Sponsor a Bench at MidAmeriCon II

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MidAmeriCon II’s Patty Wells and Melissa Morman are looking for help furnishing the exhibit hall at this year’s Worldcon in Kansas City. Here’s their pitch:

One of the advantages of being favored with five acres of exhibit hall is that we have the room to make our dreams come true. One of our dreams is to put a river through it — so we have also gone and put a park alongside that for good measure. And what is a park, or a river, without park benches to sit on and admire the view or converse with a friend?

At the Worldcon in London a couple of years ago, the convention scattered benches throughout the Fan Village and other parts of the Exhibit Hall, and asked fan groups to sponsor a bench with a plaque commemorating their group, their bid, or a member of their group on it. This idea was well-received by the fannish community and much fun. M2 is continuing this tradition (it’s been done once, so it’s now a tradition, right?).

We are therefore offering you and your group the opportunity to get your message out, publicize your group, or memorialize a lost friend. The benches we are ordering for the fan fair are a lovely metal bench in a design sure to add to your local con should you take the option of taking the bench home after the con.

There are multiple ways you can participate:

OPTION 1 — Sponsor a Plaque ($150)

Send us your group’s name and/or message and we will have it engraved on a plaque that will then be attached to one of the park benches (see above). If, like many of us, you are traveling to KC from distant lands, the plaques will be removable for you to take home as a memento for the group or person you honored. We will have the plaque made with your message. The plaques will take two lines of text, with roughly 20-25 characters per line.

OPTION 2 — Sponsor a Bench! ($200)

This gets your group’s message on a plaque AND you can take the bench with you when the convention is over as a comfortable addition to your next fannish event. And if you are taking the bench home, arriving during Exhibit Hall set up and decorating your bench in some fannish fashion to make it more memorable is encouraged.

OPTION 3 — Sponsor a Bench AND a Park ($500)

Want more exposure for your group? Sponsor a pocket park along the river! Surround your bench with flora and maybe even some fauna; make it distinctive! M2 will name the park after your group and place an acknowledgement sign in the park which may also contain a custom message (“Come to your party on Friday night!”, “Vote for Trantor in ‘99”, or even “Ygnvie is a Louse!”). With this option, you may again take the bench home with you (along with its plaque!) as well as the acknowledgement sign.

If your sponsor dollars are received early, your sponsorship can be acknowledged in the convention’s pocket program.

For more information, please send an email to:

[email protected] or contact Melissa Morman on FB.

Thank you for your consideration. The more we personalize something as large as a Worldcon exhibit hall, the more fannish the Worldcon is.

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215 thoughts on “Sponsor a Bench at MidAmeriCon II”

  1. Dawn Incognito: I’m perfectly fine having my nym included.

    You probably don’t remember, but you put it in your comment with your payment — but I was going to check whether you wanted it to be published, so thanks for mentioning that. Only names/nyms (and not amounts) will be published.

    There are two Anonymous people who didn’t specify a nym; they will be contacted to find out whether they’d like to add one.

  2. May be redundant–I cannot recall!–but I’m ok with name being published as well! I may have said so, but that was…many sleeps ago!

  4. @JJ
    I wasn’t sure when we needed to get information to MACII. Based on new information here are my updated suggestions.

    Park Signs
    1. “Welcome to File 770 Park” https://file770.com +partial list of sponsors
    2. “Welcome to File 770 Ancillary Park” https://file770.com +partial list of sponsors

    Plaques (2 lines 20-25 characters per line) – I use : to show line break
    Park 1
    1. File 770 Bench: Mount Tsundoku
    2. Rest, read, laud (or talk) books: Pun, chat, make friends
    Park 2
    1. File 770 Ancillary Bench: Tea and Books (I’m sure someone can come up with a better 2nd line)

    Name to use for me: Tasha Turner Lennhoff

  5. I think all plaques in should have “File 770” as start for the first line . I mean, it is the plaques that some people can bring home, makes for nice memory.

    So no Trolls. That means NO +3 TROLL SLAYER VOTING SYSTEM STUCK IN THE TABLE WHICH ONLY THE WORTHY BUSINESS MEETING ADMINISTRATOR MAY DRAW.

  6. I kind of like the idea of having the second sign say

    Compliments of the Denizens of File 770
    Ancillary Sward
    List of donors
    File770.com

  7. I like “Park yourself and read a spell”.

    There is a small but non-zero chance I’ll be seeing the person in charge of the park space again tonight. If anybody has any specific questions about they want me to ask, I’ll try to check back here beforehand.

  9. A tiny quote from the “work” in “progress”:
    “The screen on the opposite wall read, in very large letters: ‘Lawyers, Guns and Money. Pick any two.‘”
    “Space Radish Beet Invasion”. Coming to, uh, somewhere, at some time.

  10. I lost the other thread on this, but Hampus, we can now discuss sending stuff to me. My van is empty from previous gigs and is now being slowly packed for MAC2.

    Also, MAC2 has said on their staff list that things in parks need to be resistant to fire. So no sterno or polyester. 😉

  12. Fire-resistant: does that mean no paper?

    The words “File 770” need to appear as much as possible.

  14. I suspect it means “no excessive paper”. And no lighted candles or suchlike things. A scattering of books on a shelf or table should be fine. (So much for having a garden dragon that breathes fire. Sigh. I mean, what could POSSIBLY go wrong?)

  19. Don’t worry, I’m not gonna cause any trauma. I’ll save that for Halloween. ^^

  20. Meredith the Dragon ordered together with some other stuff. I’m not sure here. Should I post what I ordered for coordination or should it be a surprise? Not sure of how many others are bringing stuff.

  21. Anyhow, I’m very happy that MAC2 is in the US. That puts some restraint on me and makes it harder for me to go ballistic.

  22. @Hampus Eckerman
    I’d love to see what you got but I’m not going to be at MACII so I don’t know if my vote should count. 😉

  23. Hampus Eckerman on July 3, 2016 at 1:44 pm said:

    Anyhow, I’m very happy that MAC2 is in the US. That puts some restraint on me and makes it harder for me to go ballistic.

    I’ll just say that, in addition to a few other things, I talked him out of sending a gazebo for me to schlep to Kansas City….

    This is a man who LOVES to decorate!!! I look forward to what he does for WorldCon 75, which is thousands of miles closer to him.

    😉

    (Pssst. Mike Glyer, do you still have your Sasquan badge? I can think of a good use for it….)

  26. JJ, I’m trying to plan my Tuesday at the Con, what with delivering park decorations and some Art Show stuff. How does MAC2 want us to deliver our Park decorations? Do we go to the loading dock? Do we need a pass to do that? What times would we be able to unload? By when do we have to have all the decorations set up?

    Is anyone else bringing decorations?

    Thanks!

  27. Apologies for the delay on this. I just found a missed e-mail from MAC II awhile back regarding this sitting in my inbox. Unfortunately, it stilldidn’t answer all the questions I asked them (thrice, now).

    I need to know:
    1) Do we have takers for any of the 3 benches? Or should I tell them we’ll just be taking the plaques?
    2) What is going to be on the plaques? (Need this ASAP, PLEASE WEIGH IN!)
    My suggestions are:

    File770
    Books, Filks, and Snark

    File 770
    Hugo-Winning Fanzine

    File770
    Ancillary Bench

    3) Fireproof/resistant Decorations are fine. Anything requiring electric is probably a no-go, given the kerfuffle they had with the dealers about paying for power.

    I still don’t know how big the signs are, but I’m hoping to split the names/nyms of the donors across the two, with large headings File770 Park and File770 Ancillary Park.

    I’m going to send an e-mail now asking about how big the signs are, and how/when decorations are to be delivered.

    I’ll be bringing a couple of decorations, and would be willing to contribute some money if you’re buying flowers/plants/little trees, ULTRAGOTHA.

  28. There have been many many great ideas for the plaques, far too many to choose a definitive best, so I think JJs version hits a good middle ground.

  30. JJ, plants are my contribution in lieu of donating to the Gofundme for the parks, but if we want more kicking in is welcome. Are you on Twitter?

    I will be offloading park decorations at the convention center Tuesday afternoon. Not sure exactly when yet.

    I do NOT want a bench, nor do I want to take Hampus’s decorations home.

  31. ULTRAGOTHA: I do NOT want a bench, nor do I want to take Hampus’s decorations home.

    *snort*

    Mike doesn’t know it yet, but he is going to be inheriting a souvenir from me. I hope he has luggage space 😀

    I have PM’ed you on the TwitBook.

  32. @JJ

    Ancillary Bench is a must! I particularly like Tasha’s amended version File 770 Ancillary Bench – Tea and Books! The others work but sound a little generic. Some other plaque ideas:

    File 770: Oh the places you’ll go!
    File 770: Pixel and Scroll, at Tenagra
    File 770: PixelScroll, When the Walls Fell
    File 770: Of Cadigan and King

    Name ideas collected off this thread:

    These cats will not be herded!
    Fily McFileFace
    Hive of Scum and Villainy
    Sit and Talk about books
    Ancillary Bench
    Mount Tsundoku
    Mercy of File 770 Five Esk
    [ticky] bench
    [damn I didn’t tick the box] bench
    [Brackets!]
    Parky McParkface
    the parkiest park in the world
    File770 – The Wretched Hive of Scum, Villainy, and Book Recommendations
    Park770 – In All Modesty, The Finest Park Parking Today
    File770 – Ancillary Bench

    If weary mind & body be
    Sit a while with File 770

    If rest your legs do need
    Sit a while & read!

    Rest, read, books recommend
    Pun, chat, make friends
    Rest, read, laud books: Pun, chat, make friends
    File 770 Ancillary Bench: Tea and Books
    Space Raptor Butt Foundation
    Books, Filks, and Snark
    Hugo-Winning Fanzine

    I know there was a thread with a lot more ideas. I’m on a quick skim though and don’t have time to track it down (and apologies if I missed anyone’s idea post on this thread!).

  33. If no one else takes my decoration, I will post them home and surprise decorate my fathers garden.

  34. Bench names:

    Ancillary Bench for sure.
    File 770–Tea and Brackets?
    I know Mike had reservations about “In All Modesty, The Finest Park Parking Today” but I still like it. It’s such a deep in-joke, how many people would actually get it anyway except regular readers?

  35. Hampus Eckerman on July 19, 2016 at 5:55 am said:

    If no one else takes my decoration, I will post them home and surprise decorate my fathers garden.

    LOL! I want photos of his face when he sees it!!

    Mike Glyer. If you still have your Sasquan badge, I can think of a good use for it if you’re willing.

    I know Mike had reservations about “In All Modesty, The Finest Park Parking Today” but I still like it. It’s such a deep in-joke, how many people would actually get it anyway except regular readers?

    I like it too, but anyone following the Puppy controversy (a big chunk of WorldCon attendees) would get it.

  36. @Hampus Eckerman – If no one else takes my decoration, I will post them home and surprise decorate my fathers garden.

    We’ve been thinking of setting up a gnomes vs. flamingos battle on a slope that won’t be ready to plant until next year, so if it’s gnomelike things, I might be able to save you postage. 😉

    I’m in following orders mode rather than generating ideas mode, so I will bring anything asked, provide labor and follow pointing fingers (we get in Wednesday evening) and generally be dogsbody for the creative types, if that’s useful.

  37. Maybe lists of what we are bringing?
    I am bringing:
    – Books
    – Basket to put books in
    – Small table to put books on
    – The gnome-y things and sign Hampus sent me

    Will purchase in KC:
    – Plants to drape around.
    I’ll also endeavor to water them occasionally during the con.
    – We may need some zip ties and tape as well.

  38. I’m bringing good cheer, swedish aquavit and random weirdness. Also some comic books, I think.

  40. Ancillary Bench is the one must-have.

    I too like “In all modesty, the finest park parking today”.

    “Books, filks, and snark” is a great succinct description of us.

  41. @JJ
    I’m fine with your plaque ideas:
    File770
    Books, Filks, and Snark

    File 770
    Hugo-Winning Fanzine

    File770
    Ancillary Bench

    Although like @Stoic Cynic I think my Ancillary suggestion for the 3rd bench is better 😉
    File 770 Ancillary Bench
    Tea and Books!

    I believe we had 1 person say maybe to taking a park bench home. They were waiting on dimensions. I was supposed to be looking into places to donate but ongoing health diagnostic test and treatments have not left me the mind or energy to work on this. 🙁

  42. “No pepper flavored candy? Whew!”

    I was thinking about that, but I think there are more popular kinds of candy.

  43. I love Ancillary Bench 🙂

    And Tasha, ongoing health problems and diagnostics are so exhausting. I’m waiting on results of an ultrasound and I have an EEG on Friday. I’m not allowed to swim this summer which makes me sad. I hope the treatments help and that you feel better soon.

  44. All right, I’m making an executive decision to send to MAC II, because work has been so gruelling the last few months that right now I just can’t even.

    File770
    Books, Filks, and Snark

    File 770
    Hugo-Winning Fanzine

    File 770 Ancillary Bench
    Tea and Books!

  46. Well done for stepping up and making an executive decision, JJ. Left to our own devices, I think we would have still been debating in Helsinki.

    I think Mike has stated before that we don’t really want to be offending anyone, pups included, so your selections are a good, non-offensive compromise.

    As for the park names, definitely File 770: Ancillary Park for one of them, but I think Park 770 rolls off the tongue better than File 770 Park.

  47. @JJ

    Remind me–does “SJW credentials” mean a picture of me, or a picture of my cat?

  48. Bonnie McDaniel, I believe your “SJW credential” is a photo of your cat, dog, lizard, bird, tarantula, pet rock, or what-have you. (It’s from the assertion that all SJWs have cats, I believe.) My understanding is that it may include you but doesn’t need to. (I sent a photo of my black cat Sebastian this morning, so I hope I have this right.)

  50. I just made a huge mess of trying to email my SJW credential (the script took me somewhere bizarre so I busted the email address loose from the script and sent two emails, one of which lacked an attachment).

    It’s the same picture I use on my Amazon author page to prove that my SJW credential is really big — in case my email skills are really small, it looks like this.

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