-----Original Message----- From: David [mailto:dlocklea...@gmail.com]
However, the ICS is just 13 months away, so it would seem that cavers efforts need to be focused on that for the time being. On one hand it would be nice to have Punkin paid off by then. But it would also be nice to have just purchased some other cave that we could take ICS attendees to. **************************** I appreciate the thought, but please answer this question. Who is "we"? "We" implies that "you" are involved and to the best of my knowledge, you are not. I'm not saying this to harass you David (and if you are involved in the ICS, my sincere apologies). I'm using this to point out to all on this listserver that "we" is something I hear from many cavers who are not involved. They say "we" without offering to help, claiming work, family, school, and life problems prevent them, as if those working on the ICS have no such concerns. There is no lack of Texas caves to take ICS attendees to, but apparently there is a lack of Texas cavers. For more than the past year, Travis Scott has posted messages to this listserver and contacted people directly asking them to lead caving trips at the ICS. You'd think this would be simple since what we all have in common is going caving, and leading a trip or two would be easy. Unfortunately, so far few people have offered to help (and he greatly appreciates those who have!). Some people probably think there is no rush, after all, the ICS is 13 months and 9 days away (not that I'm counting). But buses, vans, gasoline costs, and other factors need to be contracted, reserved, and budgeted now. We can't afford to budget for trips that we're not confident will happen, and without trip leaders, we can't be confident. This is not a grotto meeting, grotto trip, or other small event where you can wait until the last minute and throw something together. Look at the ICS website, www.ics2009.us. There is a lot going on and an estimated 2,000 people will be coming, spending big bucks to get here, and will expect us to have our act together There are many Texas cavers working on the ICS, but there are many more who aren't. For those who aren't, do you want to see a fine cave or two? I assume so. Then contact Travis. He'll line you up to check out one of Texas' finest. You'll go, have a great time, and along the way develop a working relationship with the landowner, figure out transportation, safety, and cave protection issues for taking a group to the cave. Then next year, you'll lead a couple of groups there. This is what you do anyway when you want to go caving, so it is simple, familiar, and fun. Help Travis out and contact him -- and Travis is in school, working, raising a family, etc., so if he can find the time to organize all of the trips, many of you reading this should be able to find the time to go caving for him. I've cc'ed Travis on this note so you can contact him directly. Also cc'ed is Joe Mitchell who is assisting Travis. Include him on your message too in case Travis can't respond right away. The ICS will be an incredible event; probably the most significant caving event ever in the Western Hemisphere. It may easily be 30 years or more before another comes to the US, and far, far longer before it comes back to Texas. But it will only be as good as the people who step up to make it happen. Any of you who are not currently involved, I would love it if you would become part of "we." If you can't help with trips, contact Nancy Weaver, also cc'ed, and she'll show you other ways you can join and help with the ICS. Many thanks, George Veni Chairman, 15th International Congress of Speleology --------------------------------------------------------------------- Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com
