Hounds! WOW! I wish I could have been there.

Well, in comparison to the MMM, it was barely a showing, but honestly, we were GLAD we didn't have that many folks. This was nice and intimate, even though we met tons of new people. We really had a great time!

The S & H