First, a comment by Lisette L.:
>When she won the beanie babies she was almost beside herself with happiness.
>She called me up that night too excited to sleep.  It was one of the best
>times she had ever had!!! And she was glued upfront at the show waiting to
>hear if she won the basketball and bag.
 
Lisette, I'm glad your young friend won a Beanie baby.  A co-worker gave
me money for the same raffle (and only for the Beanies, nothing else) and
she won, too.  As you said, it was money for the shelter.  The
basketball/sports set was donated by our shelter director's place of
work...a couple years back they also donated a Chicago Bulls jacket, when
the Bulls were in the height of one of their "3-Peat" championship runs
and it brought in a good chunk of change, for the shelter.
 
Onto my comments to Show Sleuth:
 
Show Sleuth, you say you didn't see any raffles for ferrets...did you look?
Yes, one end had some ceramic stuff and the basketball, but rest of the
table had all stuff for ferrets or human stuff with ferret pictures on
them, plus the 3 cages we had to raffle, thanks to generous donations from
a local pet store, Superpet and Corner Creek Acres.  I'm sorry you didn't
feel anything was good enough for you to spend a dollar on, but it's your
right to refuse.
 
And your comments about having the show in a metropolitan area...I'm not
sure I understand your meaning.  The show wasn't held in downtown Chicago
(where parking would have cost you $10.00 at least), actually it was held
about as far from Chicago as could be and still be in the Chicago suburbs.
 
As for our announcer being harsh about getting people out, she DID announce
several times that we had to be out by a certain time (nicely), then had to
get people's attention as the time to be out got closer.  In the past, she
tried saying "pretty please" and she got ignored and we got in trouble to
staying past our alloted time.  Then you say she wasn't harsh enough with
the judges...how about next year we get out the whip and chair?  <G> How
would that strike you, Bill? :)
 
I know you can't please everybody, but many of the vendors that come to our
show come every year and they must do well if they keep returning.  We try
to make the show fun and fair for all.  You are entitled to your opinions,
of course, but so am I.
 
MJ Frank
director, GCFA
(again, the above comments are my own and do not necessarily reflect the
views of the GCFA)
[Posted in FML issue 2839]