Member Benefit: field trip 101

[STACKER]

The following is an excerpt from communications for Pittsburgh Zoo/PPG Aquarium. Please check it out and respond if you are interested in going on a group tour of the facility.

Dale-

Surprisingly that is not a strange request here at the Zoo. There are
many organizations that have shown interest in the mechanical workings
of the Aquarium water systems. We have a mechanical tour of the PPG
Aquarium, for a maximum of 50 guests and a minimum of 30 guests. It is
$15 per person for the admission (to the Zoo & Aquarium) and a unique
look at the workings of the PPG Aquarium. Please let me know if you have
any further questions or would like to schedule your visit to our
Aquarium.

The tour description is listed below:

Mechanical Tour (maximum number of guests 50 minimum number 30 / $15 per
guest for admission & tour)
Ever wonder what goes into an Aquarium filtration system, the
difficulties of HV/AC when trying to support a large penguin exhibit in
a building that also contains an actual rainforest, or how about the
water systems that supply thousands of gallons of water to fresh and
saltwater tanks? These are just some of the questions that will be
answered on a tour of the mechanical aspects of the PPG Aquarium. Our
staff will be stationed in specific areas of interest for your tour
group, eager to provide your group with this unique information and
answer all of your maintenance related questions.



Jaime Szoszorek, Group Sales & Rentals Coordinator
Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium

Hello,

I am Dale Hatch of MY-SEA (Mahoning/Youngstown area Salt Water
Enthusiasts Association), a newly formed marine fish and reef aquaria
keeping association local to the Mahoning Valley, NE OH and NW PA. I am

intersted in the possibility of a small group tour of your facility
including (most importantly) a behind the scenes look at the
mechnical./chemical systams of the aquarium and most certainly Q&A for
your staff by members of our club. Currently our membership is about 20

Please let me know if you offer such a service as we are
really not necessarily intersted in a simple/standard walk thru of the
displays as much as we are geared toward systems config., animal
husbandry, coral propogation techniques etc. Please let me know and I
will present details to the membership.

Best Regards

Dale Hatch

[deepbluesea99]

that sounds great dale,to bad we hace to have a min of 30 to do it. i think it will be a while seeing as we cant even get our shedules to mesh for a meeting but im verry intrested.

[lori7973]

Well... alot of us have children who would like to go also. The cost is for the tour and the zoo it'self. I don't know about all 3 of my kids... but at least one would like to go.. that makes 3 of us. Rich, your son would like to go.. We could easily get to 30 and all meet in the parking lot at the zoo.

Oh... and I forgot to mention that there may be some from C-SEA that might like to join us.

[STACKER]

Ya, we kinda talked about this already. If we all chipped in like $10 we could rent a party bus for the trip. I'm thinkin' 30 is impossible with just members but spouses and kids we should easily get there.

[ONAGI]

yes, members, their spouses, and kids should get us to 30 no problem. It sounds good to me. I'll bring my wife.

[Jamesvcanfield]

I'm in.

[Howieytown]

I have been talking with my family for over a month now about going to the aquarium there not to mention the zoo.
That would be 4 of us total.

Only problem being if my wife see's me getting information on maintaining such a large aquarium she'll freak! She already thinks I'm going to flood the basement for my next tank.

[Jamesvcanfield]

Wow, ypur wife and mine must be long lost sisters! Mine is afraid I'm gonna take a home equity line for my next one!

[STACKER]

Make that triplets lol $50 per gal. for starters, another $50 per gal. will get you what you dream of....

[Ashley7524]

Sal and I would like to come.

[sbluscombe]

Dale,
The wife and I would be interersted in going too. Thanks for the involvement in the club and the work you have done
Thanks,Steve

[ONAGI]

that would bring us up to 15 or 16 people already!

[STACKER]

We're gettin there!

[Bowman]

Dale keep me posted on the details as Lori said members from C-SEA might be interested in joining the party. If you did it on a saturday that coinsides with the Pittsburgh group you could also work in attending their meeting as well. They have a meeting tonight so I think they meet the 4th Saturday of the month. Some of them like like to go as well. Thanks John

[ONAGI]

Hi John,
We would love to have you guys join us. that would be really good to coordinate it to attend the meeting in Pittsburgh as well.

[STACKER]

Maybe we can overwhelm them with reefgeeks! Sounds fantastic. I'll contact Jamie again and see if maybe they have a slot that would best suit us all.

[ysuscuba]

Count me in ......this sounds like a fun trip!

[zzpw3x]

Wife and I would also be interesed.

Dale

[Ashley7524]

any info on if this trip is going to happen?

[ONAGI]

trying to get enough people to commit to going so we can set it up. Are you two interested?

[Jamesvcanfield]

Omar, my brother and his girlfriend would be interested in going also. So, (without knowing a date yet) include 4 from my party in your head count. Jamie.

[Ashley7524]

Yes we are intersted as long as we have enough of a notice.

[ONAGI]

You got it Jamie.

Ashley , There will be plenty of notice. Keep an eye on the board here.

Thanks,
Omar

[STACKER]

I posted thsi in order to meter potential interest. We'll work around the Aquariums yout schedule and our own screwed up time tables. We'll talk about it at the upcoming meeting and get a feel for when the vast majority can attend and how we're going to setup transportation.

[Bowman]

I am looking to do this Saturday July 30th how does this work for everyone? We could meet along the turnpike somewhere as we will be coming from the Cleveland area. Let me know ASAP so I can plan accordingly. Regards John

[lori7973]

I won't be able to make it that day. But there is the Conference in Pittsburgh Saturday August 27th for PMASI at the zoo also... I know the field trip being planned for the 30th is a behind the scene thing but maybe that will be going on Aug. 27 also???

[STACKER]

Aug 30 huh? Maybe we can get something coordinated. Could be!?

[Bowman]

Stacker it is July 30th that I am looking at as the Aug 27th date is the PMAS conference at the zoo. As far as I know an Aquarium tour is not on the agenda for that day that's why I am looking at the July 30th date. Regards John

[STACKER]

Ok, keep is informed. I have no idea what mt schedule will be but I'm always interested...

[Bowman]

Sounds good everyone. Remember we need a minimum of 30 people to make this happen So I need to hear from anyone interested in going along including a head count for your party. Please do this ASAP so I can make the arraingements. Regards John

[STACKER]

We had a tentative (ehem) group of 15-20 including a few kids 2 months ago when I first contacted Jamie Szoszorek. I'll shake the bushes and see who is still interested.

[Steven Pro]

Originally posted by lori7973
I won't be able to make it that day. But there is the Conference in Pittsburgh Saturday August 27th for PMASI at the zoo also... I know the field trip being planned for the 30th is a behind the scene thing but maybe that will be going on Aug. 27 also??? We will have enough time during our conference to walk thorugh the aquarium, but unfortunately not enough to get everyone through a behind the scenes tour.

[STACKER]

Steven, can you post the location, time, etc. again or link to your info. page so everyone looking here can catch it again. I'd like to attend, sounds like a no-miss conference!

[Steven Pro]

Everything is on our club's website, http://www.pmas.org/

[Jamesvcanfield]

Dale, I am interested, have to talk to the wife and make sure schedule is o.k. is July30th o.k with you? P.S. lets go fishin this weekend if you get time! let me know. Jamie.

[STACKER]

Jamie, I need another week probably to get my fingers working. I got the cast off on Thurs. and I only have limited flexibility. Between Ryan 's spots and mine we'll pick a killer fishin' hole that will blow your Godsons' mind! He'll wanna go every day!!!!

check this nasty pic out...

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y62/stackr/goofy/DSCF2855.jpg

Here's a pic of a sweet fishin' hole!

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y62/stackr/DSCF2244.jpg

[Jamesvcanfield]

Now I'm fired up!.....That hand looks pretty good, healing up fine. I was expecting it to look worse. What about July 30th? good for you for this tour?

[STACKER]

30 th is out for me, my buddy ios having a shoving out party for his daughter. She's heading to Germany for a year as an exchange student. I'm gonna cook for about 75 people (I'll try to be careful this time :) ) See how life gets in the way of cool stuff?

[Bowman]

Last call So far I only have 6 people on the list. We are not going to be able to do this with 6 people. You can't wait to see what Saturday is like and decide then, reservations have to be made in advance. Let me know ASAP if you want this trip to happen. Regards John

[Jamesvcanfield]

You have six from Csea? how many from your group? I don't know if I can muster more than 5 or 6. Have you beaten the bushes on your end? Jamie. VP MYSEA.

[STACKER]

Sorry I can't attend or even help out much. I'm the busiest I've been all year here at work and am attempting to make as much hay as I can while the sun shines. My reef needs maint. , the dogs need run, the cars need washed, the grass needs cut.... Doo doo happens! Soner or later we'll all get it together and make the tour...someday :)

[STACKER]

Sorry I can't attend or even help out much. I'm the busiest I've been all year here at work and am attempting to make as much hay as I can while the sun shines. My reef needs maint. , the dogs need run, the cars need washed, the grass needs cut.... Doo doo happens! Soner or later we'll all get it together and make the tour...someday :)

[Bowman]

As of right now I have 12 maybe 13 people that said they were in. At this point we do not have enough people (30 minimum) to pull this off for next Saturday. I will try again once our new season kicks off in September, and I will keep you guys posted. Thanks Again John

[STACKER]

Thx John, Let us know ASAP so everyone has a chance to free up their schedules. I've been busy and out of touch this summer, I sure hop ethings slow down a touch, working 10 hrs. 6-7 days weekly is not good for my spirit.