The first complaint(being facetious)

[bobbiemlv]

It's been almost 3 weeks since DLV 2011 & I am complaining that there haven't been any complaints. It really did go that smooth. It seems like everything worked, maybe not with the attendance we might have expected with individual events, but it did go smooth. Thank you to the organizing committee and a special thanks to all of the attendees. This years vacation is going to be hard to beat. Perhaps we should try doing it for 7 days, with pre-DLV & post DLV events. I've learned from the 4 DLVs that I've been to that it doesn't matter as much, how many attended an event, but more if it was enjoyable. Thanks again for a wonderful week!!

[annie]

> It really did go that smooth. It seems like everything worked,

Of all of the DLVs I've been to (15 in total now) I must admit that I've heard the least b*tching and petty complaining at this year's event.

There really wasn't that much to complain about this year.

> maybe not with the attendance we might have expected

I'm perfectly happy with the attendance levels this year, both for the individual activities and for the event as a whole. Very few activities had a disappointing turnout.

Our total headcount now stands at 168. This is slightly down from last year, but within 6.2% of our overall record. Our 5-year moving average continues to increase. The natural variance or "noise" is what we're seeing WRT any year to year decreases in total attendance.

The number of active participants increased this year, meaning those who attended were more actively involved in the goings-on and not just bodies to be counted. Our Artisan opener was the most-attended activity in our history and we had a record turnout for any last-day activity at the Bahama Breeze this year.

>Perhaps we should try doing it for 7 days, with pre-DLV & post DLV events.

We can discuss the length of future events in ORG.

We had 7-day events in past years. 2004, 2005, and 2006 were all 7-day DLVs. There are two very significant data points regarding the longer event. First, the average number of days attended did not increase when we went to 7 days from 6, nor decrease when we went from 7 back to 6. It stayed very consistent in the 5.something range. More important was our issue with "fizzle-out" endings, which were problematic during those 7-day years.

The big issue with a longer event, however, is volunteer workload. There is always a calling for a longer event, but that call goes silent when those calling for the longer event are asked to do more (as in planning things that involve real work) to make that longer event happen. The absolute most deafening silence is when those calling for the longer event are asked to assist with recruiting the volunteer help necessary to have a longer event.

I think part of the success this year was that we were right-sized with both the length of the event and the strength of the volunteer force. Although we still had a few volunteers who ended up doing more than their fair share, we did not have the exceptional load placed on any particular volunteers, as we had in 2010 when two volunteers were badly overloaded and a few were approaching burnout. This year we had a far more equitable sharing of the load.

I think our calendar of starting on a Sunday with a slow start, with a big bang opener on the second day, worked very well. I also think that ending on a Friday works exceptionally well. When we've ended on a Saturday, we've always had an exodus on Saturday morning. Ending on a Friday ends on a peak, and not on a down-hill slide.

[annie]

> There were no complaints because I wasn't there, sniff, sniff....

Actually, there WERE complaints because you weren't there!

[External Poster]

This posting is from: Ginger
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I think the reason everything went so well was that everything we did
was simple. We saw some sights, horse ranch, museum, etc., we ate
breakfast, lunch and dinner with a snack or two maybe, we drank, we
danced and we did it all at places other people operated. All we had to
do was show up sometimes with a little pre-planning. The only
complicated event was probably the limo tour and that did require some
planning, but our experienced tour planners and the limo company, who by
this time knows us well, made it a wonderful experience again! DLV is a
vacation and we need to keep things simple and enjoy it!

Thanks also for everyone being so congenial and cooperative. That went a
long way toward a wonderful experience. Let's hope the days that one,
two or a few made evenings and events less than enjoyable are over for
good!

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(This posting was entered by Ginger, an external user of MyDLV.)

[External Poster]

This posting is from: Gina Richards
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There were no complaints because I wasn't there, sniff, sniff....

Gina

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(This posting was entered by Gina Richards, an external user of MyDLV.)

[External Poster]

This posting is from: Gina Richards
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> Actually, there WERE complaints because you weren't there! :)

Awwww.... I feel so appreciated! :-)

Gina

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(This posting was entered by Gina Richards, an external user of MyDLV.)